Role of housing system and season on the carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits reared in Italian commercial farms

The aim of this study was to compare the carcass traits and meat quality of growing rabbits reared in four types of commercially available housing systems (i.e. bicellular cages, dual-purpose cages, enriched cages and elevated pens) across three production cycles covering different seasons (i.e. autumn, winter and summer) under field conditions. The rabbits originated from 12 commercial farms (three farms per housing system) located in the Northeast of Italy and were slaughtered in five commercial slaughterhouses at a slaughter age from 71 to 90 d. Twenty carcasses per farm and cycle were randomly selected at the slaughterhouse and carcass and meat quality traits were evaluated 24 h post-mortem. The heaviest carcass weights were found in rabbits reared in enriched cages, followed by those in parks, while the lightest carcasses were found in rabbits from bicellular cages. Carcass fat and longissimus lumborum proportions were higher and hind legs proportion lower in carcasses of rabbits kept in enriched cages compared to those from the other systems. Based on significant differences for meat quality traits (i.e. pH, L*, thawing losses and shear force) among housing systems, ante-mortem stress was likely lower in rabbits from enriched cages and parks than in those from bicellular and dual-purpose cages. Nevertheless, these differences were not translated into noticeable changes in meat quality because of the small variations among housing systems. Overall, the observed differences could not be strictly and exclusively related to the enclosure in which the animals were housed, but also to other production and ante-mortem factors. The rearing season significantly affected slaughter traits, with lower slaughter and carcass weights in summer compared to winter and autumn. Despite the limit in the sample size of investigated farms, this study highlighted that under field conditions the final product quality of rabbits is not clearly distinguishable based on the housing system per se.

Show more Show less

References:

Bianchi M., Petracci M., Pascual M., Cavani C. 2007. Comparison between Allo-Kramer and Warner-Bratzler devices to assess rabbit meat tenderness. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 6: 749-751. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.1s.749 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.1s.749

Blasco A., Ouhayoun J. 1996. Harmonization of criteria and terminology in rabbit meat research. Revised proposal. World Rabbit Sci., 4: 93-99. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1996.278 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1996.278

Blasco A., Nagy I., Hernández P. 2018. Genetics of growth, carcass and meat quality in rabbits. Meat Sci., 145: 178-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.06.030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.06.030

Brunner T.A., van der Horst K., Siegrist M. 2010. Convenience food products. Drivers for consumption. Appetite, 55: 498-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2010.08.017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2010.08.017

Caucci C., Di Martino G., Capello K., Mazzucato M., Trocino A., Xiccato G., Lago N., Brichese M., Bonfanti L. 2018. Risk factors for pre-slaughter mortality in fattening and breeding rabbits. Livest. Sci., 210: 55-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.02.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.02.005

Cavani C., Petracci M., Trocino A., Xiccato G. 2009. Advances in research on poultry and rabbit meat quality. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 8: 741-750. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2009.s2.741 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2009.s2.741

Crovato S., Pinto A., Di Martino G., Mascarello G., Rizzoli V., Marcolin S., Ravarotto L. 2022. Purchasing Habits, Sustainability Perceptions and Welfare Concerns of Italian Consumers Regarding Rabbit Meat. Foods, 11: 1205. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11091205 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11091205

Cullere M., Dalle Zotte A. 2018. Rabbit meat production and consumption: State of knowledge and future perspectives. Meat Sci., 143: 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.04.029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.04.029

Dal Bosco A., Castellini C., Mugnai C. 2002. Rearing rabbits on a wire net floor or straw litter: behaviour, growth and meat qualitative traits. Livest. Prod. Sci., 75: 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(01)00307-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(01)00307-4

Ebeid T.A., Tůmová E., Al-Homidan I.H., Ketta M., Chodová D. 2022. The potential role of feed restriction on productivity, carcass composition, meat quality, and muscle fibre properties of growing rabbits: A review. Meat Sci., 191, 108845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108845 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108845

EFSA 2005. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) on a request from the Commission related to “The Impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbits” - EFSA-Q-2004-023 - accepted by the AWAH Panel on 11th and 12th July 2005 - Adopted on 13th and 14th September 2005. EFSA J. 267: 1-31. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2005.267 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2005.267

