Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Meat Science
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/meatsci

Review

Guinea pig for meat production: A systematic review of factors affecting the T
production, carcass and meat quality
⁎
Davinia Sánchez-Macíasa, , Lida Barba-Maggia,b, Antonio Morales-delaNuezc,
Julio Palmay-Paredesa
a
Animal Production and Industrialization Research Unit, Engineering Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba EC060150, Ecuador
b
Computation and Systems Engineering School, Engineering Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba EC060150, Ecuador
c
Animal Science Department, Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arucas, Spain

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: In developing countries, interest in guinea pig farming is growing exponentially because it provides a regular
Guinea pigs source of high quality animal protein for domestic consumption. Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are prolific ani-
Carcass quality mals, grow and are capable of reproduction on a flexible diet, and are adaptable to a wide range of climates. This
Meat quality article mainly reviews findings on guinea pig meat production, including factors affecting raising guinea pigs,
Meat production
carcass and meat quality. We also present some studies that describe biological and pathologic effects on carcass
component composition. During the last decades no standard procedure has been established for guinea pig
carcass evaluation, which makes very difficult any comparison of results with other studies around the world.
Herein we highlight a variety of factors that significantly affect carcass and meat quality. Some of these factors
are production systems, environmental and genetic factors, management systems, the diet and health status, age,
sex and reproductive management.

1. Introduction
Food security is defined as having physical, social and economic
access to sufficient quantities of safe and nutritious food to meet dietary
needs for a healthy life (FAO, WFP and IFAD, 2012). In this review, we
focus on the use of the guinea pig as a food source, and as a pet or
laboratory animal has resulted in its worldwide distribution (Dunnum &
Salazar-Bravo, 2009). In developing countries, interest in guinea pig
farming is growing exponentially because it provides a regular source of
high quality animal protein for domestic consumption, contributing to
food security and providing a small but frequent economic income for
the population (Ngoula et al., 2017), specifically the Andean region,
and some countries from Asia and Africa (Lammers, Carlson,
Zdorkowski, & Honeyman, 2009). However, the nutritional character-
istics of guinea pig meat are currently drawing some attention despite
the little information on its nutritional value.
In a very interesting review, Cawthorn and Hoffman (2016) sum-
marized the complexity of several unconventional or exotic animals
that are eaten around the world, such as the guinea pig, which evoke
strong emotions and controversy. Owing to their ubiquity and ease of
capture, rodents have served as a food for mankind throughout the
ages, especially in times of food shortages (Fiedler, 1990). The cavy, for
instance, has been a staple meat for some of the people in the Andes for
at least 3000 years (Kyle, 1994). Although the guinea pig is considered
a pet in many countries and cultures, in Andean countries most of the
guinea pig produced is consumed or exported to other countries where
Andean people live. Nonetheless, guinea pig meat consumption is
marginal when compared with other conventional types of meat such as
chicken, pork or beef.
The genetic diversity and relationships among the guinea pig po-
pulation are poorly documented. Furthermore, genetic selection in se-
lective breeding for larger-sized animals is recent and has mainly been
carried out in Peru and Ecuador, resulting in the Tamborada and Auqui
breeds, respectively (Spotorno et al., 2006).
This article reviews the main findings on guinea pig meat produc-
tion, including factors affecting raising guinea pigs, carcass and meat
quality, and some studies based on guinea pigs to predict biological and
pathologic effects as well carcass component composition.
2. Origin and uses of Guinea pig worldwide
2.1. Historical and geographic migration of Guinea pig
Guinea pig, “cuy”, “cavy”, or “cobayo” (name varies according to

