THE EFFECTS OF PRESLAUGHTER WITHHOLDING OF FEED AND WATER FROM RABBITS ON THEIR CARCASS YIELD AND MEAT QUALITY,

Ninety rabbits (California White breed) with an average weight of 2.3kg were allocated at random to one of nine treatments to assess the effects of withholding feed alone or feed together with water on darcass shrinkage and meat quality. The nine treatments were: The control (given ad libitun feed and water), and 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours periods without feed alone prior to slaughter and 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours without feed and water. Live and carcass weights were taken to monitor shrinkage. Other relevant meat quality parameters such as protein content, pll, index of water holding capacity, colour and wetness scores, cooking losses and the percentage gross composition of the carcass were determined. Live and carcass Weights, weights of head, liver, kidneys and heart decreased progressively as the length of fasting period increased. The progressive decreases in weights were found to be more pronounced in animals from which feed together with water were withdrawn. Within 24 hours of fasting, decreases in weights were found to be significant (P<0.05). Ultimate pH and index of water holding capacity of the meats also increased with the increase in lenght of fasting period, with a concomitant decrease in cooking losses. The fat ratio of the carcass component decreased with increase in length of fasting. A preslaughter period of only a few hours between 0 and 12 hours is therefore recommended for rabbit meat processing.