Effect of environmental enrichment (gnawing stick) on the behavior and performance of rabbit does

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Husbandry and Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of gnawing sticks as environmental enrichment on the behavior and productive performance of individually housed breeding rabbit does. Twelve white New Zealand rabbits (10 doe and 2 buck) were randomly distributed into two equal groups at 13 weeks of age (n=6, 5 does and 1 buck). The first group (enrichment group), was subjected to routine lighting schedule (16L: 8D), light from 0.00 and 16.00 h during 24 h period until the end of the experiment. Rabbits were housed individually in galvanized wire cages (45cm×50cm×30cm), equipped with automatic drinkers, feeding hopper and enriched with gnawing sticks (length=20 cm, diameter=3 cm) were placed horizontally at a height of 15 cm on the wall of the pens. Gnawing sticks were applied 20 days before parturition of pregnant does till weaning of here litters. The second group (control) was reared under the same conditions without enrichment. The doe weight, litter weight, litter size and reproductive index of doe were measured. Also, nursing behavior duration and frequency were recorded. From parturition till 4th day after parturition feeding, drinking, resting, grooming, scratching and sniffing behaviors were observed. Our results denoted that gnawing stick had no significant effect on doe body weight, litter weight; litter size, reproductive index and nursing behavior of doe. Rabbit does of enriched group showed less feeding and grooming durations and frequencies and longer resting duration compared to control does. The most differences in these behavioral activities occurred at AM period. Enriched does exhibited higher sniffing duration at AM period and frequency at PM period compared to unenriched control does.

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