Comparative analysis of the nutritional value of rabbit meat: differences between Belgian giants and crossbreeds

Abstract

Due to rabbits’ prolificacy and superior feed conversion efficiency, rabbit breeding is becoming more commercially successful as a source of meat (1). Breeders and meat producers have concentrated their attention on small mammals such as rabbits to match market expectations for healthier and leaner production (2). The differences in production across rabbit species are significant and must be studied scientifically. So, this study was aimed at investigating the nutritional value differences between Belgian giants and crossbreed rabbits’ meat. A total of 14 rabbits (46–130 days old) were selected by weight and divided into 2 groups: crossbreeds (7 rabbits/group) and Belgian giants (7 rabbits/group). During the experiment, housing and feeding conditions were identical for both groups and complied with the statutory norms. And at the end of the feeding test, the following analyses were performed after the slaughter and collection of muscle samples post-mortem: the morphological composition of the carcass, physicochemical properties, lipid oxidation levels (fresh and stored samples) and biogenic amines profile. Morphological studies of rabbit carcasses revealed that crossbreed rabbits had slightly greater morphological indices (higher carcass and general muscles weight (P < 0.05); higher lumbar spine yield (P < 0.05)) than Belgian giants. When compared with the muscles of crossbreed rabbits, the muscles of Belgian giant rabbits exhibited with statistically lower inter-muscle fat content by 1.73% (P < 0.05). Other nutritional value markers of rabbit meat, such as colour intensity and physical qualities revealed no statistically significant differences across rabbit breeds (P > 0.05). Therefore, lipid oxidation levels in rabbits’ thighs (24 hours after the slaughter) were higher in crossbreed (P < 0.05), compared with Belgian giants. However, after 3 months of storage, lipid oxidation levels in the lumbar spine of rabbits were 49% higher (P < 0.05) in Belgian giant muscles than in crossbreed. After determining biogenic amine profiles in both breeds’ lumbar spine samples, the results showed that Belgian giants had significantly higher cadaverine and tyramine levels (P < 0.05) compared with crossbreeds. Therefore, higher total biogenic amine content was found in crossbreed samples. However, the observed results were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The overall nutritional value of the two species examined did not differ significantly in many aspects, hence there was no evident trend between crossbreeds and Belgian giants.