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The goal of this study was to examine the seasonal variation in the body composition, carcass composition, and quality of edible internal organs from the fallow deer hunt-harvested in the summer ( n = 9) and the winter ( n = 10) seasons. The weight and proportion of the mesenteric and omental fat were greater for the animals harvested in the winter (1.12 kg and 2.75%) compared to those from the summer season (0.43 kg and 1.02%). The winter-harvested animals had more perinephric fat (0.75 kg and 1.84%) than those hunted in summer (0.26 kg and 1.84%). The gastrointestinal tract of the fallow deer hunted in summer was more filled with feed and therefore heavier (7.92 kg) compared to those from the winter season (5.16 kg). The proportion of fat was significantly greater in the carcasses obtained in winter compared to the summer season (6.55% vs. 3.79%). No seasonal variety was found in the physicochemical characteristics of the edible offal, but the content of extractable fat was significantly affected by the season. In conclusion, the effect of the season on the slaughter value of the hunt-harvested fallow deer was limited to a variation in the proportion of some of the internal organs and affected the fat deposition in the body of the examined animals. The season significantly affected the fat content in the carcass and the extractable fat content in the examined offal.

Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren, conventional conditions are solved by alternative housing systems. However, it is not known whether these systems are advantageous in terms of the performance of pigs. In this work, we review the effects of housing systems on pigs' behaviors and performance, which are among the major indicators of the welfare of these animals. Research results point out that outdoor systems are more ideal for sows and fatteners than buildings. Nonetheless, outdoor housing is associated with two major effects in both groups: increased activity due to environmental exploration and higher space allowance, and increased incidence of injuries compared to indoor systems. Sows are more active when housed in groups, but they experience an increased frequency of injuries. According to the literature, group-housed sows give birth to healthy piglets with good daily weight gains. The difference in the fattening and slaughter performance of pigs raised indoors vs. outdoors remains unclear, and the results reported so far are inconsistent. Outdoor systems seem to be associated with a higher incidence of osteochondrosis and lesions of elbow and hock joints, whereas indoor systems cause a greater degree of body soiling in pigs. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that outdoor housing helps to solve behavioral issues in pigs but leads to other problems in pig production.

The goal of this study was to analyze the reproductive performance of does, growth of their kits, and chemical composition of their milk over nine consecutive parities in order to indicate the boundary of female reproductive profitability. The novelty of this study results from the combinations of three factors: extensive reproductive rhythm, commercial farming conditions, and a period of nine consecutive parities, showing the actual lifespan of a rabbit doe on commercial farms. The data was collected on 60 Hycole females kept at a commercial rabbit farm. Throughout the study, 32 does were excluded due to different reasons (e.g., excluded by means of selection-43.8% and mortalities-25.0%). The does were first inseminated at 28 weeks of age. Following artificial inseminations were conducted 14-15 days after each parturition. All kits were weaned at the age of 35 days. The following characteristics were analysed: body weight of rabbit does at artificial insemination, milk production per lactation, litter size, litter weight, average kit weight, and milk chemical composition. Rabbit does had a significant decrease in kindling rate between the eighth and the ninth parity (by 10.0 percentage points; p = 0.039). The litter size at weaning in the ninth parity was significantly lower to litters weaned at other analysed parities. The amount of milk produced per lactation was affected by the parity order (6.31-6.76 kg; p = 0.042). The litter weights on day 21 and 35 were the lowest at ninth parity. The content of total solids (TS), solids-not-fat, and fat was affected by the parity order on both analysed lactation days. The content of TS and fat in rabbit milk was characterized with a decreasing trend over the analysed period, on both lactation days. The results clearly indicate that rabbit does under extensive reproductive cycles characterize with a very good reproductive performance and can be successfully used for reproduction even up to the eighth parity. However, further research is needed if keeping them longer will not be profitable.

