## 1 Introduction  
Low-scale producers are increasingly turning to raising rabbits on family farms, as they are easy to maintain, lead to fast growth with reduced feed consumption, and produce high-quality meat. Rabbit meat is characterized by low fat and cholesterol content, rich in protein with high biological value and high polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content [1, 2, 3, 4]. Additionally, rabbit meat contains various essential macro and micronutrients, such as minerals (potassium, phosphorus, and selenium) and vitamins, particularly vitamin B12 [5, 6, 7]. Within an efficient growth system, rabbits convert up to 20% of their feed protein into muscle tissue, when compared to pigs (15-18%) or cattle (9-12%) [8, 9]. Rabbit meat is used as an ingredient in value-added products to meet modern consumer and industry demands, owing to its nutritional profile and technical traits [10, 11, 12]. Rabbit meat production and consumption could also contribute to easing the increased global food demand owing to population growth [13, 14, 9, 15].  
Rabbit farmers strive to produce high-quality meat to quench consumer demand while ensuring optimal rearing conditions for rabbits through using natural feed supplements. Natural feed supplements are functional and can be easily acquired [16, 17]. Therefore, supplementing rabbit feed with a prepared-mixture of linseed meal and selenium yeast--that is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and high-quality proteins--can produce rabbit meat with superior nutritional value [18]. By enriching the composition of rabbit meat with valuable nutrients, it becomes a functional food capable of maintaining the health of human consumers, possibly also preventing various human pathological conditions induced by dietary deficiencies [19].  
Linesed is rich in anti-inflammatory and biologically active substances that help maintain health. Such substances include essential fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids. Alpha-linoleic acid/omega-3 accounts for approximately 50% of total PUFA content, while linolenic and oleic acids are present in low amounts (16 g/100 g) [20, 21, 22]. Linseed meal improves the flavor, texture, and nutritional/antioxidant properties of various meat-based food products [23].  
In recent years, fodder yeast has been increasingly used in human and animal diets due to its high nutritional value, including elevated levels of proteins, essential amino acids (lysine and methionine), vitamins, and minerals. It acts as a probiotic that stimulates digestion, improving intestinal microbial balance, modulating the immune system, and is involved in vitamin synthesis and enhancing mineral bioavailability [24].  
Selenium yeasts are produced by cultures enriched with sodium selenite and contain--in dry form--approximately 2.5 mg selenium/g. Selenomethionine is the predominant selenium form present in yeast, constituting 60-85% of total selenium [25, 26]. Numerous human and animal studies involving selenium-deficient diets have revealed that selenium bioavailability due to enriched yeast and selenomethine is approximately 1.5-2-fold higher than those of inorganic forms of selenium [27, 28].  
Consumers are increasingly interested in healthy, low-calorie dietary foods. Consequently, researchers must investigate dietary supplementation of animal feeds, for ultimately achieving healthy food products for human consumption. In essence, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of introducing rabbit feed supplementation containing linseed meal, fodder yeast--both individually and as a prepared-mixture of linseed meal and selenium yeast, with the expectation of synergistic action in obtaining rabbit meat with superior properties for human consumption.