Meat quality and caecal content characteristics of rabbit according to dietary content and botanical origin of starch

The research was carried out to study the influence of diets differing in contents and botanical origin of starch on fattening and slaughtering performance of rabbits. Four pelleted diets (LSM, LSW, HSM, HSW) were prepared according to a 2 x 2 factorial scheme: two starch contents (23 vs 28% DM) and two botanical origins (wheat vs maize). Before being slaughtered, 4 groups of 24 Hyla hybrid male rabbits from 59 to 90 days of age were fed ad libitum on the above diets. High starch diets decreased the feed intake (g 104.1 vs 111.5; P < 0.05 feed conversion (2.729 vs 3.071 and 3.801 vs 4.020 respectively for periods of 51-70 d and 71-90 d). In the first period (51-70 d), the liveweight gain showed an important trend (P = 0.16) for LS groups in comparison to HS groups (g 38.1 vs 36.3). An opposite trend was shown in the period of 71-90 d (g 28.9 vs 30.7 for groups HS and LS, respectively). In fact, liveweight at 90 d was similar (g 2755 vs 2757 for groups LS and HS, respectively) in the groups feeding different starch levels. The diets did not significantly affect slaughtering yields (hot carcass weight g 1705 vs 1714 and reference carcass weight g 1352 vs 1352 for groups LS and HS, respectively), chemical and nutritional characteristics of meat (crude protein 22.3% vs 22.2 and ether extract 3.0% vs 3.1 for groups LS and HS, respectively), and acidic composition of intramuscular fat. No significant differences were observed in the caecal content parameters (VFA mml/l 66.5 vs 66.4 for groups LS and HS, respectively), except for a lower caecal starch level (1.6% vs 2.0% DM; P < 0.05) in the group fed the diet with wheat and 23% of starch. No other botanical effect was significant