Contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development. A semi-quantitative analysis of the production in France

[EN] This work was aimed at evaluating the contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development using a semi-quantitative method. Nine sustainability indicators were defined for the environmental (energy use, antibiotic use, and biodiversity), economic (profit, specialisation rate, and transmissibility) and social scales of sustainable development. A score (-1, 0 or +1) was given for each indicator using data from French rabbit farms (12,000 farms for economic results and 100 farms for social and environmental data). Scores were added within each scale to obtain a final score. It was revealed from the data analysis that intensive rabbit breeding had some negative contributions to sustainable development, due to the high cost of indirect energy, high use of antibiotics, low biodiversity and little respect for animal welfare, in particular in the scale of environmental sustainability (total score: -2). But it also had positive contributions to sustainable development, particularly in the economic and social scales (total score: +1 each). Indeed, the mean profit, life and working conditions were good and the rabbit meat is of good quality. Therefore, the challenge for rabbit production will be to manage the lawful development and to face the market trends while preserving the maximum of its advantagesFortun-Lamothe, L.; Combes, S.; Gidenne, T. (2009). Contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development. A semi-quantitative analysis of the production in France. World Rabbit Science. 17(2):79-85. doi:10.4995/wrs.2009.661798517

Effect of housing enrichment and type of flooring on the performance and behaviour of female rabbits

