Assessing the Preference of Rabbit Does to Social Contact or Seclusion: Results of Different Investigations
The aim of this study was to verify the motivation of rabbit does to social contact or seclusion. The results of two different research activities assessed in Italy (experiment 1) and Germany (experiment 2) through the use of motivational cages are reported. In experiment 1, only the average time of occupation of the group or […]
Effects of group stability on aggression, stress and injuries in breeding rabbits
On Swiss rabbit breeding farms, group-housed does are usually kept singly for 12 days around parturition to avoid pseudogravidity, double litters and deleterious fighting for nests. After this isolation phase there is usually an integration of new group members. Here we studied whether keeping the group composition stable would reduce agonistic interactions, stress levels and […]