Timing of part-time group housing for farm rabbits: Effects on reproductive performance, skin injuries and behaviour

Damme, Liesbeth G. W. Van; Delezie, Evelyne; Ampe, Bart; Tuyttens, Frank

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105656

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…In addition, during lactation, kits were the subject of aggressive attacks from other does. These attacks can be then the cause of death as assumed in [ 32 ], who observed a significant effect of grouping rabbit does at different times post-partum. In our study, the MC genotype housed in DIG systems seemed to be more compatible than Hyplus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Effects of Genotype and Housing System on Rabbit Does’ Aggressive Behaviors and Injuries in Smallholding Conditions

Krunt

Zita

Kraus

et al. 2023

Animals

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The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of housing (deep litter + concrete floor vs. deep litter + ground soil with the possibility to dig burrows), and genotype (Mecklenburg or Hyplus) on aggressive behaviour, social contacts, does’ and kits’ injuries, and progeny mortality. Twelve groups of six rabbit does (n = 72) were assigned to four treatments (two housing systems and two genotypes). Aggressive behaviour of does, number of injuries on does and kits, and postnatal kit mortality were recorded. The effects of housing and genotype were tested using multivariate GLMM Models. We found that the housing treatment in interaction with the genotype had a significant effect on aggressive behaviours in group housed does (F3,12 = 14.34, p = 0.0003), where the lowest incidence of aggression was in Mecklenburg does housed on ground soil. Reduced aggression was reflected in a lower number of injuries in does (F3,68 = 10.51, p < 0.0001), number of injuries in kits, and kit mortality (F3,1 = 4.59, p < 0.0001, F3,54 = 43.94, p < 0.0001). The results indicate that the proper combination of genotype and housing should be carefully considered for breeding to reduce aggression and injury in group housed does.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Effects of Genotype and Housing System on Rabbit Does’ Aggressive Behaviors and Injuries in Smallholding Conditions

Krunt

Zita

Kraus

et al. 2023

Animals

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“…studies. When multiparous does were housed in groups of four on either day 22, 25 or 28 until day 35 pp in the study by Van Damme et al (2022), one doe and 0.5% of all kits were culled due to severe injuries. Huang et al (2021) grouped four does without kits for an intended period of 15 d. The trial, however, was stopped after the tenth day in group due to ongoing aggression.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Flemish government therefore commissioned a research project to provide practical recommendations regarding group housing of breeding does during at least some part of their reproductive cycle. Part of this project included research on the effect of the timing of grouping on reproduction and welfare (Van Damme et al, 2022). Data from that study on the number and severity of skin injuries indicated that grouping of does with their kits seemed more desirable at 22 in comparison to 25 and 28 d post-partum (pp).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of group size and escape enrichment on reproductive performance of breeding does in part-time group housing

Damme¹,

Delezie²,

Maertens³

et al. 2023

World Rabbit Sci.

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Societal demands for group housing of social farm animals such as rabbits are increasing due to animal welfare concerns. When breeding does are housed in groups, maternal protective behaviour negatively affects the reproductive performance of the does. In part-time group housing, does are housed in single-litter cages starting shortly before parturition until the first part of lactation and then group housed for the second part after their protective behaviour has diminished and the kits are more resilient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of breeding does in a part-time group housing system with provision of escape enrichment and different group size (and concomitant different stocking density, as pen size remained unchanged). For each of the four consecutive reproductive cycles, 42 does with their kits switched at 22 d post-partum (pp) from single-litter to group housing for a total period of 13 d in pens of 200×102 cm by removing walls between four adjacent single-litter cages. Newly created group pens (N =12 pens per treatment) varied in group size, stocking density and enrichment: groups of either three or four does were divided over same-size pens with or without escape enrichment (2×2 factorial design). The escape enrichment was comprised of two sets of PVC pipes and two extra elevated platforms. Does were weighed and kits counted at parturition, after which kits were cross-fostered. Kits were counted and weighed again 22 and 35 d pp. Results for mean doe fertility (90.0%), number of kits (9.1 kits/litter) and kit weight (1037.3 g/kit) at weaning were comparable with professional farms using single-litter cages. No significant effects of group size and escape enrichment were found for any of the reproductive parameters. While housed in group, seven does were removed from the experiment, from which four does were severely injured. Post-grouping kit mortality was rather low (6.7%), but three kits were euthanised due to severe injuries. In conclusion, provision of escape enrichment and altered group size (and stocking density) had no profound effect on the reproductive performance of part-time group housed does.

