Neonatal cannibalism in cage-bred wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Redondo, Pedro González; Zamora-Lozano, M

doi:10.4067/s0301-732x2008000300009

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Both in wild (González‐Redondo and Zamora‐Lozano, ) and domesticated rabbits (Leone‐Singer and Hoop, ) infanticide can be observed. The aggression toward kits is more serious problem in group housing of rabbit does (see Section 3.6.5).…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

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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Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

Nielsen

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2020

EFS2

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“…(Borrego, 1997;González-Redondo, 2002, including batch management and, in some cases, artificial insemination (Dávila et al, 2004). However, several problems derived from the stress-prone behaviour of the wild rabbit arise when this species is raised in cages (González-Redondo, 2002, 2010González-Redondo and Zamora-Lozano, 2008). In both systems, rearing the weaned kits is carried out in enclosures to achieve maximum escape reaction and hunting quality (Borrego, 1997;González-Redondo, 2002.…”

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confidence: 99%

Characterisation of wild rabbit commercial game farms in Spain

Redondo

Sánchez-Martínez

2014

World Rabbit Sci.

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The aim of this research is to characterise the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) commercial game farms in Spain using variables related to structure, management and marketing. To this end, a structured survey was administered in 2009 to 21 privately-owned farms. This subsector was an average age of 13. The average size of the breeding stock of the farms was 431 does and 64 bucks. Eighty-five percent of the farms kept all or part of the breeding stock in cages and 38.1% used artificial insemination. All the farms carried out breeder self-replacement, 4.8% by buying wild rabbits from other farms, whereas 38.1% captured wild rabbits for this purpose. Nineteen percent of the wild rabbit game farms also produced other game species, mainly red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and quail (Coturnix coturnix). Fourteen percent of the farms supplied wild rabbits to be used as prey to be released in programmes for the conservation of endangered predators, and 38.1% supplied breeding rabbits to be used by other farms to replace culled animals. Eighty-six percent of the farms offered the service of transporting the animals from the farm to the hunting grounds to their clients, and 14.3% advised customers on how to successfully release and restock hunting grounds. Seventy-six percent of the farms marketed their products throughout Spain, and 38.1% exported wild rabbits to neighbouring countries, mainly Portugal and France. Forty-three percent of the farms advertised themselves in hunting magazines, 19.1% promoted themselves by attending livestock and game fairs, and 38.1% had their own websites. In conclusion, this alternative rabbit production system constitutes a well-established subsector in Spain, despite being only 2 decades old. It also seems that it has not yet reached its development maturity. It shows wide diversity in terms of farm size and structure, as well as marketing and promotional activities.

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“…The captive breeding of wild rabbits has been carried out in intensive systems, but this process is difficult and not very productive: physical injuries (González-Redondo, 2009) and failures in maternal behaviour (González-Redondo and Zamora-Lozano, 2008;González-Redondo, 2010) have been reported, mostly as a result of unsuitable living conditions and high stress levels. Semi-extensive breeding systems have attained higher productivity (Arenas et al, 2006), but the rabbits' lack of acclimation may result in high mortality when they are released into the wild (Rouco et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High rabbit abundance proves detrimental to the population growth rate in European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) extensive breeding enclosures

et al. 2014

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The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) is a key prey species in Mediterranean ecosystems that has declined in its natural ranges as a result of diseases and loss of habitat. This situation has led to the production of wild rabbits in enclosures in which they can acclimate and breed. The efficiency of these enclosures as extensive breeding systems is defined by their population growth rate (PGR). The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of rabbit abundance on the PGR. This has been done by creating general linear models to explain autumn and spring PGR with the use of rabbit abundance estimates, enclosure size, aerial predation and previous PGR as possible explanatory variables. Rabbit abundance and enclosure size negatively affected the autumn PGR, while only rabbit abundance affected the spring PGR in the best-fit models. It is suggested that maintaining rabbit densities at fewer than 30 rabbits per hectare might help to optimise the efficiency inside enclosures.

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Neonatal cannibalism in cage-bred wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Cited by 12 publications

References 27 publications

Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

Characterisation of wild rabbit commercial game farms in Spain

High rabbit abundance proves detrimental to the population growth rate in European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) extensive breeding enclosures

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