Examination of the meat quality of growing rabbits reared on wire net or combined (wire net/straw) floor at different stocking densities.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the cage floor-type and stocking density on the rabbit meat quality. Weaned rabbits were placed to 12 pens, each having a basic area of 50×170 cm. The pens differed only in the type of floor. Six pens had a wire net, six pens a combined (half of the floor wire net and half of the floor straw litter) floor. On both floor types (wire net and combined) three stocking densities (8, 12 and 16 rabbits/m2) were applied. The experiment took place between the ages of 5 and 11 weeks. At 11 weeks of age the animals were slaughtered and hind leg (HL) and loin meat were dissected and analysed for pHu, L*a*b* colour values, proximate composition and fatty acid profile. Compared to wire net floor the combined floor significantly increased the b* colour value of Biceps femoris (BF) muscle and the a* colour value of Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle, whereas the pHu and the fat content of LD muscle decreased. Combined floor reduced MUFA (P<0.05) of both HL and LD meat, and increased PUFA content (P<0.05) of LD meat. At the intermediate stocking density of 12 rabbits/m2, the LD meat showed lower CLA and higher DHA fatty acid contents (P<0.01) than the other two extreme stocking densities. Index Terms— rabbit, cage floor-type, meat quality.