Prediction of the meat content of the carcass and valuable carcass parts in French lop rabbits using some traits measured in vivo and post mortem

Abstract

The experiment was performed on 60 French lop rabbits raised under extensive conditions and sacrificed at body weight of about 3 kg. It was found that the best indicators of meat weight (g) in rabbit carcasses were body weight, head width and lower thigh length among the traits measured in vivo, and carcass weight, chest girth and thigh circumference among the traits measured post mortem. In vivo prediction of saddle meatiness may be based on body weight, trunk length and thigh length, whereas post-slaughter estimation – on carcass weight, hip circumference and thigh circumference. Total meat weight in the hind half of the carcass may be predicted in vivo on the basis of body weight, head width and lower thigh length, and post mortem – on the basis of carcass weight, chest girth, hip circumference, thigh circumference and pelvic width. Multiple regression equations for meat weight estimation in the whole carcass and its middle and hind part were derived in the study. These equations may be applied in selection work directed towards an improvement in carcass meatiness. They may also be used to evaluate the results of experiments conducted on French lops.  

A comprehensive linkage map and QTL map for carcass traits in a cross between Giant Grey and New Zealand White rabbits

“…As expected, the liveweight and carcass weights as well as the total weight and the meat weight of the different carcass parts were highly correlated ( r ≥ 0.89, p < 0.0001, data not shown); bone weights and head weight showed high correlations to the other carcass traits ( r ≥ 0.62, p < 0.0001, Table 2 ). Similar results for highly correlation between carcass traits were observed in other studies [ 24 - 26 ]. Drip loss of the whole carcass showed low correlation with the pH value 24 hours p.m. at M. biceps femoris ( r = 0.19, p < 0.0001, Table 2 ).…”

Prediction of Total Muscle Weight From Morphometric Live Traits in Rabbits Using Principal Component Analysis

“…Correlation estimates reported in the present work between total muscle weight and chest girth (r = 0.76) and between total muscle weight and chest width (r = 0.77) were comparable to those previously given by Michalik et. al.…”

Real-time ultrasound (RTU) imaging methods for quality control of meats

“…Several reports have shown that muscularity or cutability attributes may be improved through selection programmes (Lukefahr et al ., 1982(Lukefahr et al ., , 1983.Thus, the development of in vivo measurements of muscularity and carcass composition in rabbits using RTU has potentially useful applications in genetic improvement programmes or simply in economic carcass evaluation (Silva et al ., 2009). In rabbits, good results were achieved in studies using live body measurements to predict the muscle percentage and muscularity in the carcass (Lukefahr et al ., 1982;Lukefahr and Ozimba, 1991;Michalik et al ., 2006). Lukefahr and Ozimba (1991); it was found that the lean cut weight (measure of cutability) of the loin was accurately predicted using body weight and loin width ( r 2 = 0.797).…”