# Sustainable Rabbit Production for the Caribbean: The Role of Multipurpose Trees and Forages as an Alternative Feedstuff

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how tropical forage trees like Moringa and Gliricidia can be used in Caribbean rabbit farming to reduce feed costs and improve meat quality.

## Contribution

The study highlights the potential of tropical forage trees to enhance rabbit production through improved nutrition and antioxidant benefits.

## Key findings

- Tropical forage trees like Moringa oleifera and Gliricidia sepium improve rabbit antioxidant activity and lipid profiles.
- Incorporating these plants in rabbit diets reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.
- Tropical forages can lower feed costs and improve meat quality for consumers.

## Abstract

The rising demand and resulting competition for ingredients used historically in the preparation of rabbit feeds have dramatically elevated the costs. This review revealed that locally available tropical fodder trees have high nutritional value, which could be employed to reduce production costs. Additionally, many of these plants have natural antioxidant properties that have promising potential to combat oxidative damage, thereby preventing loss of nutritional content. For example, Moringa oleifera (MO) and Gliricidia sepium (GS) have been evaluated and shown to improve antioxidant activity in both sera and meat of rabbits. Moreover, these trees have proven hypolipidemic properties that appear to improve the blood lipid profile of rabbits. The evidence presented reveals that incorporation of these tropical fodder plants in rabbit diets at various inclusion levels substantially reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol while also promoting ‘good’ cholesterol, along with increased levels of protection against lipid oxidation, which translates into a longer shelf life. Thus, these plants can offer a natural improvement in meat quality that would benefit the consumer. Therefore, it is recommended that tropical forage trees and shrubs be utilized in rabbit feeding.

The high demand for conventional ingredients used in the formulation of rabbit diets has increased competition, resulting in higher costs. Tropical forage plants with high nutritional content can provide relief for this pressing issue, as well as offer potential health benefits to the animal, which would ultimately lead to a quality product. A review of 33 studies on Trichanthera gigantea (T. gigantea), Morus alba (M. alba, MA), Leucaena leucocephala (L. leucocephala, LL), Gliricidia sepium (G. sepium) and Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) and their effect on rabbits spanning 1999 to 2026 was conducted. This review demonstrated that alternative tropical fodder trees found in the Caribbean have the potential to enhance performance, the oxidative status of sera and meat, carcass traits, blood and meat biochemistry indicators and digestibility. On the contrary, most of these plants contain anti-nutrients that exert negative effects on growing rabbits and their health. The evidence revealed in this review shows that various inclusion levels of the forages can improve rabbit meat production, thereby lowering ingredient costs and providing consumers with a quality protein option. Therefore, the incorporation of tropical forages in rabbit diets is recommended.