Valorisation of Rabbit Biodiversity for Meat Production: Live Performance, Carcass Traits, Meat Quality and Muscle Fibre Characteristics of Different Rabbit Genotypes

Valorisation of rabbit biodiversity plays a significant role in enhancing production by preserving genetic diversity, which is crucial for maintaining adaptability and resilience in rabbit populations, thereby supporting sustainable development and conservation efforts. With this in mind, the present research aimed at comparing live performance, carcass traits, meat quality and muscle fibre characteristics of different rabbit genotypes. Forty-five weaned rabbits (15 commercial hybrids-C; 15 Burgundy Fawn crosses-BF; 15 Vienna Blue crosses-VB) were farmed until slaughter (n = 15 replicated cages/rabbit genotype). The slaughter age was scheduled when all genotypes reached the same live weight (approx. 2800 g). After slaughtering and carcass dissection, the hind legs and <i>longissimus lumborum</i> muscles were excised and subjected to different evaluations. Hind legs were exploited for physicochemical analyses, while <i>longissimus lumborum</i> muscles were used for physical evaluations and for fibre typing, morphometric traits and enzymatic activity. As a direct response to the experimental design, results highlighted that the three genotypes exhibited different slaughter ages. Commercial hybrids displayed the fastest growth cycle, but they showed an efficiency comparable to that of VB crosses (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Genotypes displayed some differences in carcass characteristics, namely perirenal fat (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and hind leg weight (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The physical characteristics of meat were overall similar in the three genotypes, except for <i>biceps femoris</i> L*, which showed the highest value in the BF group. Meat chemical composition differed depending on the genotype, with BF rabbits having the highest ether extract (<i>p</i> < 0.05) content. The three genotypes displayed an overall similar fatty acid profile with some minor differences: VB rabbits had the highest C18:2 <i>n</i>-6 proportion (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and thus <i>n</i>-6/<i>n</i>-3 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Cholesterol content was the highest in C rabbits (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Overall, the present research highlighted that BF and VB genotypes provided interesting potentialities which would be further valorised in rural farming conditions, given their higher resilience and adaptability than commercial hybrids.