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), Saxmose Nielsen S., Alvarez J., Bicout D.J., Calistri P., Depner K., Drewe J.A., Garin-Bastuji B., Gonzales Rojas J.L., Gortazar Schmidt C., Michel V., Miranda Chueca M.A., Roberts H.C., Sihvonen L.H., Spoolder H., Stahl K., Velarde Calvo A., Viltrop A., Buijs S., Edwards S., Candiani D., Mosbach-Schulz O., Van der Stede Y., Winckler C. 2020. Scientific Opinion on the “Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems”. EFSA J., 18: e05944. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.5944 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.5944

European Parliament 2021. European Parliament Resolution of 10 June 2021 on the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘End the Cage Age’ (2021/2633(RSP)). 2021. Available online: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0295_EN.html. Accessed November 2022.

FAOSTAT 2020. The Statistics Division of the FAO 2020. Available online: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data. Accessed November 2022.

Gondret F., Hernandez P., Rémignon H., Combes S. 2009. Skeletal muscle adaptations and biomechanical properties of tendons in response to jump exercise in rabbits. J. Anim.Sci., 87: 544-553. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2008-1286 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2008-1286

Hulot F., Ouhayoun J. 1999. Muscular pH and related traits in rabbits: A review. World Rabbit Sci., 7: 15-36. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1999.378 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.1999.378

Krunt O., Zita L., Kraus A., Bureš D., Needham T., Volek Z. 2022. The effect of housing system on rabbit growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality characteristics of different muscles. Meat Sci., 193: 108953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108953 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108953

Krunt O., Zita L., Kraus A., Volek Z. 2021. How can housing system affect growth and carcass traits, meat quality and muscle fiber characteristics in biceps femoris and mineral content of tibia and femur bones in growing rabbits? Livest. Sci., 249: 104531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104531 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104531

Lambertini L., Vignola G., Badiani A., Zaghini G., Formigoni A. 2006. The effect of journey time and stocking density during transport on carcass and meat quality in rabbits. Meat Sci., 72: 641-646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.09.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.09.012

Leroy F., Petracci M. 2021. Rabbit meat: a valuable source of nutrition or too-cute-to-eat? World Rabbit Sci., 29: 239-246. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2021.12663 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.0.12663

Marai I.F.M., Habeeb A.A.M., Gad A.E., 2022. Rabbits’ productive, reproductive and physiological performance traits as affected by heat stress: A review. Livest. Prod. Sci., 78: 71-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00091-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00091-X

María G.A., Buil T., Liste G., Villarroel M., Sañudo M., Olleta J.L. 2006. Effects of transport time and season on aspects of rabbit meat quality. Meat Sci., 72: 773-777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.10.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.10.012

Matics Z., Gerencsér Z., Kasza R., Terhes K., Nagy I., Radnai I., Zotte A.D., Cullere M., Szendrő Z. 2021. Effect of ambient temperature on the productive and carcass traits of growing rabbits divergently selected for body fat content. Animal, 15: 100096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2020.100096 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2020.100096

Matics Zs., Cullere M., Dalle Zotte A., Szendrő K., Szendrő Zs., Odermatt M., Atkári T., Radnai I., Nagy I., Gerencsér Zs. 2019. Effect of cage and pen housing on the live performance, carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits. It. J. Anim. Sci., 18: 441-449. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2018.1532329 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2018.1532329

Metzger Sz., Kustos K., Szendrő Zs., Szabó A., Eiben Cs., Nagy, I. 2003. The effect of housing system on carcass traits and meat quality of rabbit. World Rabbit Sci., 11: 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2003.492 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2003.492

Mondin C., Trestini S., Trocino A., Di Martino G. 2021. The Economics of Rabbit Farming: A Pilot Study on the Impact of Different Housing Systems. Animals, 11: 3040. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113040

Napolitano F., Girolami A., Braghieri A. 2010. Consumer liking and willingness to pay for high welfare animal-based products. Trends in Food Sci. Technol., 21: 537-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2010.07.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2010.07.012