⁎
Corresponding author at: Facultad de Ingeniería, Avda. Antonio José de Sucre km. 1.5, Riobamba, Ecuador.
E-mail address: dsanchez@unach.edu.ec (D. Sánchez-Macías).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.05.004
Received 27 February 2018; Received in revised form 2 May 2018; Accepted 4 May 2018
Available online 05 May 2018
0309-1740/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
D. Sánchez-Macías et al.
geographical/social region in South America) was domesticated ap-
proximately 3000–6000 years ago in the highlands of South America
and was the first rodent raised for food (Gade, 1967; Lanning, 1967;
Wing, 1977). Kimura et al. (2016) analyzed the ancient mitochondrial
DNA of the pre-Columbian archeological guinea pig from different
Caribbean sites and concluded that guinea pigs were introduced in-
itially to Puerto Rico from the modern-day region of Colombia. This
type of study allows researchers to directly infer human movements.
Previous phylogenetic and morphological research on guinea pigs using
ancient and modern samples from South America and Europe indicate
that domestic guinea pigs, including those introduced to Europe fol-
lowing colonization of the Americas (Pigière, Van Neer, Ansieau, &
Denis, 2012), all derived from a single domestication of wild guinea
pigs (Cavia tschudii) in the western Central Andes, specifically the
Peruvian highlands, over 2500 years ago (Spotorno et al., 2006;
Spotorno et al., 2007; Spotorno, Valladares, Marin, & Zeballos, 2004;
Walker, Soto, & Spotorno, 2014; Wing, 1986).
2.2. Multipurpose uses of Guinea pig
Domestic guinea pig is multipurpose in different regions around the
world. It is among the few species that are popular pets all over the
world, are used as laboratory animals in scientific research, and provide
a source of meat, particularly for the rural population in Andean and
Asian countries. Also, they are used in rituals related to ancestral spirits,
in the disperse sections of the Andean Region and in African countries
like Nigeria (Onuorah & Ayo, 2003).
The role of the guinea pig as a meat producer is becoming more
important. Guinea pig is likely to produce animal protein, at a com-
paratively low cost, based on feeds, fodders and vegetal residues. The
common opinion, not scientifically supported, that guinea pig meat is
tasty and low in fat compared to meats from other animals, may be
partly attributed to the fact that guinea pig is usually fed with fodders
and vegetal residues from crops and traditional markets.
Guinea pigs can provide a suitable and substantial amount of meat
for human consumption because they are prolific animals, grow, re-
produce and are adaptable to a wide range of climates and diets
(Lammers et al., 2009). Guinea pig production could be a cheap option
to meet the growing needs for protein in developing countries, espe-
cially for low income population groups. Rosenfeld (2008) explored the
role of guinea pig in the pre-Columbian Andean diet and concluded that
guinea pigs were crucial in the diet of these people. Nowadays, guinea
pig is offered to tourists as a tasty and expensive regional dish in the
Andean Region (Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Bolivia), which helps in
allowing sustainable economic growth in rural areas.
Regarding to its uses in scientific research, guinea pig is more
physiologically and immunologically similar to humans than other
small animal models (Padilla-Carlin, McMurray, & Hickey, 2008), and
for this reason it is used worldwide as a surrogate human model. Some
examples are summarized in Table 1.
3. Animal production systems and factors affecting the production
Guinea pigs have several characteristics that convert them into an
attractive protein source. First, they are herbivores that require mod-
erate or no amount of concentrated feed supplements. This species has a
voluminous caecum and colon and can retain digesta in the large gut for
a considerable time (Sakaguchi, Becker, Rechkemmer, & Engelhardt,
1985; Sakaguchi, Heller, Becker, & Engelhardt, 1986). The caecum of
the guinea pig has been shown to contain concentrations of short-chain
fatty acids similar to those in the bovine gastrointestinal tract (Henning
& Hird, 1970).
Interesting reproduction features are observed in guinea pigs: They
don't have seasonal breading habits or limitations, therefore present
several births over the year (Trillmich, 2000). They have 80% of litters
conceived at post-partum oestrus, with a mean gestation period of
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Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176
68 days (Rowling, 1949), so the partum interval is approximately
70 days. On the other hand, caviomorphs are distinct from other ro-
dents in that they produce extremely precocial offspring, guinea pigs in
particular. Compared to altricial species, neonates are physiologically
mature (except for reproductive functions). Agile and relatively in-
dependent at birth, they have open eyes, exhibit fully developed fur and
feeding apparatus, and start to forage almost immediately after birth
(Michel, Chastel, & Bonnet, 2011). In guinea pigs, most of the offspring
development is achieved before birth (Künkele, 2000). Weir (1974)
reported neonates can survive the weaning at 5 days of life. However,
Fonteh, Niba, Kudi, Tchoumboue, and Awah-Ndukum (2007) re-
commended the weaning time after 11 days at birth, subjected to an
appropriate diet.
More research is needed on factors that affect guinea pig meat
production. However, in the next section, we review important factors
which influence the farming of guinea pigs, such as: environmental,
management, genetic and health.
3.1. Environmental factors
Photoperiod does not affect the guinea pig's reproduction or growth,
assuming sufficient food and thermally neutral ambient conditions
(Trillmich, 2000). However, Guenther, Palme, Dersen, Kaiser, and
Trillmich (2014) reported that differences in photoperiodic conditions
during development clearly affected the somatic and reproductive de-
velopment of young males of Cavia aperea. Under an increased photo-
period, wild male cavies grew faster during later development, a dif-
ference that vanished when they reached adulthood. It might be that
the domestication process modified this physiological effect in guinea
pigs.
Temperatures ranging from 18 to 25 °C provide the best environ-
ment for a guinea pig (Ngoula et al., 2017). These authors tested the
effect of three temperatures (20–25 °C, 35 °C and 45 °C) on male guinea
pigs. The relative weight of testicles, epididymis, vas deferens and
seminal vesicles was not significantly affected by the temperature le-
vels, but the percentage of minor abnormalities was higher in animals
exposed to 45 °C and oxidative stress parameters increased. Bauer,
Womastek, Dittami, and Huber (2008) performed an experiment where
one group of guinea pigs received 16 h of light and 25 °C (long and
warm days, LD/25) and another group received 8 h of light and 15 °C
(short and cold days, SD/15). The authors reported that in the first
generation the environmental conditions did not affect the litter size
and pup body weight. However higher testosterone levels were found in
LD/25 males than in SD/15 males, and short-day conditions retarded
puberty in male guinea pigs. The study also reported that no effect was
found in females (Bauer et al., 2008). Thermal treatment did not in-
fluence reproductive output, reproductive effort, or offspring char-
acteristics. This suggests that pregnant female guinea pigs cope with
cool (but not extreme) thermal conditions by reducing activity and
baseline cortisol levels, possibly to save energy via an adaptive re-
sponse. Interestingly, the greater amplitude of the stress response of the
cool regime females was also observed in their offspring 2 months after
parturition, suggesting that hormonal ambience experienced by the
individuals in utero shaped their stress response long after birth (Michel
et al., 2011).
3.2. Management factors
Chauca (1997) defined three management types in guinea pig pro-
duction:
a) Family management is the most common in Andean, African and
Asian countries; animals are maintained in a room of the house (usually
the kitchen) or very close to the house, and fed with vegetarian kitchen
waste and weeds;
b) Family-commercial management is more common in areas closer
to cities; the guinea pigs receive better feed including some
D. Sánchez-Macías et al.
Table 1
Uses of guinea pig as human model referenced in the scientific literature.
Use
Model of modulation of body fat composition
Model of regulation and lipid metabolism
Model to study risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis
Model for studying mechanisms involved in embryology and sexual differentiation
Model for studying fetal and postnatal bone development
Model for studying the transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Model for studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of immunology and infectious diseases
Model for human ocular diseases, including myopia, corneal curvature regulation, and glaucoma
Model for asthma, airways hyperreactivity, inflammatory cell influx into the airways and early and late asthmatic
responses
Model to study network changes induced by the epileptogenic process
concentrated feed; usually families sell the animal in city markets;
c) Commercial management is a business activity, using improved
installations and good feed; these kinds of farms develop improved
meat lines of guinea pigs.
Another difference between these management systems is the sex
separation during fattening. In family management it is usual to raise
male and female animals together, while in the family-commercial and
commercial systems there is separation by sex in order to improve the
production rate. Tenelema Guamán (2016) fattened guinea pigs until
120 days of life and no differences were found in the production
parameters between animals raised separated by sex and those that
were not separated. However, the females of the second group got
pregnant, which led to reduced carcass yields.
Feeding is one of the most important factors in guinea pig raising. It
has been demonstrated that adult guinea pigs can maintain body weight
and young guinea pigs continue to grow normally on a cellulose-rich
diet (Hirsch, 1973). The cited author tested a basal diet diluted with
50% cellulose (implying a 40% calorie decrease) and reported that
guinea pigs' growth curves were maintained without a corresponding
increase in feed intake. This demonstrates that guinea pigs may be able
to derive more energy from cellulose than most non-ruminant livestock
species. Chiou, Yu & Kuo (2000) reported that guinea pigs showed
better feed conversion rates than rats or hamsters. Likewise, this species
had significantly longest colon-rectum and the highest ability in the
digestion of crude fiber in comparison with rabbits, rats and hamsters.
In the same way, when comparing the activities of the fiber hydrolases,
endoglucanase and cellobiase in the caecum, guinea pigs contain the
highest activity, hamsters the next, and rabbits and rats the lowest
enzyme activities (Chiou et al., 2000). Crowley et al. (2017) reported
that there are notable differences in the microbial population of the
digestive tracts between rabbits and guinea pigs, both caecotrophagic
animals.
Numerous research efforts concerning different guinea pig diets or
feed ingredients have been undertaken; nevertheless, the different ex-
perimental conditions or animal genetic lines impede the comparative
analysis of these research results. Tenelema Guamán (2016) fed guinea
pigs with agriculture waste (alone or mixed with concentrated feed) to
compare with alfalfa and concentrated feed diet. The author reported
no difference between the use of lucerne or agriculture waste in animals
growth. However, with the use of concentrated feed the guinea pigs
achieved a higher slaughter weight.
Kouakou et al. (2013) fed guinea pigs ad libitum with a Panicum
maximum diet or a mixed diet of 75% Panicum maximum + 25% Eu-
phorbia heterophylla. These authors reported increases in daily weight
gain, liver weight, carcass yield, and the lipid content of both carcass
and the perirenal fat when Euphorbia heterophylla is included in diet.
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Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176
Reference
Leite et al. (2010)
Nguyen, Muhlhauslera, Botting, and Morrison (2010)
Yang et al. (2016)
Tugwood, Holden, James, Prince, and Roberts (1998)
Fernandez and Volek (2006)
Volek, Sharman, Gomez, Scheett, and Kraemer (2004)
Leite et al. (2009)
Wang, Shi, Zhu, Mathews, and Zheng (2017)
Finch, Rauch, and Weiler (2010)
Yin, Agellon, Lavery, and Weile (2014)
Furuoka et al. (2011)
Padilla-Carlin et al. (2008)
Ostrin and Wildsoet (2016)
Howlett and McFadden (2006)
Smith and Broadley (2007)
Turner, Forda, Kidd, Broadley, and Powell (2017)
Curtis, Librizzi, and Uva (2016)
Also, n-3 PUFA content is increased in muscle and fat deposits, while n-
6/n-3 PUFA content is decreased. Niba, Djoukam, Teguia, and Kudi
(2004) reported that cottonseed meal can be used as a supplement to
improve forage-based diets for guinea pigs up to 25% inclusion without
any significant reduction in performance, but 50% inclusion seemed to
have a detrimental effect on the animal. They recommended this sup-
plement for resource-poor farmers as well as during seasons when
conventional forage is hard to get.
On the other hand, stress is another management factor that needs
to be considered. Naturalistic tonic immobility (TI) is an anti-predator
behavior present in guinea pigs. It is produced by fear or strong sen-
sorial, tactile and proprioceptive stimuli (Lima Rocha, Menescal-de-
Oliveira, & Silva, 2017). Farabollini, Facchinetti, Lupo, and Carli
(1990) demonstrated that the magnitude of the immobility reaction
correlated with the adrenocorticotropic hormone and beta-endorphin.
In addition, the duration of tonic immobility has been found to be
positively correlated with basal plasma corticosterone levels (Donatti &
Andrade Leite-Panissi, 2011). Repeated stress exposure of guinea pig
females during early to mid-gestation affected some patterns of the
mother–offspring relationship, expressed in pup-directed aggressive-
ness as well as in a lowered milk yield (Klaus, Schöpper, & Huber,
2013). Therefore, stress during important production phases like
pregnancy or lactation can result in a high impact on the production
parameters. Apraez-Guerrero, Fernández, and Hernández (2011) stu-
died the effects of sex and castration on productive parameters, in-
cluding behavior of the animals. They found that castration does not
influence growth rate, but it facilitates handling of males.
3.3. Genetics and health factors
Regarding genetic factors, studies on guinea pig breeds started in
1966 with genetic source collection in Peru. In 1970, a genetic selection
program started with the objective of improving the guinea pig for meat
production. At present, two animal groups for animal production are
identified, “criollo” and “improved” (Chauca, 1997). “Criollo” animals
are native domestic animals without systematic selection, which show a
higher disease resistance and less meat yields. Whereas, “improved”
animals are divided in three breeds: Perú, Andina and Inti breeds. They
have better meat yield and adaptation to intensive management. The
Peru breed is precocious, while the Andina breed is very prolific and
has a higher percentage of postpartum estrus (84%) in the first 5 h. The
Inti breed adapts very easily to different environmental conditions, with
a low index of mortality.
The principal infectious disease that affects guinea pig production is
salmonellosis (Salmonella spp.). Matsuura, Morales, and Calle (2010)
found 61,5% prevalence of Salmonella enterica in Carhuaz (Peru).
D. Sánchez-Macías et al. Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176

