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Moreno-Grua E, Pérez-Fuentes S, Viana D, Selva L, Martínez-Paredes E, Marín-García PJ, Pascual JJ, Corpa JM, Arnau-Bonachera A. Effect of selection for growth rate on the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) immune system and its response after experimental Staphylococcus aureus infection. Vet Res Commun 2023; 47:1547-1560. [PMID: 37002454 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10110-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the work was to evaluate if genetic selection for daily gain may affect the immune system. Two experiments were performed. The first one involved 80 rabbit females and their first two litters to explore the effect of selection on the ability of animals to maintain immune competence. Two generations from a line selected for average daily gain (ADG) were evaluated (VR19 generation 19th, n = 43; VR37 generation 37th, n = 37). In females, the effect of selection and its interaction with physiological state were not significant for any trait. In litters, the selection criterion increased the granulocyte to lymphocyte ratio. The second experiment involved 73 19-week-old females (VR19, n = 39; VR37, n = 34) to explore the effect of genetic selection on immune response after S. aureus infection. The VR37 rabbit females had lower counts for total lymphocytes, CD5+, CD4+, CD8+, CD25+, monocytes, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio and platelets than those of VR19 (-14, -21, -25, -15, -33, -18, -11 and -11%, respectively; P < 0.05). VR37 had less erythema (-8.4 percentage points; P < 0.05), fewer nodules (-6.5 percentage points; P < 0.05) and a smaller nodule size (-0.65 cm3 on 7 day post-inoculation; P < 0.05) compared to VR19. Our study suggests that genetic selection for average daily gain does not negatively affect the maintenance of a competent immune system or the ability to establish immune response. It seems that such selection may improve the response to S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Moreno-Grua
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Pérez-Fuentes
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - David Viana
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Laura Selva
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eugenio Martínez-Paredes
- Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pablo Jesús Marín-García
- Departamento Producción Y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan José Pascual
- Institute for Animal Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Corpa
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Alberto Arnau-Bonachera
- Pathology Group, PASAPTA, Biomedical Research Institute, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/ Assegadors nº 2Alfara del Patriarca, 46115, Valencia, Spain.
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Martínez-Paredes E, Nicodemus N, Pascual JJ, García J. Challenges in rabbit doe feeding, including the young doe. WORLD RABBIT SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.4995/wrs.2022.15562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In this review is summarized the last knowledge on rabbit doe nutrition, to complement the current nutritional requirements and strategies for the young and adult rabbit does, considering the production, health, and welfare issues. The rabbit doe must reach an adequate maturity level (body condition) at first artificial insemination (AI) to face its productive life with minimal guarantees (around 7.0 mm of perirenal fat thickness, 2.8 ng/mL of plasma leptin concentration and around 18% and 15-20% of body protein and fat, respectively). This goal can be achieved by restricting feed intake from 12 weeks of age until first AI or feeding ad libitum with a fibrous diet (<10.5 MJ digestible energy/kg) from 60 d of age to first parturition. Once the doe is reproducing, the increase of the n-3 fatty acids (or reduction of the n-6/n-3 ratio), soluble fibre (under epizootic enteropathy) and the Arg/Lys and Gln/Lys ratios may help to improve the reproductive traits of rabbit does, although their optimal level of inclusion remain to be identified. It is recommended to limit an excessive negative energy balance before parturition, and the supplementation of glucose precursors to reduce the ketosis incidence could be useful. The formulation of different diets for the doe and the litter to fit better their requirements and assuring their health would be an option to consider when it would be applicable in the farm. The influence of the mother on the litter microbiota and immune status and its potential modulation through the diet open a new research area that will deserve more studies in the next future.
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Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to overview the history of feeding rabbits with different types of animal fats, and to discuss their effects on rabbit performance and quality of their products. Other aspects of the inclusion of various animal fats in rabbit diets are also described. This article is based on the analysis of relevant scientific literature and presents animal fats fed to rabbits, such as beef tallow, butter, pork lard, poultry fat, fish oil, krill oil, oil extracted from insect larvae, mixtures of various animal fats, and mixtures of animal and vegetable fats. The reported papers describe the effect of fats on growth performance, lactation, rearing performance, meat quality, and health status of rabbits. It is notable that in many cases, various animal fats were often an integral part of numerous diets or were included in control diets. The presented information demonstrates that animal fat can be fed to rabbits at 2–4% of the diet without negative effects on reproductive performance, growth performance and quality of meat obtained. Rabbits were used as model animals in many studies in which fat was added to balance the diets and to increase their energy value, especially when investigating various cardiovascular and obesity-related diseases.
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Long-term implications of feed energy source in different genetic types of reproductive rabbit females: III. Fitness and productivity. Animal 2017; 12:1886-1894. [PMID: 29224584 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731117003305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The specialization process associated with genetic selection could be associated with functional disorders, affecting the reproductive success of females (fitness). We hypothesized that by modulating energy acquisition and allocation of females we could balance productivity and reproductive success. To test this hypothesis, we used 203 rabbit females belonging to three genetic types: H (n=66) maternal line specialized in prolificacy, LP (n=67) generalist maternal line, R (n=70) paternal line specialized in growth rate. We fed each genetic type with two diets specifically designed to promote milk yield (AF) or body reserves recovery (CS). We controlled females between their first and fifth reproductive cycles, recording traits related with productivity and fitness of females. H females fed CS had on average 11.2±0.43 kits with an individual weight of 54±1.2 g at birth and 525±11 g at weaning. Their conception rate when multiparous was 44% and their survival rate at the end of the experiment 30%. When they were fed AF, the individual weight of kits was 3.8 g heavier (P<0.05) at birth and 38 g heavier at weaning (P<0.05), the conception rate when multiparous increased 23 percentage points (P<0.05) and the survival rate at the end of the experiment 25 percentage points (P<0.05). LP females fed CS had on average 10.8±0.43 kits with an individual weight of 52±1.2 g at birth and 578±11 g at weaning. Their conception rate when multiparous was 79% and their survival rate at the end of the experiment 75%. When they were fed AF, it only increased individual weight of kits at weaning (+39 g; P<0.05). R females fed CS had on average 8.4±0.43 kits with an individual weight of 60±1.2 g at birth and 568±11 g at weaning. Their conception rate when multiparous was 60% and their survival rate at the end of the experiment 37%. When they were fed AF, they presented 1.4 kits less at birth (P<0.05) but heavier at birth (+4.9 g; P<0.05) and at weaning (+37 g; P<0.05). Therefore, we observed that genetic types prioritized different fitness components and that diets could affected them. In this sense, seems that more specialized genetic types, were more sensitive to diets than the more generalist type.
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