Tapetis Research Articles

Digestive physiology of rabbits in the pre- and post-weaning phases

This review aimed to address all relevant parts of the digestive physiology of rabbits, before and after weaning, with a view to enabling greater understanding of these phases and reducing the mortality of kits. The biggest bottlenecks in Brazilian rabbit farming are linked to the period from birth to weaning, a time when the animals are more sensitive to environmental adverse events, requiring more rigid and efficient management due to their immune system being not fully developed. Throughout the period in which kits are with the females, many physiological changes occur, mainly in their gastrointestinal tract (GIT), which changes over time, depending on the type of food intake; in order to achieve its full capacity to utilize food, the intestine needs to undergo an adaptation from milk-based to solid diet. Thus, the digestive system in the intrauterine phase, in the nursing kits, and in the weaned babies will be covered. Therefore, understanding the physiology of baby rabbits proves to be of great value in reducing the mortality rate, so that management becomes more practical, providing producers with different problem-solving alternatives, in addition to greater profit.

Rabbit welfare protocols under Brazilian conditions: The applicability of welfare protocols in rabbit farms for different purposes – First results

In Brazil, scarce data are available, and little is known about rabbit welfare. This study aimed to apply welfare protocols for growing rabbits, bucks, does, and kits on farms with different rabbit production purposes: meat, pets, and teaching/research. Two separate protocols based on the 4 principles of Welfare Quality (good feeding, housing, health, and behavior) were used, one for growing rabbits and one for does, bucks, and kits. Twelve farms, comprising a total of 1,557 rabbits (843 growing rabbits, 190 bucks, 149 lactating does with their kits, and 375 non-lactating does) were assessed. Within the good feeding principle, the most critical problem was the excessive height of the drinkers (above 22 cm) for young rabbits (around weaning) and the limitation to just one drinker per cage. Regarding the good housing principle, the absence of a daily record of the environmental temperature, the absence of an elevated platform in the cages, and the absence, or poor condition, of the footrests were the main problems. Based on the good health principle, a high presence of moderate pododermatitis (affecting more than 20% of affected rabbits) and a low weaning age used by 5 farms were observed. The principle of appropriate behavior evaluation revealed the isolation of the animals at some farms (pet and research). The lack of environmental enrichment was an issue for all types of rabbit farms. It was observed that some parameters were influenced by the number of rabbits, particularly for farms with fewer rabbits. An adaptation of the protocols, mainly for the number of evaluated rabbits and breeds, could be utilized to elucidate the reality of Brazilian rabbit production. It is necessary to provide incentives and improve divulgation regarding the actual recommendations of rabbit welfare for rabbit farmers.

Uso de co-produtos dietéticos no desempenho de coelhos: uma revisão

The Brazilian rabbit farming is in growing expansion, however, the cost with feeding are high. To ensure economic viability in the rabbit sector, research has been developed related to the use of alternative foods and co-products, aiming to reduce diet related costs. Therefore, the objective of this literature review was to approach the use of co-products and alternative foods in the diet of rabbits, focusing on their effect on animal performance. The period of publication of articles estimated for the searches was between 2010 and 2022. The availability of co-products and alternative foods is wide, however, when choosing these, factors such as source, quality and chemical-bromatological composition and region must be taken into accout. These factors are related to possible deleterious effects that can lead to reduced animal performance. Once chosen, it is expected that the dietary inclusion of such foods will promote better intestinal health of the animals, and consequently greater weight gain, lower feed conversion and influence the cost of production of the diet. It is conclude that there is a diversity of ingredients available to be included in diets for rabbits. However, it is necessary to carry out continuous studies to efficiently determine the inclusion levels per phase, as well as the identification of anti-nutritional factors and negative effects present in certain foods.

Characteristics of meat, pet, and research rabbit farms in Brazil: An overview based on twelve farms

<p>Rabbit production has great growth potential in a country where animal production is very important. However, there is little data about this industry in Southern and Southeast Brazil. The aim of this study was to describe Brazilian rabbit farms that provide meat, pets and animals for learning or research. Three pet farms, four meat farms and five research rabbit farms were visited, and the production and farm characteristics data were collected between June 2018 and March 2019. A total of 1170 rabbits and 617 cages were evaluated. Most farms had 21 to 60 (58.3%) does. Considering all farms, the farmers reported an average rate of conception of 71.8%, prolificacy rate of 6.7 kits per parturition, average interval between parturitions of 65 d and 6.3 parturitions/doe yr. The mean mortality rate for breeding rabbits was 10.4%, compared to 1.7% for growing rabbits (rabbits post-weaning until slaughter or sale). The average area of a cage was 0.43±0.1 m², with an average stocking density for growing rabbits of 3 rabbits/m². The most common cage system used by farmers was a flat-deck (66.7% of farms) system with a wire cage (91.7%). Metal (41.7%) and clay (33.3%) feeders were the most common types of feeders, and automatic nipple drinkers were present in 75% of the farms. Dirt accumulation was observed in 11.2% of the cages and 5.7% of the drinkers, but not in feeders. A total of 4.1% of the cages were considered unsafe, and 0.8% had problems with the drinkers. The farms studied ranged from small to medium in size, used an extensive reproductive rhythm and followed basic production techniques. Animal health and management aspects need to be reviewed by the farmer if the rabbit production conditions are to improve.</p>

