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The level of production and the physiochemical traits of rabbit milk affect the growth and the mortality of bunnies during lactation. The goal of the study was to analyze the effect of litter size and day of lactation on the quality traits of rabbit milk, milk production, and associative traits. The study was conducted on 32 Hycole does and their litters. The rabbit milk pH ranged from 6.61 to 7.46. The colostrum was characterized by the highest content of total solids (31.54 and 31.80 g kg−1) and fat content (15.73 and 15.9 g kg−1). The milk from the beginning of the lactation was characterized by the highest level of somatic cell count (SCC) (523.67 and 536.57 103 mL−1), which gradually decreased to reach the lowest level on days 17 and 21 of lactation. The daily milk production was greater for does nursing 10 kits per litter compared to those nursing eight kits per litter (p < 0.001). The peak of milk production occurred on day 17 postpartum. To conclude, the litter size has a clear effect on milk production as well as litter weight and litter weight gains. It is also important to note that the day of lactation affected the physiochemical traits of rabbit milk.

In recent years, there have been very dynamic changes in both pork production and pig breeding technology around the world. The general trend of increasing the efficiency of pig production, with reduced employment, requires optimisation and a comprehensive approach to herd management. One of the most important elements on the way to achieving this goal is to maintain animal welfare and health. The health of the pigs on the farm is also a key aspect in production economics. The need to maintain a high health status of pig herds by eliminating the frequency of different disease units and reducing the need for antimicrobial substances is part of a broadly understood high potential herd management strategy. Thanks to the use of sensors (cameras, microphones, accelerometers, or radio-frequency identification transponders), the images, sounds, movements, and vital signs of animals are combined through algorithms and analysed for non-invasive monitoring of animals, which allows for early detection of diseases, improves their welfare, and increases the productivity of breeding. Automated, innovative early warning systems based on continuous monitoring of specific physiological (e.g., body temperature) and behavioural parameters can provide an alternative to direct diagnosis and visual assessment by the veterinarian or the herd keeper.

The analyzed material included 40 hybrid rabbits slaughtered at the age of 90 days. The control group was transported directly after weaning, while the transport group was transported directly prior to slaughter. The experiment was designed to assess the transport stress, carcass and meat quality implications, taking into account the muscle type and sex. The transported animals were characterized by a higher level of blood cortisol, glucose and triglycerides (P < 0.0001), and a lower level of insulin (P < 0.0001) compared to the control group. In the presented study the time post-mortem affected the pH decline in both rabbit groups (P < 0.0001). The lightness, redness and yellowness of rabbit meat were affected by the transport (P < 0.0001, P = 0.001 and P < 0.0001). The percentage of free water and its share in the total water was higher for the non-transported rabbits compared to the transported ones (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the meat from the control group was characterized by greater plasticity compared to the transport group (P = 0.003). The chemical composition of rabbit meat was not changed by the effect of transport (P = 0.643-0.979). To conclude, the quality traits of meat from the transported hybrid rabbits clearly indicated the development of dark firm and dry-like lower quality of meat.

M. Longissimus lumborum from 16 wild boars was analysed 48 and 360-h post-mortem in order to evaluate the effect of storage on the quality of meat from the feral wild boar. The pH of M. longissimus lumborum measured 5.72 (48 h) and increased after storage by 0.09. The colour parameters were not affected by storage þ2 C, and were typical for game meat. The effect of chilled storage was observed in form of the following changes: a decrease in free water percentage and drip loss, and an increase of meat plasticity. A significant decrease has been recorded in the Warner-Bratzler force difference, initial biting force and biting peak force. The storage time did not affect the proximal chemical composition of the wild boar meat. The microbial growth of wild boar meat increased gradually during chilled storage. On the basis of the presented results, it can be concluded about no signs of negative effect of chilled storage on the quality of meat of the wild boar. HIGHLIGHTS The 14-day storage period at þ2 C allows for the development of desirable textural traits of meat from wild boar. The wild boar meat stored for 14 days characterised with proper microbiological quality. The wild boar meat revealed some attributes of abnormal quality.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of two different stunning methods on the level of blood stress indicators (cortisol, insulin, glucose) and rabbit meat quality. The experiment was conducted on crossbreds of Hycole, Hyla, and Jordan rabbit strains: from mating Hyplus PS19 females with Hycole males (genotype I, n = 20) and Jordan × Hycole females with Hyla males (genotype II, n = 20). Prior to slaughter, the animals were weighed and divided into two groups according to the stunning method: 10 rabbits from each genetic group were stunned with an electric stunner, and the remaining 10 were stunned mechanically using a club. Genotype II was characterised by higher body weight at slaughter (p < 0.05), hot dressing percentage (p < 0.05), cold dressing percentage (p < 0.05), hot carcass weight (p < 0.05), and cold carcass weight (p < 0.05), compared to genotype I. The stunning method slightly influenced the meat lightness (p = 0.035). The meat of electrically stunned rabbits was characterised with higher drip loss (p < 0.0001) and lower plasticity (p = 0.043). Among the analysed traits of meat, only the drip loss (p = 0.014) and the percentage of extractable fat were affected by genotype (p = 0.044). Neither the stunning method nor the genotype affected rabbit meat texture characteristics. The study was undertaken because of the increasing importance of rabbit meat production as a developing sector of the meat industry and the need to improve the welfare of rabbits by selecting the most acceptable slaughter methods for these animals. To conclude, the analysed rabbit meat was characterised with good quality. There were only slight differences between genotypes and the stunning groups.

The goal of the study was to examine the effect of age and sex on the quality of wild boar offal and meat. A number of 32 hunt-harvested animals was assigned to groups according to age (juveniles and sub-adults) and sex. The quality of offal (liver, kidneys, heart and tongue) and m. semimembranosus was examined. The pH value of m. semimembranosus ranged from 5.45 to 5.88. The highest pH was recorded in the kidney and the liver (6.32–6.54 and 6.12–6.31). The meat in the group of juveniles was brighter (p = 0.042), yellower (p = 0.039), showed a greater drip loss (p = 0.007), cooking loss (p = 0.039), and plasticity (p = 0.028), compared to the sub-adults. The extractable fat content in the m. semimembranosus and offal (p = 0.004), and water to crude protein ratio (p = 0.033), also differed between age groups. The results of the study show different quality attributes of offal and meat of wild boars from two age groups. The obtained quality measures suggest that the culinary and technological usefulness of offal and meat from the wild boars may differ according to the age of hunted animals.

Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren, conventional conditions are solved by alternative housing systems. However, it is not known whether these systems are advantageous in terms of the performance of pigs. In this work, we review the effects of housing systems on pigs’ behaviors and performance, which are among the major indicators of the welfare of these animals. Research results point out that outdoor systems are more ideal for sows and fatteners than buildings. Nonetheless, outdoor housing is associated with two major effects in both groups: increased activity due to environmental exploration and higher space allowance, and increased incidence of injuries compared to indoor systems. Sows are more active when housed in groups, but they experience an increased frequency of injuries. According to the literature, group-housed sows give birth to healthy piglets with good daily weight gains. The difference in the fattening and slaughter performance of pigs raised indoors vs. outdoors remains unclear, and the results reported so far are inconsistent. Outdoor systems seem to be associated with a higher incidence of osteochondrosis and lesions of elbow and hock joints, whereas indoor systems cause a greater degree of body soiling in pigs. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that outdoor housing helps to solve behavioral issues in pigs but leads to other problems in pig production.