• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.282-288
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• 2009

The present paper describes the effects of pressure and post-mortem aging treatments on in situ proteasome activity in rabbit and bovine skeletal muscles. Synthetic peptide hydrolyzing activity of rabbit proteasomes remained in the muscle after exposure to pressures up to 100 MPa. However, when a pressure of 400 MPa or more was applied, proteasomes were markedly inactivated. The extraction of proteasomes from excessively pressurized muscle appeared to be difficult. Proteasomes in aged muscle remained relatively stable throughout the aging process, with activity after 168 h (7 days) being 35%, 48%, 53% and 31% of the 0 h post-mortem LLVY, LSTR, AAF and LLE total hydrolyzing activities, respectively. The synthetic peptide hydrolyzing activities of bovine muscle proteasomes were similar to those of rabbit skeletal muscle proteasomes. The results suggest that synthetic peptide hydrolyzing activity remains in muscle exposed to relatively low pressures. Furthermore, it is known that high-pressure treatment induces fragmentation of myofibrils, modification of actin-myosin interaction and activation of intramuscular proteinases, cathepsins and calpains. Thus, proteasomes are probably involved in the tenderization process in combination with other intramuscular proteinases under high-pressure conditions. Our findings confirmed that proteasomes play a role in meat tenderization induced by high-pressure treatment or aging.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.623-631
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• 2019

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), an alkaloid rich in Ligusticum wallichii and fermented products, possesses multiple pharmacological activities in antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antibacterial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TMP (15 mg/L) on the physicochemical and gelation properties of rabbit myofibrillar proteins (MPs) with/without oxidative stress. Results showed that compared to the control, oxidative stress to MPs decreased free thiol content, gel yield, whiteness, water-holding capacity, bounder water, immobilized water, and endogenous tryptophan fluorescence intensity, but increased surface hydrophobicity, dityrosine content, and free water content (p<0.01). Without oxidative stress, MPs treated with TMP increased free thiol content, whiteness, and bound water, but decreased dityrosine content and free water (p<0.05). Under oxidative conditions, all parameters were conversely affected by TMP (p<0.01). The results suggest that TMP can be an antioxidant to decrease the concern on oxidative deterioration during meat processing and storage by improving the oxidative stability, water retention, and gel forming property of rabbit MPs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1361-1366
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• 2008

One-hundred and twenty Ischia grey rabbits, traditionally raised in pits, were equally divided after weaning (32 days) into three groups: group C, housed in cages (4 rabbits/cage) and fed a commercial concentrate; group GF, housed as C group and fed grasses collected on the island and crushed faba beans supplemented with an appropriate mineral vitamin mix; group P, housed in pits (8 rabbits/pit) and fed as GF group. Feed intake was recorded daily and live weight monthly up to slaughter (92 days). At slaughter, 10 rabbits per group were used to measure carcass and meat traits. The carcasses were weighed and measured according to the standard procedures and meat samples from the Longissimus dorsi and left hind leg were analysed for water holding capacity and chemical composition, respectively. During the entire trial, group C consumed significantly (p<0.01) a higher quantity of feed than the other groups (126.1 vs. 63.4 and 66.5 g/d, resp. for groups C, GF and P) and at slaughter showed a significantly (p<0.01) higher body weight (2,529.7 vs. 1,324.4 and 1,375.4 g, resp. for groups C, GF and P). Significant differences (p<0.01) were found also for dressing out percentage (68.6 vs. 66.6 and 66.9%, resp. for groups C, GF and P) and for meat chemical composition, in particular lipid percentage (4.13 vs. 1.84 and 1.93%, resp., for groups C, GF and P, p<0.01) and moisture (73.7 vs. 76.4 and 76.3%, resp. for groups C, GF and P, p<0.01). The results suggest the opportunity to obtain heavier animals raised in the pits if their diets were integrated with commercial feed.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1898-1904
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on the growth performance, slaughter traits, myofiber, and adenine nucleotide of meat-type rabbits. Methods: Experimental treatments consisted of control (CON) and GAA addition at 0.04% (T1), 0.08% (T2), and 0.12% (T3) of diet. A total of 240 weaned rabbits (meat-type male Chinese black rabbits) were randomly distributed into four groups with six replicates of ten rabbits each. Results: Results showed that the three doses of GAA increased (p<0.05) final body weight, carcass weight, the density and area of quadriceps femoris fiber; and T3 showed significant effects (p<0.05) on weight gain, feed/gain, and dressing percentage, and the traits of longissimus fiber, compared to CON. Dietary GAA increased (p<0.05) the meat color a^* and b^* in longissimus and quadriceps; and T3 showed the lowest (p<0.05) shear force of longissimus. Furthermore, GAA increased (p<0.05) the contents of adenosine triphosphate and total adenine nucleotide in longissimus and quadriceps. In longissimus adenosine triphosphate, total adenine nucleotide, and adenylate energy charges, T3 treatment was most effective (p<0.05); while T2 and T3 treatment was more effective (p<0.05) than T1 in quadriceps. Additionally, linear or quadratic responses (p<0.05) to the increased doses of GAA were found on body weight gain, meat color, total adenine nucleotide, and adenylate energy charges. Conclusion: It is concluded that GAA can be used in the rabbit diet to improve growth and carcass traits, and these are related to the high levels of muscle adenine nucleotide.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.609-615
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• 2014