Layme, Perales, Chavera, Gavidia, and Calle (2011) indicated that

Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium is the most frequent serovar
isolated in Peru. Contaminated feed is the main path of Salmonella
infection (Layme et al., 2011). Critical external parasites are Derma-
nyssus gallinae and Pulex irritans. Florian (1995) reported that D. gallinae
infestation produces restlessness in adult guinea pigs and mortality in
young animals. P. irritans infestation produces a decrease in body
weight during the fattening; in an experiment by Chauca (1997), un-
infected animals showed 134 g of body weight more than infected an-
imals.

4. Guinea pig carcass evaluation

4.1. Commercial and technical carcass definition

Until 2016, there were no standard procedures to evaluate carcass

quality or cutting systems for guinea pigs. During the literature review
Those procedures were found for other animal species such as goat,
lamb, camel, and rabbit (Abouheif, Basmaeil, & Bakkar, 1990; Blasco &
Ouhayoun, 1993; Colomer-Rocher, Morand-Fehr, & Kirton, 1987;
Colomer-Rocher, Morand-Fehr, Kirton, Delfa, & SierraAlfranca, 1988).
Traditionally, guinea pig carcasses are presented as whole carcasses
or split down in two hemi carcasses and then divided into forequarter
and hindquarter by cutting between the first and second lumbar ver-
tebra, according to the Peruvian Technical Norm for guinea pig meat
(NTP 201.058, Indecopi, 2006). In this commercial technical norm,
guinea pig carcass is defined as the body of the animal after slaughtered
and eviscerated, including the skin with or without viscera (the defi-
nition does not explain exactly which viscera; however, in another
section the head, heart, liver, lungs and kidneys are listed).
Recently, Sánchez-Macías, Castro, Rivero, Argüello, and Morales-de
la Nuez (2016) proposed the standard methods and procedure for
guinea pig carcass evaluation, jointing and tissue separation. These
authors defined the guinea pig carcass as the body of the animal after
slaughtering, bloodless and scalded (60–70 °C for some seconds); it
comprises the body after hair removal, the head (between the occipital
bone and first cervical vertebra), the feet at the carpo-metacarpal and
tarso-metatarsal joints, and the viscera. The carcass retains the skin,
lateral portions of the diaphragm and the perirenal and pelvic fat de-
posits.
In the same work, the authors proposed a jointing procedure, where
four anatomical regions of the left half carcass are designated for cut-
ting dissection: shoulder, long leg, neck, and ribs and flank (Fig. 1).
Palmay et al. (2015) compared the both commercial (NTP 201.058,
Indecopi, 2006) and standard (Sánchez-Macías et al., 2016) cuts in
pairs of half carcasses from the same animals. They observed clear
differences due to the age and sex in regional composition and tissue
compositions of the guinea pig carcasses when the standard procedure
for cutting was used. However, these differences were not observed
when carcasses were divided into the two cuts described in the com-
mercial Peruvian Technical Norm.
4.2. Carcass conformation and fatness classification
The Peruvian Technical Norm (NTP 201.058, Indecopi, 2006)
classifies the guinea pig carcasses in commercial categories according to
the weight, age, body conformation (muscle to bone relation) and with
respect to finishing parameters (carcass fatness: quantity, distribution,
infiltration and fat deposit). Classifications combine two nomen-
clatures: one depending of age and weight, and the other following the
animal conformation (Table 2). This classification can lead to some
messy confusion. For example, carcasses from guinea pigs older than
3 months could weigh less than 800 g. Or we can find carcasses with
rectilinear conformation (muscly) with low or moderate perirenal fat-
ness.
On the other hand, Ara, Jiménez, Huamán, Carcelén, and Díaz
Fig. 1. Scheme for jointing the left half guinea pig carcass into 4 anatomical
regions: I, Neck; II, Ribs; III, Long leg; and IV, Shoulder (Sánchez-Macías et al.,
2016).
Table 2
Carcass classifications and rating system during carcass evaluation reported in
the literature.
Carcass classification (NTP 201.058, Indecopi, 2006)
One of the following three options:
C. Tender guinea pig: male or females younger than 3 months old, weight of the
carcass between 550 and 800 g.
U. Young guinea pig: non-reproductive male or females older than 3 months.
Y. Old guinea pig: reproductive male or females.
And one of the following two options:
1. Convex profile or conformation, with low or moderate perirenal fatness
2. Rectilinear profile or conformation, and kidneys are fully covered with fat.
Categories for guinea pig body condition score (Ara et al., 2012)
BCS 1: Totally emaciated, with the cervical vertebrae, the processes of the thoracic
and lumbar vertebrae and sacral tuberosity completely palpable.
BCS 2: Higher body mass but all bony structures mentioned in BCS 1 are still
palpable.
BCS 3: It is not possible to feel the cervical vertebrae and ribs, unless more pressure
is exerted. Other bone structures are still palpable.
BCS 4: In addition to the characteristics of BCS 3, it is no longer possible to feel the
processes of the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae. Sacral tuberosity is still palpable
but accompanied by soft tissue.
BCS 5: Only the sacral tuberosity can be felt, slightly. The neck feels completely
cylindrical to the touch.
Categories for visual assessment of the perirenal fat accumulation (Sánchez-Macías
et al., 2016)
PFS 1: The kidneys are only covered in their caudal extremity. A thin layer of fat
covers the pelvic cavity.
PFS 2: The kidneys are partially covered with fat. The fat deposited in the pelvic
cavity is apparent and medium thick. However, no fat accumulations occur in
clusters.
PFS 3: The two kidneys are fully covered, and the overlying layer is very thick. The
pelvic cavity presents fat accumulation in the form of very coarse and numerous
clusters.
(2012) proposed a 5-rating system of categories for guinea pig body
condition score, also described by Sánchez-Macías et al. (2016). This
system is well correlated with body mass index (0.87), total fat (0.83)
and dorso-cervical caudal fat (0.86). On the other hand, Sánchez-
Macías et al. (2016) described a 3-rating system for visual assessment of
the fat accumulation overlaying the kidneys and the pelvic cavity. Both
systems are described also in Table 2. These two subjective rating
systems based on conformation and kidney and pelvic cavity fatness
permit a better and less confusing guinea pig carcass classification.

