Rabbit Meat Quality Research Articles

The effect of housing system on rabbit growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality characteristics of different muscles

The present study analysed the effect of housing system (caged versus penned) on the growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of rabbits. The physiochemical quality of five muscles was evaluated, together with the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the meat from the hind leg. Sensory properties of the longissimus lumborum (LL) was also assessed. The LL yields were higher in caged rabbits. According to the results, meat from rabbits raised in cages had higher b* values for the LL (i.e., meat was yellower) than rabbits raised in pens. In addition, the quadriceps femoris from penned rabbits had higher a* and b* values (i.e., were redder and yellower) than caged rabbits. The MUFAs (18:1 n-9 and 20:1 n-9) and ash contents of the hind leg meat were higher in caged rabbits. In conclusion, while housing system influenced the physiochemical traits of rabbit meat, the sensory properties were not influenced.

Effects of enzymolytic soybean meal on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, some serum indexes, carcase performance and meat quality of Rex rabbits

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of enzymolytic soybean meal (ESBM) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, serum biochemical parameters, immunity, carcase performance and meat quality of Rex rabbits. One hundred and twenty healthy weaned Rex rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (30 replicates per group and one rabbit per replicate). The control group was fed the basal diet and the ESBM treated groups (T1, T2 and T3) were fed 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% ESBM instead of the equivalent amount of soybean meal (SBM) in the basal diet, respectively. The study lasted 61 days, including a pre-feeding period of 5 days and a formal trial period of 56 days. Compared with the control group, the feed to weight ratio was significantly decreased in both T2 and T3 groups (p < 0.05). The α-amylase and trypsin activities of the caecum and serum albumin content were significantly increased in the T3 group (p < 0.05). The serum lysozyme activity was significantly increased in all treatment groups (p < 0.05). The full eviscerated slaughter ratio and half eviscerated slaughter ratio were significantly increased in the T1 group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other indexes (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the replacement of SBM with ESBM (1.5%) in the diet can reduce the feed to weight ratio, increase the activity of some digestive enzymes, improve carcase performance, and enhance immunity of Rex rabbits. HIGHLIGHTS ESBM improved growth performance, gastrointestinal digestive enzyme activity and carcase performance of Rex rabbits. ESBM increased serum lysozyme activity and albumin content of Rex rabbits. ESBM could be used as a new kind of feed additive for Rex rabbits.

Meat production and quality of rabbits fed different diets and a biological activator

Objective: Evaluate the effect of four diets on the productive performance of rabbits, carcass yields, meat color and pH. &#x0D; Design/methodology/approach: Thirty-two California breed rabbits were randomly assigned to each of the following diets: “commercial feed” alone; “commercial feed + biological-activator”; “alfalfa forage + biological activator” and “integral feed + biological-activator”. In the animals were evaluated: daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion (FC), daily feed intake (DFI), body weight (BW), empty body weight (EBW) and carcass yields. In the meat were determined: pH, luminosity, red color and yellow color. Means were compared using the Duncan test (α = 0.05). &#x0D; Results: The commercial feed diets showed (P &lt; 0.05) higher DWG, DFI, BW and EBW than he other diets. The “commercial feed + biological-activator” diet produced (P &lt; 0.05) in general, higher carcass weights and yields than the alfalfa-based diet, which produced (P &lt; 0.05) a higher pH and yellow color in the meat than the “commercial feed alone” diet. &#x0D; Study Limitations/Implications: The feeding of the rabbits by adding the biological-activator improves the performance, the color of the meat and the pH.&#x0D; Findings/conclusions: to add the biological-activator into the commercial feed improves the yield of empty body weight; to add it into the alfalfa forage and compare it with the commercial feed (alone or with activator) improves both the color of meat (making it more yellow) and the pH (making it higher).

Effects of NaCl on Edible Quality of Salted Rabbit Meat

Effects of NaCl on Edible Quality of Salted Rabbit Meat

The Effect of Humic Substances as an Organic Supplement on the Fattening Performance, Quality of Meat, and Selected Biochemical Parameters of Rabbits.

