Influence of the Male Rabbit Castration on Meat Quality. 2/. Physico-chemical and Sensory Quality Lebas

A total of 450 commercial hybrid rabbits were employed to study on meat quality the effects of males castration in comparison with entire males and females when slaughtered at 14, 17 or 20 weeks of age. After unfreezing, left hindleg + 1⁄2 loin were cooked together in a oven at first during 5mn at 250 °C with a dry heat, then with humid heat in order to obtain a central temperature of 80°C to 85°C at the oven exit of pieces. Meat of hindleg and of longissimus dorsi (LD) were separated from bones and scoring tests were realised by a trained panel of tasters. At 14 weeks of age the male rabbits meat presented lower values for tenderness, juiciness and flavour than females and castrated males both for hindleg and LD even if for LD, differences were more significant. At 17 and 20 weeks of age, differences between sexes decreased and sometimes were inverted. Differences were less important between slaughter ages than between sexes. Physico-chemical measures were made on the right LD fresh meat. No significant variation of LD lipid content was detected (0.94% on average). Mechanical tenderness estimated through the shearing force necessary to cut the muscle with a Warner-Brazler blade was lower for entire males (Fmax =50.2 Newton) than for castrated males (F max 43.0N) and females (Fmax 39.5N); but no effect of age was observed. With age, luminosity of the LD section decreased.. Entire males had the darkest meat (L=55.0 vs 58.3 for castrated and 58.0 for females). Their meat was also more reddish, as was the meat of older rabbits. As conclusion, the authors recommended the slaughter age of 14 weeks for a best sensory quality of castrated rabbits meat, and if possible to fatten females instead of males, castrated or not.