Nutritional value and chemical composition of meat from rabbits of different purpose of production

Ievgenii Aksonov, Ivan Pomitun, Oksana Korh, Victoria Petrash, Yelyzaveta Oliinychenko

Abstract: The study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value and chemical composition of rabbit meat and analyze
the differences in meat parameters within experimental groups and breeds. The article presents
the results of meat parameters evaluation of samples, obtained from M. longissimus dorsi muscle
and minced cuts, from rabbits of Thermon (meat production) and Belgian Hare (meat/fur production)
breeds. The rabbits were slaughtered at age of 120 days and divided into three experimental groups
by different energy values of feed. The first group was given low-compound feed with 11.6 MJ/kg
dry matter, the second group got feed with 11.8 MJ/kg dry matter and the third group – 12.1 MJ/kg
dry matter. Meat samples from M. longissimus dorsi and minced cuts had parameters within normal
meat quality. The different calories content among the three feed groups (I, II, III) was accompanied
by changes in parameters within groups and the breeds. There was a certain tendency of the III
group to have a higher caloric value and certain parameters (ash, fat, protein), in comparison to the
I group within one breed. Though, there were no certain correlations between I and II groups, when
the same parameters were fluctuating depending on the meat sample (minced or from the muscle) and
the breed.

Keywords: Belgian Hare rabbit breed; chemical composition of meat; low-compound feed; nutritional value of meat; rabbits; Thermon rabbit breed

Date published: 2021-06-29