Effects of group size and cage enrichment on social behaviour and skin injuries of breeding rabbits housed part-time in group

Damme, Liesbeth G. W. Van; Ampe, Bart; Delezie, Evelyne; Tuyttens, Frank

doi:10.1016/j.animal.2023.100850

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…Central to these systems are considerations such as cage/pen dimensions and environmental enrichment, which play pivotal roles in promoting the physical and psychological welfare of group-housed rabbits [ 5 ]. Cage or pen dimensions in alternative systems often prioritize spaciousness to allow for increased mobility and social interaction among rabbits [ 6 ]. Additionally, environmental enrichment strategies such as providing tunnels, platforms, or chew toys offer opportunities for mental stimulation, physical exercise, and natural behaviours such as burrowing and exploring.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems

Ozella,

Sartore,

Macchi

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Understanding the farming system impact on animals is crucial for evaluating welfare. Rabbits exhibit distinct behaviours influenced by their surroundings. The conditions in which they are raised directly influence behaviour and stress responses, emphasizing the importance of providing an optimal environment for their overall well-being and growth. In this study, we assessed the behaviour and welfare of two Italian local rabbit populations, namely the grey rabbit of Carmagnola and the grey rabbit of Monferrato. These rabbits are not yet officially recognized as breeds, but they are commonly used in Italy for meat production and represent a distinctive phenotype and local heritage among farmers and consumers. We analysed the behavioural patterns, physiological responses, and blood parameters of the animals to assess the influence of both age and three distinct housing systems (traditional single cages, group farming, and a mixed system) on rabbits’ welfare. In this study, 294 weaned males with 35 days old were divided into three housing systems with seven replicates each until reaching slaughtering age (100 days of age). A traditional single cage system, a group farming with 10 animals each replicate and a Mixed pilot system with 10 rabbits initially grouped, then transferred to single cages. The findings from the behavioural analysis and the evaluation of salivary and hair corticosterone levels demonstrate that both the housing system and the age of the rabbits exerted significant effects on their welfare. Rabbits in group housing displayed a wider range of behavioural patterns, including increased kinetic activities such as running, walking, and exploration. However, this housing system was associated with higher levels of both salivary and hair corticosterone, indicating a high acute and chronic stress condition. The single cage system was associated with higher levels of acute stress and a low frequency of kinetic activities and social interactions, with a predominant behaviour of turning on themselves. The age factor significantly influenced the occurrence of behaviours, with younger rabbits exhibiting higher levels of kinetic activities, while social behaviours such as attacks and dominance were more prevalent as the rabbits reached sexual maturity (around 80–85 days of age). Moreover, the attainment of sexual maturity coincided with an increase in salivary corticosterone levels. We found a significant association between attack behaviours, escape attempts, and elevated corticosterone levels, by demonstrating that these behaviours can be used as indicators of decreased animals’ well-being. Our findings underscore the importance of considering both the housing environment and the temporal dimension in the study of behaviour and welfare. This enables a comprehensive assessment of appropriate rearing management techniques. By understanding the social dynamics and stress sources within housing systems, farmers can implement measures to enhance animal welfare and create a conducive environment for the health and behaviour of rabbits.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems

Ozella,

Sartore,

Macchi

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Social behaviour and personality profiles of breeding does housed part-time in group.

Van Damme,

Ampe,

Delezie

et al. 2023

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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Cage enrichment to minimize aggression in part-time group-housed female breeding rabbits

Van Damme,

Ipek,

Verwaeren

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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In most rabbit farms, breeding does kindle and nurse their kits in single-litter cages throughout their entire reproduction cycle. However, the protective behavior can lead to aggressive displays and injuries when the does are housed in groups. This study aimed to evaluate cage enrichment for reducing the agonistic behavior in part-time group-housed does. A total of eighty does with their 22-day-old kits were allocated to 20 multi-litter cages, with each cage housing four does and their litters for 10 days. Each multi-litter group was subjected to one of four treatments: alfalfa blocks as distraction material (A), wooden panels underneath the platforms (P), both alfalfa and wooden panels (AP), or no extra enrichment (controls, C). This experiment was replicated for three consecutive reproduction cycles. The skin injuries of the does and the kits were scored with a tagged visual analog scale before grouping and at one, three, six, eight, and 10 days after grouping. Computer vision techniques were used to continuously monitor rabbit activity and agonistic behavior (aggression and fleeing/chasing) during the first 24 h after grouping, specifically during light hours. During the first day in the group, 67.2% of the does and 13.4% of the kits acquired new injuries. This increased to 82.0 and 33.2%, respectively after 10 days in the group relative to the onset of grouping. The injury scores of the does increased toward the sixth day after grouping compared to the first (p < 0.001) and were highest on the tenth day for the kits (p < 0.001). On all the observation days, the number of injured does was higher in C compared to A (p = 0.04) and AP treatment (p = 0.005). There were no other treatment effects observed on the doe or kit skin injuries. Rabbit activity was highest after grouping but decreased after the first and second days (p < 0.001). The agonistic interactions between the does involved more fleeing/chasing behavior (62.0%) rather than aggression (38.0%). Although hierarchy fights are likely when unacquainted does are group-housed, the many animals that sustained injuries and the high injury scores confirm that part-time group housing for does is challenging and possibly inevitable. This study has shown that alfalfa, with or without wooden panels, can slightly reduce the number of injured does.

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Effects of group size and cage enrichment on social behaviour and skin injuries of breeding rabbits housed part-time in group

Cited by 3 publications

References 22 publications

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems

Behaviour and welfare assessment of autochthonous slow-growing rabbits: The role of housing systems

Social behaviour and personality profiles of breeding does housed part-time in group.

Cage enrichment to minimize aggression in part-time group-housed female breeding rabbits

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