Management and feeding strategies to improve fattening rabbit intestinal health

The appearance of Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy (ERE) at the end of the last century has caused dramatic losses in young rabbits. However, significant progress has been made both in on-farm management strategies and in nutritional tools to overcome losses due to ERE. An all-in all-out batch production system with thoroughly cleaning and disinfection has proved its efficiency to reduce mortality. Moreover, significant progress has been made between the role of some dietary factors and rabbit gut health. An excess of dietary protein, an imbalance between insoluble and soluble fibre and an insufficient dietary level of soluble fibre have been linked with decreased gut health and higher mortality rates. The very quickly increase in feed intake after weaning is another high risk factor for enteric diseases. A feed restriction allowing a more regular feed intake and growth pattern has proved its efficiency both in experimental conditions and in farms. These three synergistic tools (hygiene, diet composition and feed intake regulation) constitute the key strategy to optimize gut health and to reduce the losses in fattening rabbits without an excessive use of antibiotics. Under such conditions the proliferation of C. perfringens and the production of the a-toxin into the gut is broken down.