The effects of hydrolysed sorghum on growth performance and meat quality of rabbits

Abstract

<p class="Articletitle">The effect of sorghum hydrolysed by <em>Trametes maxima</em> CU1 and <em>Pycnoporus sanguineus</em> CS2 was evaluated on growth performance traits and rabbit meat quality. A total of 24 unsexed New Zealand rabbits, weaned at 20 d of age, were allocated to 2 treatments: T1 (diet including 300 g/kg of non-hydrolysed sorghum) and T2 (diet including 300 g/kg of hydrolysed sorghum by <em>Trametes maxima</em> CU1 and <em>Pycnoporus sanguineus</em> CS2). Rabbits of group T2 did not have significantly different (<em>P</em>>0.05) feed intake compared to those in T1. Carcass traits were also not significantly different (<em>P</em>>0.05) between the 2 groups. The pH, water-holding capacity, colour and cooking loss of the longissimus lumborum were not different (<em>P</em>>0.05) between treatments, whereas the pH of the rabbits biceps femoris was higher in T2 (6.21; <em>P</em><0.05) than in T1 (6.14). Meat hardness and gumminess in T2 were lower (<em>P</em><0.05) in comparison to meat from T1. Thus, sorghum hydrolysed by <em>Trametes maxima</em> CU1 and <em>Pycnoporus sanguineus</em> CS2 contributed to a better rabbit meat texture.</p>