Outdoor Rearing and Behavioural Patterns in Diverse Rabbit Breeds: An Exploratory Study

EU regulations on organic rabbit farming are relatively recent, and scientific evidence on key technical aspects remains limited. Outdoor systems may improve health and welfare by allowing natural behaviours, but their effectiveness depends on management practices, environmental conditions, and breed. The objective of this study was to explore breed-related differences in rabbit behaviour under outdoor rearing conditions. A total of 15 Leprino di Viterbo (LV) and 15 New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were weaned at 29 days of age and reared under outdoor conditions until 84 days of age, during October and November. All animals had ad libitum access to a commercial pelleted diet and pasture, and the intake of both was measured weekly. Animal behaviour was monitored by video recording, and eight one-minute sample intervals per day were analysed using focal sampling and continuous recording methods. Grass intake and estimated digestible energy (DE) were assessed on a weekly basis. Data were analysed using Generalized Estimating Equations to evaluate the effects of time, time of day, and breed. Behavioural patterns varied depending on genetic strain and time of day. Notably, LV rabbits exhibited a higher frequency of grazing and active behaviours compared to NZW rabbits, whereas NZW rabbits showed a higher frequency of resting behaviours and social contact. Breed-related differences in other behaviors and in grass intake patterns were not statistically robust. In conclusion, LV rabbits appear to be better adapted to outdoor conditions, exhibiting a greater pasture utilization, but further studies are recommended to confirm these findings and to evaluate their robustness across different seasonal and environmental conditions.