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- Title
Growth, slaughter performance and selected meat quality traits of New Zealand White and Grey Flemish Giant rabbits and their crosses.
- Authors
Pałka, Sylwia; Siudak, Zuzanna; Maj, Dorota
- Abstract
The purpose of the study was to compare the growth, slaughter performance and selected meat quality traits (meat texture and basic chemical composition) of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, Grey Flemish Giant (GFG) rabbits and their crossbreds. Pre-slaughter, slaughter and meat quality traits were analysed for 52 New Zealand White rabbits (26 male and 26 female), 42 Grey Flemish Giant rabbits (21 male and 21 female) and 78 crosses of these two breeds (39 male and 39 female). Two rabbits (1 male and 1 female) were selected from each litter for evaluation of slaughter performance and meat quality. At least 4 offspring from each male were selected for analysis. Each group comprised a total of 20 rabbits. After weaning at 35 days of age, the animals were fed pellets ad libitum. Rabbits were weighed weekly from birth to 12 weeks of age, when they were slaughtered and dissected. Body weight measurements showed that GFG rabbits had significantly higher body weights than NZW rabbits and their crossbreds up to and including week 4. After 5 and 6 weeks of rearing the differences between the kits were not significant. From 7 to 10 weeks of age, the crossbred rabbits had the highest body weight. In the last two weeks of life, the highest body weight was achieved by young rabbits of the GFG breed. Slaughter weight was significantly the highest in GFG rabbits and lowest in purebred NZW rabbits. The highest hot carcass weight and cold carcass weight were attained by animals from the crossbred group. The shear force value was identical in the NZW rabbits and the crossbred group, but lower in the GFG rabbits. Hardness and chewiness were lowest in the NZW rabbits, while springiness and cohesiveness were highest in that breed. The meat of the crossbreds had the highest protein content and the lowest fat content, as well as the highest water content, and thus statistically the lowest dry matter content.
- Subjects
RABBIT breeding; MEAT quality; CROSSBREEDING; ANIMAL carcasses; SLAUGHTERING
- Publication
Animal Science & Genetics, 2023, Vol 19, Issue 2, p1
- ISSN
2720-6076
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5604/01.3001.0053.5998