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D. Sánchez-Macías et al. Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176

Table 3
Description of weights, yields, linear body measurements and linear carcass measurements of guinea pig.
Parameter Definition References

Weights
Live weight at slaughter
Empty body weight
Hot carcass weight
Cold carcass Weight
Dressing out carcass yield
Net carcass yield
Weight of the animal after transport and fasting. Sánchez-Macías et al.
It is the difference between live weight at slaughter and gastrointestinal and urinary contents. (2016)
Carcass weight at 15–20 min after slaughter.
Carcass weight after chilling at least for 15 h, hanged in a ventilated cold room (0–4 °C).
Weight of carcass after chilling divided by live weight at slaughter (× 100).
Carcass weight after chilling divided by empty body weight (× 100).

Linear body measurements

Body length Length between the tip of the nose and the rump. Egena & Acheneje, 2010
Heart girth Body circumference taken just behind the fore legs.
Trunk length Length between the neck and the rump.
Himb leg length Length from the point of attachment of the hind leg to the tip of the hind leg (in alive animals)
Fore leg length Length from the point of attachment of the fore leg to the tip of the fore leg
Length of ear Length from the point of attachment of the ear to the tip of the ear.

Linear carcass measurements

Carcass length (L) This distance is measured in a straight line from the cranial edge of the manubrium of the sternum to the cranial edge of Sánchez-Macías et al.
the pubic bone, measured internally in the left half carcass after split down. (2016)
Hind limb length Distance from the tarsal-metatarsal joint surface to cranial edge of the pubic bone; this distance must be measured
internally in the left half carcass after split down.
Width of the buttocks Maximal length between the spinous process of the eighth thoracic vertebra and the xiphoid cartilage of sternum, just
behind the between both greater trochanters of the femur.
Width of the thorax The greatest width of the chest of the carcass at the level of the caudal edge of the scapula.
Lumbar circumference Carcass circumference around the buttocks at the level of the maximum width of the greater trochanters.
Thorax circumference The circumference measured between the spinous process of the eighth thoracic vertebra and the xiphoid cartilage of
sternum, just behind the elbow.
Thorax depth Maximal length between the spinous process of the eighth thoracic vertebra and the xiphoid cartilage of sternum, just
behind the elbow.

4.3. Carcass linear measurements
Linear body measurements of traits have been used to describe body
conformation and carcass composition (Doeschl-Wilson et al., 2005;
Maeno, Oishi, Mitsuhashi, Kumagai, & Hirooka, 2014), evaluate breed
performance (Ozoje & Mbere, 2002), predict live weight gain (Egena &
Acheneje, 2010; Chineke, Ologun, & Ikeobi, 2006), examine relation-
ships between economic characteristics and reproductive performance
(Zindove & Chimonyo, 2015), and study the interactions between
heredity and the environment (Zelenák, Körmendy, & Vada-Kovács,
2004) in several animals.
In Table 3, some linear measurements in both live guinea pigs and
carcasses are described. Anye, Manjeli, and Ebangi (2010) and Egena
and Acheneje (2010) reported linear measurements in guinea pigs to
predict their weights at different ages. However, Anye et al. (2010)
included head length, neck circumference, shoulder to tail drop, thor-
acic circumference, body width, leg length, hip to knee length, and leg
circumference in their paper. Some of these measurements are possible
to measure without more information, but for the rest, more details are
missing, for example, in which part of the body the “body width”
measurement must be taken.
With respect to guinea pig carcasses, Sánchez-Macías et al. (2016)
proposed a minimum number of conformation measurements to be
taken to characterize the guinea pig carcasses. They include carcass
length, hind limb length, width of the thorax and of the buttocks,
lumbar and thorax circumference, thorax depth, and two additional
indexes: carcass and leg compactness. In Table 4, are summarized ex-
amples of values for carcass linear measurements of guinea pigs.
As we can read below in the last section of this review, these
measurements have been used to predict carcass component composi-
tion of guinea pigs with very high accuracy.
5. Carcass and non-carcass characteristics and factors influencing
carcass quality
5.1. Carcass weight and dressing-out percentage
The quality parameters of the carcass can be intrinsic or extrinsic
(Hocquette et al., 2012). Therefore, there are several factors that in-
fluence carcass quality, such as genetics, as well as pathological, phy-
siological, managerial and environmental factors.
In Table 5, guinea pig carcass weights and percentages reported in
the literature are summarized. Data are grouped in nutrition, sexual
management, genotype, age and sex effect studies. The range of carcass
weight varies from 237 to 893 g and dressing-out percentages vary from
34.8 to 73.4%. The high variation in the data is mainly due to the
different carcass presentations, as described in the Table. For this
reason, in order to compare studies, they must be done in similar
conditions and following standard procedures for carcass quality eva-
luation.
Some studies have demonstrated the importance of including con-
centrate, intortum or supplements in the guinea pig diet. Chauca (1997)
observed and increased carcass yield when including concentrate, vi-
tamin C and water ad libitum, in comparison to carcass yield from
guinea pigs fed with only forage. On the other hand, Niba et al. (2004)
found that cottonseed cake can be included in supplemental diets in
guinea pigs up to 25% without significant reduction in growth perfor-
mance and carcass quality. Also, Tuquinga (2011) and Acosta (2011),
using a diet based on quinoa waste or different commercial con-
centrates, respectively, did not find significant differences in carcass
weight or yield.
Kouakou et al. (2013) studied the effect of dietary supplementation
of Euphorbia heterophylla on the quality of the guinea pig carcass per-
formance, and found a 5.8% better carcass yield, even though the
carcass weight was not affected by the diet.
Chauca (1997) reported that higher carcass weights and yields are
obtained from improved breeds of guinea pigs when compared to creole
or crossbred animals; in addition, improved genotypes reach their
marketing weight four weeks earlier. Regarding to sexual management

