Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T05:11:04.609Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of time-based feed restriction on morbidity, mortality, performance and meat quality of growing rabbits housed in collective systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2019

M. Birolo Open the ORCID record for M. Birolo [Opens in a new window] ,
A. Trocino Open the ORCID record for A. Trocino [Opens in a new window] ,
A. Zuffellato  and
G. Xiccato Open the ORCID record for G. Xiccato [Opens in a new window]
M. Birolo
Affiliation:
Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
A. Trocino*
Affiliation:
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
A. Zuffellato
Affiliation:
A.I.A. Agricola Italiana Alimentare S.p.A., Piazzale Apollinare Veronesi, I-37036 San Martino Buon Albergo, Verona, Italy
G. Xiccato
Affiliation:
Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, I-35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

In rabbit farms, quantitative feed restriction in the post-weaning period is widely used with the aim of reducing the impact of digestive diseases, whereas less information is available about feed restriction strategies based on the reduction of access time to feeders in different housing systems. This study compared morbidity, mortality, growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of 368 crossbred rabbits fed ad libitum (L) or subjected to a time-based feed restriction programme (R) and housed from 31 to 73 days of age in cages or pens with different dimensions and group sizes, that is, eight conventional cages (0.33 m2, six rabbits/cage), eight small open-top pens (0.50 m2, eight rabbits/pen), eight medium open-top pens (1.00 m2, 16 rabbits/pen) and four large open-top pens (2.00 m2, 32 rabbits/pen). Feed restriction was attained by progressively reducing the access time to feeders in the 1st week from 14 to 8 h/day, maintaining 8 h in the 2nd week and then by increasing access time by 1 h/day during the 3rd and 4th week up to 24 h/day. In the first 2 weeks, R rabbits showed a lower (P ≤ 0.001) daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion as compared with L rabbits. During the 3rd and 4th weeks, R rabbits exhibited a greater daily weight gain and better feed conversion (P ≤ 0.001). In the last 2 weeks of trial, daily weight gain tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in the R than L rabbits. In the whole trial, R rabbits manifested a lower daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion, as well as lower final live weight and the carcass dressing percentage at slaughter (0.05 ≤ P ≤ 0.01). During feed restriction, R rabbits did not show digestive problems, which, however, appeared in the following 2 weeks of refeeding. Thus, R rabbits had a higher health risk index in the whole trial as compared with L rabbits (P ≤ 0.05). The housing system did not affect growth performance, characteristics at slaughter, and carcass and meat quality. Mortality tended to increase with group size (P = 0.06). In conclusion, the time-based feed restriction significantly improved feed efficiency of growing rabbits housed collectively but had somewhat negative effects on characteristics at slaughter and on morbidity and mortality rate.

Keywords

cagepenfeeding systemmortality ratecarcass quality
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , March 2020 , pp. 626 - 635
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2019 

