INFLUENCE OF STOCKING DENSITY OR GROUP-SIZE ON BEHAVIOR OF FATTENING RABBITS KEPT UNDER INTENSIVE CONDITIONS

Ninety, 30-day-old rabbits were housed in identical cages in groups of six, seven, eight and nine animals, corresponding to stocking densiti es of 15.3, 17.8, 20.4 and 23 rabbits m(-2). Behaviour was recorded by video camera at 6 and 10 weeks of age, during 24 h observations consi sting of 96 sequences of 1 min every 15 min. At 6 weeks of age, animal s spent 60% of their time at rest, 15% in feeding activities and 25% i n other activities without marked influence of group size or stocking densities. At 10 weeks of age, a slight but significant increase of re sting and a reduction of overall activities was observed in rabbits ho used at the highest density. Comfort behaviour (self-directed activiti es) was dominant (18-20% of activities other than maintenance); other consistent activities were investigatory, social and locomotory behavi ours. Sexual and stereotypic behaviours were not observed in these ani mals slaughtered at 10 weeks of age. At 6 weeks of age the distributio n of activities was independent of stocking density or group size. At 10 weeks of age, a slight but significant reduction of social interact ions was observed above six rabbits per cage or 15.3 rabbits m(-2), wh ile comfort and investigatory behaviours tended to increase. Although the experimental design did not allow dissociation of the respective e ffect of group size and stocking density, results suggest that six rab bits per cage, corresponding to a stocking density of 15-16 animals m( -2) (i.e. 40 kg m(-2) at 10 weeks of age) could be an acceptable thres hold as far as behaviour is concerned in rabbits kept under intensive conditions. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.