Livestock Science最新文献

{"title":"Asparagopsis meal reduces enteric methane emissions of feedlot beef cattle without impact on productivity or meat and carcass quality","authors":"Breanna M. Roque ,&nbsp;Amelia K. Almeida ,&nbsp;Marina R.S. Fortes ,&nbsp;Chiara Palmieri ,&nbsp;Robert D. Kinley","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105873","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105873","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Asparagopsis</em> supplementation induces strong antimethanogenic effects in ruminant animals by consistently reducing enteric methane (CH₄) emissions in controlled feeding environments. This study has advanced the utility of feeding dried <em>Asparagopsis</em> products (Asp-Meal) in beef feedlots. The experiment was conducted at an Australian-certified feedlot, using Greenfeed emissions monitoring, and 64 heifers of mixed breeds (aged 12 – 18 months, initial BW 384 ± 27.8 kg) were offered diets of Control (no Asp-Meal) or Asp-Meal [30 mg bromoform/kg DMI] for 74-days. A pilot study was used to determine the inclusion rate of 30 mg bromoform/kg dry matter intake (DMI). Asp-Meal inclusion induced CH₄ mitigation of 67.9 % for production (g/day), 67.0 % for yield (g/kg DMI), and 61.7 % for intensity (g/kg average daily weight gain), however, it should be noted that Asp-Meal CH₄ measurements were consistently lower than the limit of detection (40 g/d) of the Greenfeed sensors which could have confounded antimethanogenic accounting. Additionally, no negative impacts were induced on animal growth performance, carcass quality, or rumen epithelium confirmed with macroscopic gross and histological examinations. No bromoform was found in meat, kidney, or liver of either Control or Asp-Meal cattle. Iodide and bromide levels for Control and Asp-Meal groups were within acceptable daily intake ranges for human consumption, however, were elevated by Asp-Meal in meat, kidney, and liver. Commercial application of <em>Asparagopsis</em> products for feedlots would benefit from elucidation of breed effect on enteric CH₄ reduction and productivity therefore variable breed studies are warranted. This study demonstrates that Asp-Meal is an efficient antimethanogenic feed additive for methane emissions management from feedlot beef production without negative impact on production or food quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 105873"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implication of “smart” ear-tags material, shape, weight, and placement on calves’ ear injury and position","authors":"Johanna M.C. Brans ,&nbsp;Carol-Anne Duthie ,&nbsp;Colin Mason ,&nbsp;Jenna M. Bowen ,&nbsp;Marie J. Haskell ,&nbsp;Eamon Donnelly ,&nbsp;Veena Adityan ,&nbsp;Jose Chitty","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, technology advancements and miniaturisation of sensors have made it possible to develop management systems mounted on ear-tags but the development of these systems has not focussed specifically on younger calves, and has rarely documented the impact of device shape, size, and material on calf ear injury and position. The current paper documents the steps taken to develop a “smart” ear-tag, reporting these impacts. To achieve this, a series of bench tests (phase 1), expert assessments and four animal experiments were conducted. Selected from phase 1, five shapes were tested in phase 2 on five calves, and suitability for the intended purpose assessed, alongside maximum tag weight (8 calves) and anatomical placement of the tag (6 calves). Finally, a longer-term assessment was conducted using the best prototype attached to 14 calves (phase 3). The optimum tag was a 20 g coin-cell shaped female receiver tag, made of polycarbonate-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) mixed material, placed in the inner third of the ear, between the two auricular ridges. This specific shape and weight presented minimal ear-droop and the highest retention rate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 105859"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of black garlic powder on mitigating heat stress, augmenting antioxidant defenses, and enhancing broiler chicken performance","authors":"Mokhtar Fathi,&nbsp;Vahid Rezaee","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105872","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105872","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the effects of dietary black garlic powder (BGP) supplementation on growth performance, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in broiler chickens subjected to heat stress (HS). A total of 500 one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to six treatment groups with five replicates of 20 birds per pen. One group (100 birds) was maintained under thermoneutral (negative control) conditions, while the remaining four groups (400 birds) were subjected to HS. Heat stress was induced by maintaining the temperature at 32–35 °C for eight hours daily from day 25–42. HS group’s birds exposed to HS fed diets containing 0 (positive control), 10, 20, or 30 g/kg of BGP (BGP-10, BGP-20, and BGP-30) from day 1 to 42. Exposure to HS markedly impaired performance and physiological status, as evidenced by reduced body weight gain, feed intake, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit, alongside elevated feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality rate, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), liver enzymes (ALT and AST), total