Rendimento e qualidade de carcaça em coelhos submetidos a dietas com variáveis níveis de quitosana

Abstract

The objective was to determine the effects of the increasing dose of chitosan (QUI), added to the feed, on the characteristics of the carcass and the quality of the white New Zealand rabbit meat. For this purpose we used 24 animals aged 30±2.5 days and average body weight (PC) of 1.648±0.194 kg, distributed randomly and individually in cages at the Experimental Farm of Agricultural Sciences (FAECA) of UFGD, unit II, Dourados, MS. The rabbits were fed with commercial formula based on alfalfa hay, soy bran and mineral premix, containing 140 g/kg of crude protein and 260 g/kg of crude fiber with 0, 2000 or 4000 mg/kg of QUI, as an additive, for 60 days, comprising 4 periods of 15 days, being 10 days of adaptation and 5 for data collection. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design with 8 repetitions per treatment. At the end of the 60 days of supplying the diets the animals were euthanized to obtain the meat samples (Longissimus). The animals were weighed before slaughter and the warm carcass for the analysis of carcass yield. The analyses for meat quality were: pH measurement, water retention capacity (WRC), weight loss by cooking (PPC), color and shear force (FCWB). The statistical analysis showed a positive quadratic correlation of the IQ in luminosity (L*). There was a linear increase in carcass yield, with no significant effects on the other variables analyzed. In conclusion, QUI benefited the rabbit carcass yield. Therefore, it is recommended to add 2000 mg/kg of QUI to the rabbit feed to improve these characteristics in rabbit production.