Method: eFeederRab: A new electronic feeder to measure individual feed intake−related traits on growing rabbits raised in collective cages

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Abstract

Measuring individual intake in animals raised in groups is a paramount aspect for different fields of animal production, both with a direct implication and relevance on the production itself, i.e. within breeding programmes for the improvement of feed efficiency; or for research in different disciplines such as animal behaviour or animal nutrition. The rabbit is one of the few species for which there is no device for measuring this trait. Thus, we aimed to design and manufacture a feeding device (eFeederRab) allowing such recording. In the present study, we describe the methods behind the tool we have developed, accompanying the description with a set of descriptive statistics showing the performance of the tool. We use records from 430 animals belonging to lines selected for different feed efficiency criteria − some of them raised using the eFeederRab -, as well as from their control unselected population. Measurements were taken from 35-38 to 56–59 days of age. The lines selected for reducing residual feed intake clearly show a lower daily feed intake, 8–15% when the lines were compared using eFeederRab, and 7–10% when the lines were compared using conventional feeders. These are clear indications about the validity of the device for recording data to be used in selection to improve feed efficiency, i.e., biologically meaningful records. In spite of the biological relevance of the recorded data, when comparing performances of the lines raised using eFeederRab or conventional feeders, it was evident that feed intake was reduced by around 12–20% when using the electronic feeder, with the subsequence growth penalization. Note however that this penalty is proportional to the intake; therefore, the feed conversion ratio remains fairly similar (2.99–3.13) between the two types of feeders also reflecting the expected tendency according to the different selection criteria across lines. We hypothesise that this reduction in the intake is a consequence of the less comfortable eating posture that eFeederRab imposes: each animal must eat alone and inside a tunnel for leading the animals one by one towards the feeder to grant their proper identification by radio frequency. We can conclude that although the eFeederRab is a device with different animal feeding conditions than those on conventional feeder, the records, despite being noisy, can be successfully used to improve the genetic selection of feed efficiency in rabbits.

方法:eFeederRab:新型电子饲喂器:测量集体笼养生长兔的个体采食量相关特征
测量群养动物的个体采食量是动物生产不同领域的一个重要方面,既对生产本身有直接影响和相关性,即在提高饲料效率的育种计划中,也对动物行为或动物营养等不同学科的研究有直接影响和相关性。兔子是目前还没有测量这一特性的设备的少数物种之一。因此,我们的目标是设计和制造一种可以进行此类记录的饲喂装置(eFeederRab)。在本研究中,我们介绍了我们所开发的工具背后的方法,并附有一组描述性统计数据来显示该工具的性能。我们使用了根据不同饲料效率标准筛选出的 430 头动物的记录,其中一些是使用 eFeederRab 进行饲养的,还有未筛选出的对照组动物的记录。测量时间为 35-38 日龄至 56-59 日龄。被选中减少残余饲料摄入量的品系明显表现出较低的日饲料摄入量,使用 eFeederRab 进行比较的品系为 8-15%,使用传统饲喂器进行比较的品系为 7-10%。这些都清楚地表明,该设备记录的数据是有效的,可用于提高饲料效率的筛选,即具有生物学意义的记录。尽管记录的数据具有生物学意义,但在比较使用电子饲喂器和传统饲喂器饲养的品系的表现时发现,使用电子饲喂器时饲料摄入量减少了约 12-20%,随后的生长也受到影响。但要注意的是,这种惩罚与采食量成正比;因此,两种喂料器的饲料转化率仍然相当接近(2.99-3.13),这也反映了根据不同品系的选择标准所预期的趋势。我们推测,采食量减少的原因是 eFeederRab 的进食姿势不太舒适:每只动物必须单独进食,而且必须在一个通道内进食,该通道用于将动物逐一引向饲喂器,以便通过无线电频率对其进行正确识别。我们可以得出结论,尽管电子饲喂器是一种动物饲喂条件与传统饲喂器不同的设备,但尽管记录有噪音,仍可成功用于提高兔子饲料效率的遗传选择。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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