In recent years, there have been very dynamic changes in both pork production and pig breeding technology around the world. The general trend of increasing the efficiency of pig production, with reduced employment, requires optimisation and a comprehensive approach to herd management. One of the most important elements on the way to achieving this goal is to maintain animal welfare and health. The health of the pigs on the farm is also a key aspect in production economics. The need to maintain a high health status of pig herds by eliminating the frequency of different disease units and reducing the need for antimicrobial substances is part of a broadly understood high potential herd management strategy. Thanks to the use of sensors (cameras, microphones, accelerometers, or radio-frequency identification transponders), the images, sounds, movements, and vital signs of animals are combined through algorithms and analysed for non-invasive monitoring of animals, which allows for early detection of diseases, improves their welfare, and increases the productivity of breeding. Automated, innovative early warning systems based on continuous monitoring of specific physiological (e.g., body temperature) and behavioural parameters can provide an alternative to direct diagnosis and visual assessment by the veterinarian or the herd keeper.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of two different stunning methods on the level of blood stress indicators (cortisol, insulin, glucose) and rabbit meat quality. The experiment was conducted on crossbreds of Hycole, Hyla, and Jordan rabbit strains: from mating Hyplus PS19 females with Hycole males (genotype I, n = 20) and Jordan × Hycole females with Hyla males (genotype II, n = 20). Prior to slaughter, the animals were weighed and divided into two groups according to the stunning method: 10 rabbits from each genetic group were stunned with an electric stunner, and the remaining 10 were stunned mechanically using a club. Genotype II was characterised by higher body weight at slaughter ( p < 0.05), hot dressing percentage ( p < 0.05), cold dressing percentage ( p < 0.05), hot carcass weight ( p < 0.05), and cold carcass weight ( p < 0.05), compared to genotype I. The stunning method slightly influenced the meat lightness ( p = 0.035). The meat of electrically stunned rabbits was characterised with higher drip loss ( p < 0.0001) and lower plasticity ( p = 0.043). Among the analysed traits of meat, only the drip loss ( p = 0.014) and the percentage of extractable fat were affected by genotype ( p = 0.044). Neither the stunning method nor the genotype affected rabbit meat texture characteristics. The study was undertaken because of the increasing importance of rabbit meat production as a developing sector of the meat industry and the need to improve the welfare of rabbits by selecting the most acceptable slaughter methods for these animals. To conclude, the analysed rabbit meat was characterised with good quality. There were only slight differences between genotypes and the stunning groups.

The goal of the study was to examine the effect of age and sex on the quality of wild boar offal and meat. A number of 32 hunt-harvested animals was assigned to groups according to age (juveniles and sub-adults) and sex. The quality of offal (liver, kidneys, heart and tongue) and m. semimembranosus was examined. The pH value of m. semimembranosus ranged from 5.45 to 5.88. The highest pH was recorded in the kidney and the liver (6.32-6.54 and 6.12-6.31). The meat in the group of juveniles was brighter ( p = 0.042), yellower ( p = 0.039), showed a greater drip loss ( p = 0.007), cooking loss ( p = 0.039), and plasticity ( p = 0.028), compared to the sub-adults. The extractable fat content in the m. semimembranosus and offal ( p = 0.004), and water to crude protein ratio ( p = 0.033), also differed between age groups. The results of the study show different quality attributes of offal and meat of wild boars from two age groups. The obtained quality measures suggest that the culinary and technological usefulness of offal and meat from the wild boars may differ according to the age of hunted animals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The level of production and the physiochemical traits of rabbit milk affect the growth and the mortality of bunnies during lactation. The goal of the study was to analyze the effect of litter size and day of lactation on the quality traits of rabbit milk, milk production, and associative traits. The study was conducted on 32 Hycole does and their litters. The rabbit milk pH ranged from 6.61 to 7.46. The colostrum was characterized by the highest content of total solids (31.54 and 31.80 g kg -1 ) and fat content (15.73 and 15.9 g kg -1 ). The milk from the beginning of the lactation was characterized by the highest level of somatic cell count (SCC) (523.67 and 536.57 10 3 mL -1 ), which gradually decreased to reach the lowest level on days 17 and 21 of lactation. The daily milk production was greater for does nursing 10 kits per litter compared to those nursing eight kits per litter (p < 0.001). The peak of milk production occurred on day 17 postpartum. To conclude, the litter size has a clear effect on milk production as well as litter weight and litter weight gains. It is also important to note that the day of lactation affected the physiochemical traits of rabbit milk., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.