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

Abstract

Title of the manuscript: Evaluating productive performance, meat quality and oxidation products of Italian White breed rabbits under free-range and cage rearing system ABSTRACT Objective: Free-range systems have been increasingly available to the consumer due to increased demand for more sustainable meat-products. In the current study, it was explored the effect of free-range (FR) and cage system (CS) on growth performance, meat quality and oxidation products in Italian White breed rabbits during the growing-fattening phase (5 to 13 weeks of age).Methods: Forty 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 treatmentgroup). All rabbits fed the same diet as pelleted, and under FR system, no additional feeds were available to animals. Results:Rearing 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 of 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. Conclusion:In overall, free-range system could be suggested as a substitute for conventional caged system because of free-range system preserved rabbit meat from oxidation.

Suitability of dried olive pulp in slow-growing broilers: performance, meat quality, oxidation products, and intestinal mucosa features

“…The level of protein carbonyls of broiler meat fed DOP indicated optimal oxidative reactions. Moreover, protein oxidation seems to be influenced by the level of lipid oxidation in meat ( Tufarelli et al, 2022 ). The levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances observed in the present study were correlated with carbonyl proteins levels.…”

Preliminary Evidence Regarding the Detection of Cortisol and IL-6 to Assess Animal Welfare in Various Rabbit Housing Systems

“…Although this is a preliminary study that only analyses different rearing systems based on assessing welfare through ABMs (cortisol and IL-6), it offers plenty of food for thought. Indeed, as illustrated by other authors [54][55][56], the effects on rabbit growth performance, as well as on carcass and meat quality [56][57][58], showed that animals housed in cages had: (i) a higher percentage of fat deposits, (ii) better production than rabbits raised in large pens, and (iii) a higher weight at slaughter [59].…”

Effect of rearing system (free-range vs cage) on gut and muscle histomorphology and microbial loads of Italian White breed rabbits

“…In addition, rabbit meat is more prone to lipid oxidation than other meats, and it can easily permit the growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms [ 42 , 44 ]. Tufarelli et al [ 11 ] found that muscles from FR rabbits showed an improvement in the oxidative stability in respect to the group reared in conventional cage. In particular, the meat from FR rabbits had a lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances level compared to CS rabbits, suggesting that the housing system may fortify the meat oxidative stability.…”

“…The research was conducted in an experimental rabbitry located in the province of Bari, Apulia region (Italy). Forty male Italian White ( Bianca Italiana ) breed rabbits, obtained from the Central Breeding Farm of the Italian Rabbit Breeders Association (ANCI-AIA, Volturara Appula, Foggia, Italy) and aged 35 days (body weight 1,045±10.1 g, mean± standard error of the mean), were randomly assigned to two groups of 20 animals according to the rearing system: FR and CS as in our previous study [ 11 ]. Briefly, within each group, rabbits were divided into five replicates having four rabbits/replicate, for a total of 20 rabbits per group.…”

“…Furthermore, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Animal Health and Welfare produced a scientific opinion with an overview of the major risk factors related with different rearing systems and their consequences on the behavior and welfare of the rabbits, enunciating that "It is likely to extremely likely (certainty 66-99%), that the welfare of growing rabbits is lower in conventional cages compared to the other housing systems" [5]. Previous research has demonstrated that housing systems significantly influence the wellbeing, productive performances, and meat quality traits in rabbits [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Moreover, Fetiveau et al [12] suggested that the capacity of rabbits reared outdoor to express their specific behaviours and the low incidence of digestive disorders were indicative of enhanced animal welfare.…”