Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T05:14:32.669Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Use of different areas of pen by growing rabbits depending on the elevated platforms’ floor-type

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2011

Zs. Szendrő ,
Zs. Matics ,
M. Odermatt ,
Zs. Gerencsér ,
I. Nagy ,
K. Szendrő  and
A. Dalle Zotte
Zs. Szendrő*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár University, PO Box 16, 7401 Kaposvár, Hungary
Zs. Matics
Affiliation:
HAS-ORG Research Group of Animal Breeding and Hygiene, Kaposvár University, 7401 Kaposvár, PO Box 16, Hungary
M. Odermatt
Affiliation:
Olivia Ltd, Mizse 94, 6050 Lajosmizse, Hungary
Zs. Gerencsér
Affiliation:
Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár University, PO Box 16, 7401 Kaposvár, Hungary
I. Nagy
Affiliation:
Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár University, PO Box 16, 7401 Kaposvár, Hungary
K. Szendrő
Affiliation:
Faculty of Animal Science, Kaposvár University, PO Box 16, 7401 Kaposvár, Hungary
A. Dalle Zotte
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
*
†E-mail: Szendro.Zsolt@ke.hu
Get access

Abstract

The addition of platforms to rabbit cages increases their accessible area and provides rabbits greater freedom and mobility. Different types of platforms enable rabbits to situate themselves where they are most comfortable. The objective of this experiment was to analyse preference of growing rabbits between different areas of the pen depending on the elevated platforms’ floor-type. Pens with a basic area of 0.84 m2 were equipped with platforms of 0.42 m2. Three types of flooring of the elevated platforms were used as treatments: deep-litter floor and an open wire-net floor (Experiment 1), and a deep-litter floor and a wire-net floor with a manure tray beneath it (Experiment 2). Growing rabbits (n = 168; 42 per treatment) between the ages of 5 and 11 weeks were studied, based on 24 h video recordings from infra-red cameras (one recording per week) applying scan sampling method with a frequency of 30 min. When the platform was deep-litter, significantly (P < 0.001) more rabbits used the area under the platform (53.7% and 54.3% in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively) than stayed on the platform (16.7% and 7.6%). In treatments of wire-net platform with and without tray beneath the platform also significantly (P < 0.001) more rabbits stayed under the platform (43.7% and 34.7%, respectively) than on the platform (19.5% and 29.9%, respectively). The differences from the expected 33.3% staying on the platform or under the platform were significant at least at the level of P < 0.05. The results show that the wire-net platform with the manure tray provides the optimal environment as it leads to the rabbits spreading themselves more evenly in the pen (i.e. the platform expands available floor area) without the risk of soiling from above, and without adverse effects on heat dissipation, and with the possibility of seeking cover when desired.

