Rabbit gains: Does a free-range rearing build better muscle in rabbits?

IF 1.9 3区农林科学 Q2 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Livestock Science Pub Date : 2025-06-27 DOI:10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105776

Joanna Składanowska-Baryza , Joanna Żochowska-Kujawska , Małgorzata Sobczak , Agnieszka Ludwiczak , Marek Stanisz

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of two rabbit housing systems—conventional cages and park platforms—on slaughter traits, meat quality, and muscle fiber characteristics in broiler rabbits (PS19 × PS59). Rabbits reared in the park system exhibited significantly higher slaughter weights and lower fat deposition compared to those raised in cages. While hot and chilled carcass weights showed a tendency to increase in park-reared rabbits, dressing percentages remained unaffected. Organ weights such as liver and skin were significantly higher in the platform group, suggesting increased metabolic activity and physiological adaptation to enhanced mobility.

Meat from platform-reared rabbits demonstrated significantly lower pH and increased redness and yellowness indices, indicating improved color intensity. Texture analysis revealed higher plasticity in these rabbits, especially in the hindquarters, reflecting softer meat without altering shear force or nutritional composition. Although the proportions of muscle fiber types (I, IIA, IIB) were consistent across housing systems, rabbits from the park system showed significantly larger cross-sectional area, perimeter, and diameters of type IIA and IIB fibers, suggesting muscle fiber hypertrophy due to increased physical activity.

These findings suggest that enriched environments, such as park systems, not only improve animal welfare but also enhance meat quality attributes desirable to consumers—such as color and texture—without compromising nutritional value or production efficiency. The study supports the adoption of alternative housing systems in commercial rabbit farming as a viable strategy for promoting leaner, high-quality meat and improved muscle development, in line with consumer expectations for ethical and sustainable animal production.

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兔子的收获：自由放养能让兔子长出更好的肌肉吗？

本研究评估了两种兔舍系统——传统笼和公园平台——对肉用兔（PS19 × PS59）屠宰性状、肉质和肌纤维特性的影响。与笼养相比，在公园系统中饲养的家兔表现出更高的屠宰体重和更低的脂肪沉积。虽然公园饲养兔的热、冷胴体重有增加的趋势，但屠宰率未受影响。平台组的肝脏和皮肤等器官重量显著增加，表明代谢活动增加，生理适应能力增强。平台饲养的家兔肉的pH值明显降低，红黄度指数明显增加，表明颜色强度有所提高。质地分析显示，这些兔子的可塑性更高，特别是在后腿，反映了柔软的肉，而不改变剪切力或营养成分。尽管在不同的圈养系统中，肌纤维类型（I、IIA、IIB）的比例是一致的，但在公园系统中，家兔的IIA和IIB型肌纤维的横截面积、周长和直径明显更大，这表明肌纤维肥大是由于体力活动增加造成的。这些发现表明，丰富的环境，如公园系统，不仅改善了动物福利，还提高了消费者所希望的肉类品质属性，如颜色和质地，而不影响营养价值或生产效率。该研究支持在商业养兔业中采用替代饲养系统，作为一种可行的战略，以促进更瘦、高质量的肉和改善肌肉发育，符合消费者对道德和可持续动物生产的期望。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Livestock Science 农林科学-奶制品与动物科学

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

5.60%

发文量

237

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Livestock Science promotes the sound development of the livestock sector by publishing original, peer-reviewed research and review articles covering all aspects of this broad field. The journal welcomes submissions on the avant-garde areas of animal genetics, breeding, growth, reproduction, nutrition, physiology, and behaviour in addition to genetic resources, welfare, ethics, health, management and production systems. The high-quality content of this journal reflects the truly international nature of this broad area of research.