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Epistasis

Epistasis

In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...

What is Behavior?

What is Behavior?

Behaviors are actions that an organism engages in—they can be related to finding food, reproducing, defending against threats, and many other possible actions. Behaviors include activities related to the environment around the animal—such as migration—as well as social interactions within a species or population. Many behaviors involve motor output—that is, muscle movements—while others involve less visible actions, such as learning.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions

Published on: March 16, 2018

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

Luigia Bosa¹, Gloria Bernabucci², Francesca Di Federico¹

¹Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI

|December 30, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Leprino di Viterbo (LV) rabbits show more grazing and active behaviors outdoors than New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. LV rabbits appear better adapted to pasture-based organic farming systems.

Keywords:

animal behaviour breed differences free-range rabbit farming grazing behavior organic rabbit production

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Intranasal Immunization and Milk Collection in Studies of Maternal Immunization in New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus

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Published on: July 31, 2021

Area of Science:

Animal Science
Ethology
Sustainable Agriculture

Background:

EU organic rabbit farming regulations are recent, with limited scientific data on technical aspects.
Outdoor rabbit systems offer welfare benefits but depend on management, environment, and breed.
Understanding breed differences is crucial for optimizing outdoor rabbit farming.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate breed-specific behavioral differences in rabbits under outdoor rearing conditions.
To assess the adaptation of different rabbit breeds to pasture-based organic farming.

Main Methods:

Compared 15 Leprino di Viterbo (LV) and 15 New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits (weaned at 29 days, reared outdoors until 84 days).
Monitored behavior via video recording (focal sampling, continuous recording) and analyzed grass intake and diet composition weekly.
Utilized Generalized Estimating Equations for statistical analysis of breed, time, and time-of-day effects.

Main Results:

Significant breed-related variations in behavior and time of day were observed.
LV rabbits displayed higher frequencies of grazing and active behaviors compared to NZW rabbits.
NZW rabbits exhibited more resting behaviors and social contact; grass intake differences were not robust.

Conclusions:

Leprino di Viterbo rabbits demonstrate better adaptation to outdoor, pasture-based systems, utilizing pasture more effectively.
Breed differences influence behavior in outdoor rabbit farming, impacting management strategies.
Further research is needed to validate findings across diverse environmental and seasonal conditions.