Performance and mortality of farmed hares

Abstract

Performance and mortality of hares were evaluated for 2 consecutive years in a large farm in Veneto Region (Northern Italy). On average, fertile reproductive pairs (n = 318) gave birth 4.8 times and produced 11.4 live leverets, weaned 8.4 leverets and produced 7.0 growing hares (60 days) every year. Mean mortality was 3.6%, 22.9%, 9.7% and 2.5% in newborn (0 to 2 days of age), suckling (3 to 25 days), growing (26 to 60 days) and sub-adult (61 days until sale) hares, respectively. The main causes of mortality were enteric diseases (75.5%, 75.9% and 12.1% in suckling, growing and sub-adult hares, respectively), followed by respiratory diseases (3.4%, 8.0% and 36.2% in suckling, growing and sub-adult hares, respectively), starvation (11.3% and 8.8% in suckling and growing hares, respectively) and trauma (7.1%, 2.3% and 30.2% in suckling, growing and sub-adult hares, respectively). In reproducing hares, mortality was 24.7% and 15.4% in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Respiratory diseases (34.8%) and ulcerative pododermatitis (18.9%) were the most common pathological changes detected in reproducing hares. Farmed hares seem to be affected by diseases resembling those of rabbits reared under intensive conditions. It seems necessary to improve the husbandry of hares to reach satisfactory technical standards and to preserve their health.

Lepus europaeus(Lagomorpha: Leporidae)

“…However, breeding requires a lot of knowledge and experience to be successful. Rigo et al (2015) studied behavior, welfare, health performance, and mortality of farmed L. europaeus in Italy. Mortality was between 2.5% and 22.9% in newborn and 15.4% and 24.7% in adults.…”

“…Thus, farmed L. europaeus seem to be affected by diseases resembling those of rabbits reared under intensive conditions. Husbandry has to be improved to reach satisfactory technical standards and to preserve the health of the caged individuals (Rigo et al 2015). In any case although individual L. europaeus may be tamed (e.g., Drane 1895), it is a wild animal and should not be domesticated like a rabbit (Zörner 1981).…”

Exploring the Gut Microbiome Alteration of the European Hare (Lepus europaeus) after Short-Term Diet Modifications

“…In conclusion, experimental and control hares did not show statistically significant differences in their microbial communities, both dominated by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Data obtained in this work strongly suggest that, despite the particular sensitivity to microbiome changes [4,50], the exposition time to a new diet should be replicated and extended to define the minimal time frame necessary to affect microbiome composition. In addition to this, bred and wild hares share a similar composition of microbiomes.…”

“…When food requirements do not meet resource availability, individuals can be more sensitive to diet modifications that can lead to microbiota gut alteration and thus to gastrointestinal diseases [4], pointing out a tight correlation between the host's wellbeing and microbiota composition [5]. The complex interactions existing between microbial communities and their hosts are driven by a multitude of environmental factors such as age, body condition, genetics, lifestyle, climate, and host's diet [5,6], and can affect the microbiota composition throughout their life.…”

“…Particularly, hare seems to prefer crops during the breeding season (from January to October), spontaneous herbs in spring-summer [16], graminoids and cereals in autumn-winter [20].This choice could be related to seasonal energy requirements. As for other small mammals, lagomorphs are highly influenced by diet change, and the main critical consequence is the modification or alteration of gut microbiota [4].…”