Fatty acid composition of meat and perirenal fat in rabbits from two different rearing systems

In order to evaluate the effect of different rearing systems and sex on fatty acid composition of rabbit meat and perirenal fat, fat content of meat and fatty acid composition of Longissimus lumborum and perirenal fat were determined by gas chromatography on 40 rabbits (20 males and 20 females) of Carmagnola Grey breed reared from 9 to 16 weeks of age in individual California type cages (0.12 m2) or in group ground pens (0.25 m2/head). Ether extract percentage of muscle was significantly influenced by the housing system while, both sex and rearing method affected fatty acid composition with a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) in penned and in male rabbits and an important increase in polyunsaturated ones (PUFA) in caged and in female ones. The same trend was observed in fatty acid composition of perirenal fat of differently reared rabbits, while gender showed a significant decrease in saturated fatty acid (SFA). Indices relating to human health in meat and fat showed the PUFA/SFA ratio to be over the minimum limit value for rabbits reared in pens and for males, while n6/n3 ratio only resulted above maximum limit value in caged rabbits. Atherogenic index (AI) of perirenal fat was affected by gender, but no differences were observed in trombogenic index (TI) neither in muscle nor in perirenal fat.