Linear measurements of carcasses as a tool to improve the evaluation of the rabbit meat production

In order to improve the methodologies for objective evaluation of rabbit meat production a series of linear measurements have been carried out on rabbit carcasses, integrated by the carcass commercial traits usually evaluated at slaughter. Ninety-six crossbred rabbits (New Zealand White x Californian) were weaned at 28 d (LW 493±63 g), slaughtered at 77 d (LW 2167±157 g) and carcasses prepared by removing blood, skin, distal legs, urinary bladder and gastrointestinal tract. The average dressing out percentage (59.7±8.1%) was calculated. Carcasses were the n refrigerated at 2°C for 24 h and average cold carcass weight (CCW) 24 h after slaughter resulted 1179±96 g. Head, lungs, thymus gland, trachea, heart and liver were removed and the conformation, fatness and colour of carcasses was classified, by visual examination, using a scale of 5 ± scores. Averages of some linear measurements effectuated on cold carcasses resulted: body length 32.8±1.0 cm, loin width 12.4±0.7 cm, chest width 9.0±0.4 cm, carcass length 26.9±1.0 cm, chest depth 6.5±0.6 cm and leg length 16.5±0.8. Carcasses were then dissected to measure fat content and muscle to bone ratio. The average coefficients of correlation (r) calculated between the linear measurements and the dressing out percentage of carcasses resulted: body length 0.659; loin width – 0.063; chest width 0.347; carcass length 0.633; chest depth 0.844; and leg length 0.392.The main linear measurements of carcasses could represent an additional tool for supporting the evaluation of rabbit meat production.