Contreras-Jodar A, Dalmau A, Bagaria M, Barbosa-Filho J A D, Rendon M, Salama A A K, Velarde A
IRTA, Animal Welfare, Monells, Spain.
Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Castelldefels, Spain.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Sep 2;12:1658548. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1658548. eCollection 2025.
This study evaluated the combined effects of container space allowance, height, and ambient thermal conditions on the welfare of fattening rabbits during simulated transport. Nine hundred rabbits were exposed to three space allowances (121, 150, and 191 cm/kg; S121, S150, S191), two container heights (20 and 35 cm; H20, H35), and four thermal environments (21.4 °C, 25.9 °C, 30.0 °C, and 33.5 °C, T1-T4, all at 50-68% RH) for 8 h after 6-h fasting. Welfare was assessed via thermophysiological (rectal temperature, RT; body weight loss, BWL) and metabolic indicators (hematocrit, glucose, LDH, corticosterone, creatine kinase, NEFAs). Thermographic imaging of ear and lacrimal regions was correlated with RT to validate a non-invasive method for assessing thermal stress. T4 was stopped after 5 h due to severe compromise in S121 and S150, especially in H35. T1 increased hypothermia risk compared to T2 and T3 ( = 0.043). S191 increased hypothermia risk compared to S150 and S121. Cage height did not affect hypothermia ( = 0.875) but increased hyperthermia risk under T3, especially in S150 and S121 ( < 0.037). BWL varied with thermal state ( < 0.001): 54.4 g in hypothermia, 65.2 g in normothermia, 74.1 g in hyperthermia. RT correlated with lacrimal (r = 0.743) and ear (r = 0.704) temperatures ( < 0.001). Hematocrit, LDH, and creatine kinase remained stable. Glucose varied with space allowance ( = 0.002) and tended to vary with height ( = 0.070), highest in S121 and H20. NEFAs decreased under T3 ( < 0.010) and tended to under T2. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing transport conditions and support thermography as a welfare monitoring tool.
本研究评估了在模拟运输过程中，兔笼空间容量、高度和环境热条件对育肥兔福利的综合影响。900只兔子分别暴露于三种空间容量（121、150和191立方厘米/千克；S121、S150、S191）、两种兔笼高度（20厘米和35厘米；H20、H35）以及四种热环境（21.4℃、25.9℃、30.0℃和33.5℃，T1 - T4，相对湿度均为50 - 68%）下，禁食6小时后持续8小时。通过热生理指标（直肠温度，RT；体重减轻，BWL）和代谢指标（血细胞比容、葡萄糖、乳酸脱氢酶、皮质酮、肌酸激酶、非酯化脂肪酸）评估福利状况。对耳部和泪腺区域进行热成像，并与直肠温度相关联，以验证一种评估热应激的非侵入性方法。由于S121和S150组，尤其是H35组情况严重恶化，T4组在5小时后终止。与T2和T3相比，T1组低温风险增加（P = 0.043）。与S150和S121相比，S191组低温风险增加。兔笼高度不影响低温风险（P = 0.875），但在T3条件下，尤其是S150和S121组，高温风险增加（P < 0.037）。体重减轻随热状态而变化（P < 0.001）：低温时为54.4克，正常体温时为65.2克，高温时为74.1克。直肠温度与泪腺温度（r = 0.743）和耳部温度（r = 0.704）相关（P < 0.001）。血细胞比容、乳酸脱氢酶和肌酸激酶保持稳定。葡萄糖随空间容量变化（P = 0.002），并倾向于随高度变化（P = 0.070），在S121和H20组中最高。在T3条件下非酯化脂肪酸减少（P < 0.010），在T2条件下也有减少趋势。这些发现凸显了优化运输条件的重要性，并支持将热成像作为一种福利监测工具。