In this study, we assessed the effect of humic substances, as an organic supplement in feed, on the fattening performance, meat quality and selected lipid and mineral parameters from the blood serum of rabbits. Three groups of the Giant Saris rabbit breed were used (one control and two experimental), with 16 animals per group. The animals in the control group were fed a standard pellet diet, the humic substances group received a basal diet supplemented with 5% humic substances, and the third group received a basal diet with 5% humic–fatty substances preparation during the entire experiment (from 35 to 120 days of age). There were 85 days of fattening; then, the rabbits were slaughtered. In the group supplemented with 5% humic–fatty substances addition, we noticed a higher final weight (p < 0.05) and higher average daily gains compared to the control group at the end of the fattening period, at 120 days of age. On the other hand, a slightly lower final weight (p > 0.05) in the group supplemented with humic substances was found compared to the control group. In the comparison of the individual parameters of the meat quality in rabbits, we observed a positive effect in the reduction in the intramuscular fat content and the lipid parameters as well as a lower total cholesterol from the blood serum in both supplemented groups. Regarding the mineral parameters, we observed elevated blood serum values of calcium and phosphorus in both experimental groups. The addition of humic–fatty substances appears to be the most effective way of supplementing rabbit feed due to the synergistic effect of humates and vegetable oils for their optimal growth development and the production of reduced-fat meat.

Optimization of rabbit meat and liver pates technology with protein-carbohydrate components

The paper describes the study devoted to the production technology of protein-carbohydrate components based on soya, vegetables, wild Far Eastern raw materials, which includes operations for joint disintegration and extraction of preliminary steeped soy seeds and crushed fresh carrots or sweet pepper in a ratio of 1:1, separation of the obtained mixture, introduction of bulb onions, bracken, mushrooms into insoluble residue, granulation and drying. The analysis of the chemical composition of the developed protein-carbohydrate components showed that the proposed technology made it possible to increase the protein content to 15.0%, fat to 6.5%, dietary fibers to 22%, which exceeds similar indicators for vegetable dried concentrates existing on the market. Based on the analysis of mathematical models, the main factors affecting the quality of rabbit meat and liver pastes with a protein-carbohydrate component were determined: mass fraction of the protein-carbohydrate component was 30.00-30.55%; mass fraction of fat – 12.6-16.3%; duration of chopping – 8.6-10.7 min. The technology of designed pates production was experimentally confirmed.

Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Muscle Fatty Acids, Intramuscular Fat, Cholesterol, and Antioxidant Status in Rabbits Supplemented with Kigelia pinnata Leaf Meal

AbstractThe effects of dietary Kigelia pinnata leaf (KPL) on growth, carcass, muscle fatty acids, antioxidant status, cholesterol, physicochemical properties, and sensory profile of Longissimus thoracis et lumburum (LTL) muscle in rabbits are investigated. Seventy‐two, 32 d old male New Zealand rabbits (684 ± 18 g) are randomly assigned to diets containing either no KPL (KPL‐0), 5% KPL (KPL‐5) or 10% KPL (KPL‐10) for eight weeks, and euthanized, and the LTL is refrigerated for 6 days. Dietary KPL does not influence growth performance and carcass cuts in rabbits. Abdominal fat is lower in KPL‐ rabbits than in the KPL‐0 rabbits. Supplemented LTL has lower intramuscular fat and cholesterol, and higher crude protein, polyphenol content, glutathione reductase, and catalase compared with the control LTL. Concentration of C18:3n‐3, C22:6n‐3, and C20:5n‐3 is higher in supplemented LTL than the control LTL. Supplemented meat has lower cook loss than the KPL‐0 meat at 24 h postmortem. The KPL‐10 meat has higher redness and lower malondialdehyde content than other meats on d 6 postmortem. Juiciness and overall acceptance of the supplemented meat are higher than that of the KPL‐0 meat. Supplementation with KPL‐10 enhances muscle n‐3 fatty acids, sensorial quality, and oxidative stability of rabbit meat.Practical Applications: Practical applications: Rabbit meat is replete in n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) but low in n‐3 PUFA, which heightens its n‐6/n‐3 ratio. Higher n‐6/n‐3 PUFA intake can pose serious health risks to consumers. This suggests a need to ameliorate the n‐3 PUFA of rabbit meat. Dietary KPL causes ≈147–184% increase in n‐3 PUFA and a 66–77% decrease in n‐6/n‐3 ratio in rabbit meat. Moreover, KPL improves sensorial quality and oxidative stability and lowers intramuscular fat and cholesterol content of rabbit meat. These results support the delivery of a healthier rabbit meat that responds to consumer demands. This study explicates the potential of KPL in ameliorating the nutritional value and sensory quality of rabbit meat.

