LAUSR

The present study investigated the effect of gnawing sticks as environmental enhancers on the performance, carcass traits and behaviour of individually housed growing rabbits. Two batches of weaned New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were used, each consisting of 135 animals. Rabbits were homogeneously classified into the following three groups, each consisting of 45 rabbits: rabbits housed individually in cages without enrichment (control), rabbits housed individually in cages enriched with wooden sticks from apple tree and rabbits housed individually in cages enriched with wooden sticks from willow tree. Rabbits reared in enriched cages with apple or willow sticks showed a significantly (P < 0.0001) better performance (live bodyweight at slaughter 2526 and 2591 g, total weight gain 1620 and 1683 g, average daily gain 21.04 and 21.87 g and daily feed intake 78.57 and 74.89 g respectively), and had a higher carcass weight (1648.39 and 1750.26 g respectively, P < 0.0001) than did the control group. Rabbits in apple-stick group had a higher daily feed intake (78.57 g, P < 0.0001) and lower carcass weight (1648.39 g, P < 0.0001) than did those in the willow-stick group. The cortisol concentration was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower in apple and willow groups (9.44 ± 0.02 and 9.35 ± 0.02 nmol/L respectively) than in the control group (17.24 ± 0.03 nmol/L). Moreover, cage enrichment with apple or willow sticks improved the duration of feeding (7.08 and 7.39 min/3 h respectively, P < 0.0001) and drinking (2.54 and 2.67 min/3 h respectively, P < 0.0001) time, and reduced abnormal behaviour (biting the bars of the cage 0.24 and 0.34 min/3 h respectively, P = 0.001) when compared with the control group. Overall, the current results indicated that cage enrichment (with wooden sticks from apple or willow trees for gnawing) increased the final bodyweight and some carcass traits, reduced abnormal behaviour and potentially improved rabbit welfare during intensive rabbit breeding.