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D. Sánchez-Macías et al.
Table 4
Mean values of linear measurements of guinea pig carcasses.
Linear measurements (cm) Hernández (2015)
3 mo-age fattening animals 12 mo-age discarded animals
External carcass length 24.49 29.15
Internal carcass length 19.58 22.89
External hind limb length 9.38 10.93
Internal hind limb length 8.47 9.20
Width of the buttocks 5.66 5.94
Lumbar circumference 18.50 22.30
Thorax circumference 20.01 24.17
Width of the thorax 7.05 7.16
Carcass compactness
Leg compactness
of the animals, Chauca (1997) and Apraez-Guerrero et al. (2011)
evaluated the castration effect and did not find differences in carcass
yields. However, they justified the castration with a better handling of
late growth male guinea pigs.
In the studies performed by Apraez-Guerrero et al. (2011),
Hernández (2015) and Remache (2016), the dressing-out percentage of
guinea pig carcasses was not affected by sex. However, when com-
paring 3-month-old fattening guinea pigs and 14-month-old re-
productive guinea pigs, or when comparing 3-, 4- and 6-month-old
guinea pigs, an increase in carcass yield is reported, as well guinea pigs
grow more, proportionally, between the 3rd and 4th month.
5.2. Non-carcass components
There is few information available on non-carcass components of
the guinea pig (Table 6). As evaluated by Hernández (2015) and
Remache (2016), the head and feet contributed 11% and 1–1.3%, re-
spectively, of live weight in the guinea pigs. The liver, lungs, spleen,
heart and kidneys make up a significant proportion of the animal, and
therefore represent a very useful source of protein, vitamins and mi-
nerals for consumers.
Age and sex differences among the guinea pigs may be responsible
for variations in the data. Hernández (2015) reported that 12-month-
old guinea pigs had higher offal weights when compared with 3-month-
old guinea pigs. Remache (2016) reported a progressive development of
non-carcass components from 3 to 6 months of age in fattening animals.
However, the latter author observed that, when the data are expressed
as a percentage in relation to the empty body weight of the guinea pig,
the lungs, spleen, head and liver represent a higher proportion in
younger guinea pigs. For the rest of non-carcass components, no dif-
ferences were found between young and old guinea pigs. This means
that some offal components continue to grow at the same rate as the
animal does.
With respect to the effect of sex, Chauca (1997) observed higher
weights of non-carcass components in males than females at the same
age, except for the spleen. Hernández (2015) did not find a sex effect in
3-month-old or 12-month-old guinea pigs, except that the feet were
heavier in males than in females in the youngest group, and heavier
kidneys in reproductive males than in reproductive females.
5.3. Carcass composition
Apraez-Guerrero et al. (2011) presented 60 consumers with dif-
ferent presentations of guinea pig: live guinea pig, whole carcasses, cuts
or processed products. In general, consumers preferred slaughtered
animals since they considered it too complicated to have to slaughter
the animal at home. On the other hand, guinea pig mortadella and
sausages, in comparison with the same products made with beef, were
preferred by the consumer by more than 21%.
Following the proposal standard procedures described by Sánchez-
170
Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176
Remache (2016)
3 mo-age guinea pigs 4 mo-age guinea pigs 6 mo-age guinea pigs
23.63 25.17 26.19
18.43 19.11 20.48
9.49 9.73 10.22
8.31 8.35 8.59
4.47 5.12 5.13
16.61 18.25 18.53
18.58 19.97 19.35
5.24 5.32 7.16
23.71 29.62 30.88
1.87 1.64 1.69
Macías et al. (2016), the largest cuts of the carcass using this cutting
procedure are the leg and rib cuts, in similar proportions (35–40%),
followed by the shoulder (14–17%) and finally the neck (6.5–10.8%)
(Table 7, Palmay et al., 2015; Palacios (2017)).
The relative composition of a guinea pig carcass is 44–48% muscle,
15–20% bone, 5.85–12% dissectible fat, 0.4–1.05% perirenal-fat,
1.4–2.2% remainders, and 18–21% skin (Hernández, 2015). It is re-
markable that at 3 months of age, female guinea pigs are fatter and
contain a higher proportion of bone than their respective males, but at
12 months of age, there is no difference in carcass composition due to
sex. This is since females accumulate more fatty tissue due to the action
of estrogen, making energy reserves available for their future gestation.
Muscle content is lower and fat content is higher in the older guinea pig
carcasses than in the younger group.
Palacios (2017) concludes that there is an effect on different areas of
the carcass due to sex, where carcasses of females from 3 to 6 months of
age have more dissectible fat than those of males. Regarding age, it was
mainly observed that bone tissue percentage decreases in females,
while the presence of fatty tissues increases between the ages of 3 to
6 months.
As shown in Table 8, carcass components are unevenly distributed
within the carcass among the four cuts (Palmay et al., 2015). A higher
proportion of dissectible fat is found in the neck, followed by the
shoulder or ribs, depending of the age and sex of the animal; higher
relative muscle content is found in similar proportion in the shoulder,
ribs or hind leg. Bone and skin proportions are found in similar values
among the cuts.
The fact that guinea pig meat contains less inter and intramuscular
fat than other animal meats is usually used in marketing strategies.
However, consumers do not eat a steak of guinea pig, but a whole cut or
even a whole half-carcass. This means that between 5 and 26% of what
is consumed is dissectible fat, depending on the cut.
6. Guinea pig meat quality
6.1. Meat proximal composition and fatty acid profile
In Table 9, the chemical composition of guinea pig reported in some
studies is summarized. Higaonna, Muscari, Chauca, and Astete (2008)
reported the gross chemical composition of a variety of guinea pig
breeds, such as Peru, Andina, Inti, Inka, Merino and Criollo breeds. The
chemical composition for guinea pig meat is 73–75.5% moisture,
24.4–26.4% dry matter, 18.8–20.36% protein, 2.7–5.1% fat, and 1.1%
ash. The same authors observed that 18-month-old guinea pigs have a
higher content of dry matter and fat in meat than 3-month-old animals.
Chauca (1995) reported a chemical composition of guinea pig meat
containing 70.6% moisture, 20.3% protein, 7.8% fat, and 0.9% ash.
Nuwanyakpa, Lukefahr, Gudahl, and Ngoupayou (1997) reported
that the meat from farm-raised guinea pigs from West Africa contains
approximately 21% protein and 8% fat (there was no indication
 Table 5
D. Sánchez-Macías et al.