Enterocin 7420 and Sage in Rabbit Diet and Their Effect on Meat Mineral Content and Physico-Chemical Properties.

Rabbit meat has outstanding nutritional characteristics—it is a lean meat with low fat, cholesterol and sodium content, with high-biological-value proteins, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, iron and vitamin B12 level. The dietary inclusion of natural bioactive compounds can improve the quality of rabbit meat. The present study evaluated the effect of enterocin 7420 (Ent 7420) and sage (Salvia officinalis) extract on the quality and mineral content of rabbit meat. A total of 96 Hyla rabbits (aged 35 days) were divided into E (Ent 7420; 50 µL/animal/d), S (sage extract; 10 µL/animal/d), E + S (Ent 7420 and sage in combination) and control (C) groups. Additives were administrated in drinking water for 21 days. A significant increase in meat iron (p < 0.01) content was noted; phosphorus and zinc levels were also elevated in experimental groups, compared with control data. Ent 7420 and sage treatment reduced the calcium and manganese (p < 0.01) contents. The physico-chemical traits of rabbit meat were not negatively influenced by treatment. Based on these results, diet supplementation, mostly with Ent 7420 but also in combination with sage, could enhance the quality of rabbit meat mineral, with a focus on its iron, phosphorus and zinc contents.

METTL3 Regulated the Meat Quality of Rex Rabbits by Controlling PCK2 Expression via a YTHDF2-N6-Methyladenosine Axis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal mRNA modification in eukaryotes. The M6A modification plays an important role in transcription and cell function. The mechanism by which m6A modification regulates meat quality remains elusive. In this study, gene knockout and overexpression were used to explore m6A-modified regulation of meat quality. The content of PCK2 in blood increased significantly with the increase of Rex rabbits’ age. PCK2 expression levels in the longissimus lumborum and liver also increased significantly with the increase of Rex rabbits’ age. However, the expression level of PCK2 showed no significant difference in adipose tissue. In cell experiments, we found that METTL3 inhibited adipocyte differentiation by targeting the PCK2 gene via the recognition function of YTHDF2. Finally, the results of correlation analysis showed that PCK2 expression was positively correlated with intramuscular fat, whereas PCK2 expression was negatively correlated with total water loss rate at three different stages. In addition, PCK2 expression was also negatively correlated with reduced pH value at 75 and 165 days. Intramuscular fat content, pH and muscle water holding capacity are the main factors affecting the taste and flavor of muscle. Therefore, N6-methyladenosine regulated muscle quality by targeting the PCK2 gene.

A 3-week post-weaning restricted feeding as alternative to an ad libitum antibiotic-medicated feed: Effects on growth, carcass and meat of rabbits differing in genotype and slaughter age

