The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the lactation system and the floor type on the aggressive behaviour of rabbit does reared in a part-time group housing system. Thirty-two crossbred pregnant rabbit does were housed in groups of four from 8 d until 2 d before kindling and from 2 d until 33 d after kindling in collective pens (n=8). Half of the pens had wire net floor covered with mats (W), and half plastic slatted floor (P). During the controlled lactation (from 2 d to 18 d after kindling), in half pens (2 W and 2 P) each doe always nursed its own litter (fixed lactation; F), whereas in the remaining half (2 W and 2 P) each doe nursed whatever litter of the group (random lactation; R). The number and duration of the aggressive interactions in each pen were video-recorded for 30-min intervals every hour for 24 hours at three days, i.e. 8 d before kindling, and 2 d and 18 d after kindling. Data were analysed using hour, day, lactation system and floor type as fixed effects and pen as random effect (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS). Does showed higher durations of aggressive interactions (16.6±1.6 vs 12.4±1.2 sec/pen/interval) and mount attempts (14.1±2.4 vs 7.4±1.3 sec/pen/interval) in F than R pens (P<0.05). They exhibited more (0.47±3.6 vs 0.32±2.4 events/pen/interval) and longer (17.1±1.6 vs 11.9±1.2 sec/pen/interval) aggressive interactions in W than P pens besides more chasing (0.08±3.2 vs 0.04±1.7 events/pen/interval) and mount attempts duration (14.1±2.4 vs 7.4±1.3 sec/pen/interval) (P<0.05). In conclusion, lactation system and pen floor influenced aggressiveness. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the reasons and the mechanisms for the different aggressiveness observed with the two lactation systems, and to confirm differences between does kept on wire net compared to does on plastic floor.
Effect of lactation system and floor type on aggressive behaviour of rabbit does housed in groups
Zomeño, C.;Birolo, M.;Gratta, F.;Xiccato, G.;Trocino, A.
2017
Abstract
The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the lactation system and the floor type on the aggressive behaviour of rabbit does reared in a part-time group housing system. Thirty-two crossbred pregnant rabbit does were housed in groups of four from 8 d until 2 d before kindling and from 2 d until 33 d after kindling in collective pens (n=8). Half of the pens had wire net floor covered with mats (W), and half plastic slatted floor (P). During the controlled lactation (from 2 d to 18 d after kindling), in half pens (2 W and 2 P) each doe always nursed its own litter (fixed lactation; F), whereas in the remaining half (2 W and 2 P) each doe nursed whatever litter of the group (random lactation; R). The number and duration of the aggressive interactions in each pen were video-recorded for 30-min intervals every hour for 24 hours at three days, i.e. 8 d before kindling, and 2 d and 18 d after kindling. Data were analysed using hour, day, lactation system and floor type as fixed effects and pen as random effect (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS). Does showed higher durations of aggressive interactions (16.6±1.6 vs 12.4±1.2 sec/pen/interval) and mount attempts (14.1±2.4 vs 7.4±1.3 sec/pen/interval) in F than R pens (P<0.05). They exhibited more (0.47±3.6 vs 0.32±2.4 events/pen/interval) and longer (17.1±1.6 vs 11.9±1.2 sec/pen/interval) aggressive interactions in W than P pens besides more chasing (0.08±3.2 vs 0.04±1.7 events/pen/interval) and mount attempts duration (14.1±2.4 vs 7.4±1.3 sec/pen/interval) (P<0.05). In conclusion, lactation system and pen floor influenced aggressiveness. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the reasons and the mechanisms for the different aggressiveness observed with the two lactation systems, and to confirm differences between does kept on wire net compared to does on plastic floor.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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