A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Advances in part-time group housing systems for does: an overview of reproductive performances
Part-time group housing of farmed rabbits does has gained increasing attention over the last years. Based on recent published literature, this paper aims to provide a brief overview of the reproductive performances and highlights problems and perspectives concerning part-time group housing systems. From a welfare point of view, group housing of does seems desirable because of the increased possibilities for social interactions and the larger absolute space available (facilitating the creation of functional areas and expression of certain behaviours that require adequate freedom of movement). Experiments on continuous group housing systems for does, however, have shown poor reproductive performance mainly caused by aggression, skin injuries, pseudo-pregnancies and competition for nests. In order to tackle these problems several researchers are investigating so-called part-time group housing systems in which does are grouped for some duration in the reproduction cycle. Does in parttime group housing, however, do not fully meet the reproductive performances compared with individually housed does. A lower litter size at weaning, higher pre-weaning losses and less weaned kits per doe are reported compared with individual housing. Furthermore, group housing seems to affect the body condition of does due to social stress. Aggressive behaviour has been reported among does and does towards alien kits. Therefore, in order to tackle the remaining aggression problems in part-time group-housed does and to fill the gap in production performances with individually housed does, efforts have to be focused to better understand the social interactions among does.
Advances in part-time group housing systems for does: an overview of reproductive performances
Part-time group housing of farmed rabbits does has gained increasing attention over the last years. Based on recent published literature, this paper aims to provide a brief overview of the reproductive performances and highlights problems and perspectives concerning part-time group housing systems. From a welfare point of view, group housing of does seems desirable because of the increased possibilities for social interactions and the larger absolute space available (facilitating the creation of functional areas and expression of certain behaviours that require adequate freedom of movement). Experiments on continuous group housing systems for does, however, have shown poor reproductive performance mainly caused by aggression, skin injuries, pseudo-pregnancies and competition for nests. In order to tackle these problems several researchers are investigating so-called part-time group housing systems in which does are grouped for some duration in the reproduction cycle. Does in parttime group housing, however, do not fully meet the reproductive performances compared with individually housed does. A lower litter size at weaning, higher pre-weaning losses and less weaned kits per doe are reported compared with individual housing. Furthermore, group housing seems to affect the body condition of does due to social stress. Aggressive behaviour has been reported among does and does towards alien kits. Therefore, in order to tackle the remaining aggression problems in part-time group-housed does and to fill the gap in production performances with individually housed does, efforts have to be focused to better understand the social interactions among does.
Advances in part-time group housing systems for does: an overview of reproductive performances
Van Damme, Liesbeth (author)
2021-01-01
Proceedings of the 12th World Rabbit Congress ; ISSN: 2308-1910
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
DDC:
720
Ash in economic housing systems - an overview
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997
| Elsevier | 1991