Keywords

growing rabbitselevated platformwire-netdeep-litter
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , April 2012 , pp. 650 - 655
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beja, P, Pais, M, Palmo, L 2007. Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus habitats in Mediterranean scrubland: the role of scrub structure and composition. Wildlife Biology 13, 28–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bessei, W, Tinz, J, Reiter, K 2001. Die Präferenz von Mastkaninchen für Kunststoffgitter und Tiefstreu bei unterschiedlichen Temperaturen. 12th Symposium Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Furbearing Animals and Pet Animals, Celle, pp. 133–140.Google Scholar
Dal Bosco, A, Castellini, C, Bernardini, M 2000. Productive performance and carcass and meat characteristics of cage- or pen-raised rabbits. World Rabbit Science 8 (suppl. 1), 579–583.Google Scholar
Dal Bosco, A, Castellini, C, Mugnai, D 2002. Rearing rabbits on a wire net floor or straw litter: behaviour, growth and meat quality traits. Livestock Production Science 75, 149–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Food Safety Authority ( EFSA ) 2005. The impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbits. The EFSA Journal 267, 1–137.Google Scholar
Hoy, St, Verga, M 2006. Welfare indicators. In Recent advances in rabbit science (ed. L Maertens and P Coudert), pp. 71–74. ILVO, Melle, Belgium.Google Scholar
Jekkel, G, Milisits, G 2009. Comparison of the behaviour of growing rabbits reared on wire net or combined floor at different stocking density. Italian Journal Animal Science 8 (suppl. 3), 202–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jekkel, G, Milisits, G, Biró-Németh, E, Radnai, I, Matics, Zs, Princz, Z, Gerencsér, Zs 2008. Comparison on the slaughter characteristics of growing rabbits reared on wire net or combined (wire net/straw) floor. 9th World Rabbit Congress, Verona, Italy, pp. 1365–1369.Google Scholar
Kustos, K, Tóbiás, G, Kovács, D, Eiben, Cs, Szendrő, Zs 2003. Effect of stocking density, the material of bottom and feeding on performance of growing rabbits. 15th Hungarian Conference on Rabbit Production, Kaposvár, Hungary, pp. 123–128.Google Scholar
Lambertini, L, Vignola, G, Zagnini, G 2001. Alternative pen housing system for fattening rabbits: effect of density and litter. World Rabbit Science 9, 141–147.Google Scholar
Lombardini, L, Fernández, N, Moreno, S 2007. Habitat use and spatial behaviour in the European rabbit in three Mediterranean environments. Basic and Applied Ecology 8, 453–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lombardini, L, Fernández, N, Moreno, S, Villafuerte, R 2003. Habitat-related differences in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) abundance, distribution and activity. Journal of Mammalogy 84, 26–36.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matics, Zs, Szendrő, Zs, Radnai, I, Biró-Németh, E, Gyovai, M 2003. Examination of free choice of rabbits among different cage-floors. Agricultureae Conspectus Scientificus 68, 265–268.Google Scholar
Metzger, Sz, Kustos, K, Szendrő, Zs, Szabó, A, Eiben, Cs, Nagy, I 2003. The effect of housing system on carcass traits and meat quality of rabbit. World Rabbit Science 11, 1–11.Google Scholar
Morisse, JP, Boilletot, E, Martrenchar, A 1999. Preference testing in intensively kept meat production rabbits for straw on wire grid floor. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 64, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morton, DB, Jennings, M, Batchelor, GB, Bell, D, Birke, L, Davis, K, Eveleigh, JR, Gunn, D, Heath, M, Howard, B, Koder, P, Phillips, J, Poole, T, Sainsburg, AW, Sales, GD, Smidt, DJA, Stauffacher, M, Turner, RJ 1993. Refinements in rabbit husbandry. Laboratory Animals 27, 301–329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Orova, Z, Szendrő, Zs, Matics, Zs, Radnai, I, Biró-Németh, E 2004. Free choice of growing rabbits between deep litter and wire net floor in pens. 8th World Rabbit Congress, Puebla City, Mexico, pp. 1263–1265.Google Scholar
Palomeras, F 2003. Warren building by European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in relation to cover availability in a sandy area. Journal of Zoology 259, 63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Princz, Z, Dalle Zotte, A, Radnai, I, Biró-Németh, E, Matics, Zs, Gerencsér, Zs, Nagy, I, Szendrő, Zs 2008a. Behaviour of growing rabbits under various housing conditions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 111, 342–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Princz, Z, Radnai, I, Biró-Németh, E, Matics, Zs, Gerencsér, Zs, Nagy, I, Szendrő, Zs 2008b. Effect of cage height on the welfare of growing rabbits. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 114, 284–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Princz, Z, Nagy, I, Radnai, I, Gerencsér, Zs, Szendrő, Zs 2008c. Effect of the floor type and stocking density on the productive performance of growing rabbits. 9th World Rabbit Congress, Verona, Italy, pp. 1225–1228.Google Scholar
Szendrő, Zs, Luzi, F 2006. Group size and stocking density. In Recent advances in rabbit science (ed. L Maertens and P Coudert), pp. 121–126. ILVO, Melle, Belgium.Google Scholar
Szendrő, Zs, Matics, Zs, Nagy, I, Odermatt, M, Gerencsér, Zs, Szendrő, É, Radnai, I, Dalle Zotte, A 2009. Examination of growing rabbits housed in pens without or with platform. 16th International Symposium Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Furbearing Animals and Pet Animals, Celle, Germany, pp. 3–12.Google Scholar
Trocino, A, Xiccato, G, Majolini, D, Fragkiadakis, M 2008. Effect of cage floor and stocking density on growth performance and welfare of group-housed rabbits. 9th World Rabbit Congress, Verona, Italy, pp. 1251–1255.Google Scholar
Verga, M, Luzi, F, Szendrő, Zs 2006. Behaviour of growing rabbits. In Recent advances in rabbit science (ed. L Maertens and P Coudert), pp. 91–97. ILVO, Melle, Belgium.Google Scholar
Virgós, E, Cabezas-Dyaz, S, Malo, A, Lozano, J, López-Huertas, D 2003. Factors shaping European rabbit abundance in continuous and fragmented population of central Spain. Acta Theriologica 48, 113–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar