Abstracts of the 45th Symposium on Cuniculture, ASESCU

The 45th Congress of the Spanish Association of Cuniculture (ASESCU), co-organised by the Spanish Association of Cuniculture (ASESCU) and Grupo Editorial Agrícola-Henar Comunicación Agroalimentaria, was online held on 6th and 7th October, 2021. The four main talks were mainly focussed on “In-farm composting. Enhancing the value of rabbit manure” by Raúl Moral (University Miguel Hernández, Spain), “Recent advances in artificial insemination” by Pilar Viudes (Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Spain), “The necessary transition of rabbit farming in Europe. The French Example” by Davi Savietto (INRAE, France), and “Social networks in rabbit farming. A practical view” by Jesús López (Grupo Editorial Agrícola-Henar Comunicación Agroalimentaria, Spain). A commercial speech on “Building immunity for a healthier world” was also presented by Sandra Gascón (Hipra). Two round tables were also held: the first on “News in veterinary prescription” with the participation of María Hernández (Spanish Ministry of Agriculture) and Mario Malo (Spanish Association of Veterinarians specialised in Rabbit Farming), and the second on “Rabbit meat processing and new products” with the participation of Raúl Grau (Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain) and María Luz de Santos (Spanish interprofessional organization to promote the rabbit sector, INTERCUN). Moreover, a total of 14 oral communications were presented by research teams from Spain, Algeria, Venezuela, Portugal and Italy. The congress was attended by around 130 participants from several European, American and African countries. Abstracts of the contributions presented are reported below.

Rabbit meat: valuable nutrition or too-cute-to-eat?

Rabbit meat is a component of traditional diets, often incorporated into iconic dishes of regional cuisine. Its consumption can be traced back to the ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean and beyond, well into the Palaeolithic era. Even though it has been representing considerable nutritional and cultural value for millennia, a decline in consumption is now noticeable. Specific categorial dynamics are at play, related to the various superimposed roles of rabbits as livestock, game, pests, laboratory animals and pets. Their perceived cuteness in particular can lead to emotional responses that are hard to reconcile with the sensitivities of the post-domestic paradigm. Such effects compromise the acceptability of rabbit meat in contemporary Western societies that are typified by problematic human-animal interactions and a disconnect from the food chain. Young and urban populations in particular now seem to have difficulties facing the notion that food production requires the killing of animals. As a result, a traditional food source risks becoming irrelevant despite its high nutritional value and potential for sustainable meat production, due to reasons that are emotive rather than rational.

Fattening indicators of young rabbits when feeding Prebiolact-Kr

Measures to increase production are used to address the issue of providing the population with food. During the peak of the industry (1975–1985), Ukraine annually produced 120–165 thousand tons of rabbit meat, 30–45 million skins, and its share in world rabbit production reached 8 %. In the national volume of meat production, the share of highly dietary rabbit accounted for 8–10 %. Rabbit breeding in Ukraine was a very lucrative industry, which employed more than 600 thousand rabbit breeders. However, in recent years, rabbit breeding has declined due to the lack of modern scientific developments on the issues of complete feeding, rabbit keeping technology, low level of breeding and veterinary support. The development of the industry and the lack of coordinating bodies, both in the center and on the ground, are holding back. At present, the rabbit population of Ukraine is 97–98 % concentrated in individual farms and is 1.2–1.3 million breeding and repair livestock, and the rest in farms and breeding entities of various forms of ownership and management. According to the results of state certification, the breeding base of the industry in Ukraine today consists of 1 breeding plant and 7 breeding breeders of rabbit breeds. For feeding young rabbits used complete ration granular feed, the structure of which had different prebiotic content: I control group – the drug was not received, 2 experimental – 1.5, 3 – 2.0, 4 – 2.5 g/goal. per day. The studies were conducted on four groups of young rabbits, selected on the principle of groups of analogues, 25 heads in each. Thus, the total amount of feed increased from 80 g/goal. per day (35–41 days), up to 100 g (42–48 days), 120 g (49–55 days), up to 140 g (56–62 days), up to 160 g (63–69 days) up to 180 g (70–76 days). Feeding of young rabbits when reared for meat Prebiolact-Kr in animals of the second group at 43.1 g, the third 44.6 g and 45.0 g. The use of Prebiolact-Kr in the feeding of young rabbits when fed meat contributes to an increase in fattening performance, which may be the basis for the practical application of this supplement. Perebiolakt-KR showed the best results in feeding fattening and repair young animals at a dose of 2.0 g/goal per day.

INFLUENCE OF THE «YANTOVET» MEAT ON ORGANOLEPTIC INDICATORS OF RABBIT MEAT

The use of «Yantovet» in the diet of rabbits has a positive effect on the organoleptic properties of meat. Rabbit meat obtained from the experimental group, as well as meat broth, have more pronounced taste characteristics, which increases its consumer properties.

Comparative Analysis of Rabbit Meat Quality when Using Modular Raising Technologies and Eco-Farm

The nutritional value and organoleptic evaluation of rabbit showed that the meat of rabbits raised on the eco-farm and in the modular rabbit house did not differ from each other and had the best nutritional and biochemical qualities, indicating the prospects of using modular farms to produce high quality products. A high percentage of fresh meat yield was found – 53.6 and 53.9% in rabbits raised in the module and on the eco-farm. Rabbit carcasses from the module had more fat by 1.1% and slightly enlarged kidneys due to the peculiarity of the equipment. Changes in the chemical composition – a slight increase in moisture and fat content (by 0.2%) in the meat, which was obtained by raising in the modular rabbit house compared to the meat of rabbits raised on the eco-farm – were founded. At the same time there was 0.3% less protein and 0.1% less sol. In general, the difference in chemical composition was insignificant, which indicated the identity of the analyzed samples. The organoleptic characteristics of rabbit meat in the carcass at slaughter and after heat treatment were studied. Muscle consistency was dense, elastic, when pressed the formed hole was quickly leveled; fat was dense. The aroma was specific for fresh meat. All samples taken from sampling of “Hy-plus” hybrid rabbits raised in the modular rabbit house and those raised on the eco-farm had the highest scores. The studied samples by organoleptic evaluation did not differ from each other and corresponded to high quality rabbit. Carcasses of hybrids in the experimental groups had a high content of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and the lowest content of cholesterol (0.04 g/100 g). The difference between the amino acid composition of meat and the lipid composition of fat in the study groups was insignificant

Quality of carcasses and meat from male and female rabbits

Meat from rabbits offers high nutritive properties as it has high levels of essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Rabbit meat is also regarded lean, since it contains less fat than many other meat types. The composition of rabbit meat lipids is also favourable due to higher contents of unsaturated fatty acids compared to other types of meat. The aim of the present study was to examine and compare meat quality from male and female rabbits. A total of 24 rabbits (12 males and 12 females) were used. The rabbits were slaughtered at an age of 17–18 weeks. The following parameters were studied: slaughter traits, colour, pH, cooking loss, tenderness, total fat content and water holding capacity (WHC). Interestingly, the ultimate pH was significantly lower in male compared to female rabbits (p = 0.008). Moreover, cooking losses were higher in the meat from male rabbits (p = 0.001). No other relevant differences were found between meat from male and female rabbits suggesting that sex might be regarded as a minor factor in the production of rabbit meat at the chosen slaughter age.

Effect of Enterococcus faecium AL41 (CCCM8558) and Its Enterocin M on the Physicochemical Properties and Mineral Content of Rabbit Meat

Improving rabbit meat quality using natural substances has become an area of research activity in rabbit nutrition due to stabilization of husbandry health and economy. The present study evaluates the effect of bacteriocin-producing, beneficial strain Enterococcus faecium AL41/CCM8558 and its enterocin M (EntM) on the quality and mineral content of rabbit meat. Seventy-two Hycole rabbits (aged 35 days) were divided into EG1 (CCM8558 strain; 1.0 × 109 CFU/mL; 500µL/animal/d), EG2 (EntM; 50µL/animal/d), and control group (CG). The additives were administrated in drinking water for 21 days. Significant increase in meat phosphorus (EG1: p < 0.05; EG2: p < 0.0001) and iron (EG1, EG2: p < 0.001) contents was noted; sodium and zinc levels were only slightly higher in experimental groups compared with control data. The calcium (EG1, EG2: p < 0.001), potassium, and copper (EG1: p < 0.01) concentrations were reduced. The treatment did not have a negative influence on physicochemical traits of rabbit meat. Based on these results, we conclude that diet supplementation with beneficial strain E. faecium CCM8558 and its EntM could enhance the quality and mineral content of rabbit meat, with the focus on its iron and phosphorus contents.