Nest quality is important for the survival of new-born rabbits. Nesting material in rabbit farms generally consists of wood shavings, which is completely different from the dry grass used by the European wild rabbit (<em>Oryctolagus cuniculus</em>). The aim of the experiments was to examine which nest materials are preferred by rabbit does when building their nest. In experiment 1, the choice of multiparous rabbit does (n=37) among nest boxes bedded with different nesting materials was monitored. In each pen (1.0×1.83 m) 1 doe and 4 nest boxes (0.37×0.23×0.31 m) with different nest materials (meadow hay [H], wheat straw [S], fine fibre material [Lignocel<sup>®</sup>, L] or wood shavings [W]) were placed 3 days before the expected parturition (gestation length is about 31 d in the Pannon White breed). Some 48.6% of the does kindled in nest boxes that contained pure materials (L: 40.5%, S: 5.4%, H: 2.7%), and 51.3% of the does kindled in nest boxes where the nest materials of different nest boxes were mixed by the does (S with L: 21.5%, S with L and H: 5.4%, W with L: 8.1%, L with H and S: 5.4%). Does preferred kindling in the nest box bedded with L, and most of them refused the nest box with W. In experiment 2/a (n=32 does) and 2/b (n=25 does), each pen (1×0.91 m) was equipped with 3 and 2 hay racks and filled with H, S or L, and H or S, respectively. The experiments lasted from the 27<sup>th</sup> day of pregnancy until the day of parturition and 24-h video recordings (10 does/experiment) were evaluated throughout the experiment. The events of carrying the nest materials from the hay racks were registered. In experiment 2/a, the frequency of nest material carrying was highest on the day of parturition. The preferred nest material was L (compared to H and S) on each experimental day except day 30 of pregnancy. At the day of kindling, 87.5, 6.3 and 6.3% of the nests contained pure L, mixed L-H and L-S, respectively. In experiment 2/b, the frequency of nest material carrying (mostly S) was highest on the day of parturition, and on days 27 and 30 of pregnancy. More does built nests with only S (72%) than H (16%), and in 12% of the cases the S and H were mixed. For the purpose of nest building, material S was the most frequently used (72%) compared to other possibilities (H: 16%, S-H: 12%). It can be concluded that rabbit does showed the following clear preferences for specific nest building materials: L>S>H>W.
This experiment compared the productive performance and location of growing rabbits in pens without and with two-level platforms (wire-mesh or plastic-mesh). A total of 174 rabbits of both sexes weaned at 5 weeks of age were randomly divided into three groups (n ¼ 58 rabbits/group, 2 pens/treatment, 29 rabbits/pen). The floor area of pens was 1.0 Â 1.83 m, and the floor was made of wire-mesh. Two pens were equipped with wire-mesh (WP) and two pens with plasticmesh elevated platforms (PP) on two levels, and two pens were without platforms (NoP). Treatment had no effect on the productive performance of growing rabbits. Based on video recordings, animal density (rabbits/m 2 in each location) was higher (p < .001) on the floor than on the platforms (in WP: 12.0 vs. 5.2, in PP: 10.2 vs. 7.4 rabbits/m 2 , respectively). Animal density on the floor was higher (p < .001) in front of the platforms than under the platforms (in WP 15.7 vs. 9.8 rabbits/m 2 and in PP 13.3 vs. 8.3 rabbits/m 2 , respectively). The animal density on platforms was 1.4 times higher in group of PP than in WP (p < .001). The animal density was 1.6 and 2.9 times higher on the second floor than on the first one (p < .001), in group of PP and WP, respectively. The concentration of cortisol metabolites in faeces and the ratio of injured rabbits were similar in the three groups. The rabbits showed higher preference staying on the floor compared to the platform. Pens with platforms were not influencing productive performance.
The experiment was carried out with altogether 1740 non-beak-trimmed laying hens, which originated from Bábolna TETRA Ltd., representing two different types (Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Rhode Island White (RIW)) and four different lines (Lines 1–2: RIR, Lines 3–4: RIW). The plumage and body condition of randomly selected 120 hens (30 hens/line) was examined at 20, 46, and 62 weeks of age. The egg production and the mortality of the sampled hens were recorded daily. Based on the results, it was established that the lines differ clearly in most of the examined traits. It was also pointed out that injurious pecking of the hens resulted not only in damages in the plumage but also in the body condition. The results obviously demonstrated that the highest egg production and the lowest mortality rate were reached by those hens, which had the best plumage and body condition. Because the occurrence of injurious pecking seems to depend on the genetic background, selection of the hens (lines, families, individuals) for calm temperament will be very important in the future in order to maintain the high production level in non-beak-trimmed layer flocks.
The aim of the research was to examine how the nest selection preference of laying hens with different genotypes differed, the proportion of eggs laid in the litter, eggs laid in the upper and bottom nests, and the number and duration of nest visits. The experiment was conducted with laying hen genotypes provided by Bábolna TETRA Ltd. (Babolna, Hungary) (Commercial hybrid (C); pure-line maternal (Maternal); pure-line paternal offspring group (Paternal)). N = 318; n = 106 hen/genotype; and 53 hens/pen. We placed 53 19-week-old, non-beak-trimmed hens in each of the six 5.52 m2 alternative pens. We provided 14 nests for the hens at two levels per pen (3.8 hens/nest). We recorded the number of eggs laid in the nests on the bottom and upper levels, as well as within the litter. Infrared cameras were installed above the pens, and we conducted recordings on a test day at the beginning of the third production month. In our results, we found a significant difference in the proportion of litter eggs overall during the 12 months of production (C. hybrid: 30.7%; Paternal: 41.1%; Maternal: 10.2%). A significant difference was found between all genotypes in the proportions of eggs laid at the bottom (B) and upper (U) level during the 12 months of production (C. hybrid: B: 72.2%, U: 27.8%; Paternal: B: 88.0%, U: 12.0%; Maternal: B: 71.4%, U: 28.6%). The evaluation of the video recordings revealed that the C. hybrid and Paternal genotypes visited the bottom nests in 97.2% and 96.0% of the cases, respectively, and the Maternal genotype individuals in a significantly lower proportion, 72.5% of the cases; the Paternal genotype spent significantly more time (13.4 min) on average in the bottom nests compared with the C. hybrid (7.9 min) and the Maternal genotypes (8.6 min). Our conclusion is that it is not enough to ensure the desired ratio of egg nests in egg production, as laying hens may not use nests in certain positions at all. This generates a relative shortage of egg nests and can increase the ratio of eggs laid in the litter, which in turn involves human health risks.
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