The aim of the study was to use behavioural and cortisol tests to determine whether cage enrichment (observation shelves, wooden sticks for gnawing) improves the welfare of farmed foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The paper discusses welfare criteria such as "expression of other behaviours", "good human–animal relationships" and "positive emotional state". The study covered 60 young foxes. After weaning, the animals were placed in standard cages, two individuals per cage. The foxes were divided into three groups. In the control group, no additional cage enrichment was provided. Group I was provided with observation shelves; group II was provided with wooden gnawing sticks. During the experiment the foxes underwent repeated tests: empathic test, feeding test and salivary cortisol test. The data obtained were analysed statistically (ANOVA, Tukey’s test, correlation), taking into account the following variables: the impact of cage enrichment, animal gender, temperament, and colour mutation. The study did not show conclusively that the use of cage enrichment affects animal temperament or the level of cortisol. However, in the group with gnawing sticks, the level of cortisol in the second measurement was significantly lower in comparison with other groups. This indicates that satisfying the need to gnaw objects reduces stress in foxes. The study showed a high correlation between the empathic and the feeding test, both of which are useful for testing the emotional state of foxes and the human–animal relationship.
Leptin is a hormone synthesized and secreted primarily in adipose cells that help to regulate energy balance. This study examined the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the rabbit leptin gene with growth traits, slaughter traits and physicochemical parameters of New Zealand White (NZW) and Belgian Giant Grey (BGG) crossbreed rabbits. In total, 320 crossbreed animals were genotyped for polymorphisms within exon 2-g.16081633T>C, intron 1_2-g.16081420C>T, and within UTR-g.16079636C>G for association analysis. Identified polymorphisms within rabbits leptin gene showed significant differences for dissectible fat percentage in carcass and dissectible fat weight in intermediate part (g.16081633T>C). Moreover, meat traits like protein content (g.16081633T>C; g.16079636C>G), intramuscular fat content (g.16081633T>C; g.16079636C>G, g.16081420C>T), dry matter (g.16081420C>T), ash (g.16081420C>T), water (g.16081420C>T), and cohesiveness (g.16081420C>T, g.16079636C>G) were affected by polymorphisms in leptin gene. We conclude that polymorphism in the rabbit leptin gene influences important carcass and meat traits of NZW × BGG crossbreeds. Therefore, polymorphisms identified in this study may be used in selection as a meat trait markers.
Thyroid hormones are essential for metabolism, energy homeostasis and reproduction. Hormones can be measured in various biological source materials: blood, feces, urine, saliva and others. The aim of our study was to verify usefulness of thyroid hormone analysis in the urine and feces of the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domesticus), comparing them with the serum analyses. Samples were collected from 27 does in the age of 12–14 weeks. Total thyroxine (tT4), total triiodothyronine (tT3), free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) were tested using the radioimmunological method in serum, feces and urine. The highest concentration of tT4 was found in feces (104.72 ± 59.52 nmol/mg) and the lowest in urine (3.03 ± 3.11 nmol/mL). The highest tT3 concentration was found in blood serum (3.19 ± 0.64 nmol/L) and the lowest in urine (0.31 ± 0.43 nmol/L). The highest concentration of fT4 was observed in feces (43.71 ± 4.79 pmol/mg) and the lowest in blood serum (14.97 ± 3.42 pmol/L). The statistically highest concentration of fT3 (28.56 ± 20.79 pmol/L) was found in urine, whereas the lowest concentration of this hormone was found in feces (3.27 ± 1.33 pmol/mg). There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between serum and urine fT3 (r = 0.76) and a high positive correlation between serum and feces fT3 concentration (r = 0.62). Correlations between concentrations of other thyroid hormones between serum, urine and feces were found to be insignificant. The results suggest that fT3 can be accurately and reliably measured in the feces and urine of the domestic rabbit.
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of housing conditions and breed on the growth, slaughter traits and meat quality traits of Blanc de Termonde (n=34; 15♂, 19♀) and Popielno White (n=28; 15♂, 13♀) rabbits. Until weaning at 35 days of age the young rabbits were kept with their mothers in wooden hutches. After weaning they were divided into two groups. Rabbits from group I (n=42; 21♂ and 21♀) were kept two per cage in a battery system. Each cage was 40 cm wide, 90 cm long and 35 cm high. Animals from group II (n=20; 8♂ and 12♀) were kept in boxes with dimensions of 100 x 100 x 100 cm, on deep litter. Four or five rabbits were kept in each box, with males and females separated. The rabbits were feed pellets ad libitum. They were weighed weekly from birth to 12 weeks of age. Slaughter and dissection were performed at 12 weeks of age. At 45 min after slaughter the pH in the longissimus lumborum and biceps femoris muscles was measured, as well as the colour (L*, a*, b*). In the case of growth and slaughter traits, significant differences between housing systems were observed, but the housing systems was not found to significantly influence the dressing percentage or meat quality traits. Breed did not significantly influence body weight (except for litter weight at birth), slaughter traits, or meat quality traits.
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