In this investigation, the impact of a 3-week post-weaning restricted feeding (RF) using an antibiotic-free feed, applied to rabbits from 36 to 56 days of age to preserve their health status as alternative to an ad libitum medicated feed with antibiotics (AMF), was verify in relation to rabbit genotype and slaughter age (SA). The RF and AMF treatments were compared evaluating their effects on feed intake, growth, mortality, carcass and meat quality of rabbits of two genotypes, Italian White purebred (IWP) and hybrid Hycole×IWP crossbred (HIWC), slaughtered at 78 or 92 days of age to obtain light or heavy carcasses. At 36 days of age, 256 weaned rabbits of both sexes were divided into 4 homogeneous groups based on feeding treatment (FT) and genotype: RF-IWP, RF-HIWC, AMF-IWP and AMF-HIWC. The RF treatment was performed offering to each rabbit 70, 80 and 90 g/day of feed in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd week. After the 3-week RF and AMF treatments, all rabbits received the same ad libitum antibiotic-free feeds until their slaughter. For each group, 24 rabbits were slaughtered, 12 at 78 days and 12 at 92 days. On the whole feed intake with RF was equal to 63% of that with AMF. Regardless of genotype, RF was associated with a lower feed intake until 78 days and a compensatory growth from 58 to 78 day, whereas from 79 to 92 days intake was not affected by FT and genotype. Despite the compensatory growth, the lower intake of restricted rabbits resulted in lower live weight at 78 and 92 days, but in more favourable feed conversion than with AMF. The growth potential allowed the crossbred rabbits to reach higher body and carcass weights with more efficient feed utilization. Mortality for enteropathies occurred mainly during the post-weaning phase from 36 to 56 days of age, with no difference due to FT, whereas HIWC rabbits showed a lower resistance to enteropathies. Heavier and fatter carcasses were obtained from AMF rabbits, at both SA, whereas the heavier HIWC carcasses showed a lower fat content than IWP ones. Carcass yield was influenced by FT and SA, being lower in RF rabbits and at earlier age. The restriction affected some colour indexes of meat and induced lower adiposity. Collagen was higher in meat of 92-day rabbits and in males, with no relationship to shear force. No particular effect of genotype emerged for meat quality. On the whole a 3-week post-weaning RF with antibiotic-free feed is confirmed to be a suitable method to replace an ad libitum feed containing antibiotics. In addition, RF appeared more suitable for rabbits of high-growth genotype slaughtered at 92 days which were more effective to recover the growth slowing due to the post-weaning feed restriction.

Effect of a Diet Supplemented with Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) or Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum L.) on the Content of Selected Heavy Metals in Liver and Rabbit Meat.

The literature on herbal additives for rabbit feed offers little information on the use of nettle and fenugreek. Both of these herbs are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals. These herbs affect the growth, health, and meat quality of rabbits. They regulate the digestive system, stimulate the appetite, have a positive effect on the functioning of the immune system, and exhibit antibacterial activity. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) leaves or fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds in the feed on the content of selected heavy metals in the liver and meat of the rabbit. The rabbits were divided into three groups: group C (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) was fed ad libitum with a complete feed, N group (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) was fed a complete mixture with 1% added nettle, and group F (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) was fed with a complete mixture with 1% added fenugreek. The experiment lasted 7 weeks (from the 35th to the 84th day of the rabbits’ lives). All the rabbits were slaughtered on the 84th day of age, with a body weight of about 2.6 kg. The concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cd) was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The additives to the feed significantly affected the content of elements in both the liver and the meat of rabbits (p < 0.05). The highest level of the heavy metals, regardless of the used diet, was recorded in the liver (p < 0.05). The meat (m. longissimus lumborum) and the liver of rabbits fed with herbal fodder contained less tested metals than in animals fed with fodder without additives (p < 0.05). Moreover, more essential metals were found in the liver of rabbits fed with fenugreek than rabbits fed with nettle. In the meat and liver of rabbits, the permissible content of cadmium and lead was not exceeded. Additionally, male livers had a significantly higher content of copper and manganese compared to female livers (p < 0.05). It is important to study the content of heavy metals in the used animal herbal feed additives and their interaction with each other, as they affect the distribution of elements in tissues and organs.

Gut Microbiota Modulate Rabbit Meat Quality in Response to Dietary Fiber.

Antibiotics are widely used in gastrointestinal diseases in meat rabbit breeding, which causes safety problems for meat products. Dietary fiber can regulate the gut microbiota of meat rabbits, but the mechanism of improving meat quality is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding different fiber sources to rabbit diets on the growth performance, gut microbiota composition, and muscle metabolite composition of meat rabbits. A total of 18 New Zealand white rabbits of similar weight (40 ± 1 day old) were randomly assigned to beet pulp treatment (BP), alfalfa meal treatment (AM), and peanut vine treatment (PV). There were 6 repeats in each treatment and all were raised in a single cage. The predictive period was 7 days and the experimental period was 40 days. The results revealed that AM and PV supplementation increased growth performance, slaughter performance, and intestinal development of meat rabbits compared with the BP treatment, and especially the effect of AM treatment was better. The content of butyric acid was increased in PV and AM treatments compared with the BP treatment. The expression of mitochondrial biosynthesis genes of liver, cecum, and muscle showed that AM treatment increased gene expression of CPT1b compared to the BP treatment. In addition, AM and PV treatments significantly increased the microbial diversity and richness compared with BP treatment, and their bacterial community composition was similar, and there were some differences between AM and PV treatments and BP treatment. Metabonomics analysis of muscle showed that AM treatment significantly increased amino acid and fatty acid metabolites compared with BP treatment, which were mainly concentrated in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid regulation pathways. Furthermore, through correlation analysis, it was found that there was a significant correlation between rumenococci in the cecum and amino acid metabolites in the muscle. Overall, these findings indicate that AM may affect the body's health by changing its gut microbiota, and then improving meat quality, and the intestinal–muscle axis provides a theoretical basis.

