Browsing by Person "Toplak, Andrej"

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Ethologische und klinische Untersuchungen zur Käfig- und Bodenhaltung bei Mastkaninchen
(2010) Toplak, Andrej; Reiter, Klaus
The aim of this project was to evaluate the effect of different rearing systems on the basis of ethological and clinical parameters in young domestic rabbits kept for meat production. Newly developed pen housing was compared with the conventional cage-rearing. Four experiments were performed between June 2005 and July 2006 with total 1349 animals. ZIKA-hybrid rabbits were assigned into different rearing systems after weaning. The fattening period lasted eight weeks. In the cages the group size was four animals (8.3 animals/m2) and in pens 24 animals (7.8 animals/m2). In experiment A the conventional cage rearing was compared with the pen rearing on plastic perforated floor and with pen rearing with straw litter. The effect of the elevated ledges was analysed in experiment B. The influence of straw as enrichment was studied in experiment C. The possibility of separated fattening of male and female growing rabbits was tested in the experiment D. The housing had a significant effect on some important behavioural traits of the animals. The frequencies of locomotion in pens were compared with cages significantly higher. This could be due to the restricted possibility of movement in the conventional cages compared to the pens. The intensive locomotion was performed very seldom and less markedly in the cages, very likely due to the lack of space. As opposed to that, the intensive multiple hops could be observed very frequently in the pens. In the cages only modified single hops could be performed. The elevated slates had no significant effect on the frequency of locomotion. In the cages with elevated slates the frequencies of locomotion were still significantly lower compared to the pens. The results obtained by peripheral computed tomography confirmed the behavioural observations of locomotory frequences. The pQCT-parameters were higher in pen reared animals. The differences between the animals without the elevated ledges and the pen reared animals were especially significant. Particularly the strain-strength-index was bigger when it comes to the animals in the pens. The major differences were determined in the diaphysis of the analysed bones. The aggressive interactions occurred very rarely and were not intensive. The majority of aggressive interactions resulted only in minor bite wounds. By clinical examinations predominantly small scratches and small superficial bite wounds were found. No clear differences could be determined between different rearing systems. Animals can bear easily minor scratches and bite wounds without any long-term residual effects. Severe aggression and problematic wounds were observed very seldom. In experiment D the percentage of the animals with injuries was higher in pens than in cages. The percentage of the animals with lesions was especially high in the mixed groups with males and females in the experiment. In general more males than females had bite injuries. Bare cage environment may be averse to animals. The animals may be unable to adapt, and show abnormalities of behaviour. Abnormal behaviour was shown independently of the housing system. The rate of abnormal behaviour decreased in pens. However, it is also important to note that the pen-raising was not sufficient to completely prevent the development of abnormal behaviour. The frequency of the scratching and gnawing on the equipment could be significantly reduced with straw as enrichment. Only minor differences were found between the tested rearing systems regarding blood parameters. Although some of these differences were significant. Mortality did not differ between the treatments. Most of the mortality was caused by diarrhoea in the second and third week of the experiment. The daily weight gain was significantly different between the treatments in experiments A, B and C. The animals in pens with litter achieved the lowest daily weight gains. On the other hand, the daily weight gains of the animals in pens with perforated floor were comparable with the daily weight gains of the animals reared in cages. In experiment D no differences were found in this respect. In all four experiments no differences between the treatments were found in daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The rabbits showed only a weak interest for straw litter. This may be due to the attraction towards the cleanliness and dryness of the perforated plastic floor compared to the litter. The use of litter may also depend on the environmental temperature. Especially the pen housing on plastic perforated floor with straw in the wire container showed positive effects on the behaviour of the rabbits without reduction of performance. More studies are needed before any final conclusion about the appropriateness of the group housing in developed pens can be made. These results have to be proven in further field studies under commercial conditions.