Nutrition, sexual management, genotype, age and sex effects on guinea pig carcass weight and percentage.
Number, breed, sex and age Age Live weight (g) Carcass Dressing-out Remarks References
weight (g) percentage

Nutrition effect studies

39 Guinea pigs fed with forage 624 – 56.57 Carcasses included head, legs and kidneys. Chauca (1997)
39 Guinea pigs fed with forage + concentrate 852.4 – 65.75
33 Guinea pigs fed with concentrate + water + vitamin C 851.7 – 70.98
30 males fed with 0% cottonseed cake 15 weeks 349 247 70.61 Nutrition effect, diet based on cottonseed cake. Carcasses included Niba et al. (2004)
head
30 males fed with 25% cottonseed cake 15 weeks 364 260 71.13
30 males fed with 50% cottonseed cake 15 weeks 351 237 66.74
180 improved males 3 months 1175.04 848.17 73.37 Nutrition effect, diet based on commercial concentrates. Carcasses Acosta (2011)
included head, legs and kidneys.
96 females 3 months 957.60–1107.50 700 68.60 Nutrition effect, diet based on quinoa waste. Carcasses included Tuquinga (2011)
head, legs and kidneys.
48 improved males 3 months 911.75 561 63.17 Nutrition effect, grass-based diet Guatemala (Tripsacum laxum) Peñafiel (2013)
with fodder peanut (Arachis pintoi). Carcasses included head, legs
and kidneys.
20 guinea pigs fed with Panicum maximum (100%) Primiparous +46 of 562 196.4 34.8 The carcass does not include head, skin, legs and kidneys. Kouakou (2013)
diet
20 guinea pigs fed with Panicum maximun (75%) and Euphorbia Primiparous +46 of 594 219.1 36.8
heterophylla (25%) diet

171
Genotype studies
30 improved guinea pigs 9 weeks 752.4 – 67.38 Carcasses included head, legs and kidneys Chauca (1997)
44 creole guinea pigs 13 weeks 799.5 – 54.43
28 crossbred guinea pigs 13 weeks 886.5 – 63.4

Sexual management studies

18 castrated guinea pigs 843.08 543.77 63.82 Carcasses included head, legs and kidneys. Chauca (1997)
20 entire guinea pigs 844.62 558.46 64.96
18 castrated guinea pigs 16 weeks 1283.21 850.89 66.31 Carcasses included head, legs and kidneys. Apraez et al.
(2010)
18 entire guinea pigs 16 weeks 1295.77 871.14 67.27
36 female guinea pigs 16 weeks 1229.83 801.8 65.20

Age and sex effects studies

10 improved males 3 months 993.20 488.1 53.33 The carcass does not include head, legs and kidneys. Hernández (2015)
10 improved females 3 months 1054.68 559.83 56.94
10 improved males 12–14 months 1610.60 868.9 57.66
10 improved females 12–14 months 1683.04 893.14 58.33
24 improved females 3 months 838.77 406.55 54.01 The carcass does not include head, legs and kidneys. Remache (2016)
17 improved females 4 months 1031.91 562.95 59.18
21 improved females 6 months 1127.50 607.45 58.54
24 improved males 3 months 934.42 467.46 55.80
19 improved males 4 months 1093.53 570.84 57.24
20 improved males 6 months 1251.60 683.20 58.87
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D. Sánchez-Macías et al. Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176

Table 6
Weights of the main organs and non-carcass components of guinea pigs.
Item Chauca (1997) Hernández (2015) Remache (2016)

3 mo-age fattening 3 mo-age fattening 12 mo-age reproductive 3 mo-age fattening 4 mo-age fattening 6 mo-age fattening
guinea pigs guinea pigs guinea pigs guinea pig guinea pigs guinea pigs

Head – 113.32 163.61 92.15 113.24 125.67

Feet – 13.05 19.28 12.37 14.4 13.83
Hair – 45.04 56.11 32.69 39.88 47.59
Blood – 36.03 39.05 30.71 24.2 26.07
Full gastro-intestinal tract – 160.49 261.59 169.7 182.35 194.63
Empty gastro-intestinal – 85.89 133.3 76.96 92.43 102.8
tract
Gastrointestinal content – 74.6 128.29 92.74 89.92 91.83
Genito-urinary tract – 23.89 41.26 3.22 3.33 12.77
Liver 21,66–24,91 33.55 48.47 25.93 30.86 34.84
Lungs and trachea 4,29–5,41 1.01 10.32 14.16 9.03 9.42
Spleen 1,04–1,2 2.43 3.03 2.05 2.64 2.82
Heart 2,54–3,04 4.45 6.64 3.62 4.85 4.47
Kidney 5,66–6,46 9.47 16.76 8.47 10.47 11.01

