title: Effect of housing conditions on production, carcass and meat quality traits of growing rabbits.
abstract: Production, carcass traits and meat quality of rabbits housed in cages or in different pens were compared. Rabbits (n=579) were sorted into 5 groups: C=cage (2 rabbits/cage); pen without platform: P11=9 rabbits/pen; P16=14 rabbits/pen; pen with platform: PW=wire net platform, 14 rabbits/pen; PD=platform with straw-litter, 14 rabbits/pen. Feed intake and average daily gain between 5 and 11 weeks, and body weight at 11 weeks were significantly higher in C rabbits than that of the mean of pen-housed groups, while the PD group had the lowest growth performance. C rabbits had the smallest hind part to reference carcass (P<0.001) and the largest percentage of perirenal and scapular fat (P<0.001). The meat/bone ratio was the largest in group C (P<0.05). Differences were recorded in a* value and lipid content of m. Longissimus dorsi. Rabbits housed in cages generally had the best performance whereas those housed in pens with platform exhibited the worst.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár University, PO Box 16, 7401 Kaposvár, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zs
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Matics
authors.forename: Zs
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szendrő
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Odermatt
authors.forename: Zs
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gerencsér
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Radnai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalle Zotte
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D063427:Food Quality; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: Carcass traits; Growing rabbit; Meat quality; Pen; Platform; Production