An experimental platform for studying the radiation effects of laser accelerated protons on mammalian cells

An experimental platform was designed to study the effects of laser accelerated protons (LAPs) on mammalian cells. The protons, in the MeV energy range, originate from the rear side of a thin 5 µm Ti foil target following the interaction with a high power laser pulse and are accelerated by the target normal sheath mechanism. A tape Ti foil target was developed, allowing a shot repetition rate of up to 5 Hz, which corresponds to the rate of the laser system. A dipole magnet arrangement was used for energy dispersion and to separate the proton burst from electrons and x rays. The absorbed radiation dose at the cell port was measured with CR39 plastic detectors and calibrated imaging plates. An epifluorescence microscope with compact open-beam optics was developed to image live cells and their spatiotemporal properties during and after irradiation. To demonstrate the functionality of all components of the platform, biological proof of concept experiments were carried out using two suspension (Jurkat and Ramos) and two adherent (HeLa and A-549) cell lines. A multitude of biological procedures and analytical techniques were established on-site or in laboratories nearby. For example, we analyzed DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and repair by detecting the γH2A.X signal by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The observed dose-dependent increase in DSB induction confirms that DNA damage is induced in cells after exposure to LAPs.

Effectiveness of crossings as wildlife passages for mammals in the Yungas of Argentina

Irrigation canals are an important cause of wild mammal mortality in the Piedmont forest of the Argentine Yungas. To improve the permeability of this infrastructure, specific wildlife crossings were added to the existing non-wildlife crossings built for other purposes. However, the effectiveness of these wildlife-specific crossings has still not been evaluated. Here, we identified the mammalian species that use the crossings, determined the global frequency of use of each crossing through a use index, and evaluated the possible predilection of a species for a particular crossing type using species-specific models. We found that 50 % of species in the study area used the crossings. The highest percentages of use corresponded to tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis, 25.4 %), lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris, 21.5 %), agouti (Dasyprocta punctata, 20.7 %), crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous, 9.1 %) and tayra (Eira barbara, 6.3 %).The global model shows that crossing type, openness and vegetation vertical structure were the best predictors of crossing use. Species-specific models show in general that variables related to the structure of the crossings were better able to explain animal movement. The dry season increased the use of the crossings. We concluded that the presence of both wildlife-specific and non-wildlife-specific crossings would contribute to reducing the barrier effect and, therefore, to mammal conservation. In this connection we recommend that simple, low-cost wildlife-specific crossings be taken into account.

The role of tayra (Eira barbara) as predator of medium and large‐sized mammals

AbstractInteractions between predators and prey affect their distributions and abundances, and these effects are of central importance in ecology. However, these interactions are difficult to observe in some free‐ranging species due to their elusive behaviour. We describe the video‐recorded observation of predation of a grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira) by a tayra (Eira barbara), which is the largest prey reported for this mustelid. Additionally, we report three other wild species (Dasypus sp., Sylvilagus brasiliensis and Leontopithecus chrysopygus) predated by tayra and we present a review of tayra attacks on, and predation of, small primates and other medium and large‐sized mammal prey. Surprisingly, this mustelid is capable of predating a high diversity of species, both arboreal and terrestrial. At least 20 species were seen to be predated or attacked by tayras, which are capable of predating species with up to twice its own body weight, information which may be unknown due to its elusive behaviour. Additionally, we discuss the role of tayra in a community structure and raised the question of its potential key role as a predator species. This makes this mustelid a predator with greater prey diversity than previously thought and elucidate aspects of the natural history of trophic ecology of tayra, grey brocket deer and others elusive forest species.

DNA mini-barcoding of leporids using noninvasive fecal DNA samples and its significance for monitoring an invasive species.

