Impact of rearing mangement on health in domestic rabbits: a review

[EN] High mortality in rearing of domestic rabbits is not only an economic problem but also an animal welfare issue. Among the reasons for this high mortality are some common rearing practices. In this review, we point out several commonly used management practices, which neither represent adequate housing conditions according to the animals' behavioural requirements nor correspond to their nutritional needs. Sometimes, the doe has to build the nursery nest on the cage floor or in a box with a permanently open entrance, often not protected from the light. This can lead to perinatal mortality due to disturbed behaviour of the mother such as failure to build a proper nest, depositing the kits outside the nest, or infanticide. Furthermore, continuous housing of the doe with the kits does not conform to this species' pattern of unusually limited maternal care. Possibly stimulated by olfactory and acoustic signals emanating from the nest, the doe can disturb the inactivity of the kits by her frequent entries to the nest or attempts to close the entrance. Cooling of the kits caused by maladaptive maternal behaviour under such conditions can also contribute to increased mortality and morbidity during the nursing period. In addition, when the doe is left to nurse the kits longer than four weeks, which does not conform to the reproductive biology of the rabbit, kit morbidity can be increased by the following factors. Although the doe's milk has a high protective role against main digestive disorders, prolonged mother-offspring contact might increase the risk of the kits becoming infected with pathogens such as coccidiosis, EPEC and pasteurellosis persisting in the doe. Pre-disposition of the kits to bacterial enteropathies can be encouraged by the delayed development of the enzymatic system, the delayed establishment of a stable gut flora, as well as by consumption of the doe's feed. The increased energy demands of lactation as well as mastitis incidence due to prolonged suckling by the kits could decrease the fertility and the lifespan of the doe. Feed with a high content of non-fibre carbohydrates (compared to green forage) can promote bacterial enteropathies when given before the development of the kits' digestive functions is completed. The risk of the outbreak of such diseases is enhanced by intestinal coccidiosis and unstable gut flora. Enteropathies are also exacerbated by the use of deep litter as opposed to housing rabbits on perforated floors.Schlolaut, W.; Hudson, R.; Rödel, H. (2013). Impact of rearing mangement on health in domestic rabbits: a review. World Rabbit Science. 21(3):145-159. doi:10.4995/wrs.2013.1029.SWORD14515921

Einpluss des alters und des thioaminosäurengehalts im futter auf die reproduktionsleistung des kaninchens bei postpartaler insemination

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An extended and revised Lake Suigetsu varve chronology from ∼50 to ∼10 ka BP based on detailed sediment micro-facies analyses

Lake Suigetsu (Japan) is a key site for radiocarbon (14C) calibration and palaeo-environmental reconstruction in East Asia. Here we present a description of the sediment (micro)facies, which in combination with a new approach to varve interpolation allows construction of a revised varve based chronology that extends the previous 2012 varve based chronology by ∼10 ka, back to ∼50 ka BP. Challenges in varve counting and interpolation, which were previously discussed in detail only for the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition, are described here back to ∼50 ka BP. Furthermore, the relative merits of varve counting by μXRF scanning and by thin-section microscopy are discussed. Facies analysis reveals four facies zones, their transitions driven by both local and climatic controls. The lamination quality of the sediment is highly variable and varve interpolation reveals that in the analysed time interval, on average, only 50% of the annual cycles are represented by seasonal layers. In the remaining years seasonal layers are indistinguishable, i.e. either did not form or were not preserved. For varve interpolation an advanced version of the Varve Interpolation Program was used, which enabled the construction of the longest, purely varve dated chronology published, despite long intervals of poor lamination quality. The calculated interpolation uncertainty is +8.9% and −4.6%, which is well within expectations considering the high degree of interpolation and the length of the record

Evidence for a bi-partition of the Younger Dryas Stadial in East Asia associated with inversed climate characteristics compared to Europe

