Production, carcass traits and meat quality of rabbits housed in cages or in different pens were compared.
Rabbits (n = 579) were sorted into 5 groups: C = cage (2 rabbits/cage); pen without platform: P11 = 9
rabbits/pen; P16 = 14 rabbits/pen; pen with platform: PW = wire net platform, 14 rabbits/pen; PD = platform
with straw-litter, 14 rabbits/pen. Feed intake and average daily gain between 5 and 11 weeks, and body
weight at 11 weeks were significantly higher in C rabbits than that of the mean of pen-housed groups,
while the PD group had the lowest growth performance. C rabbits had the smallest hind part to reference
carcass (P b 0.001) and the largest percentage of perirenal and scapular fat (P b 0.001). The meat/bone
ratio was the largest in group C (P b 0.05). Differences were recorded in a* value and lipid content of m.
Longissimus dorsi. Rabbits housed in cages generally had the best performance whereas those housed in
pens with platform exhibited the worst.