Application of gnawing sticks in rabbit housing

[EN] Four experiments are described relating to gnawing sticks application in rabbit housing. In experiment 1 and 2, Pannon White rabbits, weaned at the age of five weeks, were placed into pens with wire net floor. In experiment 1, every pen (180 animals in 12 pens, surface per head: 571 cm2) was provided with three gnawing sticks randomly chosen from White locust, Black elder, White willow, Little-leaf linden, European larch, Black poplar, European white birch, White buckeye and White mulberry species. In experiment 2 (150 animals in 10 pens, surface per head: 571 cm2), only those tree species ingested by rabbits in the first experiment were used (White locust, White willow, Little-leaf linden, Black poplar and White buckeye). In the second experiment, rabbits showed the highest preference towards gnawing sticks of Little-leaf linden, while similar White willow and White buckeye consumption was observed. In the experiment 3, rabbits¿ preference to different types of wood and the influence on rabbits¿ behaviour of added wooden sticks as environmental enrichment was studied. At the age of 38 days, 48 male SIKA rabbits were housed individually in wire cages (surface per head: 1500 cm2). According to the type of wood placed in the cage, rabbits were equally allotted to four groups: control, Common oak, Little-leaf linden and Norway spruce. Rabbits¿ preference to type of wood was studied on all the animals with wooden stick, while rabbits¿ behaviour was studied on 16 focus animals at the age of 5 and 13 weeks using continuous 24 hours video recordings. Rabbits preferred gnawing Little-leaf linden and Norway spruce compared to Common oak. Addition of gnawing sticks had no significant influence on duration of rabbits¿ behaviour, except for eating feed and gnawing wooden stick time. In experiment 4, the effect of housing and environmental enrichment on the performance and behaviour of growing rabbits was tested. 72 hybrid rabbits were housed after the weaning period in standard fattening cages at 2, 3, 4 animals per cage (surface per head: 1045 cm2, 697 cm2, 522 cm2, respectively). Half cages were enriched using a wood stick (Robinia pseudoacacia) dangling from the ceiling of the cage. The environmental enrichment decreased the stereotypies (gnawing the bars of the cage). A tendency to lower aggressive behaviours in enriched caged rabbits was also found compared to the conventional caged rabbits. This might indicate a better satisfaction of the behavioural needs for the enriched caged rabbits.Princz, Z.; Orova, Z.; Nagy, I.; Jordan, D.; Stuhec, I.; Luzi, F.; Verga, M.... (2007). Application of gnawing sticks in rabbit housing. World Rabbit Science. 15(1):29-36. doi:10.4995/wrs.2007.607293615

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT HOUSING ONPRODUCTIVE TRAITS AND ON SOMEBEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF GROWINGRABBITS. PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Two-hundred-twenty-eight 5-week-old Pannon White rabbits were housed in cages (2 rabbits/ cage, 0.12 m2) or in pens (13 rabbits/pen, 0.83 m2) with the same stocking density. Half of the cages and pens had wire net floor while the other half had plastic net. In every second cage and pen wooden gnawing stick was fixed onto the wall. Every second week a 24-hour video recording was done. At 11 weeks of age ear lesions were checked. Body weight of rabbits in cages was significantly higher between 7 and 11 weeks of age. Floor type had no influence on weight gain and body weight. Rabbits in cages/ pens with gnawing stick were significantly heavier at 11 weeks of age. Mortality was independent of all treatments. Gnawing stick consumption was significantly higher in pens. Ear lesions were more frequent in rabbits housed in pens or on plastic net, however, significant difference was found only between rabbits with or without wooden stick, with higher ear lesions on rabbits reared without wooden stick

Effetto di diversi sistemi di stabulazione sulle prestazioni produttive e sul comportamento dei conigli in accrescimento. Risultati preliminari

Duecentoventotto conigli Pannon White di 5 settimane di et\ue0 furono sistemati in gabbie di diverse dimensioni (0,12m2; 2 conigli/gabbia; oppure 0,83m2; 13 conigli/gabbia) ma con la medesima densit\ue0 di allevamento (16 conigli/m2). Met\ue0 delle gabbie presentava un fondo in rete metallica, l\u2019altra met\ue0 era dotata di un fondo in rete di plastica. Met\ue0 delle gabbie conteneva un arricchimento ambientale costituito da un bastoncino di legno. Dallo svezzamento alla macellazione (77 giorni di et\ue0) furono rilevate le prestazioni produttive. Alla macellazione, le orecchie dei conigli furono controllate per valutare la presenza e l\u2019entit\ue0 delle lesioni. Ogni 2 settimane furono effettuate delle videoregistrazioni allo scopo di monitorare l\u2019uso del bastoncino di legno. Il peso vivo rilevato tra le 7 e le 11 settimane di et\ue0 fu significativamente superiore nei conigli allevati in gabbie bicellulari. Il tipo di pavimentazione non influenz\uf2 le prestazioni produttive dei conigli. Gli animali che disponevano dell\u2019arricchimento ambientale furono significativamente pi\uf9 pesanti alla macellazione. La mortalit\ue0 osservata durante la prova fu indipendente dai fattori sperimentali. L\u2019utilizzo del bastoncino di legno fu superiore negli animali allevati in gruppi di 12 (P<0,01). Le lesioni auricolari furono pi\uf9 frequenti nei conigli allevati in gruppo o in gabbie con fondo di plastica, ma le lesioni furono maggiormente rappresentate nei conigli sprovvisti di arricchimento ambientale (P<0,001)

