Effect of floor type on carcass and meat quality of pen raised growing rabbits

Alessandro Dal Bosco

Italy

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia

Zsolt Szendrö

Hungary

Kaposvár University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Zsolt Matics

Hungary

Kaposvár University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Cesare Castellini

Italy

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia

Silvia Ruggeri

Italy

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia

Katalin Szendrö

Hungary

Kaposvár University, Faculty of Economic Sciences

Melania Martino

Italy

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia

Simona Mattioli

Italy

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia

Antonella Dalle Zotte

Italy

Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova

Zsolt Gerencsér

Hungary

Kaposvár University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

|

Accepted: 2014-12-05

|

Published: 2015-03-25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2015.3270
Funding Data

Downloads

Keywords:

floor type, growing rabbit, carcass traits, meat quality

Supporting agencies:

This research was not funded

Abstract:

The aim of the experiment was to compare the carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits housed on different floor types. At the age of 35 d, rabbits (n=126) were randomly sorted into 3 groups and housed in pens with different floor types: plastic-mesh, deep-litter straw or wire-mesh. Slaughter weight, carcass and its parts’ weight, meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum [LL] muscle and hind leg) pH and colour, oxidative status and fatty acid profile were measured and correlations calculated. The deep-litter straw rabbits showed the lowest pHu and b* values of LL muscle and oxidation of the both muscles. The fatty acid profile of LL muscle of deep-litter straw rabbits showed a higher percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids and long chain n-3 polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids, whereas the content of  18:2n-6 and total PUFA was lower. We concluded that housing the growing rabbits on wire- or plastic-mesh floors showed no substantial differences, while housing rabbits on deep-litter negatively affected certain qualitative traits.

Show more Show less

References:

AOAC 1995. Official Methods of Analysis. 15th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Washington, DC. USA.

Arakawa K., Sagai M. 1986. Species differences in lipid peroxide levels in lung tissue and investigation of their determining factors. Lipids, 21: 769-775. doi:10.1007/BF02535410

Arora D.S., Sharma R.K., Chandra R. 2011. Biodelignification of wheat straw and its effect on in vitro digestibility and antioxidant properties. Int. Biodeter. Biodegrad., 65: 352-358. doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2010.12.009

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

CIE, Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage, 1976. Official Recommendations on Uniform Colour Spaces, Colour Differences Equations and Metric Colour Terms. Supplement

n. 2, CIE Publication n. 15. Colorimetry. Paris, France.

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

Dalle Zotte A., Princz Z., Metzger Sz., Szabó A., Radnai I., Biró-Németh E., Orova Z., Szendrő Zs. 2009. Response of fattening rabbits reared under different housing conditions. 2. Carcass and meat quality. Livest. Sci., 122: 39-47. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2008.07.021

Dalle Zotte A., Cullere M., Sartori A., Szendrő Zs., Kovàcs M., Giaccone V., Dal Bosco A. 2014. Dietary Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) supplementation to growing rabbits: effects on raw and cooked meat quality, nutrient true retention and oxidative stability. Meat Sci., 98: 94-103. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.005

Enser M., 1999. Nutritional effects on meat flavour and stability. In: Richardson, R.I., Mead, G.C. (Eds.). Poultry Meat Sci. Poultry Science Symposium Series. Vol. 25. CABI Publishing, Oxon, 197-215.

Esposito F., Arlotti G., Bonifati A.M., Napolitano A., Vitale D., Fogliano V. 2005. Antioxidant activity and dietary fibre in durum wheat bran by-products. Food Res. Int., 38: 1167–1173. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2005.05.002

Folch J., Lees M., Sloane-Stanley H. 1961. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. J. Biol. Chem., 226: 497-502.

