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

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.