Thermal effect on general and excretion behaviour of White New Zealand rabbit kept on moringa (Moringa oleifera) pod meal
Thermal effect on general and excretion behaviour of rabbit
Keywords:
Behaviour, Environmental temperate, Excretion, Moringa, Resting, Sitting, Sleeping, Standing, Urination, White New Zealand rabbitAbstract
The objective of the experiment was to study the general, sleeping, and excretion behahaviour as affected by the various environmental temperatures. The field trial was conducted at Hamelmalo Agricultural College (HAC), Eritrea (semi-arid climate) during April and May 2018. Twelve non-lactating female White New Zealand Rabbits were randomly divided into six pairs based on their body weight. One animal from each pair was allotted to control (3.25±0.20 kg) and test groups (3.20±0.18 kg). They were housed in separate cages under the indoor cage system. Concentrates made of HAC cafeteria leftovers were given to the control whereas, in the test group, 15% of it was replaced with the moringa (Moringa oleifera) pod meal on a fresh basis. The animals had free access to green fodder and drinking water and 3 g of common salt. An eight-day adaptation period was followed by a behaviour experiment conducted to study their general, specific nutritional, excretion, and urination behaviour for consecutive 120 hours dived into 24 slots of 5 hours each. The animals were observed at an interval of 15 minutes to fill up behaviour inventory including various aspects related to general, specific, nutritional, excretion, and urination behaviour. The same ambient temperature was recorded. For comparing two feeds 'paired t-test for the difference in means was used. It can be concluded based on the findings of this part of the research project that the thermal effect is one of the important factors which affects the behaviour of the rabbit. The rabbits were found most active at the time when the environmental temperature was low (minimum of 16.9°C during the experiment). So, a feeding strategy may be suggested to schedule the feeding hours of the rabbits during the period when the environmental temperature is low (16.9°C).
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