Effect of floor versus conventional elevated housing on the welfareand meat quality of rabbits.

Objective: The housing system is a crucial determinant of animal welfare. This study aimed to compare the effects of intensive housing with those of alternative floor housing on the welfare of rabbits and their meat production. Materials and Methods: Eighty New Zealand rabbits (40 females and 40 males) with an initial mean weight of 1.3 kg and aged 35 days were distributed into four treatment groups. Treatment 1 (T1) comprised five floor cages with four male rabbits in each cage; Treatment 2 (T2) comprised five floor cages, each containing four female rabbits; Treatment 3 (T3) consisted of five elevated cages housing four male rabbits each, and Treatment 4 (T4) consisted of five elevated cages housing four female rabbits each. Indicators of carcass quality, including moisture, protein, lipids, ash, pH, color (L*, a*, b*), physiological stress (plasma cortisol), oxidative stress (lipid oxidation TBARS), and number of antioxidants (FRAP) in the plasma and tissue, were measured. Results: A significant difference ( Conclusion: The type of cage used affects rabbits' physiological stress levels and lipid oxidation in muscle tissue, which impacts meat quality. The nutritional value of meat remains unaffected, regardless of the cage type or sex of the rabbit. The floor cage environment enables the rabbits to engage in activities typical of their species, thereby contributing to the animals' welfare by improving driving skills, attitudes, and handler behavior.