Table 7 the thighs and shoulders while no difference was noted at the level of
Percentage contribution of different cuts to the carcass. the loin.
Reference Sex Age Neck Arm Hind leg Ribs
Kadim, Mahgoub, and Purchea (2008) summarized the chemical
composition of some species in their review on camel meat. In com-
Palacios (2017) Male 3 months 8.81 16.63 35.77 38.79 parison, protein content of guinea pig meat is very similar to other
4 months 8.88 15.18 35.01 40.93 species; however, fat content differences among species are more
6 months 9.46 15.26 37.47 37.82
marked (from 0.49% in alpaca to 8.5% in lamb, both in longissimus
Female 3 months 8.72 17.23 37.22 36.83
4 months 10.34 15.02 36.14 38.50 dorsi). As reported in the table, fat also varies highly in guinea pig
6 months 10.79 15.90 37.37 35.94 meat, due to sex, age and genotype effects.
Palmay et al. (2015) Male 3 months 6.50 14.47 40.03 36.61 The nutritional value of meat from guinea pigs is very high with
12 months 8.99 15.64 37.74 37.00
PUFA proportions of more than 50% of total fatty acids. Kouakou et al.
Female 3 months 9.05 14.46 38.51 32.45
12 months 8.92 14.47 38.16 35.44 (2013) estimated that a guinea pig carcass (without skin) covers over
21% of the daily n-3 PUFA consumption recommended by the National
Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labor of France. The same
Table 8 author also discussed that if one considers the skin (which is one of the
Separable dissectible fat, muscle, bone, skin and remainders percentage of the major sites of accumulation of n-3 fatty acids, according to Fu &
guinea pig cuts (Palmay et al., 2015). Sinclair, 2000) as part of the meat, the daily intake is higher. Higaonna
Item Dissectible fat Muscle Bone Skin Remainders
et al. (2008) reported that infiltrated fat of young guinea pig is higher in
poly-unsaturated fatty acids than old reproductive guinea pigs, while
3 months-age males subcutaneous fat of the older animals had the higher content of PUFA
Carcass 5.85 47.72 20.13 20.36 2.08 (41.8–44.7%) in comparison to infiltrated fat.
Neck 9.82 44.41 17.39 23.71 2.25
Shoulder 7.01 50.05 20.86 18.67 1.08
Ribs 4.22 48.98 19.44 22.57 3.30 6.2. Meat quality
Hind leg 9.09 48.80 19.80 19.27 0.90
3 months-age females
6.2.1. pH evolution and final pH
Carcass 11.97 44.06 15.79 19.97 1.49
Neck 26.21 38.09 12.95 18.93 1.59 Núñez-Valle et al. (2014) determined the postmortem evolution of
Shoulder 13.00 47.60 18.19 19.97 0.84 pH in four different muscles of guinea pig. These authors observed that
Ribs 9.51 49.61 15.93 20.33 2.46 psoas major and longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles displayed the
Hind leg 11.87 49.81 17.76 18.04 0.63
lowest and the highest anaerobic capacity, respectively.
12 months-age males
Carcass 7.58 48.45 18.19 18.84 1.45
The pH started near 7 in longissimus thoracis et lumborum and triceps
Neck 13.39 48.28 20.56 16.55 1.34 braquii, followed by the quadriceps femoris (6.81), and the psoas major
Shoulder 9.82 52.95 18.78 16.95 0.54 muscle had the lowest pH value (6.63) at 15 min postmortem. The pH
Ribs 4.50 51.05 19.65 20.23 2.74 decreased until 5–6 h, coinciding with the onset of rigor mortis. The
Hind leg 7.90 51.39 20.05 18.65 0.70
final pH of the psaos major (6.11–6.27) was higher after 6 h than the
12 months-age males
Carcass 9.97 44.52 17.47 20.85 2.20 other muscles (5.97–6.11). After rigor onset, the muscle undergoes a
Neck 22.80 38.70 12.13 21.82 2.81 longer period of rigor state, which was resolved after 13 to 15 h post-
Shoulder 11.39 46.85 18.42 20.19 0.90 mortem.
Ribs 8.02 43.87 20.13 23.14 3.13 It is well known that guinea pigs are very nervous, and in addition,
Hind leg 10.30 46.49 20.51 20.36 0.96
lairage at the abattoir represents a novel environment which may cause
additional stress in guinea pigs. It could deplete glycogen concentration
whether this fat included subcutaneous fat or not). Tandzong, quickly previously to the slaughter, and influence the pH decline and
Mbougueng, Womeni, and Mweugang (2015) reported similar values, ultimate pH in muscles.
however, they found that the chemical composition analyses of guinea- Some studies conducted on beef, pork and even black wildebeest,
pig meat varied per the anatomical origin and the gender of the ani- have shown that ultimate muscle pH higher than 6 can shorten the shelf
mals. The females had higher lipid content than the males at the level of life of meat, as high ultimate pH can create an ideal environment for
rapid microbial growth (Alonso-Calleja, Martinez-Fernandez, Prieto, &

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Table 9
Chemical composition of guinea pig meat according to genotype, age and muscle origin.
Genotype/category Moisture Dry matter Protein Fat Ash Reference

General 70.6 29.4 20.3 7.8 0.9 Chauca (1995)

Peru 74.41 25.59 19.34 4.16 1.16 Higaonna et al. (2008)
Andina 73.90 26.10 19.26 4.89 1.09
Inti 73.76 26.24 19.14 5.06 1.11
Inka 73.84 26.17 20.36 4.09 1.13
Merino 75.58 24.42 18.86 2.66 1.13
Criollo 73.61 26.39 19.80 4.29 1.13
3 months 75.75 24.25 19.58 2.64 1.13
18 months 72.62 27.38 19.68 5.74 1.12
Loin of males 19.44–20.51 6.13–7.78 Tandzong et al. (2015)
Loin of females 16.19–22.89 6.45–8.90
Thigh muscles of males 15.34–21.68 5.26–8.94
Thigh muscles of females 17.17–20.09 6.24–10.52
Shoulder muscles of males 13.64–21.09 8.82–12.73
Shoulder muscles of females 13.58–22.43 10.47–15.95

Capita, 2004; Gill & Newton, 1979; Magwedere, Sithole, Hoffman,
Hemberger, & Dziva, 2013; Shange, Makasi, Gouws, & Hoffman, 2018).
It is highly probable that the reason people in the Andean region prefer
to consume guinea pig meat as soon as possible after slaughter is to
prevent the meat from spoiling. However, Núñez-Valle et al. (2014)
recommend at least 15 h of chilling for guinea pigs carcass, until the
rigor mortis is resolved.
6.2.2. Shear force value and water holding capacity of Guinea pig meat
Palacios (2017) analyzed the effect of age and sex on the shear force
values of guinea pig meat. This author used the quadriceps femoris
muscle, and reported that noticeable differences can be appreciated
since at an older age there is less tenderness. However, it is emphasized
that tenderness in guinea pig meat is maintained between 3 and
4 months of age in males, while the meat of 4-month-old females is
harder than that of 3-month-old females.
Cevallos-Velastegui, Núñez-Valle, Morales-delaNuez, Castro, and
Argüello (2014) compared the water-holding capacity of nine muscles
with the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle of the guinea pig, which
is representative but insufficient for further meat analysis (weight of the
longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle ranges only from 8 to 20 g, de-
pending of the age of the animal).
The triceps braquii, psoas major, and gracilis muscles showed lower
values of water-holding capacity, while the gastrocnemio had higher
values. The quadriceps femoris muscle displayed similar values to the
longissimus thoracis et lumborum. These authors observed that 3-month-
old guinea pig meat releases more water from the muscles than 12-
month-old guinea pig meat. On the other hand, it was observed that
female guinea pigs lost more water than males at 3 months of age. The
authors concluded that the quadriceps femoris muscle could be a good
alternative to the longissimus thoracis et lumborum for water-holding
capacity analysis.
6.3. Food-borne diseases associated to Guinea pig meat
As reviewed by Lammers et al. (2009), guinea pigs are susceptible to
pneumonia and salmonella, as well as internal and external parasites,
and are carriers of Chagas' disease and cocciodiosis. For this reason,
unsanitary conditions, inadequate nutrition, and contact with disease
vectors must be avoided.
Rodríguez-Lázaro et al. (2015) analyzed illegally imported meats
(including guinea pig meat) confiscated from passengers on flights from
non-EU countries by the border authorities at an international airport in
Spain. In this case, HEV (hepatitis E virus) was detected in guinea pig
meat, and was also the most prevalent pathogenic enteric virus, de-
tected in 53.3% of the total samples. Depending on the HEV genotype,
contamination could occur through zoonotic transmission or due to
manipulation by human handlers in the place of origin, where HEV is
endemic in the human population.
International travel may play a major role in the prevalence and
dissemination of pathogenic enteric viruses and can represent a ne-
glected route of introduction and transmission that should not be
overlooked.
Furuoka, Horiuchi, Yamakawa, and Sata (2011) performed an ex-
perimental transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to
guinea pigs. All animals developed infection and had marked patholo-
gical lesions, which were similar to the lesions of human kuru or to the
VV2 variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Although animals showed
clinical signs after 300 days post inoculation, eating the infected guinea
pig could be a mode of transmission of this disease.
7. Guinea pig measurements for carcass component, biological
and pathologic effects prediction
A broad range of experiments in guinea pigs for prediction of
compositional parameters and biological or pathologic effects have
been observed. For instance, Scola, Bechah, Lepidi, and Raoult (2009)
predicted the rickettsial skin eschars in humans using an experimental
guinea pig model. The model helped to evaluate the pathogenic role of
rickettsiae and to study the early events of rickettsial infections.
Ruppert, Vormberge, Wolfgan, and Hoffmann (2016) developed a tel-
emetered guinea pig model to have a preclinical in vivo model for early
cardiovascular risk and safety assessment. The model was validated
with selected reference compounds, ECG electrode placement and data
evaluation. Morissette et al. (2016) used a ketamine/xylazine an-
esthetized guinea pig to characterize an electromechanical method to
predict clinical proarrhythmic potential. A confusion matrix analysis
was conducted using the hERG, QTc and EMw indexes at various
therapeutic concentrations, to assess the concordance of each index to
predict clinical pro-arrhythmic risk. A study by Uniyal, Kumar-Garg,
Ekanath-Jadhav, Kumar-Chaturvedi, and Kumar-Mohanta (2017) was
designed to investigate the effect of supplementation of zinc through
different sources and forms on apparent digestibility of nutrients, body
weight gain, blood hemato-biochemistry, anti-oxidant activity, and
serum mineral status in guinea pigs. The results suggested that sup-
plementation of 20 ppm Zn commercial nanoparticles had a positive
effect on the growth rate of guinea pigs.
However, studies on carcass and meat quality of guinea pig char-
acteristics are limited. It is essential to find strategies to evaluate car-
cass quality for both industrial and research purposes on a large scale
without using dissection methods. The determination of the tissue
composition of farm animals is one of the most important quality
parameters of commercial value in the meat industry. However, it be-
comes a complex and often subjective task; consequently, it is

