Effects of substituting maize with sorghum and soybean meal with canola meal on the growth performance, blood parameters, and organoleptic quality of rabbits according to sex

Increasing volatility in the cost and supply of maize and soybean meal necessitates the evaluation of locally available alternatives such as sorghum grain and canola meal, yet their combined effects on growth performance, carcass traits, serum biochemistry, and meat quality of grower rabbits, particularly in relation to sex remain inadequately documented. This study evaluated the impact of completely substituting maize with sorghum and soybean meal with canola meal on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits, while also examining whether sex interacts with these dietary changes to influence serum biochemical parameters and organoleptic meat quality. Forty rabbit weaners (20 bucks and 20 does; 6.13 ± 6.59 g live weight) at one month of age were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments in a two-way factorial arrangement (diet × sex) under a completely randomized design. Each rabbit was housed individually in a 0.07 m 2 pen, with five replicates per treatment. Two iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic diets were formulated: a maize–soybean-based commercial grower diet (control) and an experimentally formulated sorghum–canola meal (SCM) diet in which sorghum fully replaced maize and canola meal replaced soybean meal. Rabbits fed the SCM diet exhibited significantly higher ( P < 0.05) body weight gain, improved carcass traits, and superior meat quality compared with those on the control diet. Does gained more weight than bucks ( P < 0.05), regardless of diet. Rabbits on the SCM diet had higher ( P < 0.05) plasma sodium concentrations; however, sex had no significant effect on serum biochemical parameters or sensory meat quality, and no diet × sex interaction was observed. These findings indicate that complete replacement of maize and soybean meal with sorghum and canola meal can enhance growth performance without adverse effects on physiological status or meat quality, irrespective of sex. Sorghum and canola meal therefore represent viable, sustainable, and cost-effective alternatives for rabbit production systems.