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A trial was done to study the chemical composition of meat and egg yolk of laying hens belonging to different genotypes reared using an organic production system. Two commercial hybrid hens (Hy-Line Brown and Hy-Line White 36) and 2 Italian dual-purpose breed hens (Ermellinata di Rovigo and Robusta Maculata) were reared from 25 to 44 wk of age. During the experimental period (July to December), the environmental temperature decreased from about 25 to 13 degrees C and the RH increased from 62 to 73%. The photoperiod was 16L:8D. Meat and egg yolks of 44-wk-old hens were analyzed. The Italian breeds showed higher meat production and lower egg production when compared with the hybrids. Genotype affected protein, lipid, and ash content of breast and thigh meat. Hy-Line White and Ermellinata di Rovigo showed the lowest (P<0.01) breast lipid and Hy-Line White had the lowest (P<0.01) thigh lipid. Hy-Line White showed higher (P<0.05) breast and thigh cholesterol. Genotype affected egg yolk cholesterol, which was higher (P<0.01) in Italian breeds than in hybrids. The fatty acid profiles of meat and yolk were significantly affected by genotype. The hybrid and Robusta Maculata meat and egg fatty acid composition may be considered to be more favorable to human health. The results indicate that the ability of laying hens to incorporate fatty acids is genetically dependent and a possible interaction between strain and environmental conditions may exist for the absorption and utilization of dietary components.

Slaughtering yields and some meat physical and sensorial parameters of laying hens reared under organic system production were studied. The hens belonged to both Italian dual-purpose breeds [Ermellinata di Rovigo (ER; brown eggshell) and Robusta Maculata (RM; brown eggshell)] as well as hybrid genotypes [Hy Line White 36 (white eggshell) and Hy Line Brown (brown eggshell)]. The birds were reared under organic farming system production from 24 to 44 wk of age, when they were slaughtered. They were reared throughout summer and autumn, and the temperature ranged from about 28 to 3 degrees C. Local breeds presented higher (P < 0.01) live BW and dressing percentage compared with hybrids. The RM and ER carcasses had (P < 0.01) the highest breast and leg (thigh and drumstick) percentage, respectively. The muscle-bone ratio of the Hy Line White 36 drumstick was lower (P < 0.05) than the RM ratio, whereas the other groups were intermediate. The ER breast presented the highest (P < 0.01) lightness value and the lowest (P < 0.01) final pH value compared with the other 3 groups. The breast meat significantly differed according to genotype for almost all the studied sensorial parameters (adhesivity, fibrousness, chewiness, solubility, juiciness, tenderness, shear resistance), with the exception of aroma and odor intensity. In the thigh, genotype significantly affected aroma, adhesivity, fibrousness, solubility, tenderness, and shear resistance.

Thirty hybrid female rabbits of 15 weeks of age were divided into three groups and fed for 8 weeks (until the first parturition) on one of the three following diets: "C diet" (DE=11.71MJ/kg DM) fed ad libitum; "R diet" was the C diet fed at 80% of ad libitum, "F diet" rich in fibre (24.6% vs 18.7% for C diet; DE=9.77MJ/kg DM) fed ad libitum. Afterwards, all the does received the C diet ad libitum. One pup per litter was slaughtered at birth, one at 35d (weaning) and one at 81d of age. At the second parturition, another pup per litter was slaughtered at birth. Ten minutes post mortem the Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle was sampled and the mean cross-sectional area, compactness index (CI) and sphericity of the fibres of the new-born rabbits were determined; on rabbits of 35 and 81d of age the fibre type distribution (βR, αR or αW) was also measured. The two maternal rationed-diets significantly increased the CI of LL fibres of new-born rabbits of the first kindling, compared to the C diet. On weaning rabbits the greatest effect of maternal feed rationing was observed on the percentage of αW fibres (P<0.01), which was the highest for the F diet (85.2%), intermediate for the C diet (78.0%) and the lowest for the R diet (71.8%). At 81d of age, no effect of maternal dietary treatment was found on offspring.