Introduced in South America at the end of the 19th century, the European hare population has expanded dramatically and now represents a risk to native Brazilian forest rabbits. Monitoring the invasive Lepus europaeus and its coexistence with native Sylvilagus brasiliensis is a challenge that can be efficiently addressed by the use of molecular tools. This work describes a set of primers useful for amplifying three mini‐barcodes for the molecular identification of both invasive and native leporid species using degraded fecal DNA. In addition, tests in silico indicate that these mini‐barcodes can successfully amplify the DNA sequences of a number of leporids. These mini‐barcodes constitute a powerful tool for the monitoring and management of the invasive L. europaeus and the conservation of native rabbits.

Baseline for monitoring and habitat use of medium to large non-volant mammals in Gran Sabana, Venezuela

The Gran Sabana is a region of great biogeographical and conservation value that has been recently threatened due to increasing overexploitation of natural resources and illegal mining. Systematic survey methods are required in order to study species responses to landscape transformation. The main objectives of this study were: 1) to test the relationship between habitat types and mammal species presence in the Gran Sabana and Canaima National Park (NP), and 2) establish baseline methodology that can set guidelines for future, considering sampling limitations, conservation opportunities and increasing threats to biodiversity in this region. We implemented a stratified sampling design using camera traps for monitoring medium and large mammals in two previously under-sampled regions in the Gran Sabana, south-east Venezuela. We analysed time-series of remotely sensed vegetation indices to classify habitat types and summarized relative abundance of mammals, naïve occupancy, and habitat fidelity for each type. With a sampling effort of 5,523 camera*days, 29 species of mammals were recorded, including endangered Priodontes maximus, and vulnerable: Speothos venaticus, Tapirus terrestris, and Panthera onca. Cuniculus paca and Dasyprocta leporina were the most frequently registered, while Hydrochoeris hydrochaeris, Leopardus wiedii, and Leopardus tigrinus had few records. Most of the species were associated with forest (13), fewer with transitional shrub (7) and savanna (5) habitats, but only some of these were statistically significant. Cerdocyon thous show significant association with savanna (P < 0.01), whereas Leopardus pardalis (P < 0.05) and Cuniculus paca (P < 0.05) with shrub-intermediate habitat. As many as seven species: Dasypus kappleri, Dasyprocta leporine, Mazama americana, M. gouazoubira, Nasua nasua, Priodontes maximus, and Tapirus terrestris have statistically significant association to forest habitat (P < 0.05). We present the first record Myoprocta pratti for Canaima NP. We found higher species richness of large- and medium-sized mammals comparable to lowland Guianas and Amazon sites. Four species remained undetected, probably due to low abundance or detectability, but Sylvilagus brasiliensis seems to be truly absent from the Gran Sabana. Uncontrolled development of Orinoco Mining Arc on the border of Canaima NP and the Gran Sabana raised new ecological and social concerns.

Artificial insemination with frozen semen in rabbits in Brazil: first litter reported

Brazilian rabbit breeding plays an important social role through family farming. However, one of the challenges faced is the need for new genetic material from genetically improved rabbits. The artificial insemination (AI) technique in Brazil is restricted to the use of fresh or chilled semen. Hence, this is the first report of the use of frozen semen and live kits in Brazil and probably in Latin America. The aims were to evaluate the commercial viability of frozen rabbit semen in Brazil, ranging from cryopreservation to insemination. Three bucks and three rabbit does of Flemish giant rabbits were used. Semen was collected, evaluated and diluted for freezing with CUNIFreeze. Semen was frozen in a 0.5 mL straw, thawed and then filled in a blue curve rabbit AI sheath with the doe in dorsal position with ovulation induced at the same time with buserelin acetate. The ejaculate volume was 0.8 ± 0.8 mL; the mass motility was 3.3 ± 0.6; and the total motility and vigor after dilution were 65% ± 5 points and 3.7 ± 0.6, respectively. Post-thawed, the motility and vigor were 20% ± 10 and 3,0 ± 0,0, respectively. The pregnancy rate was 66.6% with a litter sizes of 5 and 2 kits. Even with a lower result of litter size compared with refrigerated semen, this report brings a new scenario for rabbit breeding in Brazil, showing that frozen semen is a feasible technique for biobanking and mainly bringing the possibility of imported semen from genetically improved bucks solving inbreeding problems.

Spatiotemporal ecology of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals

On this study, we used camera traps in a Semi deciduous Seasonal Forest, northeast of Brazil, to estimate the frequencies of occurrence of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals: the spotted paca (Cuniculus paca) and the tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), analyzing their seasonal variations of spatial distribution. We also characterized the activity pattern of the species and their seasonal variation. The herbivorous frequencies of occurrence were constant during all the seasons. In general, both species were mostly active at night. However, between the rainy and dry season, we identified differences in spotted paca activity peaks. Here we present one of the first studies on the tapeti, whose ecology is understudied. Our results also show a general view of the spotted paca and tapeti behavior strategies to seasonal variations. Due to the scarce food resource in the dry season, possibly these herbivorous need to search for different kinds of food available IFS around.