Petracci M., Cavani C. 2013. Rabbit meat processing: Historical perspective to future directions. World Rabbit Sci., 21: 217-226. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2013.1329 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2013.1329

Petracci M., Betti M., Bianchi M., Cavani C. 2004. Color variation and characterization of broiler breast meat during processing in Italy. Poultry Sci., 83: 12, 2086-2092. https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/83.12.2086 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/83.12.2086

Petracci M., Bianchi M., Venturi L., Cremonini M.A., Cavani C. 2009. Effect of antemortem journey and lairage at abattoir on rabbit meat quality. J. Muscle Foods, 20: 489-500. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4573.2009.00163.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4573.2009.00163.x

SAS 2013. SAS 9.4 User’s Guide. SAS Inst. Inc., Cary NC, USA.

Siddiqui S.A., Gerini F., Ikram A., Saeed F., Feng, X., Chen, Y.P. 2023. Rabbit Meat - Production, Consumption and Consumers’ Attitudes and Behavior. Sustainability, 15: 2008. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032008

Szendrő Zs., Dalle Zotte A. 2011. Effect of housing conditions on production and behaviour of growing meat rabbits: A review. Livest Sci., 137: 296-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2010.11.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2010.11.012

Szendrő Zs., Princz Z., Romvári R., Locsmándi L., Szabó A., Bázár G., Radnai I., Biró-Németh E., Matics Zs., Nagy I. 2009. Effect of group size and stocking density on productive, carcass, meat quality and aggression traits of growing rabbits. World Rabbit Sci., 17: 153-162. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.655 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.655

Szendrő K., Szabó-Szentgróti E., Szigeti O. 2020. Consumers’ Attitude to Consumption of Rabbit Meat in Eight Countries Depending on the Production Method and Its Purchase Form. Foods, 9: 654. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9050654 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9050654

Trocino A., Filiou E., Tazzoli M., Birolo M., Zuffellato A., Xiccato G. 2015. Effects of floor type, stocking density, slaughter age and gender on productive and qualitative traits of rabbits reared in collective pens. Animal, 9: 855-861. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114003188 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114003188

Trocino A., Zomeño C., Birolo M., Di Martino G., Stefani A., Bonfanti L., Bertotto D., Gratta F., Xiccato G. 2018. Impact of pre-slaughter transport conditions on stress response, carcass traits and meat quality in growing rabbits. Meat Sci., 146: 68-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.07.035 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.07.035

Trocino A., Cotozzolo E., Zomeño C., Petracci M., Xiccato G., Castellini C. 2019. Rabbit production and science: the world and Italian scenarios from 1998 to 2018. Ital. J. Anim.Sci., 18: 1361-1371. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2019.1662739 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2019.1662739

Trocino A., Menegon F., Zomeño C., Pasqualin D., Cunial G., Xiccato G., Pirrone F., Bertotto D., Bortoletti M., Dorigo F., Lavazza A., Di Martino G. 2022. A pilot study about onfarm assessment of health and welfare in rabbits kept in different housing systems. Front. Vet. Sci., 9: 936643. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.936643 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.936643

Tufarelli V., Tateo A., Schiavitto M., Mazzei D., Calzaretti G., Laudadio V. 2022. Evaluating productive performance, meat quality and oxidation products of Italian White breed rabbits under free-range and cage rearing system. Animal bioscience, 35: 884-891. https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.21.0327 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.21.0327

Xiccato G., Trocino A., Filiou E., Majolini D., Tazzoli M., Zuffellato A. 2013a. Bicellular cage vs. collective pen housing for rabbits: Growth performance, carcass and meat quality. Livest Sci., 155: 407-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.05.013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2013.05.013

Xiccato G., Trocino A., Majolini D., Tazzoli M., Zuffellato A. 2013b. Housing of growing rabbits in individual, bicellular and collective cages: growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality. Animal, 7: 627-632. https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111200198X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111200198X

Show more Show less

Role of housing system and season on the carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits reared in Italian commercial farms

Downloads

Keywords:

Supporting agencies:

Abstract:

References:

Funding data

Downloads