The Younger Dryas Stadial (YDS) was an episode of northern hemispheric cooling which occurred within the Last Glacial Interglacial Transition (LGIT). A major driver for the YDS climate was a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). It has been inferred that the AMOC began to strengthen mid-YDS, producing a bipartite structure of the YDS in records from continental Europe. These records imply that the polar front and westerlies shifted northward, producing a warmer second phase of the YDS in Europe. Here we present multi-proxy data from the sediments of Lake Suigetsu (Japan), as evidence that a related bi-partition of the YDS also occurred in East Asia. Besides showing for the first time that the bi-partition was not limited to the North Atlantic/European region, the data also imply a climatic dipole between Europe and East Asia since the cold-warm characteristics are reversed at Lake Suigetsu. We suggest that changes in eastward moisture transport from the North Atlantic are the primary mechanism by which the teleconnection can be explained

Effect of light intensities on reproductive performance, nursing behaviour and preference of rabbit does

[EN] The aim of the experiment was to compare the reproductive performance and nursing behaviour of rabbit does reared under 2 different light intensities and observe the preference of does among cages with different light intensities. Female rabbits were randomly housed in 2 identical rooms, under the same housing conditions in wire-net cages. The 2 rooms only differed in the light intensity; group L: 150-200 lux (n=54 does, 230 inseminations), group D: 10-20 lux (n=54 does, 232 inseminations). Reproduction data from the first 5 consecutive reproductive cycles were evaluated. Nursing behaviour of the does (n = 24) was observed at the 2nd or 4th lactation. The preference of does (n=8) among 4 cages with different light intensities (10, 35, 75 or 155 lux)  as examined. There were 6-7% difference between the 2 groups in the number of kits born in total and those born alive (born total: 11.25 vs. 10.59 kits, P<0.1; liveborn: 10.75 vs. 10.00 kits, P<0.05; in groups L and D, respectively). Suckling mortality was nearly 2% higher in group D (L: 8.1, D: 10.0%; P<0.1), and in consequence the litter size of this group at 35 d of age was lower than that of the L rabbits (L: 8.75, D: 8.45 kits; P<0.05). The light intensity did not affect litter and individual weights at 35 d of age. The average numbers of daily nursing events (L: 1.23/d, D: 1.32/d), the length (L: 208±49, D: 213±43 s) and the daily distribution of nursing events were not affected by high light intensity. During the light period of the day, the darkest cage (10 lux) was the most preferred by the does (44.0, 18.6, 17.9 and 19.5% in 10, 35, 75 and 155 lux cages, respectively; P<0.001). The lower light intensity had no unambiguously unfavourable effect on the reproductive performance and nursing behaviour of the does. Based on the preference test, a lower light intensity may be advantageous from the point of view of animal welfare.This study was supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (BO/00326/11/4) and by the GOP-1.3.1. project.Matics, Z.; Szendrő, Z.; Radnai, I.; Kasza, R.; Gerencsér, Z. (2016). Effect of light intensities on reproductive performance, nursing behaviour and preference of rabbit does. World Rabbit Science. 24(2):139-144. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2016.4112SWORD139144242Besenfelder U., Theau-Clément M., Sabbioni E., Castellini C., & Renieri T. (2010). Effects of different light intensities on quality of spermatozoa in rabbits. World Rabbit Science, 12(4). doi:10.4995/wrs.2004.570EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). 2005. Scientific Report. The impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbits. European Food Safety Authority Journal, 267: 1-31.Gerencsér Zs., Matics Zs., Nagy I., Biró-Németh E., Radnai I., Szendrő Zs. 2010. The effect of the increased lighting prior to insemination on the rabbit does' production. (In Hung.) Magy. Állatorv. Lapja, 132: 647-650.Hoy St., Seitz K., Selzer D., Schüddemage M. 2000. Nursing behaviour of domesticated and wild rabbit does under different keeping conditions. In Proc.: 7th World Rabbit Congress, July 4-7, 2000, Valencia, Spain, 537-543.Matics Zs., Gerencsér Zs., Mikó A., Radnai I., Odermatt M., Nagy I., Szendrő Zs. 2012. Effect of different lighting schedules (16L:8D or 12L:6D) on nursing behaviour of rabbit does. In Proc.: 10th World Rabbit Congress, September 3-6, 2012, Sharm El- Sheikh, Egypt, 1063-1067.Mirabito L., Galliot P., Souchet C. 1994. Effet de l'utilisation de la PMSG et de la modification de la photopériode sur les performances de reproduction de la lapine. In Proc.: 6èmes Journées Recherche Cunicole, La Rochelle, France, December 6-7, I: 169-178.Schlolaut W. 1998. Das groβe Buch vom Kaninchen. DLG Verlag, Frankfurt am Main.Theau-Clément M., Poujardieu B., Bellereaud J. 1990. Influence des traitements lumineux, modes de reproduction et états physiologiques sur la productivité de lapines multipares. In Proc.: 5émes Journées Recherche Cunicole, Paris, France, I, Comm. 7.Theau-Clément M., Malpaux B., Lamothe E., Milcent N., Juin H., Bodin L. 2008. Influence of photoperiod on the sexual behaviour of non-lactating rabbit does: preliminary results. In Proc.: 9th World Rabbit Congress, Verona, Italy, June 10-13, 2008, 465-469.Tůma J., Tůmová E., Valášek V. 2010. The effect of season and parity order on fertility of rabbit does and kit growth. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 55: 330-336.Xiccato G. 1996. Nutrition of lactating does. In Proc.: 6th World Rabbit Congress, July 9-12, 1996, Toulouse, France, 1, 29-47

