Memorias de investigación
Research Publications in journals:
DEVELOPMENT OF SIMPLIFIED SAMPLING METHODS FOR BEHAVIOURAL DATA IN RABBIT DOES
Year:2017
Research Areas
  • Cattle ranch and fishes,
  • Agricultural holding,
  • Agricultural product,
  • Agrarian economy
Information
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the results of different simplified sampling methods for behavioural data compared to reference records of 24-h in order to assess rabbit doe behaviours at different physiological stages (gestation and lactation) in animals housed in 2 types of cages (conventional and alternative). In total, we analysed 576 h of continuous video of 12 rabbit does at the end of lactation and the same females after weaning. The behavioural observations were studied using 3 independent categories of classification (location in the cage, posture and functional behaviours). Continuous behavioural recordings of 24 h were considered as the reference method to validate another 4 data collection sampling methods by aggregated video recordings of different frequency and duration [regular short and long methods with 2.4 and 8 h of observation respectively, and irregular (more frequent during the active period) short and long methods with 6 and 8 h of observation, respectively]. The current results showed that, independently of the housing system, the best method to reduce the total observation time required to assess rabbit does? behaviour depends on the trait studied and physiological stage of the does. In gestating does, irregular methods were not suitable to estimate behaviours of long duration such as lying, sitting, resting and grooming. However, in both physiological stages, regular methods were accurate for location behaviours, postures and functional behaviours of long duration. Instead, for the study of infrequent behaviours performed mainly during dark period, where coefficients of variation were high, the irregular long method led to the lowest mean estimation
International
Si
JCR
Si
Title
World Rabbit Science
ISBN
1257-5011
Impact factor JCR
0,583
Impact info
Volume
25
10.4995/wrs.2017.3627
Journal number
From page
87
To page
94
Month
SIN MES
Ranking
Participants
Research Group, Departaments and Institutes related
  • Creador: Grupo de Investigación: Ingeniería de la Calidad Alimentaria
  • Departamento: Producción Agraria