Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW)on a request from the Commission related to “The Impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbits.”

Abstract

Szendrő for the preparation of the Scientific Report, which has been used as the basis of this Scientific Opinion. Panel Members, D. Morton and M. Verga, are also members of the Working Group.

Changes in behavioural and physiological parameters associated with Taenia pisiformis infection in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that may improve early detection of sick rabbits

“…Sick animals behave very differently from those that are not (Orihuela and Vázquez-Prats, 2008); they seem depressed, lethargic, and have scarce or null appetite, isolating themselves from the normal social activities of the group, a syndrome that has been defined as sickness behaviours (Hart, 1988). However, limited data on behavioural and physiological welfare indicators are available for rabbits (Verga, 2005;Trocino and Xiccato, 2006). Clinical signs may also appear, contributing to the diagnosis of the disease.…”

Prevalence of post mortem lesions recorded in the largest Italian rabbit slaughterhouse over a fifteen-years period (2003-2017)

“…Ulcerative pododermatitis is typical of heavy animals and strongly associated with age and poor hygiene, and favoured in wire net floors not provided with foot-rests . According to the collected data, the prevalence of paw lesions in rabbit does during the 15 yr of monitoring was low (5.4%, Table 2) compared to that found in other studies, where the prevalence of ulcerative pododermatitis was the third cause of doe culling (EFSA, 2005).…”

“…Subcutaneous abscesses were the second most common lesion (31.5%, Table 2), which had also been previously described as present among 63% of rabbit farms (EFSA, 2005). This kind of lesion was of particular concern in the slaughterhouses, as during carcass skinning the purulent content of the abscesses could be spread all over the carcass, resulting in surface microbial contamination.…”

“…Uterine lesions (e.g., metritis), were the second most common lesion (35.8%, Table 2) of the breeding category, which was expected, as it is documented as one of the main causes of infertility, including insemination failures which lead to culling . Rabbit does at the end of their reproductive career frequently have uterine lesions; in fact, more than 55% of does are culled before their fifth kindling (EFSA, 2005). The prevalence of subcutaneous abscesses in breeders was lower than the relative prevalence of this pathology in finishing rabbits (14.9%, Table 2).…”

“…As rabbit does are usually singly caged, the probability to develop skin lesions is lower compared to finishers, which are usually caged in small or large groups (Cullere and Dalle Zotte, 2018). Poor animal handling is among the principal risk factors for skin lesions, with the consequent possibility for carcasses to become contaminated during slaughter (EFSA, 2005). Ulcerative pododermatitis is typical of heavy animals and strongly associated with age and poor hygiene, and favoured in wire net floors not provided with foot-rests .…”