Carcass characteristics and meat quality of rabbit lines selected for different objectives: I. Between lines comparison

Rabbits from three lines (A, V, R), selected for different objectives, were slaughtered at three different liveweights (1800, 2050 and 2300 g). Lines A and V were selected for litter size at weaning, whereas line R was selected for growth rate between the 4th and 9th week of life. Fifteen animals of each of the nine combinations body weight group x line were used in the experiment. The composition of their carcasses as well as some of the characteristics of their meat were then compared. Dressing out percentage was between 51.48 of line R and 55.67 of line V. The thoracic cage was relatively more developed in lighter animals, they had less fat (0.8%) and had a smaller meat-to-bone ratio (4.16 v 4.87). The meat of the R line animals presented a higher pH, had less fat and loosed more water (40%) when cooked than the meat of line V (37.7%). We found significantly lower initial yield force (4.71) and maximum shear force (4.75) in line A in relation to the other two lines, being the line V (initial yield force = 5.10 and maximum shear force = 5.11) more close to line R (5.20 and 5.25, respectively). These results indicate a more tender meat in line A than in the other two lines. We can conclude that differences in tenderness in loin meat rabbit are more affected by genetic origin than by body weight. Females had more adipose tissue (4.07%) than males (3,65%). Female meat had a slightly more acid pH and retained more water. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.