Production and behaviour of growing rabbits depending on their group composition

The objective of this study was to analyze the possible effects of the group composition for the production and behaviour. Altogether 168 growing rabbits were evaluated between the ages of 5 and 11 weeks. Seven rabbits were placed to each pen (0.9 x 0.5m) where the rabbits placed to the same pen were full sibs (FS) of the same (females /F/, males /M/, or of mixed sexes /MS/). The group composition had no effect on the production (weight gain, body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality). No differences were found for the occurrence of the behavioural patterns. Lesions on the body caused by the aggressive behaviour was initially observed at the age of 7 weeks and it was more frequent for the F group between the ages of 7-9 weeks. On the contrary at the age of 11 weeks the occurrence of the lesion was 40.5% in the M group which was higher than that of the other groups (23.8%-28.6%). Based on the results it could be concluded that rearing the rabbits separately in the same sex was disadvantageous.