Examination of Free Choice of Rabbits among Different Cage-floors

Rabbits were placed in a block of cages with a floor-area of 2 m2. The animals could move freely among the cages, through swing doors. All the four cages were totally equal, they only differed in the floor (planked by OSB panel, plastic-slat, plastic-mesh or wire-mesh). 24 or 32 rabbits, weaned at 21 days of age were placed into the block. During the experiment (until 10 weeks of age) the free choice of rabbits among the cage-floors was studied weekly with the help of 24-hour video recordings. The soiled and wet (by urine) planked-floor was chosen by fewer and fewer rearing rabbits after the first week. Placing both 24 or 32 rabbits into the block, the plastic mesh floor was preferred. With the increase of age the choice of plastic-mesh, wire-mesh and plastic-slat floor became similar. The increase of both number and weight of rabbits in 1 m2 influenced the acceptance of different floors. Rearing 32 rabbits together, the choice of the 3 preferred floor types became similar at 7.5 weeks of age, while rearing 24 rabbits in a group, it became similar only at 9.5 weeks of age

AZ ANYANYULAK TERMELÉSE AZ ELLETŐLÁDÁBAN LEVŐ FÉSZEKANYAGOKTÓL FÜGGŐEN

Effect of different nest materials on reproduction performance of rabbit does The experiment was conducted at the Kaposvár University. Pannon Ka and Pannon White (multiparous) rabbit does (n=200) were randomly divided into four groups according to the nest materials used for bedding the nest tray: hay (n=50), straw (n=50), wood shavings (n=50), wooden thin long fibre material (Lignocel® J.Retttenmaier&Söhne GmbH) (n=50). The experiment started the 27th day of pregnancy. Photos were taken about the nests 4-5 days after parturition which were assessed by experienced evaluators on scales 1-5 of the nest quality. According to the results of evaluations, the quality of the four nest materials was significantly different. The hay nest had the best quality scores which was followed by straw and Lignocel®. The nests made of wood shavings were judged to be the worst quality. The nest material did not influence the litter size, the litter weight and the individual weight at day 21. Significant difference was not found in suckling mortality between 0-21 d. The kit’s mortality was the lowest in nests bedded with wood shavings (12.4%) or straw (12.9%), and the highest in nests bedded with hay (17.2%), the Lignocel® nests showed intermediate mortality (15.1%)

Effect of lighting programme and nursing method on the production and nursing behaviour of rabbit does

[EN] The purpose of the experiment was to analyse how the production and nursing behaviour of rabbit does are influenced by different lighting programmes and nursing methods. Rabbit does (n=119) were housed in two rooms. The lighting schedules were a continuous 16L:8D (16L, n=55) or an interrupted 8L:4D:8L:4D (8+8L, n=64). In both rooms, half of the does nursed their kits freely (FS, n=53), while for the other half the suckling method was changed to controlled nursing 3 days prior to the artificial insemination (AI) at day 11 (FS-CS, n=66). Lighting schedule had no significant effect on any productive trait. 76% of the 16L does nursed their kits during the dark period; however, in the 8+8L group, 50% of the nursing events occurred in the dark, 50% during the light periods, respectively. Thus the intermittent lighting disturbed the nursing behaviour of the does. The nursing method significantly affected several traits. AI/parturition, body weight of the does at kindling, number of kits born alive, litter weight at day 21, and suckling mortality were 1.38 and 1.24 (P<0.05), 4.51 and 4.37 kg (P<0.01), 7.95 and 8.46 (P<0.05), 3.06 and 2.92 kg (P<0.05), and 5.3 and 7.3% (P<0.05) in the FS and FS-CS groups, respectively. Compared to the FS group, the advantage of the FS-CS group (P<0.001) was 16.2, 18.4, 9.3 and, 6.3% for total number of kits born, number of kits born alive, number of kits at day 21, and total kits¿ weight at day 21 per AI, respectively. Due to the change in the nursing method, the frequency of multiple nursing increased. The length of the nursing period of the FS-CS group was significantly exceeded by that of the FS does. Based on these results, changing the nursing method can be used as an adequate biostimulation method.Financial help from TECH_08_A3/2-2008-0384, NDA (National Development Agency) is gratefully acknowledged.Gerencsér, Z.; Matics, Z.; Nagy, I.; Radnai, I.; Szendrõ, É.; Szendrõ, Z. (2012). Effect of lighting programme and nursing method on the production and nursing behaviour of rabbit does. World Rabbit Science. 20(2):103-116. doi:10.4995/wrs.2012.1078SWORD10311620