Reanalysis of the Atmospheric Radiocarbon Calibration Record from Lake Suigetsu, Japan

Terrestrial plant macrofossils from the sedimentary record of Lake Suigetsu, Japan, provide the only quasi-continuous direct atmospheric record of radiocarbon (14C) covering the last 50 ka cal BP (Bronk Ramsey et al. 2012). Since then, new high precision data have become available on U-Th dated speleothems from Hulu Cave China, covering the same time range (Cheng et al. 2018). In addition, an updated varve-based chronology has also been published for the 2006 core from Lake Suigetsu (SG06) based on extended microscopic analysis of the sediments and improved algorithms for interpolation (Schlolaut et al. 2018). Here we reanalyze the radiocarbon dataset from Suigetsu based on the new varve counting information and the constraints imposed by the speleothem data. This enables the new information on the calendar age scale of the Suigetsu dataset to be used in the construction of the consensus IntCal calibration curve. Comparison of the speleothem and plant macrofossil records provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the incorporation of carbon into different types of record and the relative strengths of different types of archive for calibration purposes

Identification of the Changbaishan ‘Millennium’ (B-Tm) eruption deposit in the Lake Suigetsu (SG06) sedimentary archive, Japan: Synchronisation of hemispheric-wide palaeoclimate archives

The B-Tm tephra, dispersed during the highly explosive Changbaishan ‘Millennium’ eruption (ca. 940–950 CE) and a key marker layer within the Greenland ice cores, has now been identified in the Lake Suigetsu (SG06) sedimentary sequence, central Japan. The major element geochemistry of the volcanic glasses within this tephra layer are compared to a new glass dataset from the distal type-locality (Tomakomai Port, Hokkaido) and other published ‘Millennium’ eruption/B-Tm deposits, to verify this correlation. The discovery of the B-Tm tephra in the Lake Suigetsu record provides, to date, the most southerly identification of this ash and, crucially, the first direct tie-point between this high-resolution, mid-latitude palaeoclimate archive and the Greenland ice cores. These findings present significant encouragement for on-going research into the tephrostratigraphy of East Asia, focusing on the identification of widely-dispersed tephra layers which can facilitate the synchronisation of disparate palaeoclimate archives and thus enable the assessment of spatio-temporal variations in past climatic change