[EN] This study investigated the effect of housing enrichments (scratching card, gnawing material and a platform), of a change in height and in the type of flooring on the live weight, reproductive performance and behaviour of female rabbits, as well as on the feed intake and spatial distribution of females and their kits. A total of 40 multiparous female rabbits were monitored in three consecutive reproductive cycles (48-d intervals). Four days before parturition in each reproductive cycle, the females were randomly assigned to one of the five types of housing: Control (CNT: 102×47×30 cm, L×W× H); Scratching card (SCT: containing a scratching card); Gnawing materials (GNW: CNT dimensions plus a compressed lucerne hay block and a wooden stick); Platform (PLT: 102×47×60 cm, including a platform with a plastic floor) and Combination (CBN: PLT dimensions with the scratching card, the gnawing materials and a platform). Data were only recorded during the first and third reproductive cycles. The living conditions did not significantly alter the females’ live weight (4889 g at housing; 4890 g at mid-lactation; 4867 g at weaning), reproductive performance (9.0 kits born alive), survival of the kits (90%), nor the feed intake of females and their litters (542 g/day). Providing animals with a gnawing block stimulated Gnawing behaviour (median frequency per group: CTL=0.00, SCT=0.00, GNW=4.69, PLT=0.00, and CBN=2.34; PRearing up behaviour (median frequencies per group: CTL=0.00, SCT=0.00, GNW=0.00, PLT=2.08, and CBN=3.12; P=0.06), and when a platform was present, the rabbits used it (mean values per group: CTL=0.00, SCT=0.00, GNW=0.00, PLT=1.79, and CBN=4.91; P=0.003). Regarding the type of floor, females appeared to prefer the plastic mesh flooring (31.2%) to the wire mesh flooring (18.8%). To sum up, providing female rabbits with simple enrichments appears to stimulate specific behaviours like Gnawing and Rearing up and may contribute to their wellbeing.Huang, Y.; Bréda, J.; Savietto, D.; Debrusse, A.; Bonnemère, J.; Gidenne, T.; Combes, S.... (2021). Effect of housing enrichment and type of flooring on the performance and behaviour of female rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 29(4):275-285. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2021.15848OJS275285294Altmann J. 1974. Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour, 49: 227-266. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853974X00534Animal Welfare Committee. 2009. Five Freedoms. Available at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110909181150/http://www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms.htm. Accessed February 2021.ANSES. 2018. ANSES proposes a definition of animal welfare and sets the foundation for its research and expert appraisal work. Available at https://www.anses.fr/en/content/ansesproposes-definition-animal-welfare-and-sets-foundation-itsresearch-and-expert. Accessed February 2021.Barge P., Masoero G., Chicco R. 2008. Raising rabbit does in platform cages. In Proc.: 9th World Rabbit Congress, 10-13 June, 2008. Verona, Italy. 1:1153-1158.Buijs S., Maertens L., Hermans K., Vangeyte J., Tuyttens F.A.M. 2015. Behaviour, wounds, weight loss and adrenal weight of rabbit does as affected by semigroup housing. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 172: 44-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2015.09.003Baumans, V. 2005. Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: requirements of rodents, rabbits, and research. Ilar Journal, 46: 162-170. https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.46.2.162Coureaud G., Fortun-Lamothe L., Rödel H.G., Monclús R., Schaal B. 2008. The developing rabbit: some data related to the behaviour, feeding and sensory capacities between birth and weaning. INRA-Prod. Anim. 21: 231-238. https://doi.org/10.20870/productions-animales.2008.21.3.3395Coureaud G., Rödel H.G., Le Normand B., Fortun-lamothe L. 2015. Habitat et Comportement. In: Gidenne T. (Eds), Le lapin de la biologie à l'élevage, Editions Quae, Versailles, France, pp. 107-136.Dixon L.M., Hardiman J.R., Cooper J.J. 2010. The effects of spatial restriction on the behavior of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 5: 302-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2010.07.002EFSA AHAW Panel 2020. Scientific Opinion on the health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems. EFSA Journal, 18: 5944. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.5944Farkas T.P., Dal Bosco A., Szendro Z., Filiou E., Matics Z., Odermatt M., Radnai I., Paci G., Gerencser Z. 2016. Production of Growing Rabbits in Large Pens with and without Multilevel Platforms. In Proc.: 11th World Rabbit Congress, 15-18 June, 2016. Qingdao, China. 1: 663-666.Gerencsér Z., Farkas T.P., Dal Bosco A., Filiou E., Matics Z., Odermatt M., Paci G., Szendrő Z. 2016. The usage of multilevel platforms in growing rabbits housed in large pens as affected by platfor mmaterial (wire-mesh vs plastic-mesh). In Proc. 11th World Rabbit Congress, 15-18 June, 2016. Qingdao, China. 1: 671-674.Hawkins P., Hubrecht R., Buckwell A., Cubitt S., Howard B., Jackson A., Poirier, G. M. 2008. Refining rabbit care. A resource for those working with rabbits in research. RSPCA, West Sussex and UFAW, Hertfordshire.Huang Y., Breda J., Savietto D., Debrusse A., Combes S., Fortun-Lamothe L. 2021. Part-time grouping of rabbit does in enriched housing: effects on performances, injury occurrence and enrichment use. Animal. in press.Jordan D., Gorjanc G., Kermauner A., Štuhec I. 2011. The behaviour of individually housed growing rabbits and the influence of gnawing sticks as environmental enrichment on daily rhythm of behavioural patterns duration. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 98: 51-61.Jordan D., Gorjanc G., Štuhec I. 2008. Wooden sticks as environmental enrichment: effect on fattening and carcass traits of individually housed growing rabbits. World Rabbit Sci., 16: 237-243. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2008.619Lang C., Hoy S. 2011. Investigations on the use of an elevated platform in group cages by growing rabbits. World Rabbit Sci., 19: 95-101. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2011.800Leach M.C., Allweiler S., Richardson C., Roughan J.V., Narbe R., Flecknell P.A. 2009. Behavioural effects of ovariohysterectomy and oral administration of meloxicam in laboratory housed rabbits. Res. Vet. Sci., 87: 336-347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2009.02.001Luzi F., Ferrante V., Heinzl E. Verga M. 2003. Effect of environmental enrichment on productive performance and welfare aspects in fattening rabbits. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 2: 438-440.Matics Z., Farkas T. P., Dal Bosco A., Szendrő Z., Filiou E., Nagy I., Odermatt M., Paci G., Gerencsér Z. 2018. Comparison of pens without and with multilevel platforms for growing rabbits. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 17: 469-476. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2017.1363640Mikó A., Matics Z., Gerencsér Z., Odermatt M., Radnai I., Nagy I., Szendrő K. Szendrő, Z. 2014. Performance and welfare of rabbit does in various caging systems. Animal, 8: 1146-1152. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114001244Mirabito L., Buthon L., Cialdi G., Galliot P., Souchet C. 1999. Effet du logement des lapines en cages réhaussées avec plate-forme: Premiers resultats. In Proc.: 8èmes Journées de la Recherche Cunicole. 9-10 June, 1999. Paris, France. 1: 67-70.Mirabito L., Galliot P., Souchet C. 2000. Effect of different ways of cage enrichment on the productive traits and mortality of fattening rabbits. In Proc.: 7th World Rabbit Congress 4-7 July, 2000. Valencia, Spain. 1: 4-7.Monclús R., Rödel H. G. 2008. Different forms of vigilance in response to the presence of predators and conspecifics in a group-living mammal, the European Rabbit. Ethology, 114: 287-297. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01463.xMorton D.B., Jennings M., Batchelor G.R., Bell D., Birke L., Davies K., Eveleigh J.R., Gunn D., Heath M., Howard B., Koder P., Phillips J., Poole T., Sainsbury A.W., Sales G.D., Smith D.J.A., Stauffacher M., Turner R.J. 1993. Refinements in rabbit husbandry: Second report of the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW joint working group on refinement. Laboratory Animals, 27: 301-329. https://doi.org/10.1258/002367793780745633Podberscek A.L., Blackshaw J.K., Beattie A.W. 1991. The behaviour of group penned and individually caged laboratory rabbits. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 28: 353-363. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(91)90167-VPrincz Z., Orova Z., Nagy I., Jordan D., Štuhec I., Luzi F., Verga M. Szendrő Z. 2007. Application of gnawing sticks in rabbit housing. World Rabbit Sci., 15: 29-36. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2007.607Rommers J.M., Bracke M., Reuvekamp B., Gunnink H., de Jong I.C. 2014. Cage-enrichment: rabbit does prefer straw or a compressed wooden block. World Rabbit Sci., 22: 301-309. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2014.1353Rommers J., de Greef K. H. 2018. Are combi parks just as useful as regular parks for fatteners for part-time group housing of rabbit does? World Rabbit Sci., 26: 299-305. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2018.9587Rosell J.M., De la Fuente L.F. 2009. Effect of footrests on the incidence of ulcerative pododermatitis in domestic rabbit does. Animal Welfare, 18: 199-204.Rosell J.M., De la Fuente L. 2013. Assessing ulcerative pododermatitis of breeding rabbits. Animals, 3: 318-326. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani3020318Szendrő Z., Matics Z., Odermatt M., Gerencsér Z., Nagy I., Szendrő K., Dalle Zotte A. 2012. Use of different areas of pen by growing rabbits depending on the elevated platforms' floor-type. 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An LPS based method to stimulate the inflammatory response in growing rabbits

