1,721,207 research outputs found
Main facts in rabbit nutrition and feeding: past and recent perspectives
No full textAvailable knowledge in rabbit nutrition and feeding guarantees the optimization of productive and reproductive performance of the genetic types used in rabbit commercial farms because nutritional requirements have been largely investigated and are known. Nevertheless, performance alone are not sufficient to maximize global farm feed efficiency, which can be achieved only when animals are in health, i.e. in absence or with minimum losses due to morbidity and mortality. Thus, research has assessed for a long time the effect of the changes in the levels of main dietary constituents (firstly fibre, starch and protein) on performance and health. Now, attention is more and more towards the effects of the different fractions in main nutrients, in particular soluble and insoluble fibre. Relationships and possible synergistic effects among different nutrients and feeding techniques (e.g. feed restriction) are evaluated with a multisciplinary approach, which addresses effects on immune response and gut microbiota as key factors in regulating rabbit health. Current feeding techniques also pay attention to the effects of the dietary changes on environment, in terms of nitrogen excretion
Sistemas de alojamiento: pasado, presente y futuro. Buletin de Cunicultura (ASESCU)
No full textLa producción de conejo de carne en Europa se basa fundamentalmente en sistemas intensivos que hasta hace pocos años consideraban exclusivamente el alojamiento en jaulas con dos animales (Italia y Hungría) o con grupos pequeños de 4 a 6 animales (Francia y España) y densidades entre los 16 y 20 animales/m2 durante la fase de cebo, y en jaulas individuales y/o polivalentes en el caso de los reproductores. De acuerdo con la EFSA (2005), estas condiciones de alojamiento no son adecuadas para garantizar el bienestar del conejo en sistemas de producción intensivos. El Parlamento Europeo ha aprobado una resolución, que promueve la eliminación de las jaulas tradicionales en Europa y la adopción de sistemas de alojamiento alternativos. En la práctica de campo se ha observado que la gestión del ambiente y del microclima juega un papel esencial para el éxito del alojamiento en grupo. La EFSA (2005) estableció que una densidad máxima de 16 conejos/m2 y una carga al sacrificio no superior a los 40 kg de peso vivo/m2 podían ser consideradas como valores de referencia para garantizar el bienestar de los animales y mantener los resultados adecuados en términos de prestaciones productivas. En el sector de la reproducción, el cambio desde el alojamiento individual de las conejas (con sus respectivas camadas) hacia el alojamiento en grupo durante el ciclo reproductivo parece más problemático y riesgoso. Los factores a tener en cuenta para reducir las agresiones y sus consecuencias negativas sobre el nivel de estrés y prestaciones productivas en el alojamiento en grupo de conejas reproductoras son numerosos. Los resultados disponibles hasta este momento son todavía parciales y deben ser considerados más ciclos reproductivos y un mayor número de animales para que los sistemas colectivos sean robustos y transferibles al campo
Alojamiento de conejos sin jaulas: luces y sombras
No full textThe Resolution of the European Parliament related to the End-the-Cage-Age initiative of the European Citizens has started a revision process of existing legislation about animal welfare of farmed species in Europe, which will also reasonably impact rabbit production. Indeed, cage-free group housing systems have been under study since 1994 in growing rabbits and since 2006 in reproducing does, when first papers appeared in a scientific journal (Scopus database). Now, a roadmap towards a transition is under definition in Europe, with consumers on one side asking for more animal welfare - because of different motivations - and farmers looking for economically viable strategies and internal motivations for performing the changes – for a satisfying socio-economic survival of their production. While external forces driving the change will likely result in the loss of rabbit production, researchers are working to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of cage-free systems, looking for technical solutions that can overcome the main challenges for farm production and animal health on one side and looking for more knowledge about the rabbit behavioural and welfare requirements under farming conditions on the other side
Time-based feed restriction and group size in growing rabbits: effects on health status and growth performance
Get PDFA perspective about the changes of the housing systems for rabbits in conventional farms
No full textPublic opinion and European Parliament are asking for cage-free production systems in all farmed species to improve animal welfare. Specifically, in rabbits, housing systems are moving from conventional cages to collective pens (usually equipped with structural enrichments such as platforms), also called parks. These housing systems have been developed during the last 8-10 years, but they are not yet widespread, nor fully validated under commercial conditions because technical standards are still missing. In fact, collective pens can provide rabbits with more opportunities to satisfy their ethological needs, in particular social contacts, and increased total available space for movement. On the other hand, collective housing of growing rabbits is associated with higher aggression, which requires a more careful management compared to conventional systems and special attention to several
ontogenetic and production factors, e.g. slaughter age and weight, genetics, environmental and structural enrichment, group composition. In the case of reproducing does, continuous collective systems have been proven to greatly reduce performance and welfare of animals because of the high aggression level and unacceptable occurrence of injuries to does and litters. Part-time systems are at a developmental stage and cannot be recommended under commercial conditions yet
Effect of enrichment with hemp seeds on the behaviour of laying hens in a cage-free system
No full textThe present study evaluated the effect of hempseed supplementation over the diet as an envi-ronmental enrichment on behaviour of laying hens. A 4-weeks trial run with 1800 Hy-line Brown laying hens, from 37 to 40 weeks of age, randomly allocated in 8 pens of an experimental aviary. Whole hempseeds were distributed (10% of the daily feed intake) in additional manual feeders in two pens or directly on the litter in other two pens, once a day at the same hour (10:00 a.m.), whereas no enrichment was provided in the other 4 pens. Hen behaviour was assessed through the analysis of 4 days of video recordings (one day per week) by scanning 10 sec every 30 min for every hour to score the number of hens on the floor, pecking the feeder, pecking the litter, moving, preening, dust-bathing, aggression, piling, inactive. Data were submitted to ANOVA with hemp seeds enrichment and hour of observation as main effects and the pen as a random effect, using the PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. The enrichment with hemp seeds in the feeder was obviously associated to a rate of animals pecking the feeder (7.37% of observed hens), which corresponded to a decreased preening in the same pens compared to those that received hemp seeds on the litter or did not receive any enrichment (11.5% vs. 15.3% and 19.7% of observed hens, respectively; P<0.001). In the same pens receiving hemp seed in the feeders, a higher rate of piling hens was observed compared to the group with hemp seed distributed on the litter and that without enrichment) (5.58% vs. 4.37% and 2.42% observed hens; P=0.01). Other behaviours were not modified by the environmental enrichment. As for changes according to the hour of observation, the highest number of hens on the ground was observed around 9:00 a.m. (43.8% of observed hens), when people entered the farm for daily recordings, ranging from 24.3% to 41.7% at the other observation hours. The rate of hens pecking the ground increased after switching on the lights and remained high until 8:00 a.m. when it started to decrease; then, it increased again from 11:00 a.m. until the end of daylight, which was negatively associated to the rate of inactive animals. Dust bathing showed a peak between 11 a.m. and 12:00 a.m., whereas preening was especially observed at the same hours besides 2 hours after switching on the light. In conclusion, the enrichment with hemp seeds did not substantially change the behaviours of animal, except for the opportunities of feeding alternative to the commercial diets. It should be further proved that the higher rate of piling hens in pens receiving hemp seeds, especially at the time of the entrance of people in the farm, could be considered an anticipatory behaviour eventually associated to a positive effect of the enrichment on hen affective status
Effect of feeding programme on growth and body balance of meat rabbits
No full textTwo feeding systems (L, ad libitum vs. R, feed restriction) were combined with three feeding plans (HH, MM, MH) to evaluate the effects on performance, slaughter results and nitrogen balance of 300 commercial crossbred rabbits kept individually from weaning to slaughter (34-70 d of age). Feed restriction ranged from 80% to 100% of ad libitum intake from the beginning of the trial until the end of the 3rd week. The three feeding plans were: 1) HH, H diet with high digestible energy content, 11.1 MJ DE/kg, during the whole trial; 2) MM, M diet with moderate DE, 10.6 MJ/kg, during the whole trial; 3) MH, M diet during the first three weeks and H diet during the last two weeks. Feed restriction did not affect health status, nutrient digestibility, growth rate and slaughter results, but improved feed conversion (2.96 vs. 2.89 in L and R rabbits, respectively; P<0.01) and reduced N excretion (2.15 vs. 2.07 g excreted N/d, in L and R rabbits; P<0.05). At the end of the first period (55 d), R rabbits showed lower empty body protein, lipid, and gross energy gains than L rabbits, but differences disappeared within the end of the trial. The high- energy feeding plan (HH) improved feed conversion (2.89 vs. 2.93 and 2.97 for HH, MH and MM, respectively; P<0.05), but increased excreted N (2.17 and 2.12 vs. 2.03 g/d; P<0.001) because of the higher DP/DE ratio of H diet. In conclusion, a moderate feed restriction during post weaning improved feed conversion and reduced N excretion without negative effects on growth or slaughter results. Besides, N excretion was confirmed to depend largely on dietary nitrogen content
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