Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors

In this study, we focused on the occurrence of respiratory disorders in rabbit farms, as well as several risk factors. We based the assessment on 11 217 visits to 1288 commercial farms in Spain and Portugal from 1996 to 2020. There was a sub-set of 307 visits due to respiratory system issues on 172...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Joan M. Rosell, L. Fernando de la Fuente, J. Ignacio Badiola, Ana Pérez de Rozas, Daniel Fernández de Luco, M. Cruz Arnal, Jordi Casal, Xosé M. Fernández, André Pinto de Carvalho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2023-09-01
Series:World Rabbit Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/18280
_version_ 1797671655222280192
author Joan M. Rosell
L. Fernando de la Fuente
J. Ignacio Badiola
Ana Pérez de Rozas
Daniel Fernández de Luco
M. Cruz Arnal
Jordi Casal
Xosé M. Fernández
André Pinto de Carvalho
author_facet Joan M. Rosell
L. Fernando de la Fuente
J. Ignacio Badiola
Ana Pérez de Rozas
Daniel Fernández de Luco
M. Cruz Arnal
Jordi Casal
Xosé M. Fernández
André Pinto de Carvalho
author_sort Joan M. Rosell
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we focused on the occurrence of respiratory disorders in rabbit farms, as well as several risk factors. We based the assessment on 11 217 visits to 1288 commercial farms in Spain and Portugal from 1996 to 2020. There was a sub-set of 307 visits due to respiratory system issues on 172 farms; the main causes were high prevalence of rhinitis in does and high mortality risk in weaned rabbits. During the 25-yr observational study, we physically examined 29 000 males and 200 000 lactating does to monitor their sanitary status on 894 farms. The mean annual prevalence of clinical rhinitis (CR) and 95% binomial confidence interval (CI) in does was 19.9% (95% CI [19.7-20.1%]). We observed an improvement as prevalence of annual CR fell from 29.6% in 1996 to 15.2% in 2020. The main risk factor for rhinitis was the rabbit line, followed by gender (males become sick more than females) and age of females. The median age of farmed does was 5 parities (minimum to maximum: 1-39). The enabling risk factors were year, season (more often affected in summer) and service timing (lowest prevalence when does were served ≥32 d postpartum). In a sub-set of 208 farms, we determined the prevalence of apparent atrophic rhinitis, which was 0.04% in females and 0.11% in males. Concerning bacteriological studies with 444 samples from 153 farms, Pasteurella multocida and Staphylococcus aureus were the main agents isolated from cases of pneumonia, rhinitis and other issues. We may infer that much work is required to determine in greater detail the factors linked to the farm environment and apply this knowledge in practice.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T21:18:41Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3a6b9880de5a42a2aa970735321bec0d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1257-5011
1989-8886
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T21:18:41Z
publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Universitat Politècnica de València
record_format Article
series World Rabbit Science
spelling doaj.art-3a6b9880de5a42a2aa970735321bec0d2023-09-28T11:03:35ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaWorld Rabbit Science1257-50111989-88862023-09-0131314716110.4995/wrs.2023.1828017470Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factorsJoan M. Rosell0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3285-1515L. Fernando de la Fuente1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0882-5552J. Ignacio Badiola2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3177-1217Ana Pérez de Rozas3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5728-7642Daniel Fernández de Luco4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3289-4267M. Cruz Arnal5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6770-3400Jordi Casal6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6909-9366Xosé M. Fernández7André Pinto de Carvalho8Cunivet ServiceUniversidad de LeónInstitut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA)Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA)Universidad de ZaragozaUniversidad de ZaragozaUniversitat Autónoma de BarcelonaNANFORFABRIMARIn this study, we focused on the occurrence of respiratory disorders in rabbit farms, as well as several risk factors. We based the assessment on 11 217 visits to 1288 commercial farms in Spain and Portugal from 1996 to 2020. There was a sub-set of 307 visits due to respiratory system issues on 172 farms; the main causes were high prevalence of rhinitis in does and high mortality risk in weaned rabbits. During the 25-yr observational study, we physically examined 29 000 males and 200 000 lactating does to monitor their sanitary status on 894 farms. The mean annual prevalence of clinical rhinitis (CR) and 95% binomial confidence interval (CI) in does was 19.9% (95% CI [19.7-20.1%]). We observed an improvement as prevalence of annual CR fell from 29.6% in 1996 to 15.2% in 2020. The main risk factor for rhinitis was the rabbit line, followed by gender (males become sick more than females) and age of females. The median age of farmed does was 5 parities (minimum to maximum: 1-39). The enabling risk factors were year, season (more often affected in summer) and service timing (lowest prevalence when does were served ≥32 d postpartum). In a sub-set of 208 farms, we determined the prevalence of apparent atrophic rhinitis, which was 0.04% in females and 0.11% in males. Concerning bacteriological studies with 444 samples from 153 farms, Pasteurella multocida and Staphylococcus aureus were the main agents isolated from cases of pneumonia, rhinitis and other issues. We may infer that much work is required to determine in greater detail the factors linked to the farm environment and apply this knowledge in practice.https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/18280rabbitrespiratory diseasesrhinitis prevalenceanimal welfaredisease prevention
spellingShingle Joan M. Rosell
L. Fernando de la Fuente
J. Ignacio Badiola
Ana Pérez de Rozas
Daniel Fernández de Luco
M. Cruz Arnal
Jordi Casal
Xosé M. Fernández
André Pinto de Carvalho
Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
World Rabbit Science
rabbit
respiratory diseases
rhinitis prevalence
animal welfare
disease prevention
title Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
title_full Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
title_fullStr Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
title_full_unstemmed Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
title_short Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
title_sort respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits occurrence and risk factors
topic rabbit
respiratory diseases
rhinitis prevalence
animal welfare
disease prevention
url https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/18280
work_keys_str_mv AT joanmrosell respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT lfernandodelafuente respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT jignaciobadiola respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT anaperezderozas respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT danielfernandezdeluco respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT mcruzarnal respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT jordicasal respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT xosemfernandez respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors
AT andrepintodecarvalho respiratorydisordersoffarmedrabbitsoccurrenceandriskfactors