Use of some slaughter and quality traits to discriminate rabbit meat from different genotypes reared under organic and conventional systems

The aim of the trial was to identify some quality traits to differentiate rabbit meat from different genotypes reared under different housing systems: organic and conventional. 84 rabbits of local population (Group A) were housed in colony cages under organic system, according to an official organism of certification; 72 rabbits of the same population (Group B) and 72 hybrids (Group C) were housed in colony cages under conventional system. All rabbits were fed an organic diet ad libitum. At the weight of 2400±100g but at different ages (local population 102 days old; hybrids 90 days old) 30 animals of each group were slaughtered. Slaughtering data, chilled carcass composition, reference carcass characteristics and meat quality traits were collected and statistically processed by stepwise discriminant analysis. Among investigated parameters live weight, drip loss, loin, muscle/bone, b* and L* colour traits were selected as predictors. The selected parameters allowed to differentiate the three Groups and a total of 94%, 58% and 100% rabbits were correctly assigned to their original group. The selected parameters were analyzed by ANOVA and drip loss, loin, muscle/bone and L* showed the highest significant differences between Groups. Drip loss was higher in Group A than in the other Groups (37.6g vs 30.8g and 29.22g, P<0.05). Loins of Groups A and B were higher than in Group C (22.8% and 21.5% vs 21.0%, P<0.01). Muscle/bone was better in Group C (4.66 vs 4.01 and 3.49, P<0.01). C and B Groups showed higher L* than Group A (61,89 and 59.15 vs 53.94, P