A comparative study on the effect of quantitative feed restriction in males and females of broiler chickens, rabbits and nutrias. II. Meat quality

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of feed restriction and sex on the physical, chemical and histochemical parameters of meat quality in chickens, rabbits and nutrias. Feed restriction was applied at a rate of 70% ad libitum from 14 to 21 days of age in chickens, 70% ad libitum from 42 to 49 days of age in rabbits, and 70% ad libitum from 12 to 15 weeks of age in nutrias. Animals were fed ad libitum prior to and following restriction. The results showed stronger effects of feed restriction, sex, and their interaction on the meat quality of broiler chickens than in rabbits and nutrias. The effect of feed restriction, sex and their interaction were mainly observed in the nutritional value of meat, while physical measurements of meat were negligibly affected. The interaction between feed restriction and sex affected the cross-sectional area of muscle fibre only in rabbits and nutrias. The data indicated the relationships between compensatory growth, muscle fibre distribution, and nutritional value of meat.

Effect of Dietary Rosemary and Ginger Essential Oils on the Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Meat Nutritive Value, Blood Biochemicals, and Redox Status of Growing NZW Rabbits.

Simple SummaryThe rabbit farming industry has gained more interest due to its high productivity, high growth rate, and high-quality meat. One of the public health concerns is that global rabbit production is expected to increase to meet the increasing demand for lean meat. In the present study, we focused on the use of phytogenic feed additives (essential oils of rosemary (REO) and ginger (GEO)) as environmentally friendly supplementation to improve rabbit growth performance, physiological status, and meat quality. The results indicated that the use of REO and GEO at a dose of 0.5% dramatically improved the growth performance and feed utilization of treated rabbits. The cholesterol level decreased significantly in rabbit plasma and meat after REO and GEO treatments. The fat content tended to decline in the muscles and the triglycerides were remarkedly reduced in the plasma of treated animals. In addition, the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the plasma could be improved with supplementation with a high dose of REO and GEO. Accordingly, the use of REO and GEO as supplementations for growing rabbits could contribute to improving the sustainable production of the rabbit industry.This study was conducted to assess the impacts of using two essential oils, rosemary and ginger, on growing rabbits’ performance, carcass traits, meat composition, blood biochemicals, and the redox status of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. A total of 120 unsexed NZW rabbits, 42-days-old, were assigned randomly to five experimental groups (n = 24, 6 replicates with 4 rabbits each). The first group received a basal diet (control), the second to fifth groups were dietary supplemented daily with rosemary essential oil (REO) and ginger essential oil (GEO) at doses of 0.25 and 0.5% for each supplementation (REO-0.25, REO-0.5, GEO-0.25, and GEO-0.5), respectively. The growth traits were studied for 7 weeks, from the 7th to the 13th week of the rabbits’ age. The results revealed that final body weight, weight gain, and average daily gain increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the REO-0.5 and GEO-0.5 treatments compared to the control group. Daily feed intake decreased (p = 0.005) in essential oil treatments. Meanwhile, the feed conversion ratio improved significantly (p = 0.001) in REO and GEO at the high doses compared to the control group. The weight percentages of liver and giblets increased (p < 0.001) with both treatments of REO and GEO compared to the control group. The dietary supplementation with REO and GEO did not affect (p > 0.05) the meat composition of Longissimus dorsi and hind leg muscles. Meanwhile, REO and GEO supplementation significantly decreased cholesterol levels in the rabbit meat. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance concentrations decreased by 10 and 15% in the meat of REO-0.5 and GEO-0.5 treatments, respectively, compared to the other groups. In the same trend, REO and GEO treatments induced a significant (p = 0.001) reduction in the plasma cholesterol concentrations and triglycerides compared to the control. The total antioxidant capacity increased by 7.60% and the malondialdehyde decreased by 11.64% in the plasma of GEO-0.5 treatment than the control. Thus, the dietary supplementation of REO and GEO have a beneficial effect in improving the productivity and meat quality of growing rabbits.