[EN] Reliable indicators are needed to study the relationship between the inflammatory response of the growing rabbit and breeding factors such as feeding practices. A lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of the inflammatory response is a valid model of bacterial infection in laboratory animals, but no data on the growing rabbit has yet been obtained. The aim of our study was to determine an adequate dose of LPS to inject in growing rabbits in order to elicit a measurable inflammatory response in terms of plasmatic TNF-α and rise in rectal temperature. Three trials were carried out in this study: 2 development trials, the first (n=18) testing 3 doses of LPS (2, 10, 50 μg/kg) on the plasmatic TNF-α concentration at 90 and 180 min post injection, and the second trial (n=36) testing 4 doses of LPS (50, 75, 100 and 150 μg/kg) on the TNF-α concentration 90 min post injection and the rectal temperature. The third trial was designed as an application of the method in a large number of animals (n=32) to study the effect of feed restriction and dietary increase in digestible fibre to starch ratio on the LPS inflammatory challenge response of growing rabbits. In development trials 1 and 2, animals had measurable TNF-α responses for doses higher than 10 μg/kg at 90 min post injection, with an increase in the number of responsive animals along with the dose. High variability was observed in TNF-α concentrations in responsive animals (coefficient of variation from 44 to 94%). Animals demonstrated an increase in rectal temperature for all doses injected in the range of 50-150 μg/kg from 90 min post injection with a peak at 180 min (ΔTr =1.9±0.7°C). Our observations led us to choose a dose of 100 μg/kg of LPS for our following studies, as the responses in terms of temperature and TNF-α were the most satisfactory. The application of our LPS injection protocol to our nutritional study enabled us to validate our protocol (ΔTr =1.1±0.7°C at 180 min and 15/32 TNF-α responsive animals) even though we were not able to demonstrate any effect of the feeding level or diet on the inflammatory response to an LPS injection. The authors thank the GEC group (Groupe d’Experimentation Cunicole) and the CLIPP (Comité Lapin Interprofessionnel pour la Promotion des Produits) for their financial support. The authors would also like to thank the technicians involved in the experiment at the INRA UE PECTOUL and J. Laffitte and A.M. Cossalter from the TOXALIM unit for their technical expertise in ELISA protocols.Knudsen, C.; Combes, S.; Mousavikhorshidi, H.; Oswald, I.; Gidenne, TN. (2016). An LPS based method to stimulate the inflammatory response in growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 24(1):55-65. doi:10.4995/wrs.2016.2141.SWORD5565241Blas, C. de, & Mateos, G. G. (s. f.). Feed formulation. Nutrition of the rabbit, 222-232. doi:10.1079/9781845936693.0222Ferrian, S., Blas, E., Larsen, T., Sánchez, J. P., Friggens, N. C., Corpa, J. M., … Pascual, J. J. (2013). Comparison of immune response to lipopolysaccharide of rabbit does selected for litter size at weaning or founded for reproductive longevity. Research in Veterinary Science, 94(3), 518-525. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.01.008Feuerstein G., Hallenbeck J.M., Vanatta B., Rabinovici R., Perera P.Y., Vogel S.N. 1990. Effect of gram-negative endotoxin on levels of serum corticosterone, TNF-alpha, circulating blood cells, and the survival of rats. Circ. Shock, 30: 265-278.Kuo S.M. 2013. The Interplay Between Fiber and the Intestinal Microbiome in the Inflammatory Response. Adv. Nutr., 4: 16-Long N.C., Kunkel S.L., Vander A.J., Kluger M.J. 1990. Antiserum against tumor necrosis factor enhances lipopolysaccharide fever in rats. Am. J. Physiol., 258: R332-R337.Marlier D., Dewree R., Delleur V., Licois D., Lassence C., Poulipoulis A., Vindevogel H. 2003. A review of the major causes of digestive disorders in the European rabbit. Ann. Med. Vet., 147: 385-392.Matsuzaki J., Kuwamura M., Yamaji R., Inui H., Nakano Y. 2001. Inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide are suppressed in 40% energy-restricted mice. J. Nutr., 131: 2139-2144.Shibata, M., Uno, T., Riedel, W., Nishimaki, M., & Watanabe, K. (2005). Transiently enhanced LPS-induced fever following hyperthermic stress in rabbits. International Journal of Biometeorology, 50(2), 67-74. doi:10.1007/s00484-005-0272-

