Growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of rabbits given maize ears or maize plant

Abstract

AbstractThree hundred young rabbits were divided into three groups at weaning and given ad libitum a control diet (C), or an experimental diet in which 0·20 of control diet was substituted by maize ear (E) or by whole maize plant (P) in order to examine their effects on fattening rabbits performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality. No significant differences were found in live-weight gain (45 g/day) or in food intake between diets but food conversion ratio was higher in the P group (2·4 g dry matter (DM) per g gain) than in E group (2·2 g DM per g gain). The rate of mortality was similar in the three groups. No differences between groups on live weight (2152 g) or in the digestive tract weight (437 g) were found and the dressing yield was similar in the three groups. At constant carcass weight, the carcasses of rabbits of the P group had lesser lumbar circumference and higher length to circumference ratio (P<0·0001) than of the C or E groups. No differences were found in the weights of liver or thoracic viscera, but kidneys of rabbits of P group were lighter than of the C or E groups. No differences between groups were found in the weights of scapular fat, perirenal fat, forelegs or thoracic cage, but the loin of rabbits of P group was heavier (291 v. 286 g) than in the other groups. Meat of rabbits P had higher L* and b* parameters of colour and higher water-holding capacity (P=0·003) but the meat of rabbits of the control group had less lipids (31 v. 36 g/kg meat) and more moisture (739 v. 735 g/kg meat) than of the experimental groups. The proportion of protein was higher in E group than in P group. Intra and intermuscular fat of hind leg meat from rabbits ‘maize’ substituted was more monounsaturated than control rabbits (34·2 v. 32·5 g·100 g lipids) and had lesser saturated: monounsaturated ratio (1·2 v. 1·3) indicating a more desirable meat from a nutritional point of view, but had less n-3 fatty acid content. Loin meat of the rabbits given E and P diets seems more tender than one fed conventionally (10·4 v. 11·4 kg) and meat of the rabbits ‘whole maize plant’ had more grass flavour (P=0·009) which is a positive factor for acceptability of consumers.