A Bayesian approach to the effect of selection for growth rate on sensory meat quality of rabbit

The effect of selection for growth rate on the sensory characteristics of rabbit meat was assessed by comparing a selected and a control population of rabbits. Embryos belonging to generation 7th were frozen, thawed and implanted in does in order to produce the control group. The control group was formed from the offspring of the embryos belonging to the 7th generation. Selected animals belonging to 21st generation (S) were compared with animals of the control group (C), both were contemporary. Forty animals per group were slaughtered at 9-weeks-old. The sensory analysis was carried out on samples of the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The parameters evaluated were: intensity of rabbit flavour (IRF), aniseed odour (AO), aniseed flavour (AF), liver flavour (LF), tenderness (T), juiciness (J), fibrousness (F). A Bayesian analysis was performed. The ratio of the selection and control effects was analysed. There was a difference between the selected and control groups for IRF, AO, AF and LF. Conversely, no differences were found in T, J and F between groups. Selected group had 3% and 23% higher values of IRF and LF, respectively, than the control group. A relevant effect of selection on AO and AF appeared (probability of relevance P(r)=1), with lower values for selected animals. There was a difference between male and female groups for IRF, but this was not relevant. No differences between sexes were found for the rest of the characteristics evaluated. Selection for growth rate did not affect the main sensory characteristics of meat, like T and J but, it had a negative effect on some flavour characteristics.