Influence of chestnut tannins on welfare, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid oxidation in rabbits under high ambient temperature

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of chestnut tannins (CT) on welfare, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid oxidation in rabbits under high ambient temperature. Rabbits in one group were raised at 20 degrees C and fed with basal diet (N) and other three groups (33 degrees C) were fed basal diet with 0 (C), 5 (CT5), and 10 g (CT10) of CT/kg of diet. Compared with the C group, rabbits in CT10 had higher pH(24) and lower cooking loss and thiobarbituric acid reacting substance values at 0, 30, and 60 min of forced oxidation. Rabbits in C group had higher cortisol levels, creatine kinase activities, white blood cell counts, neutrophil percentage, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and lower T-3, T-4 levels, lymphocyte percentage than N and CT 10 groups. Supplementation of CT seemed to have a positive effect on growth performance, welfare, and meat quality of rabbits under high ambient temperature. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.