cholesterol, triglycerides, and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. HS also suppressed immune responses by lowering serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels. Dietary BGP supplementation significantly mitigated these detrimental effects in a dose-dependent manner. Inclusion of 20 and 30 g/kg BGP improved growth performance by increasing final body weight and reducing FCR and mortality. Antioxidant status was enhanced, reflected by higher GPx activity and lower MDA levels. Hematological indicators, including hemoglobin and red blood cell counts, were restored, and liver enzyme activity was normalized. Additionally, BGP improved immune competence through elevated IgG and IgM levels. In conclusion, black garlic powder supplementation effectively alleviates the physiological and immunological disturbances induced by heat stress in broilers, highlighting its potential as a natural feed additive to improve poultry health and resilience under thermal stress conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 105872"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of 'hands-free' rational handling on operational performance and economic losses in beef cattle","authors":"Daniela Costa Cotrim Campos ,&nbsp;Adriane Lermen Zart ,&nbsp;Cláudio Vaz Di Mambro Ribeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105853","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pre-slaughter handling is a critical factor affecting animal welfare, carcass quality, and economic performance in beef production systems. This study evaluated the impact of a novel low-stress protocol, Hands-Free Handling (HFH), compared to Conventional Handling (CON), on operational efficiency, carcass bruising, and financial losses in feedlot cattle. A total of 715 Nellore steers were randomly allocated to the two handling treatments. Loading time, incidence and anatomical location of carcass injuries, amount of meat discarded due to bruises and meat pH were evaluated. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models. HFH significantly reduced loading time by 43 %, the incidence of bruising by 7.6 %, and meat discard by 61.7 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), without affecting carcass yield or meat pH. Despite improvements, injuries remained a major source of financial loss. Economic modeling based on bruise discard data demonstrated that financial losses per carcass ranged from R$ 2.40 to R$ 2.83 for CON, and from R$ 1.48 to R$ 1.75 for HFH. Extrapolating to a slaughterhouse processing 1200 head per day, the estimated annual loss was R$ 978,781.05 for CON and R$ 604,116.36 for HFH, indicating a potential 38 % reduction in economic losses when adopting rational handling practices. In conclusion, the results highlight the relevance of rational handling strategies to improve animal welfare, reduce economic losses, and meet societal and market expectations for humane livestock practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105853"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145517004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term social preferences in a group of sub-adult female pigs","authors":"Piero Seddaiu ,&nbsp;Simon P. Turner ,&nbsp;Irene Camerlink","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social relationships in farm animals, including pigs, have become a focus of research, yet long-term studies are scarce. Pigs, being highly social animals, offer an excellent model to explore social preferences over time. This study aimed to investigate social preferences in female pigs across life stages by observing a group of ten gilts over one year, with each season serving as an assessment point. Social interactions (allogrooming, snout-body, and snout-head contact) were recorded through live and video observations, totaling 396 h per animal. Social Network Analysis (SNA) assessed group cohesion using measures of density, reciprocity, and degree centralization. Monte Carlo simulations, half-weight association index (HWI) and the Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) were used to evaluate social preferences and their recurrence across seasons. Results showed high density (0.95) and reciprocity, with weak centralization (in-degree 0.19, out-degree 0.27), indicating uniform distribution of social interactions. On average across the four seasons, 5.8 % of connections were strong, 35.7 % weak, and 58.5 % non-preferential. Social preferences correlated modestly between autumn and winter, but not with summer and spring. This study confirms previous findings that only a small proportion of pigs form non-random associations within a group. Social preferences lasted for a maximum of two seasons, likely influenced by pregnancy and transitions from gilt to adult sow, which resulted in temporary withdrawal from the group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105826"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic parameters for litter and carcass traits in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs","authors":"Iasmin Marques Rocha ,&nbsp;Giovanna Maria dos Santos Câmara ,&nbsp;Maria Victória Henrique Genuíno ,&nbsp;Ayrton Fernandes de Oliveira Bessa ,&nbsp;Roney Teixeira ,&nbsp;Luis Artur Loyola Chardulo ,&nbsp;Rogério Abdallah Curi ,&nbsp;Welder Angelo Baldassini ,&nbsp;Guilherme Luis Pereira ,&nbsp;Daniela do Amaral Grossi ,&nbsp;Marcos Eli Buzanskas","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Swine production has focused on improving litter size and carcass traits to enhance productivity. Genetic progress in traits such as the number of piglets born alive (NBA), birth weight (BW), number of piglets weaned (NPW), total teat number (TN), number of days to reach 100 kg (AGE100), backfat thickness (BF), and loin depth (LD) is of great importance for breeding efficiency. The present study aimed to estimate genetic parameters, including heritability and genetic correlations, for the mentioned traits in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs. Genetic parameters were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method, considering an animal model. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.06 (NPW) to 0.41 (BW) in Landrace and 0.04 (NPW) to 0.40 (BW) in Yorkshire. Maternal heritability and permanent environmental effects were low, with values between 0.02 and 0.05. The maternal permanent environmental variance ranged between 0.03 and 0.09. Repeatability estimates for all traits ranged from 0.10 (NPW) to 0.49 (BW). All the traits studied showed sufficient additive genetic variability, enabling effective selection in Landrace and Yorkshire pigs. Greater relative responses are expected for BF, BW, NBA, LD, and TN. Selection for BW may yield favorable correlated responses with NPW, TN, and AGE100, while direct selection for TN may enhance sow reproductive performance. Genetic correlations between BF and LD indicated that both traits can be improved simultaneously without unfavorable effects. Although the correlation between NBA and BW was not high, caution is warranted regarding the increase in litter size due to potential negative consequences, such as reduced birth weight and higher piglet mortality. Despite previous investigations on these traits, this study provides updated and robust estimates from a large, consistent, and environmentally controlled population, representing a valuable case study for commercial swine breeding programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105843"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145418112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of manipulating dietary fat and carbohydrates on methane potential of dairy cow faeces","authors":"Giulio Giagnoni ,&nbsp;Alastair James Ward ,&nbsp;Coralie Masclet ,&nbsp;Henrik Bjarne Møller ,&nbsp;Martin Riis Weisbjerg","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect on the <em>in vitro</em> methane yield from dairy cow faeces, when the diet is manipulated for either source or concentration of dietary fat (rapeseed or palm kernel fatty acids; 20 to 50 g/kg DM), or a source of carbohydrate (grass-clover vs maize silage, and barley vs dried beet pulp). The faecal samples from two nutrition trials were used in an <em>in vitro</em> system for anaerobic digestion for measuring gas volume and methane concentration at given times, from 5 to 90 d. The ultimate methane yield measured at d 90, and the coefficients estimated from a modified Gompertz model (maximum methane yield, methane production rate, and lag time) were analysed in a linear mixed model. Increasing dietary concentration of fat increased the maximum methane yield, the methane production rate, and the lag time when rapeseed was used as fat source, but use of palm kernel fatty acids in the diet did not result in an increase of any parameter. The effect of the carbohydrate inclusion from forage and concentrate was additive, so no interaction was observed, and maximum methane yield increased with increasing dietary starch concentration. Ultimate and maximum methane yield were highly correlated, with the latter underestimating ultimate methane yield by 3-4%. Estimated coefficients from a modified Gompertz model are useful to understand the effect of diet on biogas yield and production rate from faeces, but slight under-estimation of maximum methane yield was observed at incubation time of three months.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105832"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145418113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frequency of the beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) allele associated with the yellow fat phenotype in rabbits: insights into the spread of a genetic alteration in a wide variety of breeds and populations","authors":"Valeria Taurisano ,&nbsp;Anisa Ribani ,&nbsp;Samuele Bovo ,&nbsp;Giuseppina Schiavo ,&nbsp;Francesca Bertolini ,&nbsp;Michele Schiavitto ,&nbsp;Luca Fontanesi","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105842","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In various animal species, the accumulation of carotenoids that are not completely metabolized leads to yellow fat pigmentation. In rabbits, the yellow-fat phenotype was described by classic genetic studies at the beginning of the last century to be determined by a simple Mendelian recessive allele at the <em>Yellow</em> locus, in linkage with the <em>Albino</em> coat colour locus. More recent studies reported that a deletion of three nucleotides at codon 248 of the beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (<em>BCO2</em>) gene (delAAT) is the causative mutation for the yellow-fat defect when in a homozygous state. In this study, we genotyped the <em>BCO2</em> polymorphic site in 1041 rabbits from 41 breeds and populations, including albino rabbit breeds. Considering the overall genotyped population, the frequency of the delAAT allele was 11.96%. Homozygous delAAT/delAAT rabbits had a frequency of 3.55%, while the heterozygous rabbits had a frequency of 16.81%. In 12 out of 41 breeds/populations, all rabbits analysed were