Four groups of eight New Zealand hybrid rabbits were fed ryegrass meal only, alfalfa
meal only, ryegrass and oats 1:1, or alfalfa and oats 1:1. Diets were offered ad libitum
in pelleted form from 5-30 weeks of age, when they were slaughtered. Intramuscular
fatty acid profiles were determined in the Musculus quadriceps of the left hindleg.
Feed intake was not statistically different between the four groups, nor was carcass
weight. The main effect of the forage-only diets on the fatty acid profiles was a decrease
of monounsaturated and an increase of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)
proportions. Within PUFA, the n-3 fatty acids more than doubled with forage-only
compared to forage-oats diets, while the n-6 fatty acids slightly decreased. In general,
the proportion of n-3 fatty acids in intramuscular fat of forage-only fed rabbits was
extraordinarily high compared to any other meat of agricultural origin. The results
demonstrate a specific advantage of roughage-based diets in the nutrition of productive
herbivores, which is also known for ruminants