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Forty New Zealand White rabbits weaned at 30 d were divided into 2 groups and reared under intensive or extensive production system until slaughter (91 d of age). In the extensive production system, rabbits were housed in free-standing cages on straw litter and fed farm-made feed ad libitum. Control rabbits were raised intensively in wire mesh slatted floor cages, indoors and on a commercial pellet ad libitum. Hot carcass weight was 16,6% lower (P<0.01) in extensive production. The difference of 1 point both in hot and cold dressing percentage in favour of the intensively reared rabbits was not significant (P>0.05). The higher carcass weight of the control rabbits led to heavier primal cuts, including head (P<0.05) and the fore part, intermediate part and hind part of the carcass (P<0.01). However, expressed as % of carcass weight, significantly higher ratio were only found for the head (P<0.01) and edible offal (P<0.05) in intensively produced rabbits. The production systems investigated had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the chemical composition, physicochemical properties and organoleptic characteristics of meat from New Zealand White rabbits.

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The aim of this study was to determine changes in the quality of lamb meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum), which was vacuum-packaged and freezer-stored (-26°C) for 6 and 12 months. The experiment was performed on 12 male lambs of the Kamieniec Longwool breed, raised to 106 days of age. In comparison with fresh meat, thawed meat was characterized by lower ash content, higher pH, greater natural drip loss and cooking loss, and lower scores for taste intensity. Vacuum packaging and low-temperature storage protected lamb meat against oxidative changes, and alleviated the adverse effects of oxidation on the color, aroma and taste of meat. It can be concluded that freezer storage (-26°C) of vacuum-packaged meat can help meet consumer demand for lamb meat products in periods when fresh meat is unavailable. However, it should be noted that long-term frozen storage induces undesirable changes in meat quality, including a decrease in water-holding capacity and taste intensity.

This study evaluated the effect of vacuum and modified atmosphere (40% CO2+60% N2, MA) packaging on the chemical composition, physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of chill-stored meat from 10 fallow deer (Dama dama) bucks at 17 to 18 months of age. The animals were hunter-harvested in the forests of north-eastern Poland. During carcass dressing (48 to 54 h post mortem), both musculus longissimus muscles were cut out. Each muscle was divided into seven sections which were allocated to three groups: 0, A, and B. Samples 0 were immediately subjected to laboratory analyses. Samples A were vacuum-packaged, and samples B were packaged in MA. Packaged samples were stored for 7, 14, and 21 days at 2°C. The results of the present study showed that the evaluated packaging systems had no significant effect on the quality of fallow deer meat during chilled storage. However, vacuum-packaged meat samples were characterised by greater drip loss. Vacuum and MA packaging contributed to preserving the desired physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of meat during 21 days of storage. Regardless of the packaging method used, undesirable changes in the colour, water-holding capacity and juiciness of meat, accompanied by tenderness improvement, were observed during chilled storage.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of full-fat Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal used as a substitute for 50%, 75% and 100% of soybean meal (SBM) in diets fed to male Ross 308 broiler chickens on the proximate chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the Pectoralis major (PM) muscle. The muscles of chickens fed HI larvae meal were characterized by a higher (p < 0.05) total concentration of pigments and lower (p < 0.05) ash content. At the lowest dietary inclusion rate (50%) of HI larvae meal, the PM muscle had a lower (p < 0.05) content of fat and collagen, compared with the remaining treatments. An analysis of the fatty acid profile of the PM muscle revealed that the total concentrations of saturated fatty acids increased (p < 0.05) and the total concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing inclusion levels of HI larvae meal. The changes in the fatty acid profile of muscles in birds receiving HI larvae meal led to a decrease in the nutritional value of fat. The present findings indicate that the ≥50% inclusion rate of full-fat HI larvae meal as a protein source alternative to SBM in broiler chicken diets is too high due to its negative effect on the fatty acid profile of meat.

The aim of this study was to analyse changes in the quality of meat (M. longissimus lumborum) from 11 fallow deer (Dama dama L.) bucks, which had been deep-frozen (-26 °C) for 10 months. The proximate chemical composition, physico-chemical properties and sensory properties of the meat were analysed. Fallow deer aged 17-18 months were hunter-harvested in north-eastern Poland in November and December of the same hunting season. The results revealed that freezer storage did not influence the proximate chemical composition of meat (protein, fat, ash) or the content of water-soluble nitrogen compounds. An analysis of the physico-chemical properties of meat revealed that long-term freezer-stored meat was characterized by higher pH, lower contribution of redness (a*) and yellowness (b*), lower chroma (C*), greater natural drip loss, lower ability to bind added water, and greater cooking loss. Freezer storage improved meat tenderness but reduced meat juiciness. The results of the study also indicated that long-term freezer storage (-26 °C) of vacuum-packaged meat allowed it to maintain its good quality, which indicates that this storage method could help meet consumer demand for fallow deer meat between hunting seasons.