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

Alabiso, M, Di Grigoli, A, Mazza, F, Maniaci, G, Vitale, F and Bonanno, A 2016. A 3-week feed restriction after weaning as an alternative to a medicated diet: effects on growth, health, carcass and meat traits of rabbits of two genotypes. Animal 11, 1608–1616.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Association of Official Analytical Chemists 2000. Official methods of analysis, 17th edition. AOAC, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.Google Scholar
Birolo, M, Trocino, A, Tazzoli, M and Xiccato, G 2017. Effect of feed restriction and feeding plans on performance, slaughter traits and body composition of growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science 25, 113–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birolo, M, Trocino, A, Zuffellato, A and Xiccato, G 2016. Effect of feed restriction programs and slaughter age on digestive efficiency, growth performance and body composition of growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology 222, 194–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blasco, A and Ouhayoun, J 1996. Harmonization of criteria and terminology in rabbit meat research. Revised proposal. World Rabbit Science 4, 93–99.Google Scholar
Combes, S, Massip, K, Martin, O, Furbeyre, H, Cauquil, L, Pascal, G, Bouchez, O, Le Floc’h, N, Zemb, O, Oswald, IP and Gidenne, T 2017. Impact of feed restriction and housing hygiene conditions on specific and inflammatory immune response, the cecal bacterial community and the survival of young rabbits. Animal 11, 854–863.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dalle Zotte, A, Rémignon, H and Ouhayoun, J 2005. Effect of feed rationing during post-weaning growth on meat quality, muscle energy metabolism and fibre properties of Biceps femoris muscle in the rabbit. Meat Science 70, 301–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Blas, JC and Mateos, GG 2010. Feed formulation. In The nutrition of the rabbit, 2nd edition (ed. De Blas, C and Wiseman, J), pp. 222–232. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Commission 1998. Commission Directive 98/64/EC of 3 September 1998 establishing Community methods of analysis for the determination of amino acids, crude oils and fats, and olaquindox in feeding stuffs and amending Directive 71/393/EEC. Off. J. Eur. Union 19.9.1998, L257/14. Retrieved on 28 December 2018 from http://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/856db9b7-6f1d-4d6e-a778-c766c9fa1776/language-enGoogle Scholar
European Food and Safety Authority 2005. Scientific Report: The impact of the current housing and husbandry systems on the health and welfare of farmed domestic rabbit. EFSA-Q-2004-023. pp. 1–137. Annex to EFSA Journal 267, 1–31.Google Scholar
Foubert, C, Boisot, P, Duperray, J and Guyonvarch, A 2007. Intérêt d’un accès limité à la mangeoire de 6h, 8h et 10h par jour pour engendrer un rationnement alimentaire chez le lapin en engraissement. In Proceedings of the 12èmes Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, 27–28 November 2007, Le Mans, France, pp. 123–126. Retrieved on 28 December 2018 from http://www.journees-de-la-recherche-avicole.org/JRC/Contenu/Archives/12_JRC/4-Session%20ASFC/2-ASFC.pdfGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T, Combes, S, Feugier, A, Jehl, N, Arveux, P, Boisot, P, Briens, C, Corrent, E, Fortune, H, Montessuy, S and Verdelhan, S 2009. Feed restriction strategy in the growing rabbit. 2. Impact on digestive health, growth and carcass characteristics. Animal 3, 509–515.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gidenne, T, Combes, S and Fortun-Lamothe, L 2012. Feed intake limitation strategies for the growing rabbit: effect on feeding behaviour, welfare, performance, digestive physiology and health: a review. Animal 6, 1407–1419.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gidenne, T, Garreau, H, Drouilhet, L, Aubert, C and Maertens, L 2017. Improving feed efficiency in rabbit production, a review on nutritional, technico-economical, genetic and environmental aspects. Animal Feed Science and Technology 225, 109–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T, Lebas, F and Fortun-Lamothe, L 2010. Feeding behaviour of rabbits. In The nutrition of the rabbit, 2nd edition (ed. De Blas, C and Wiseman, J), pp. 233–252. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamilton, HH and Lukefhar, S 1993. Influence of pen rearing system and stocking density on post-weaning performance of two breed types of rabbits. Animal Science 56, 129–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knudsen, C, Combes, S, Briens, C, Coutelet, G, Duperray, J, Rebours, G, Salaun, JM, Travel, A, Weissman, D and Gidenne, T 2014. Increasing the digestible energy intake under a restriction strategy improves the feed conversion ratio of the growing rabbit without negatively impacting the health status. Livestock Science 169, 96–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knudsen, C, Combes, S, Briens, C, Coutelet, G, Duperray, J, Rebours, G, Salaun, JM, Travel, A, Weissman, D and Gidenne, T 2017. Substituting starch with digestible fiber does not impact on health status or growth in restricted fed rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology 226, 152–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maertens, L, Perez, JM, Villamide, M, Cervera, C, Gidenne, T and Xiccato, G 2002. Nutritive value of raw materials for rabbits: EGRAN tables 2002. World Rabbit Science 10, 157–166.Google Scholar
Maertens, L and Van Oeckel, MJ 2001. Effet du logement en cage ou parc et de son enrichissement sur les performance et la couleur de la viande des lapins. In Proceedings of the 9èmes Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, 28–29 November 2001, Paris, France, pp. 31–34.Google Scholar
Mertens, DR 2002. Gravimetric determination of amylase-treated neutral detergent fiber in feeds with refluxing in beakers or crucibles: collaborative study. Journal of AOAC International 85, 1217–1240.Google ScholarPubMed
Princz, Z, Dalle Zotte, A, Metzger, Sz, Radnai, I, Biró-Németh, E, Orova, ZSzendrő, Zs and 2009. Response of fattening rabbits reared under different housing conditions. 1. Live performance and health status. Livestock Science 121, 86–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romero, C, Cuesta, S, Astillero, JR, Nicodemus, N and De Blas, JC 2010. Effect of early feed restriction on performance and health status in growing rabbits slaughtered at 2 kg live-weight. World Rabbit Science 18, 211–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rommers, J and Meijerhof, R 1998. Effect of group size on performance, bone strength and skin lesions of meat rabbits housed under commercial conditions. World Rabbit Science 6, 299–302.Google Scholar
Sahraei, M 2012. Feed restriction in broiler chickens production: a review. Global Veterinaria 8, 449–458.Google Scholar
Salaun, JM, Renouf, B, Bourdillon, A, Picot, A and Perdriau, A 2011. Comparaison d’un accès nocturne à la mangeoire à un rationnement progressif et à une alimentation ad libitum sur les composantes du rendement carcasse des lapins en engraissement. In Proceedings of the 14èmes Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, 22–23 November 2011, Le Mans, France, ITAVI, pp. 101–104. Retrieved on 28 December 2018 from http://www.cuniculture.info/Docs/Magazine/Magazine2012/Fichiers-pdf-JRC/101-Salaun.pdfGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis System Institute 2013. SAS/STAT(R) 9.2 user’s guide, 2nd edition. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. Retrieved on 28 December 2018 from http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/statug/63033/HTML/default/viewer.htm#glm_toc.htmGoogle Scholar
Szendrő, K, Szendrő, Zs, Matics, Zs, Dalle Zotte, A, Odermatt, M, Radnai, I and Gerencsér, Zs and 2015. Effect of genotype, housing system and hay supplementation on performance and ear lesions of growing rabbits. Livestock Science 174, 105–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szendrő, Zs and Dalle Zotte, A 2011. Effect of housing conditions on production and behaviour of growing meat rabbits. A review. Livestock Science 137, 296–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szendrő, Zs, Princz, Z, Romvári, R, Locsmándi, L, Szabó, A, Bázár Gy, Radnai I, Biró-Németh, E, Zs, Matics and Nagy, I 2009. Effect of group size and stocking density on productive, carcass, meat quality and aggression traits of growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science 17, 153–162.Google Scholar
Trocino, A, Filiou, E, Tazzoli, M, Birolo, M, Zuffellato, A and Xiccato, G 2015. Effects of floor type, stocking density, slaughter age, and gender on productive and qualitative traits of rabbits reared in collective pens. Animal 9, 855–861.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB and Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xiccato, G 1999. Feeding and meat quality in rabbits: a review. World Rabbit Science 7, 75–86.Google Scholar
Xiccato, G, Trocino, A, Majolini, D, Tazzoli, M and Zuffellato, A 2013. Housing of growing rabbits in individual, bicellular and collective cages: growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality. Animal 7, 627–632.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed