Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Meat processing industries in South Africa are faced with the challenge to produce a variety of white
meats. This is due to the fact that consumers tend to consume less red meat and more chicken and
pork that are perceived to be healthier due to the negative publicity surrounding red meat and health.
The nutritional emphasis is on leaner carcasses and an increase in the consumption of
polyunsaturated fatty acids while reducing the ratio of n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fats in the diet. Another
way in which this can be achieved is through introducing rabbit meat which has low fat, low cholesterol
content and high protein content, while displaying a positive fatty acid profile. Carcass quality and
meat quality in rabbits may to a large extent be affected by age of slaughter and type of breed.
This study had a dual purpose. Firstly it aimed at quantifying the effects of breed and age on
parameters pertaining to carcass quality and meat quality of commercial rabbits, namely California
breed and hybrid (California x Dutch red). Secondly, to determine the differences between ethnic
groups on their perceptions towards rabbit meat, thereby providing information on its marketing
potential.
To accomplish the first objective 50 rabbits from the two breeds were housed in individual cages,
weighed on weekly basis and fed ad libitum. The rabbits were slaughtered at 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17
weeks of age (n=5 from each breed). For the second objective the perceptions of three ethnic groups
on factors affecting consumers' choice of rabbit meat were determined through a structured
questionnaire. The questionnaire was tested for validity beforehand.
There was no significant difference between the two breeds regarding body weight, feed intake,
carcass weight and drip loss. The California breed had a higher dressing percentage (53.7%) and
meat yield (29.2%) compared to the hybrid (52.5% and 27.5% respectively). Age treatments showed a
highly significant difference on all parameters investigated. Increasing the age proportionately
increased the amount of fat, while the moisture content decreased. The California breed exhibited
higher percentages of fat compared to the hybrid at all ages of treatment. California breed contained
more phosphorus, magnesium and zinc as opposed to the hybrid, the only exception being copper,
where the hybrid had higher concentrations.
The total fatty acid (169.2 mg/100 g) of the California breed was higher than that of the hybrid (133.5
mg/100 g). As a result there were more saturated fatty acids (55.4 mg/100 g) and monounsaturated
fatty acids (62.3 mg/100 g) in the California breed than in the hybrid (44.2 and 45.6 mg/100 g
respectively). Both breeds had 67% unsaturated fatty acids. Although there was no significant
difference between the P:S ratio of the two rabbit breeds, the values obtained were higher (+0.9) than
the value of 0.7. This is an indication that the rabbit meat contains a P:S ratio that could be considered
very desirable. The n-6:n-3 ratio for both breeds were high (11.6 for California and 12.7 for hybrid).
The cholesterol and amino acid profile of the two breeds were not affected by the type of breed.
The consumer survey indicated that 52% (n=158) of respondents had never eaten rabbit meat before
due to reasons such as scarcity, lack of knowledge about the meat, associating rabbits with pets and cultural constraints. Nevertheless, 57% of these people were optimistic about eating rabbit meat. In
addition, having eaten rabbit meat before seemed to contribute positively towards acceptance of rabbit
meat.
Generally, respondents preferred purchasing rabbit meat in portions as opposed to live or whole
carcasses. Their decision to purchase rabbit meat was firstly driven by price, thereafter freshness,
leanness and tenderness of meat. The respondents expect to buy rabbit meat at a price lower than
that of chicken.
Rabbit meat contained low sodium and high proportion polyunsaturated fatty acids-some of the most
important food attributes required to maintain and improve health. However, most of the respondents
in this study were not familiar with the positive attributes of rabbit meat and need to be taught the
benefits of this product. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid Afrika is daar 'n uitdaging vir die vleisproduserende voedselindustrieë om 'n verskeidenheid
witvleis te bemark. Dit word toegeskryf aan die feit dat verbruikers minder rooi vleis as hoender en
vark eet wat as meer gesond beskou word weens die negatiewe publisiteit wat geassosieer word met
rooivleis en gesondheid. Die voedingsfokus is op maerder karkasse, groter inname van polionversadigde
vetsure, en 'n vermindering in die verhouding n-6:n-3 poli-onversadigde vetsure in die
dieet. Een van die maniere waarop dit gedoen kan word, is die bekendstelling van konynvleis wat
gekenmerk word deur lae vetinhoud, lae cholesterolinhoud en 'n hoë proteïninhoud, en 'n positiewe
vetsuurprofiel. Karkas- en vleiskwaliteit van konyne word tot 'n groot mate geaffekteer deur ouderdom
van slagting en die ras.
