Decision Trees for Predicting the Physiological Responses of Rabbits.

Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano Ferraz,Jairo Alexander Osorio Saraz,Giuseppe Rossi,Yamid Fabián Hernández-Julio,Raquel Silva De Moura,Matteo Barbari,Gabriel Araújo E Silva Ferraz

doi:10.3390/ani9110994

Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano Ferraz, Jairo Alexander Osorio Saraz + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9110994

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Abstract

Simple SummaryThe primary aim of this paper is to develop decision trees to predict rabbits’ physiological responses, such as the respiratory rate or ear temperature, based on environmental variables (dry bulb temperature and relative humidity). The decision tree for ear temperature exhibited better statistical indices, indicating the benefits of using the ear temperature as an indicator of thermal stress. Our findings confirm that the resulting decision trees are powerful classifiers, and the results can be easily understood. Hence, the proposed decisions trees can aid in investigating the influence of environmental conditions on physiological responses and, consequently, the rabbits’ welfare. These results can be used in practical situations and can be obtained in real time to support rabbit breeders in decision-making to improve environmental conditions for rabbits. The thermal environment inside a rabbit house affects the physiological responses and consequently the production of the animals. Thus, models are needed to assist rabbit producers in decision-making to maintain the production environment within the zone of thermoneutrality for the animals. The aim of this paper is to develop decision trees to predict the physiological responses of rabbits based on environmental variables. The experiment was performed in a rabbit house with 26 rabbits at eight weeks of age. The experimental database is composed of 546 observed data points. Sixty decision tree models for the prediction of respiratory rate (RR, mov.min−1) and ear temperature (ET, °C) of rabbits exposed to different combinations of dry bulb temperature (tdb, °C) and relative humidity (RH, %) were developed. The ET model exhibited better statistical indices than the RR model. The developed decision trees can be used in practical situations to provide a rapid evaluation of rabbit welfare conditions based on environmental variables and physiological responses. This information can be obtained in real time and may help rabbit breeders in decision-making to provide satisfactory environmental conditions for rabbits.

Highlights

The profitability of a rabbit farming system must consider the rabbit’s breed, nutrition, management, and sanitation as well as the thermal environment of the animal during the productive period [1]
For the above-mentioned reasons, the primary aim of this paper is to develop decision trees for predicting the physiological responses of rabbits based on environmental variables
Descriptive statistical indices, such as the absolute and standard deviation, percentage error, coefficient of determination R2, standard error and root mean square error (RMSE), and histograms were computed to evaluate the effectiveness of the decision trees in predicting the physiological responses

Summary

Introduction

The profitability of a rabbit farming system must consider the rabbit’s breed, nutrition, management, and sanitation as well as the thermal environment of the animal during the productive period [1]. Increasing pressure has emerged from public opinion and consumers for farms to improve housing conditions and comply with animal welfare standards [2]. Intensive housing systems have a direct influence on the comfort and welfare of the animals, due to the difficulty in maintaining a thermal balance inside the facilities and in allowing natural behaviours of the animals, affecting the productive performance [3]. When subjected to severe heat stress and heat load increases, rabbits try to sustain homeothermy by using internal physiological means to re-establish a thermal balance [7]. According to [8], the respiratory rate (RR, %) and ear temperature (ET, ◦ C) reflect the primary physiological mechanism for heat dissipation because most of the sweat glands in rabbits are non-functional and little perspiration (evacuation of water through the skin) occurs because of their fur [7]

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