Aggressiveness in group-housed rabbit does: Influence of group size and pen characteristics

Zomeño, C.; Birolo, Marco; Zuffellato, A.; Xiccato, Gerolamo; Trocino, A.

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.016

Cited by 22 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Every time the walls in the C2 cages were removed, the stability and the social hierarchy of the groups was broken, and fighting for a better position in the dominance order appeared again. This situation is similar to what has been reported by other authors when regrouping does [27,28,29,30,31,32]. It should be noted that in C1 and C2, at every reproduction cycle, one non-pregnant doe of the original group could be replaced by another pregnant one to establish the expected number of kindlings ( n = 4).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…According to several authors [7,25,26,27,28,29,30], does reared in groups (stable or temporary) show a high frequency of aggressiveness before establishing the hierarchies at the grouping/regrouping of the rabbit does. Zomeño et al [31] also reported an extremely short period of aggressiveness (biting, boxing, chasing, ripping, carousel fights, threatening, and attacking) after group formation, with a large variation among pens.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance

Bosco

Mugnai

Martino

et al. 2019

Animals

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We evaluated the effects of two types of colony cages, in which rabbit does were always in a group (C1), and where they were in combi cages furnished with removable internal walls to allow both individual and grouphousing (C2), in addition to the control group (C: conventional individual cage), on welfare, reproductive performance, and global efficiency. Forty-eight New Zealand White nulliparous rabbit does underwent artificially insemination (AI) and were divided into three groups, and reared in the different systems for about 1 year. The reproductive rhythm provides AIs at weaning (30d). In the C1 system, does were continuously grouped, while in C2, walls were inserted four days before kindling and removed 1week after it (60% of the timesheet in group). Reproductive traits and behaviour were evaluated during the entire year. The behavioural observations were performed around days 7, 36, and 44, corresponding to the inclusion of the does in the maternal cages, the insertion of walls four days before kindling, and the removal of the walls 1week after parturition in the C2 group, respectively. The percentages of does with severe skin injuries and the distribution of the injuries on different parts of body were also registered. Does reared in conventional cages showed the greatest presence of stereotype behaviours, while the C1 group showed the highest (p < 0.05) incidence of aggressiveness after regrouping (attack, dominance features, and lower allo-grooming) in comparison to the C2 group (17% and 22%, in C2 and C1 does, respectively).Individually caged does achieved the best productive performance (sexual receptivity, fertility, kindling rate, and number of kits born alive and at weaning). The C1 group showed the lowest performance (p < 0.05), whereas C2 showed an intermediate one. Does housed in the combi cage (C2) had higher (p < 0.05) receptivity and fertility rates and higher numbers of kits born alive and at weaning (79.2% and 76.2%; 7.95 and 7.20, respectively) than the C1 group, but lower values (p < 0.05) than does that were individually housed.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance

Bosco

Mugnai

Martino

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…As regards behaviour, Buijs et al (2015) found no differences in the behaviour and aggression of reproducing does kept in collective pens with different flooring (wire-net with plastic mats vs. plastic-slatted). Differently, Zomeño et al (2018) observed lower aggression with plastic-slatted floor than with wire-net floors covered with plastic mats, which was difficult to explain, as floor type did not exert any effect on does' performance and health. Similarly, other studies showed no effects of floor type on performance of does and kits kept in individual cages or in part-time collective systems across multiple reproductive cycles, when comparing wire-net with plastic mats vs. plastic-slatted floor (Maertens andBuijs, 2013, 2016a) or wire-net vs. plastic-mesh platforms (Mikó et al, 2014).…”

Section: Flooringmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…The time of group formation (first days after kindling, early or late lactation) has a great influence on the aggression level among does (Zomeño et al, 2017(Zomeño et al, , 2018. In the case of late lactation, does may be less stressed because more time has passed since kindling and the presence of the kits out of nest boxes may positively modulate female to female aggression (Zomeño et al, 2017).…”