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D. Sánchez-Macías et al.
extremely difficult for farmers to make decisions on aspects related to
commercialization, nutritional experiments or the efficiency of the
production systems.
Barba, Sánchez-Macías, Barba, and Rodríguez (2018) performed a
study to determine the correlation between the guinea pig tissue com-
position in grams and percentages, and carcass measurements. Weight
and linear normalized measurements were carried out according to the
procedures described by Sánchez-Macías et al. (2016), using a diverse
sample composed of males and females from fattening or reproduction-
intensive systems. It was observed that combining carcass measure-
ments, such as weights and lengths, contributes to the predictions of
muscle, fat, or bone content in carcasses. Live weight at slaughter and
hot or cold carcass weights always showed positive and highly sig-
nificant correlation with all tissue weights studied, while they showed
low correlation with respect to tissue composition in percentages.
Perirenal fat deposit was strongly positively correlated with dissectible
fat in the carcass when expressed in grams (0.63–0.70). Carcass length,
lumbar and thorax circumference were also strongly positively corre-
lated with all carcass components in weight, but not very well-corre-
lated with tissue composition in percentages. The external hind leg
length was also well-correlated, but only with muscle, bone and skin
tissue weights. Lower correlation was obtained between the carcass
components in relative proportion and the predictors.
There is no evidence of other works related to guinea pigs for
identifying the correlation among tissue composition in grams or per-
centages and carcass measurements. However, diverse results have
been observed in predicting the contribution of carcass components
using linear measurements of lambs (Carrasco, Ripoll, Panea, Álvarez-
Rodríguez, & Joy, 2009; Lambe et al., 2009; Wolf & Trillmich, 2006),
rabbits (Hernandez & Blasco, 1996), and pigs (Doeschl-Wilson et al.,
2005).
Barba et al. (2018) also presented the prediction of guinea pig
carcass tissue composition, using multiple linear regression based on
correlation and significance analysis. Parsimonious models were de-
veloped based on the best correlation, avoiding redundant predictors.
Carcass weight and thorax circumference of guinea pigs were identified
as good predictors that were often included in the prediction models. It
also was observed that perirenal fat is a very good indicator of carcass
fatness (Ara et al., 2012; Barba et al., 2018), whereas the weight of fat
in the carcass can be estimated with the live weight of the animal, hot
carcass and peri-renal fat weight. Muscle can also be estimated (R2 of
95%) with live weight and hot carcass weight, and thorax cir-
cumference. As a result, the best Coefficient of Determination (R2) was
of 95% for muscle and skin contents in the carcass, followed by bone
content (90%), subcutaneous fat (78%), and total dissectible fat in the
carcass (76%).
Sánchez-Macías, Barba-Maggi, Barba-Cuji, and Falconí-Báez (2016)
improved the accuracy of the models (from 6.7 to 16.3%) presented by
Barba et al. (2018) by including parameters from a carcass cut of low
commercial value, such as the neck. Linear Prediction models were
built using the weight of the neck, and the weights in grams of bone, fat,
muscle, skin, and remainders. Again, live weight and hot carcass weight
were relevant variables for almost all models to predict the carcass
tissue composition. The fat content in the neck was a good predictor of
carcass muscle content, despite being different tissues, and the muscle
content in the neck is a good predictor of total carcass fat, bone and skin
contents.
8. Conclusions
Guinea pigs are good meat producers, and considered a good al-
ternative, especially in regions or communities where protein and en-
ergy source are need. They grow well using food wastes from kitchens,
though it is possible to increase the meat production using concentrate
and supplements in the diet. Dissectible fat content in carcass varies
from 6 to 20% depending of the carcass region, however, the fatty acid
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Meat Science 143 (2018) 165–176
profile of this fat and skin are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Guinea pigs are associated to low incomes families in Andean region, as
well other countries from Asia and Africa, however, it is offered to
tourists as a typical gastronomic dish a higher market values. On the
other hand, due to the possible risks related to the presence of
Salmonella, it is not recommended to raise guinea pigs in the kitchens.
More research work in areas of meat production systems, carcass and
meat quality, animal behavior, welfare, marketing, and social aware-
ness is needed to exploit the potential of guinea pigs as a source of meat.
Acknowledgements
This work is based on the research supported by the Universidad
Nacional de Chimborazo (Ecuador), through the projects
“Normalización del estudio y caracterización de la calidad de la canal y
carne de cuy (Cavia porcellus)” and “Uso de redes neuronales artificiales
para predecir la calidad de la canal y carne de cuy mediante variables
poco destructivas”. The authors would like to thank Rafael Jiménez
Flores for English revision of the manuscript.
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