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“…Sexspecific differences in mortality rates have been observed across other ex situ populations, for example, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in American ex situ populations showed higher adult male than female mortality, whereas there was no difference in male and female mortality in Japanese ex situ populations (Che-Castaldo et al, 2021b). Higher adult female than male mortality in the sihek ex situ population may indicate that females experience poorer welfare than males, as mortality is assumed to be preceded by negative affective states (Walker et al, 2012). Understanding causes of high female mortality should therefore be a priority to achieve welfare objectives.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, mortalities due to trauma can be associated with welfare domain ‘3: Health’, because injury is associated with pain and distress (Butterworth & Weeks, 2010; Mellor et al ., 2020) and may be associated with welfare domain ‘4: Behaviour’, if injury resulted from negative social interactions (e.g. Foister et al ., 2018; Van Damme et al ., 2022). Quantifying mortality rates and determining causes of mortality in ex situ populations can therefore be a useful tool for evaluating broad‐scale quality of life of ex situ animals, and for identifying management areas where there may be scope to improve welfare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Balancing conservation and welfare in ex situ management of the extinct‐in‐the‐wild sihek: sex‐ and age‐specific causes of mortality and contributions to population growth rate

Trask,

Carraro,

Kock

et al. 2023

Animal Conservation

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Ex situ threatened species management has both conservation and welfare objectives and these objectives often align, but can diverge. Areas of agreement can present win‐wins for achieving welfare and conservation objectives, while identifying areas of divergence is important to ensure management strategies achieve balance across objectives. We examined welfare and conservation objectives in the ex situ population of Extinct in the Wild sihek (Guam kingfisher, Todiramphus cinnamominus) by quantifying mortality rates, determining sex‐ and age‐specific causes of mortality and identifying associated welfare domains, as well as quantifying sex‐ and age‐specific differences in reproductive value and contributions to variation in population growth rate (λ). Females had significantly higher mortality rates than males, potentially impacting population viability and suggesting females may be more vulnerable to experiencing lower welfare than males. Mitigating causes of female mortality would therefore present a clear win‐win for both welfare and conservation objectives. Both causes of mortality and contributions to variation in λ were found to differ across sex‐ and age‐classes. In particular, nutritional and metabolic diseases tended to impact younger age‐classes and these age‐classes had large contributions to variation in λ. Mitigation of these diseases could therefore also present a win‐win for welfare and conservation objectives. However, we also identified a potential divergence between objectives: a major cause of female mortality was reproductive disease with older aged females primarily affected, but older aged females contributed little to variation in λ and had low reproductive value. Developing mitigation strategies for reproductive disease could therefore aid welfare objectives but have little benefit for conservation objectives, suggesting careful balancing across objectives is required. Our results highlight the need to explicitly consider conservation and welfare objectives in threatened species management, in particular in the context of an increasing conservation need for ex situ population management, coupled with increasing social concern for animal welfare.

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Timing of part-time group housing for farm rabbits: Effects on reproductive performance, skin injuries and behaviour

Cited by 7 publications

References 24 publications

Effects of Genotype and Housing System on Rabbit Does’ Aggressive Behaviors and Injuries in Smallholding Conditions

Effects of Genotype and Housing System on Rabbit Does’ Aggressive Behaviors and Injuries in Smallholding Conditions

Effect of group size and escape enrichment on reproductive performance of breeding does in part-time group housing

Balancing conservation and welfare in ex situ management of the extinct‐in‐the‐wild sihek: sex‐ and age‐specific causes of mortality and contributions to population growth rate

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