Genetics of growth, carcass and meat quality in rabbits

This paper reviews the current knowledge on the genetics of growth, carcass and meat traits in rabbits. There is a great variety in size of rabbit breeds, from which commercial production uses medium size breeds for does and large breeds as terminal sires. Selection experiments for growth and feed efficiency have been successful. Selection for residual feed intake did not modify growth rate, acting on reducing the appetite. Selection for growth rate increased adult weight and led to poorer carcass yield when comparing selected and unselected animals at the same commercial weight, but not at the same age, near the same maturity stage. The results on meat/bone ratio do not show a clear pattern. Negative effects on intramuscular fat and some sensorial traits have been found in lines selected for growth rate, but meat quality in general does not seem to be affected.