EFFECT OF FLOOR TYPE AND GNAWING STICKON THE CAGE-CHOICE OF THE GROWINGRABBITS

Five-week-old Pannon White rabbits (n=112) were weaned and housed into two blocks of cages applying stocking density of 12 or 16 rabbits/m2. Both blocks were divided into four cages of wire mesh (n=2) or plastic mesh floor (n=2). In every second cage a gnawing stick was fixed on the wall. The rabbits could freely move among the four cages of the same block through swing doors. A 24-hour infrared video recording was taken once a week and the rabbits in each cage were counted every half an hour. Significantly more rabbits chose the cages of plastic floor (16 rabbits/m2: 62.5%, 12 rabbits/ m2: 76.5%) than the cages of wire mesh floor. With the increasing age between 5 and 11 weeks, the ratio of rabbits on wire mesh floor increased. This results show that the rabbits accept a less preferable floor type instead of staying in higher stocking density (kg/rabbits). The preference of cages with gnawing sticks was also significant (53.1-54.1%) but this effect was less pronounced than that of the floor type

Response of fattening rabbits reared under different housing conditions. 1. Live performance and health status

In a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment the effects of housing system (pair caged (cage): 2 rabbits/0.122 m(2) vs open top pen housed (pen): 13 rabbits/0.86 m(2): same stocking density), floor type (wire mesh vs plastic net) and environmental enrichment (with vs without gnawing stick) were studied on live performance, health status and welfare (ear lesions) of growing rabbits (n = 176). The housing system significantly influenced the body weight at 11 weeks of age (2630 vs 2557 g: in cage or pen, respectively) and the feed conversion (3.12 vs 3.38 g/g; in cage or pen, respectively). Floor type did not affect the traits tested. Gnawing stick consumption affected the body weight at 11 weeks of age (2553 vs 2622 g; without or with gnawing stick, respectively). the percentage of ear lesions (18.5 vs 1.20%; without or with gnawing stick, respectively). Some of the live performance traits of rabbits reared in pens was slightly lower. The presence of gnawing stick, especially in pens, reduced the aggressive behaviour and improved the welfare

Response of fattening rabbits reared under different housing conditions. 2. Carcass and meat quality

This 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted to study the effects of housing system (pair caged - cage - : 2 rabbits/0.122 m(2) vs open top pen housed - pen - : 13 rabbits/0.86 m(2); same stocking density), floor type (wire mesh vs plastic net), and environmental enrichment (with vs without gnawing stick) on the meat quality of Pannon White growing rabbits (n = 64). The housing system significantly influenced slaughter weight (2590 vs 2531 g in cage or pen, respectively; P<0.01), reference carcass (RC) weight (1266 vs 1234 g; in cage or pen, respectively; P<0.05), and the hind leg meat to bone ratio (6.11 vs 5.62 in cage or pen, respectively, P<0.001). The animals reared in pens showed paler meat with lower pH(u) than that of those reared paired in cages. Hind leg meat dry matter and protein content were also influenced by the housing system (26.3 vs 25.9%, 21.9 vs 21.6%; in cage or pen. respectively; P<0.05). Pen housed rabbits had significantly heavier femur and tibia bone weight and higher fracture toughness than pair caged rabbits. Floor type affected the fore part/RC weight ratio (29.2 vs 29.6% of the RC on plastic net or wire mesh, respectively). Gnawing stick presence increased slaughter yield (59.0 vs 58.3%: P<0.05), RC weight (1266 vs 1236 g; P<0.05) and the forepart/RC ratio (29.6 vs 29.2% RC; P<0.05) while significantly reducing the meat colour b* value and increasing m. Longissimus dorsi shear force (0.60 vs 0.50 kg/cm(2): p<0.01). The hind leg meat fatty acid profile was only slightly influenced by experimental factors. Although this study showed pair caged rabbits to have increased carcass weight with better meatiness and other meat quality traits, hind leg bone strength was shown to be higher in pen housed rabbits