homozygous for the wild-type allele, while in 29 the mutated allele segregates. Only one breed, Lynx (with a pale silver-blue coat colour and yellow-red shades), was fixed for the delAAT allele, suggesting its potential functional role in determining the yellow-red secondary tint that characterises this breed. Comparing the molecular genetic results with the genetic information reported in earlier literature, the frequency of the mutated allele decreased over the last 80 years, probably due to culling of the carriers for the negative effect on carcass quality, due to the preference of consumers for white fat in rabbit meat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105842"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145364636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whole plant silage of vetch in growing-finishing pigs: Effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics, and determination of its apparent total tract digestibility","authors":"J. Wiskandt ,&nbsp;K. Aulrich ,&nbsp;M. Bochnia ,&nbsp;R. Bussemas ,&nbsp;H. Kluth ,&nbsp;M.-T. Machner ,&nbsp;A. Zeyner ,&nbsp;S. Witten","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A study was conducted to investigate, if 3 different vetch species contribute to the protein supply of growing-finishing pigs while maintaining carcass composition. In a feeding trial with 2 consecutive replications, 140 mixed sex pigs (females and castrates, (Landrace x Large White) × Piétrain)) with an initial body mass of 51.7 ± 6.78 kg were provided with an organic on-farm formulated compound feed for growing-finishing pigs and either triticale straw or a silage derived from 1 of 3 vetch species (<em>Vicia sativa, Vicia pannonica</em> and <em>Vicia villosa</em>). Experimental unit was individual pig for body mass gain and carcass characteristics and pen (10 pigs) for data related to feed intake. The total tract nutrient digestibility of the vetch species was studied using the difference method with 16 pigs of the same origin in 2 replications with 8 animals each. In each replication 2 animals were subjected to either a control diet or a diet with 1 of the 3 silages. Experimental unit for the digestibility trial was the individual pig. Pigs fed additional silage to a compound feed had a greater average body mass gain and gain:feed in the finishing phase than pigs fed triticale straw as roughage (<em>P</em>&lt; 0.05), while total crude protein needed to achieve a kilogram of body mass gain increased (<em>P</em>&lt; 0.05). Carcass characteristics were not affected by the type of roughage. The apparent total tract digestibility of organic matter and crude protein ranged from 51 to 66 % and 55 to 70 %, respectively, and did not differ among vetch species. The findings of this study indicate that whole plant silage of vetch serves as a valuable roughage for growing-finishing pigs and contributes to the animals' protein supply.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105830"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145417102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of heat stress and feed restriction on performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of growing rabbits","authors":"Emanuele Pontalti ,&nbsp;Marco Cullere ,&nbsp;Zsolt Szendrő ,&nbsp;Zsolt Matics ,&nbsp;Zsolt Gerencsér ,&nbsp;Bianca Palumbo ,&nbsp;Antonella Dalle Zotte","doi":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105836","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.livsci.2025.105836","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effects of heat stress and feed restriction were evaluated on a total of 180 weaned rabbits divided into three experimental groups (60 animals/group): 2 groups were fed <em>ad libitum</em> and reared under different temperatures (20 °C – 20AD and 30 °C – 30AD), while a third group was housed under controlled temperature (20 °C) but pair-fed to 30AD rabbits, thus feed restricted (20FR). During the trial, both 30AD and 20FR groups exhibited reduced growth performance, including body weight and daily weight gain (both, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), although feed conversion ratio improved (<em>P</em> = 0.016). The reference carcasses of 20FR and 30AD rabbits were lighter and leaner (both, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) than that of 20AD rabbits, while the slaughter yield decreased only in 20FR rabbits (<em>P</em> = 0.001). Regarding meat physical traits, 20FR rabbits exhibited the highest pHu (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and the lowest total losses (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), whereas the meat-to-bone ratio decreased in both 20FR and 30AD groups (<em>P</em> = 0.007). As for meat proximate composition, protein and lipid contents were lower (<em>P</em> = 0.008 and <em>P</em> = 0.0002, respectively) in 20FR and 30AD rabbits, while water content was greater (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) compared to 20AD rabbits. At the lipid level, higher TBARS (<em>P</em> = 0.001) were found in both 20FR and 30AD groups. The 20FR and 30AD groups showed some differences in their carcass and meat quality traits, however the majority of changes induced by chronic heat stress were mostly attributed to the reduced feed intake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18152,"journal":{"name":"Livestock Science","volume":"302 ","pages":"Article 105836"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145321711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}