Prediction of rabbit meat and bone weight using carcass measurements and sample cuts

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Abstract
Regression equations predicting dissectable muscle weight in rabbits from external carcass measurements were persented. Bone weight and weight of muscle groups were also predicted. Predictive capacity of external measurements, retail cuts and muscle groups on total muscle, percent muscle, total bone and muscle to bone ratio were studied separately. Measurements on dissected retail cuts should be included to obtain good equations for prediction of percent muscle in the carcass. Equations for predicting the muscle to bone ratio using external measurements and data from the dissection of 1 hind leg were suggested. The equations had generally high coefficients of determination. The coefficient of determination for prediction of dissectable muscle was 0.91 and for percent muscle in the carcass 0.79.