Estudio del cráneo mediante morfometría geométrica en dos especies de <em>Sylvilagus</em> Gray, 1867 (Mammalia: Lagomorpha)

Dentro del género Sylvilagus Gray, 1867 se reconocen, entre otras, las especies Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) y Sylvilagus floridanus (J.A. Allen, 1890) los estudios morfológicos disponibles de las cuales son muy extensos. Por ello, se realizó un estudio comparativo de la conformación craneal en ambas especies empleando técnicas de morfometría geométrica. Para ello se estudió un total de 31 cráneos de S. brasiliensis y 16 S. floridanus en los que, a partir de las fotografías, se situaron 12 hitos anatómicos en el plano dorsal. No aparecieron diferencias entre sexos pero sí entre especies, tanto en tamaño como en forma, presentando S. brasiliensis un cráneo de menor longitud pero más ancho que S. floridanus. Al tratarse de puntos no especialmente importantes de inserción muscular, ni albergar externamente estructuras funcionales importantes (como podría ser todo lo relacionado con la visión), y en vista de los requerimientos ecológicos similares para ambas especies estudiadas, se interpreta que las diferencias detectadas son debidas a un mero cambio derivado de la diferencia de tamaño entre las dos especies –S. brasiliensis es de menor tamaño que S. floridanus-. Dicho de otro modo: la reducción del tamaño craneal no implicaría una mera versión reducida de la forma (una “reducción harmónica”), sino que exigiría cambios heterotópicos, un rediseño estructural derivado de la reducción en tamaño. Suponemos que estas diferencias regionales en la estructura craneal son más debidas a cambios en los patrones de desarrollo que a una diferencia en las estrategias de vida para ambas especies, a la vista de los requerimientos ecológicos similares entra ambas especies estudiadas.

Ecogeography of South-American Rodentia and Lagomorpha (Mammalia, Glires): Roles of size, environment, and geography on skull shape

Groups of species that are widely distributed along an environmental gradient can exhibit adaptations and plasticity, resulting from susceptibility to different pressures. Certain groups of rodents and rabbits that are distributed throughout the Neotropical region are ideal models to evaluate such trait changes. Using geometric morphometric procedures, our objective was to analyse the influences of allometric, environmental, and geographical variables on the skull shape of Cuniculus paca, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Nectomys spp., and Sylvilagus brasiliensis. Our results indicate the effect of allometry was particularly evident in Nectomys, which should be related, in part, to the sexual dimorphism present in that genus. The environment was a determinant of the skull shape in all taxa, but was most prominent in H. hydrochaeris. A smaller effect of geographical distance (geography) on skull shape was present in all taxa, but was more relevant in H. hydrochaeris and C. paca, suggesting a spatially-structured environmental dependence. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of different biological processes acting on smaller-sized and less mobile taxa, compared to larger and more dispersive taxa. Therefore, we can dissociate the neutral and niche processes that relate to the characteristics of each taxon. This includes environmental filtering in more dispersive taxa, which is responsible for changing shape structures in a relevant manner, such as the larger auditory bulla found in more arid and climatically seasonal sites.

Etiological aspects of Eimeria spp. infection in Brazilian rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) farms.

Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria, Aracatuba, Rua Clovis Pestana, 793, Bairro Dona Amelia

Relationship between moonlight and nightly activity patterns of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and some of its prey species in Formosa, Northern Argentina

The moon can profoundly influence the activity patterns of animals. If predators are more successful under bright moonlight, prey species are likely to respond by shifting their own activity patterns (predator-avoidance hypothesis). However, the assumption that prey will necessarily avoid full-moon nights does not take into account that moonlight also allows prey to more easily detect predators, and to forage more efficiently. Thus, nightly activity patterns could depend on night vision capabilities (visual-acuity hypothesis). To consider the possible influences of moonlight and to distinguish between these hypotheses, we used camera-trapping records of a predator, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), and several of its night-active prey to compare activity patterns under different moonlight conditions. The ocelots' activity patterns were not strongly related to moonlight, but showed a slight tendency for higher activity during brighter nights. Tapeti rabbits (Sylvilagus brasiliensis) and brocket deer (Mazama americana) showed a clear preference for brighter nights. White-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) also showed a trend to be less active in new moon light. In contrast, smaller grey four-eyed opossums (Philander opossum) and the poor eye-sight nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) showed similar activity patterns across all moon phases. Since activity patterns of most prey species were not shifted away from the activity of the ocelot, the differences between species are probably linked to their night vision capabilities, and emphasise the need for more information on the visual system of these taxa. Their activity patterns seem to be less strongly linked to avoidance of predation than previously thought, suggesting that foraging and predator detection benefits may play a more important role than usually acknowledged.