Appetite-related neuropeptides proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) are essential for regulating feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of variants in POMC and NPY genes on growth, carcass and meat quality traits in rabbits. A total of six SNPs were identified for POMC (n = 2) and NPY (n = 4) genes by direct sequencing. Three SNPs were subsequently genotyped by using MassArray system (Sequenom iPLEXassay) in 235 individuals, which belong to three meat rabbit breeds, including 93 Ira rabbits; 81 Champagne rabbits and 61 Tianfu black rabbits. The SNP c.112-12G>T was in intron-exon boundaries (intron 1) of POMC gene, and the association analysis showed that individuals with TT genotype had a greater 84 d body weight (BW84), eviscerated weight and semi-eviscerated weight than those with GT genotype (p<0.05); the TT individuals were also higher than those GG in the ripe meat ratio (RMR) (p<0.05). The g.1778G>C SNP, which was in complete linkage with other three SNPs (g.1491G>A, g.1525G>T and g.1530C>T) in intron 1 of NPY gene, was significantly correlated with eviscerated slaughter percentage and semi-eviscerated slaughter percentage in rabbits, and the individuals with CC genotype had a better performance than CG genotype (p<0.05). These findings would provide primary clues for the biological roles of POMC and NPY underlying the rabbit growth-related traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1212-1216
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to determine and compare some characteristics of the meat and carcass of rabbits aged 11 weeks according to sex. In the experiment thirty male and thirty female New Zealand White rabbits were slaughtered. The weights and percentages of cold carcasses, skin with head and limbs, liver, kidney, heart, lung, fore legs, hind legs, breast and ribs, loin and abdominal wall were recorded. The values for carcass length, lumbar circumference, pH in the muscles of Biceps femoris and Longissimus dorsi, meat to bone ratio and cooking loss were also determined. The mean values for cold carcass weight and cold dressing percentage were 832 g and 48.77% in male and 849 g and 48.69% in female, respectively. In this study no significant differences were shown between male and female rabbits in the characteristics of carcass and meat except the value of pH of Longissimus dorsi muscle which was markedly higher in males than that in females meat. Slaughter weight was positively correlated with the weights of carcass, skin with head and limbs, lung, liver, kidney, heart and weights of joints (p<0.01) and dressing percentage (p<0.05).

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1544-1551
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality and hair follicle development of growing Rex rabbits as affected by different environmental enrichment materials. Methods: A total of one hundred and twenty Rex rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups; reared in conventional cages (not enriched) and in enriched cages with either willow stick (WS), rubber duck, or a can containing beans (CB), for 44 days. Results: The average daily gain of the CB group was the highest and had a significant difference from that of the other groups (p<0.05). The spleen and cecum weight of the CB group was greater than those of the WS and control groups (p<0.05). The redness (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage a^*) of the meat sample of the control group was lower than those of the enriched cage groups (p<0.05). Moreover, the hue value of the CB group was significantly lower than that of the other groups (p<0.05). The tenderest meat belonged to the CB group. In addition, more secondary (p<0.05) and primary follicles were found in the CB group than in the control group. Conclusion: Environmental enrichment increased the average daily gain and improved some carcass traits, meat quality, and hair follicle density. Among the three environmental enrichment materials, CB could be recommended for rabbit husbandry.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.383-387
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• 2015

A duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection method was developed to authenticate the use of cat and rabbit in food and to prevent unlawful distribution of illegally butchered meat in both domestic and imported food market. Species-specific primers were designed targeting mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The sizes of PCR products were 191 bp for cat and 101 bp for rabbit, which were relatively small for better application of the detection method on processed foods. Specificities of primers were verified using 21 animal species including cat and rabbit. Limit of detection was examined by serial dilution of the sample DNA and confirmed as 0.005 ng for rabbit and 0.0005 ng for cat using Bioanalyzer. The developed duplex PCR method showed specificity and sensitivity in the identification of two target species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.51-63
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate food culture represented by the grain yard, water well, kitchen, and meat storage space which were depicted in the mural painting of An-Ak tomb No. 3. The mural paintings of An-Ak tomb No. 3 were compared with those of ancient Chinese tombs before the 4th century in order to understand their characteristics. Above all, the tomb murals describe the form and function of the stove (buttumak) as well as the cuisine using the cauldron (sot) and steamer (siru) in a very interesting manner. The meat storage space of An-Ak tomb No. 3 shows whole carcasses of animals such as roe deer, dog, and pig. However, Chinese murals show that while small animals such as soft-shelled turtle, fish, chicken, duck, pheasant, rabbit, etc. were stored as whole carcasses without being cut into pieces, large animals such as cows and pigs were slaughtered and each piece of their carcasses such as the head, thigh, meat loaf, and cardiopulmonary part was separately depicted. These tomb murals vividly describe the food culture of Koguryo and China before the 4th century.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.177-183
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• 1976

This study was done to find out the effect of hay and silage versus soilage on the rabbit meat prodution for summer period from June 1 to September 28, 1976. Fourty eight rabbits were fed by hay. silage and soilage. respectively. with some amount of concentrate. and the results obtained were as follow. Daily body weight gain of rabbits were slightly higher in soilage feeding group as 16.86g compared with other groups but not significantly different. And the mortality was the highest in soilage feeding group as 16.7% and silage feeding group was 8.3%. but hay feeding group showed the best health condition during the period of experiment. Feed efficiency was slightly better in silage feeding group as 5,61 than other groups but not significantly' different. The dressing percentage was higher in hay feeding group as 49% and lower in soilage feeding group as 46.79%. It was concluded that high quality of rabbit meat could be produced by high quality of hay rather than by silage and soilage for summer period.