Hierdie studie het 'n tweeledige doel. Eerstens mik dit na die kwantifisering van die effek van ras en
ouderdom op die parameters wat met karkas- en vleiskwaliteit van die Kaliforniese ras en die
kruisgeteëlde ras (Kaliforniese X Hollandse rooi) verband hou. Tweedens, om die verskille in etniese
groepe vas te stel met betrekking tot hulle persepsies van die faktore wat hulle keuse van konynvleis
beïnvloed, en op dié wyse inligting te verkry t.o.v die bemarkingspotensiaal daarvan.
Om in die eerste doelwit te slaag is 50 konyne van die twee rasse in individuele hokke gehuisves, op
'n weeklikse basis geweeg en ad libitum gevoer. Die konyne was geslag op 9, 11, 13, 15 en 17 weke
(n=5 vir elke ras). Vir die tweede doelwit, is die persepsies van drie etniese groepe oor die faktore wat
die verbruikerskeuse van konynvleis kan bepaal, m.b.v. 'n gestruktureerde vraelys bepaal. Die vraelys is
vooraf vir geldigheid evalueer.
Daar was geen beduidende verskil tussen die twee rasse wat betref liggaamsmassa, voedselinname,
karkasgewig en dripverlies nie. Die Kaliforniese ras het 'n hoër uitslag-persentasie (53.7%) en
vleisopbrengs (29,2%) in vergelyking met die kruisgeteëlde ras (52.5% en 27.5% respektiewelik)
gehad. Ouderdom het hoogsbeduidende verskille op al die parameters wat ondersoek was, getoon.
Die toename in ouderdom was gepaardgaande met proporsionele toename in karkasvet en afname in
vog. Die Kaliforniese ras het, by alle ouderdomsbehandelings, in vergelyking met die kruisgeteëlde
ras, 'n hoër persentasie vet opgelewer. Die Kaliforniese ras het teenoor die kruisgeteëlde ras hoër
fosfor, magnesium en sink bevat. Die uitsondering was koper waar die kruisgeteëlde ras 'n hoër
waarde gehad het.
Die totale vetsure vir die Kaliforniese ras (169.2 mg/100 g) was hoër as vir die kruisgeteëlde ras
(133.5 mg/100 g). Om dié rede was daar in die Kaliforniese ras meer versadigde vetsure (55.4 mg/100
g) en monoonversadigde vetsure (62.3 mg/100 g) as vir die kruisgeteëlde ras (44.2 mg/100 g en 45.6
mg/100g onderskeidelik). Beide rasse het 67% onversadigde vetsure gehad. Hoewel daar geen
beduidende verskille was in die polionversadigde:versadigde (P:V) verhouding nie, was die waardes
hoër (+0.9) as die 0.7 wat aanbeveel word. Die n-6:n-3 verhouding vir beide rasse was hoog (11.6 vir
die Kaliforniese ras en 12.7 vir die kruisgeteëlde ras). Die cholesterol- en die aminosuurprofiel was nie
deur die ras beïnvloed nie. Die verbruikersnavorsing het getoon dat 52% (n=158) van die respondente om verskeie redes nog nie
konynvleis geëet het nie, weens redes soos onverkrygbaarheid, gebrekkige kennis van die vleis, die
assosiasie van konyne met troeteldiere en kulturele beperkinge. Desnieteenstaande is daar 57% van
die respondente wat optimisties is oor die eet van konynvleis. Die eet van konynvleis by vorige
geleenthede het bygedra tot die positiewe aanvaarding van konynvleis.
Oor die algemeen het die respondente verkies om konynvleis in porsies te koop, in plaas van
lewendig of heel karkasse. Die besluit om konynvleis te koop, is hoofsaaklik gedryf deur prys, daarna
deur varsheid, maerheid en sagtheid van die vleis. Die respondente verwag dat die prys vir
konynvleis laer sal wees as vir hoender.
Konynvleis bevat lae natrium en 'n hoë verhouding poli-onversadigde vetsure - van die mees
belangrike voedingeienskappe om gesondheid te handhaaf en te verbeter. Ongelukkig was meeste
van die respondente in hierdie studie nie vertroud met die positiewe eienskappe van konynvleis nie,
en moet hulle geleer word deur middel van omvattende bemarkingsaksies van die voordele van
hierdie produk.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50174 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Nkhabutlane, Pulane |
| Contributors | Hoffman, L. C., Vosloo, M. C., Schutte, De W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Consumer Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 148, [10] pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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