Use of group records of feed intake to select for feed efficiency in rabbit

Models for genetic evaluation of feed efficiency (FE) for animals housed in groups when they are either fed ad libitum (F) or on restricted (R) feeding were implemented. Definitions of FE on F included group records of feed intake (¯FI_F) and individual records of growth rate (GF) and metabolic weight (MF). Growth rate (GR) as FE measurement on R was used. Data corresponded to 5,336 kits from a rabbit sire line, from 1,255 litters in 14 batches and 667 cages. A five-trait mixed model (also with metabolic weight on R, MR) was implemented including, for each trait, the systematic effects of batch, body weight at weaning, parity order and litter size; and the random effects of litter, additive genetic and individual. A Bayesian analysis was performed. Conditional traits such as ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F and G_F |M_F,¯FI_F were obtained from elements of additive genetics ( ( ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F )_g and ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_g ) or phenotypic (( ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F )_p and ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_p ) (co)variance matrices. In the first case, heritabilities were low (0.07 and 0.06 for ( ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F )_g and ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_g, respectively) but null genetic correlation between the conditional and conditioning traits is guaranteed. In the second case, heritabilities were higher (0.22 and 0.16 for ( ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F )_p and ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_p, respectively) but the genetic correlation between ( ¯FI_F |M_F,G_F )_p and G_F was moderate (0.58). Heritability of GR was low (0.08). This trait was negatively correlated with ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_p and ( G_F |M_F,¯FI_F )_gof animals on F, which indicate a different genetic background. The correlation between GR and GF was also low to moderate (0.48) and the additive variance of GF was almost 4 times that of GR, suggesting the presence of a substantial genotype by feeding regimen interaction.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Efficacité digestive chez le lapereau sevré précocement : méthode de mesure et effets du ratio protéine sur énergie de l'aliment

National audienceTrois groupes de 22 lapereaux, sevrés à 23jours d'âge, ont été placés en cage à métabolisme jusqu'à 32j. (3x11 cages de 2 lapereaux). Les animaux ont été nourris à volonté jusqu'à l'âge de 50 jours, avec un des 3 aliments expérimentaux (MAD1, 2 ou 3) différant par leur taux de protéines (resp.14.7-17.8-20.5% MAT) mais ayant des valeurs énergétiques similaires. L'application directe de la méthode européenne de référence, chez des lapereaux de 4 semaines, conduit à surestimer la valeur énergétique (+150 Kcal), sans interaction avec l'aliment. Des valeurs de digestibilité plus cohérentes avec la physiologie du jeune de moins de 35j sont obtenues, en appliquant une correction qui prend en compte les variations d'ingestion et de contenu digestif observées à cet âge. La digestion des protéines ne varie pas entre 4 et 6 semaines d'âge, contrairement à la digestion de l'énergie qui s'accroît de 2.7 unités en moyenne (P<0.001). La digestibilité de la matière organique baisse entre les régimes MAD1 et MAD3 (-2.5 unités, P<0.01), tandis que la digestion des protéines s'accroît de 2 unités (P<0.01)

Decreased virulence of a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa O12 overexpressing a chromosomal type 1 beta-lactamase could be due to reduced expression of cell-to-cell signaling dependent virulence factors

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a large variety of virulence factors and is characterized by its capacity to rapidly develop resistance when exposed to antibiotics. In order to evaluate a possible correlation between acquired resistance to antibiotics and virulence, we examined the virulence of four isogenic variants of P. aeruginosa O12 that differ in their resistance phenotypes to various beta-lactam antibiotics in a mouse model of acute pneumonia. Strains overproducing a chromosomal type 1 beta-lactamase were less virulent in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed animals. Whereas the production of the exopolysaccharide alginate was similar between the four strains, extracellular virulence factors (elastase, rhamnolipid) that are controlled by the cell-to-cell signaling system circuit were detected in reduced amounts in the supernatant of the two isolates overproducing type 1 beta-lactamase. These results suggest that strains overexpressing the chromosomal type 1 beta-lactamase could be less virulent because of a reduction of cell-to-cell signaling dependent virulence factor production