No abstract

Although rabbit does are generally single housed on rabbit farms worldwide, it has been suggested by some specialists and recommendation of organic rabbit production systems that group housing of does is more comfortable and similar to the living conditions of the European wild rabbits. The aim of this experiment was to compare production of single-caged (S) and group-housed does (G). The S does were housed in commercial rabbit cages (floor area 0.32 m 2 and 0.3 m high). In treatment G, four does and one buck were housed in four pens measuring 7.7 m 2 (half of the floor was deep litter and the other half was plastic slat), with four nest boxes in each pen (n 5 16). In treatment S, approximately half of the does (n 5 18) were inseminated 2 days after kindling (S-33), whereas in the remaining does (n 5 16) AI was done 11 days after kindling (S-42). A single-batch system (all of the does in the group were inseminated on the same day) was used in both S treatments. Kindling rates were 77.6%, 85.2% and 45.6% in treatments S-33, S-42 and G, respectively (P , 0.05). During the experiment, the percentage of does that kindled 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 times were 17%, 25%, 17%, 25%, 17% and 0% (G); 0%, 0%, 0%, 8%, 69% and 23% (S-33); and 0%, 0%, 17%, 58% and 25% (S-42, in this treatment does had a maximum of four kindlings). There were no significant differences among treatments for litter size. In treatments S-33, S-42 and G, suckling mortality was 14.0%, 15.2% and 38.5%, respectively (P , 0.001); survival of does was 71%, 81% and 50% (P 5 0.084); and faecal corticosterone concentrations were 61, 54 and 175 nmol/g (P , 0.001). The high mortality of kits was associated with stress and aggressive behaviour of does, including scratching, biting or killing the kits, which resulted in the high rates of mortality and culling, as well as shorter lifespan of does. Because of high stress, increased mortality and morbidity, and low productivity, group housing of rabbit does resulted in poorer animal welfare and increased production costs, and therefore is not recommended.

No abstract

The objective of the study was to compare production and welfare of rabbit does and their kits housed in various types of cages. Female rabbits were randomly allocated to four groups with the following cage types: CN: common wire-mesh flat-deck cage, without footrest; CF: cage similar to the CN but with plastic footrest; ECWP: enlarged cage with wire-mesh platform; and ECPP: extra enlarged cage with plastic-mesh platform. All does were inseminated on the same day, 11 days after kindlings. Reproductive performance was evaluated during the first five consecutive kindlings. Severity of sore hocks was scored at each insemination. Location preference of the does and the platform usage of their kits were evaluated. Kindling rate, litter size (total born, born alive, alive at 21 and 35 days) and kit mortality were not significantly influenced by the cage types. The litter weight at 21 days was higher in ECWP and ECPP cages than in the CF group (3516, 3576 and 3291 g, respectively; P < 0.001), and at 35 days the difference was only significant between the groups ECPP and CF (8712 and 8060 g, respectively, P < 0.05). At 21 and 35 days of age, the kits were heavier in large (ECWP and ECPP) than in conventional cages (CF and CN) (P < 0.001). At the fifth insemination, the percentage of rabbits with sore hocks' score of 1 to 2 (0 = intact foot pads; 1 = no hairs, callus formed, <2.5 cm; 2 = no hairs, callus formed, >2.5 cm) and 3 to 4 (3 = callus opened, cracks present; 4 = wounds) were 58%, 60%, 78% and 48%, and 0%, 5%, 0% and 48% in groups ECPP, ECWP, CF and CN, respectively. Higher number of daily nest visits was observed for CF does than for ECWP does (12.5 v. 5.9; P < 0.05). The frequency of multiple nursing events (>2/day) was higher in the CF group than in the ECWP group (12.1 v. 3.2%; P < 0.01). Within large cages, the does were observed on the platform more frequently in the ECPP cages compared with the ECWP cages (56.9% v. 31.7%; P < 0.001). Similarly, 2.7% and 0.2% of kits at 21 days of age, and 33.2% and 5.2% of kits at 28 days of age, were found on the platforms of ECPP and ECWP cages, respectively. In conclusion, cages larger than the conventional ones improved kits' weaning weight, plastic footrests and plastic-mesh platforms in conventional and/or large cages reduced sore hocks' problems, plastic-mesh platforms were more used by both does and kits compared with the wire-mesh platforms.

The present experiment tested a dietary supplementation with linseed oil and selenium to growing rabbits. The basal diet (B) contained 3% sunflower oil, while it was substituted with 3% linseed oil in the experimental feed (S). The selenium (Se) content of the two diets was 0.10 vs. 0.46 mg/kg. Rabbits were fed with B diet from the age of 18 days. One group was fed with the B diet until 11 weeks of age (group B), whereas the experimental groups were fed with S diet for 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks (groups S1, S2, S3 and S4, respectively), before slaughtering (11 weeks of age). Live performance and carcass traits of rabbits, fatty acid (FA) profile and selenium content of their hind leg (HL) and Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) meat were considered in this study. In addition, the effect of two different cooking methods on the nutritional value of the enriched HL meat was also assessed. The tested dietary supplementation only minimally affected the live performance and carcass traits of rabbits. The S supplementation significantly reduced the Σ n-6 FA and increased the Σ n-3 FA of the HL meat and LTL meat, compared to the B diet (p < 0.001); thus, n-6/n-3 ratio was improved (p < 0.001). In addition, HL meat and LTL meat of S fed rabbits were significantly enriched in Se reaching a twofold increase in both meat cuts (p < 0.01). Therefore, the S supplementation improved the functional value of the rabbit meat. The heat treatment affected cooking loss, Se and vitamin E contents as well as the oxidative status of the HL meat (p < 0.001), with the different cooking methods providing different results. In addition, even if the beneficial C20:5 n-3 and C22:6 n-3 decreased with cooking, the n-6/n-3 ratio remained unaffected.