Section: Semi-group (Part-time) Housing In Farmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of recent research outcomes on the housing of farmed domestic rabbits: reproducing does

et al. 2019

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<p>The housing of farmed animals is increasingly scrutinised by society and thereby subject to a change towards more animal-friendly systems. For rabbits, also kept as pets, there are no EC regulations regarding their housing under farming conditions. In many countries, studies have been carried out to improve their welfare and health under current and alternative housing systems. This paper reviews and integrates the research efforts made since the EFSA report in 2005 on reproducing rabbit does and provides some conclusions, where possible, with special emphasis on animal welfare according to the principles stated by the Welfare Quality® project, i.e. good housing, good health and appropriate behaviour. The use of an elevated platform provides greater opportunities for does and their kits to move, jumping up and down. Management and housing systems (especially flooring) must guarantee good hygienic conditions (all-in, all-out) and separation of the rabbits from their excreta for proper resting places, hygiene and health. Plastic floors and footrests and environmental enrichments (e.g. gnawing material) are also recommended. Continuous group housing systems for reproducing females have been definitively proven to challenge animal welfare by increased aggression and injuries among does and to kits. Part-time group housing systems have proven to have potential, but cannot yet be recommended in farms until major problems of aggression and injuries among animals are solved.</p>

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“…The time of group formation (first days after kindling, early or late lactation) may affect the aggression level among does (Zomeno et al, 2017. Does in late lactation may be less stressed, since more time has passed after kindling and the presence of the kits out of nest boxes may positively modulate female to female aggression (Zomeno et al, 2017). Nevertheless, Rommers and de Greef (2018) found that the percentage of injured does in a part-time system with 5 does increased Welfare of rabbits on-farm www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal from 34% measured 4 days after group formation (23 days of lactation) to 53% at litter weaning (36 days) (Table 30).…”

Section: Reproducing Doesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

Nielsen

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2020

EFS2

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The AGRI committee of the European Parliament requested EFSA to assess the welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems, including organic production, and to update its 2005 scientific opinion about the health and welfare of rabbits kept for meat production. Considering reproducing does, kits and growing rabbits, this scientific opinion focusses on six different housing systems, namely conventional cages, structurally enriched cages, elevated pens, floor pens, outdoor/partially outdoor systems and organic systems. To compare the level of welfare in the different housing systems and rabbit categories, welfare impact scores for 20 welfare consequences identified from the literature were calculated, taking their occurrence, duration and severity into account. Based on the overall welfare impact score (sum of scores for the single welfare consequences), obtained via a 2-step expert knowledge elicitation process, the welfare of reproducing does is likely (certainty 66-90%) to be lower in conventional cages compared to the five other housing systems. In addition, it is likely to extremely likely (certainty 66-99%) that the welfare of kits is lower in outdoor systems compared to the other systems and that the welfare is higher in elevated pens than in the other systems. Finally, it is likely to extremely likely (certainty 66-99%) that the welfare of growing rabbits is lower in conventional cages compared to the other systems and that the welfare is higher in elevated pens than in the other systems. Ranking of the welfare consequences allowed an analysis of the main welfare consequences within each system and rabbit category. It was concluded that for reproducing does, as well as growing rabbits, welfare consequences related to behavioural restrictions were more prominent in conventional cages, elevated pens and enriched cages, whereas those related to health problems were more important in floor pens, outdoor and organic systems. Housing in organic rabbit farming is diverse, which can result in different welfare consequences, but the overall welfare impact scores suggest that welfare in organic systems is generally good.

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Aggressiveness in group-housed rabbit does: Influence of group size and pen characteristics

Cited by 22 publications

References 17 publications

Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance

Housing Rabbit Does in a Combi System with Removable Walls: Effect on Behaviour and Reproductive Performance

A review of recent research outcomes on the housing of farmed domestic rabbits: reproducing does

Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

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