Effect of cooking methods on the edible, nutritive qualities and volatile flavor compounds of rabbit meat.

Rabbit meat is a good edible meat source with high nutritional values. Cooking has a significant impact on the edible properties, nutritional qualities and flavor characteristics of meat. Studying the effect of cooking methods on rabbit meat qualities could encourage more understanding and acceptance of rabbit meat by consumers, and could also provide some reference for rabbit meat processing. Therefore, the effects of boiling, sous-vide cooking, steaming, microwaving, roasting, frying and pressure cooking on the edible, nutritive and volatile qualities of rabbit meat were investigated. The sous-vide cooked rabbit meat sample showed higher moisture content, water-holding capacity and lower cooking losses than other samples, but the results of roasted rabbit meat sample were the opposite, and scanning electron microscopy observations also verified the results. There was no significant difference in 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value in the cooked samples except for roasting. Microwaving, roasting and frying exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the other cooked samples after in vitro digestion. A total of 38 volatiles were identified in the cooked meat samples, and the samples were well divided into four groups by principal component analysis, and 13 volatiles were considered discriminatory variables for the cooked rabbit meat. The physicochemical characteristics of cooked meat differed significantly between the processing methods. Roasted meat showed lower TBARS value and stronger antioxidant activity after simulated digestion compared to the other meats. However, pressure cooked meat detected the most volatile components while roasting the least. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluating productive performance, meat quality and oxidation products of Italian White breed rabbits under free-range and cage rearing system.

ObjectiveFree-range systems have been increasingly available to the consumer due to increased demand for more sustainable meat-products. In the current study, the effect of free-range (FR) and cage system (CS) was explored on growth performance, meat quality and oxidation products in Italian White breed rabbits during the growing-fattening phase (5 to 13 weeks of age).MethodsForty rabbits were randomly allotted to two treatment groups according to the rearing system, and each treatment group was replicated five times with four subjects in each replicate (20 rabbits per treatment-group). All rabbits fed the same diet as pelleted, and under FR system, no additional feeds were available to animals.ResultsRearing system had significant effect on rabbit growth performance, where CS group resulted in higher final body weight (p<0.045) and gain (p<0.029) and better feed efficiency (p<0.025) compared to FR rabbits. Most carcass traits were not affected by rearing system; however, a reduction of abdominal fat content (p<0.015) and meat lipids (p<0.034) was observed in FR rabbits. Rearing system had no effects on meat fatty acid profile, whereas meat from FR rabbits resulted less susceptible to lipid and protein oxidation compared to caged animals.ConclusionIn overall, FR system could be suggested as a substitute for conventional caged system because of FR system preserved rabbit meat from oxidation.

Nyúlhús tápértéke a nagy csalán (Urtica dioica) nyulak takarmányozásában történő felhasználása esetén

The article presents the results of studying the influence of the supplementary feeding with stinging nettle hay on the ration balance, biochemical indicators, nutritional value, and keeping quality of rabbit meat. It was established that the replacement of 5% and 25% of coarse fodder with stinging nettle hay resulted in an increase in the content of crude (by 3.5-20.3%), digestible protein (by 4.4-22.8%) and carotene (by 3.3-22.7%) in terms of nutritional value. Growing rabbits with the introduction of a dosage of 5% and 25% of the stinging nettle hay of the nutritional value of coarse fodders was characterized by the least feeds per 10 g of the gain as compared to the content in the traditional ration (1.17 kg of feed units/day). The introduction of 5% of the nettle hay into the rabbit ration as compared to the control group: influenced a decrease in the moisture content (the power of influence of -10,38%, P&lt;0.001), an increase in the content of protein (the power of influence of 34.2%, P&lt;0.01), zinc (the power of influence of 35.6%, P&lt;0.01) and manganese (the power of influence of 34.2%, P&lt;0.01) in the rabbit meat.

