ABSTRACT
A field survey was conducted to determine awareness, acceptability and preference among others for Domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cunniculus) in Edo State. The d base IV and chi-square test were used to analyse the data collected. Their greatest constrains in rabbit meat acceptance were non-availability (53%) and inability to slaughter live rabbit (20%). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in comparative taste ratings of chicken and rabbit meats as revealed in the field survey. There was a strong indication that the attitude of people towards rabbit and rabbit meat consumption will change significantly if processed rabbit meat products were made available and substantially advertised.
Fifty-four mixed breeds of rabbits were used in a 3 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement to study the influence of chicken diets (layers’ and growers’) and slaughter ages (10, 13 and 16) weeks on growth and meat characteristics, and products attributes. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) among the treatment groups –chicken layers mash (CL), chicken growers mash (CG) and rabbit growers mash (RG). It was significant (P < 0.05) that live weight gain for treatment, RG during the 6th and 7th weeks of age was higher than for treatment, CG by 50% while treatment, CL was also higher than treatment CG by 21%. The net revenue was in favour of treatment CL, followed by CG, while treatment RG resulted in the lowest net revenue.
On the average, it took a slaughtered rabbit muscle 4.76 hours to attain ultimate pH of 5.69 at 2±20C. The average dressed carcass ranged from 45.6% to 50.3% of live weight. Diets had no significant effect on the carcass yield. Percentage weights of different physical cuts were not influenced either by diets or slaughter age. The ranges for various organs were in (%) tail and feet 2.6 – 3.7, head 8.0 – 9.7 and heart and lungs 1.2 – 1.8. These values decreased significantly with increasing slaughter age. Meat/bone ratio ranged from 2.86 to 4.01 and diet had no significant influence on it. The proximate composition of rabbit meat was: protein, 18.6% to 19.4%, fat, 7.9% to 10.9% and, moisture 68.5% to 72.0%. Fat and moisture contents were significantly influenced by slaughter age. The GLC analysis of fatty acid methyl esters from the total lipids of the various rabbit meats revealed nineteen fatty acids (C-10:0, C-12:0, C-14:0, C-14:1, C-15:0, C-15:1, C-16:0, C-16:1, C-17:0,C-17:1, C-18:0, C-18:1, C-18:2, C-18:3, C-20:0, C-20:1, C-20:2, C-20:3 and C-20:4 in abundant amounts. The fat of rabbit is characterised by high palmitic acid content (about 37%). There was no significant effect of age and diet on the fatty acid composition of the rabbit meats.
All the Cured Smoke-dried (CSD) meat products were significantly better (P < 0.05) in appearance than the Uncured Smoke-dried (USD) rabbit meat products. The diets did not have significant influence (P < 0.05) on the colour of products. Lipid stability of rabbit meat products during storage at different temperatures (26±20C, 1±20C and –18±20C) and different periods (0d, 5d, 10d and 15d) were assessed according to changes in the 2-Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values. The storage temperatures have significant effect on the TBA value changes. The feed – Rabbit growers’ (RG), Chicken growers’ (CG) and Chicken layers’ (CL) as well as the age at slaughter (10th, 13th and 16th weeks) had no significant effect (P > 0. 05) on the TBA value of products. The microbial assessment of products after ten days storage period at 300C ambient temperature revealed a significant difference between group (A) products (CSD, USD and IMM) and group (B) products (BO, BF, RF, and RO). The microbial assessment showed zero presence of some notable class of spoilage and pathogenic organisms (Staphylococcal, Coliform and Halophytic bacteria, and Mould and Yeast) in cured smoke-dried products.
This study revealed that rabbit grows satisfactorily on moistened commercial chicken diets and its high quality meat is readily acceptable in processed forms to consumers especially when pickle-cured and smoke-dried or fried. Modern pickle curing and traditional smoking significantly enhanced the stability of fatty acids and consequently the flavours of products. Also, microbial assessment of products after ten days storage period at 300C ambient temperature showed zero-presence of some notable deteriorative, spoilage and pathogenic organisms. This is a positive finding in terms of products handling in tropical environments where high temperatures, high humidity and poor sanitary conditions enhance microbial proliferation, rapid deterioration and spoilage.
