The aim of this study was to determine the selection of bedding material by broiler chickens during the rearing period and whether the choice was determinant to their performing a specific behavior. To achieve this objective, a choice test was designed. A choice pen was constructed where birds could move freely around the four selected materials (straw, wood shavings, rice hulls and sand). Chickens were introduced in this pen in four groups of eight birds, three days a week for one hour per day and group, for four weeks. The location and the activity performed by each broiler were recorded every five minutes. Results showed a preference for sand compared with the other three substrates. However, differences between the behaviors performed in each bedding material were shown mainly for resting (preferably performed on wood shavings and straw), dust bathing (on sand), pecking and scratching (on rice hulls). Other factors, such as the time of day, were also found to have effects on fighting and drinking, and changes in behavioral patterns (resting, preening, eating, standing and pecking) were also detected as broilers grew older.

Several materials have been used as bedding substrates in broiler production. In this work, the sludge from paper recycling was tested for its potential use as litter material and was compared with wood shavings. Moisture content, apparent density, and water-holding capacity were measured and characterized in both materials. Later, 192 male broiler chickens were distributed among 16 experimental pens, 8 of which contained wood shavings as bedding material and 8 of which contained the sludge. Growth rate, consumption, tonic immobility, gait score, breast lesions, foot pad dermatitis, hock burn, tibial dyschondroplasia, and metatarsal thickness were determined in the birds. Although the moisture content of the sludge was high, it decreased strongly after 7 d of drying, reaching lower values than those of wood shavings. In general, few differences were found between the materials in terms of bird performance and welfare and only the incidence of hock burn was higher in the sludge than in the wood shavings. Although further research is needed, sludge from paper recycling is a possible alternative to traditional bedding materials because it achieves most of the requirements for broiler bedding materials and does not show negative effects on the birds.

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Pododermatitis in rabbit production is an important welfare problem and there is less information on this type of lesion in rabbits than in many other species. The aim of this work was to develop a scoring system to assess the presence and severity of pododermatitis through observation of 1367 photos of rabbit feet by two observers. Different groups of lesions were established according to color, size, presence of chaps, presence of ulcers, shape, appearance and presence of blood in each observed foot. A two-step cluster methodology was used to gather the results in homogenous and objective units. The inter-rater agreement was moderate, and after the cluster analysis four main clusters were obtained. These clusters were later comprehensively described in terms of pododermatitis severity. Finally, attending to cluster description, a five-level score was defined and this scale resulted in a practical and objective way to assess pododermatitis in rabbit does. Cluster analysis provided a detailed characterization of this type of lesions and helped to obtain uniform scores.

Flux-controlled and metabolic chambers are often used for nutritional and environmental studies. However, the potential alterations of animal behaviour and welfare are so far not fully understood. In consequence, this study had 2 main objectives: to assess potential alterations of animal activity pattern and time budget inside a flux chamber, and to assess the importance of the "rearing up" behaviour. To this end, 10 growing rabbits of different ages (from 1 to 5 wk of the growing period) were housed inside a flux chamber. Their activity was continuously recorded and assessed, determining the frequency and duration of 8 different behaviours: lying, sleeping, sitting, eating, drinking, walking, rearing up and others. Nocturnal rabbit behaviour and time budget were not altered inside the chamber if compared to previously described rabbit activity under conventional cages. In addition, rabbits in this experiment presented a tendency to perform "rearing up" when housed inside the flux chamber.

The present work aims to define the optimal conditions to perform a resident-intruder test in individually housed breeding does as a measure of aggressiveness and describe the biological characteristics of aggressiveness in rabbit does: severity, frequency, duration and latency of aggressive events. Sixty-four nulliparous does at 90 d of age were used for this experiment, half (32 does) as residents and the rest as intruders, testing them once a week for 14 wk. The time and duration of each aggressive behaviour was recorded and analysed to assess the aforementioned measures. According to the results, and regarding the studied effects, the origin of the animals caused no effect, whereas the level of aggressiveness seemed to be clearly increased in weeks 3-7 of the experiment, when animals were 110-140 d of age. In conclusion, a resident-intruder test lasting 1 min is enough to assess individual aggressiveness in adult breeding does, the response of which evolves with age and repetition.

Animals perceive humans as a threat, therefore handling could cause stress reactions and fear in rabbits. Stress induced hyperthermia (SIH) is a physiological response produced when a stressful situation takes place and is supposed to occur in rabbits. In this work, the SIH response is assessed when different groups of rabbits (young males, nulliparous does and multiparous does) are handled. A benzodiazepine (Midazolam ® ) was administered to half of the animals to assess handling response also under drug effects. Rectal temperature was not increased by handling in male rabbits and multiparous does, whereas nulliparous females showed presented SIH after 30 min of handling. In addition, Midazolam ® has been revealed as useful for pharmacological validation of SIH after 25 min from injection.

No abstract