Ветеринарно-санитарная оценка качества и безопасности мяса кроликов при применении кормовой добавки «Абиотоник»

This article presents materials on the study of a multicomponent preparation based on vitamins, amino acids and trace elements «Abiotonic» when used in rabbit breeding. The results of organoleptic, physico-chemical, microbiological studies are displayed. The toxicity and relative biological value of rabbit meat after the application of the feed additive «Abiotonic» were studied. According to the results of the studies, the organoleptic parameters of rabbit meat of the control and experimental groups did not differ and characterized it as benign, meeting the requirements of GOST 20235.0–74 “Rabbit meat. Sampling methods. Organoleptic methods of quality assessment”. According to the results of microbiological studies, no pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora were found. The obtained results of organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological studies indicate that the use of the feed additive «Abiotonic» did not have a negative impact on the quality of rabbit meat. Animal meat is safe, non-toxic, has a high biological value and meets all the parameters regulated by regulatory documents in the Russian Federation.

Effect of Diet Supplementation with Enterococcus Durans ED26E/7 and its Durancin ED26E/7 on Growth Performance, Caecal Enzymatic Activity, Jejunal Morphology and Meat Properties of Broiler Rabbits

Abstract The present study investigates the effects of Enterococcus durans ED26E/7 beneficial strain and its enterocin – durancin (Ent) ED26E/7 on selected parameters in rabbits: growth performance, caecal enzymatic activity, jejunal morphometry and meat physico-chemical characteristics. Seventytwo rabbits (aged five weeks, M91 meat line, both sexes) were divided into experimental groups E1 (E. durans ED26E/7 strain; dose 500 μL/animal/day, concentration 109 CFU/mL) and E2 (durancin EntED26E/7; dose 50 μL/animal/day, with activity 12 800 AU/mL) and control group (C). The additives were administered in drinking water for a period of 21 days. All animals remained in good health during the experiment. The highest body weight gain (increase by 1.5% compared to C) was noted in E1 group during ED26E/7 strain application (P&lt;0.001). Both bioactive compounds positively influenced (reduced) the feed conversion ratio (P&lt;0.001). The ED26E/7 strain and its EntED26E/7 application stimulated the activity of most enzymes tested in the caecum; only the amylolytic and inulolytic activity in E2 group decreased during durancin ED26E/7 addition. Both additives, but mainly the ED26E/7 strain, showed a tendency to improve the jejunal morhological parameters till the end of the experiment (day 42). The meat physico-chemical parameters were not negatively influenced by the application of E. durans ED26E/7 strain and its durancin ED26E/7. The diet supplementation with bacteriocinogenic and probiotic E. durans ED26E/7 strain and its EntED26E/7 may improve the growth performance, caecal enzymatic activity and jejunal morphometry of rabbits, without any negative effect on rabbit meat quality.

Influence of different packaging methods on the physicochemical and microbial quality of rabbit meat.

The study was conducted on 84 rabbits. The animals were weaned at the age of 42 days, after which they were all fed the same diet. Rabbit loins were obtained 24 h post-mortem and divided into groups according to the packaging method and storage time: control group (examined 24 h post-mortem); two groups stored in vacuum packaging (7days, n = 12; 14 days, n = 12); and four groups stored in two different gas mixtures (7days, n = 12/gas mixture; 14 days, n = 12/gas mixture). After the storage, the microbiological and physicochemical quality of longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles was analyzed. Meat packaged in both systems (MAP and VAC) was characterized by good quality after 7 days of storage, while after 14 days, there was a significant deterioration, which was reflected in disturbances in the color parameters (L* and a*) and substantial changes in the water fraction parameters. The purge loss (<0.0001), total water (<0.0001), free water (<0.001), cooking loss (<0.0001), and plasticity (p = 0.0025) were affected by the group. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that vacuum packaging created the lowest microbial growth rates. However, muscles stored in the gas mixture containing 30%CO2 and 70%O2 , characterized with the greatest tenderness.