Gerencsér Zs., Szendrő K., Szendrő Zs., Odermatt M., Radnai I., Nagy I., Dal Bosco A., Matics Zs. 2014. Effect of floor type on behaviour and productive performance of growing rabbits. Livest. Sci., 165: 114-119. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2014.04.022

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. doi:10.2527/jas.2008-1286

Hewavitharana A.K., Lanari M.C., Becu C. 2004. Simultaneous determination of vitamin E homologs in chicken meat by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. J. Chromat., 1025: 313-317. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2003.10.052

Jekkel G., Milisits G. 2009. Comparison of the behaviour of growing rabbits reared on wire net or combined floor at different stocking densities. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 3: 202- 204.

Jekkel G., Milisits G., Nagy I., Biró-Németh E. 2008. Analysis of the behaviour of growing rabbits housed in deep litter at different stages of rearing. In: Proceeding 9th World Rabbit Congress, June 10-13, 2008. Verona, Italy, , pp. 1189-1193.

Ke P.J., Ackman R.G., Linke B.H., Nash, D.M. 1977. Differential lipid oxidation products in various parts of frozen mackerel. J. Food Tech., 12: 37-47.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1977.tb00083.x

Korkeala H., Mäki-Petais O., Alanko T., Sorvettula O. 1986. Determination of pH in meat. Meat Sci., 18: 121-132. doi:10.1016/0309-1740(86)90088-4

Matics Zs., Szendrő Zs., Radnai I., Biró-Németh E., Gyovai M. 2003. Examination of free choice of rabbits among different cage-floors. Agric. Consp. Scient., 68: 265-269.

Matics Zs., Nagy I., Gerencsér Zs., Radnai I., Gyovai P., Donkó T., Dalle Zotte A., Curik I., Szendrő Zs. 2014a. Pannon Breeding Program in rabbit at Kaposvár University. World Rabbit Sci., 22: 287-300. doi:10.4995/wrs.2014.1511

Matics Zs., Szendrő Zs., Odermatt M., Gerencsér Zs., Nagy I., Radnai I., Dalle Zotte A. 2014b. Effect of housing conditions on production, carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits. Meat Sci., 96: 41-46. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.07.001

Morisse J.P., Boilletot E., Martrenchar A. 1999. Preference testing in intensively kept meat production rabbits for straw on wire grid floor. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 64: 71-80. doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00023-4

Santos-Silva J., Bessa R.J.B., Santos-Silva F. 2002. Effect of genotype, feeding system and slaughter weight on the quality of light lambs. II. Fatty acid composition of meat. Livest. Prod.

Sci., 77: 187-194. doi:10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00059-3

SAS/STAT. 2008. User’s Guide, Version 6, Cary NC.

Sies H., Stahl W. 1995. Vitamins E and C, a-carotene, and other carotenoids as antioxidants. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 62: l3l5-132l.

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.

Szendrő Zs., McNitt J.I. 2012. Housing of rabbit does: group and individual systems: A review. Livest. Sci., 150: 1-10. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2012.09.017

Trocino A., Xiccato G., Queaque P.I., Sartori A. 2004. Group housing of growing rabbits: Effect of stocking density and cage floor on performance, welfare, and meat quality. In: Proceedings of the 8th World Rabbit Congress, September 7-

, 2004. Puebla City, Mexico, pp. 1277-1281.

Trocino A., Xiccato G. 2006. Animal welfare in reared rabbits: A review with emphasis on housing systems. World Rabbit Sci., 14, 77-93. doi:10.4995/wrs.2006.553

Trocino A., Xiccato G., Majolini D., Fragkiadakis M. 2008. Effect of cage floor and stocking density on growth performance and welfare of group-housed rabbits. In: Proc. of the 9th World Rabbit Congress, June 10-13, 2008. Verona, Italy, pp. 1251-1255.

Volek Z., Chodová D., Tumová E., Volková L., Kudrnová E., Marounek M. 2014. The effect of housing conditions on Biceps femoris muscle fibre properties, fatty acid composition, performance and carcass traits of slow-growing rabbits. World

Rabbit Sci., 22: 41-49. doi:10.4995/wrs.2014.1176

Ulbricht T.L., Southgate D.A.T. 1991. Coronary heart disease: seven dietary factors. The Lancet, 338: 985-992. doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)91846-M

Show more Show less