Activity patterns of ocelots and their potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal

Camera trapping has been widely used to study different aspects of animal ecology, increasing scientific knowledge and helping in conservation initiatives. Recently, some studies demonstrated the use of this technique to study temporal predator-prey interactions, most of which focused on large felids. In this study, we investigate the activity patterns of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)—a medium-sized neotropical cat—and its known potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal using photographs taken by camera traps. We tested for seasonal differences in activity patterns, and assessed the patterns of temporal overlap between this felid and three known potential prey: the Brazilian rabbit (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), Azara’s agouti (Dasyprocta azarae), and Paraguayan punaré (Thrichomys pachyurus). We estimated activity patterns using kernel density and measured the overlap between estimated paired distributions using a coefficient of overlap, hypothesizing that activity patterns would change between the rainy and dry season, and that overlap would be higher with rodents since they comprise the bulk of the ocelot’s diet in the Pantanal and elsewhere. Azara’s agouti and the Paraguayan punaré were the only species that presented significant changes in their activity patterns between seasons. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was low coincidence of activity patterns between ocelots and Azara’s agouti for both seasons, but temporal overlap between ocelots and Paraguayan punarés was high with no significant difference, at least in the dry season. Overall, temporal overlap between ocelots and Brazilian rabbits was high, with no significant differences. In general, our results suggest that ocelots may tailor their activity to that of some of their potential prey to increase the probability of encounters. The results provide the first insight into temporal interactions involving ocelots and their potential prey in the Brazilian Pantanal.

First record of Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast Brazil

We document the first record of Sylvilagus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. An adult individual was photographed in October 2015 in the municipality of João Câmara. This is the northernmost report of this species for the Caatinga biome. This article also represents important data for the Rio Grande do Norte, since the mammal diversity of this state is practically unknown.

Medium-sized and large mammals from Quedas do Rio Bonito Ecological Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Information about the occurrence of medium-sized and large mammals in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest is essential for monitoring the conservation status of these species in such biodiversity hotspots. This study presents the results of a survey of medium-sized and large mammals from Quedas do Rio Bonito Ecological Park, located in an ecotone between Cerrado and Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. Four sampling methods were used: sand plots, camera traps, line transects and tomahawk traps. We recorded 20 species belonging to 12 families and 7 orders, with a high occurrence of Carnivora (50%). We highlight the occurrence of five endangered species: Chrysocyon brachyurus, Leopardus pardalis, L. guttulus, Puma yagouaroundi and P. concolor. The species with the highest frequencies of occurrence were P. concolor (27%), C. brachyurus (17%), and Sylvilagus brasiliensis (13%). Our results confirm that, despite their small size, forest fragments are essential for “top-of-the-chain” species conservation in the region.

An assessment of the populations of Sylvilagus brasiliensis andinus in Páramos with different vegetation structures in the northeastern Andes of Ecuador

For the first time in Ecuador, a defecation rate is calculated from three captured páramo rabbit Sylvilagus brasiliensis andinus individuals. Combining this defecation rate, the pellet count method, and Novaro et al.'s (1992) hare density equation, páramo rabbit densities were calculated in four páramo localities with different vegetation structures. A correlation was found between the páramos' vegetation diversity and páramo rabbit densities. This study shows that pellet counting is an economical and non-invasive method that permits the estimation of páramo rabbit abundances in páramo ecosystems. Páramo rabbit abundances may serve as a tool to measure the effects of human activity over small mammal population sizes. Further studies of small páramo mammals will help better understand páramo ecosystem functions and will provide insights into its land management and conservation.

Chromosomes and phylogeography of Sylvilagus (Mammalia, Leporidae) from eastern Brazil

A large geographic differentiation has been reported in Sylvilagus brasiliensis based on external characters and a small number of samples. Karyologic and molecular studies as well as new sampling efforts are need to a better understanding of the S. brasiliensis complex diversity. A new karyotype with 2n=40 and FNa=74 from Rio de Janeiro is here reported. Phylogenetic analyses based on cytochrome b DNA sequence of eight samples from the states of Paraiba, Tocantins, Goias, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro suggested a strong structured population. Both, molecular and karyotypic data suggest that the diversity in the study area may be larger than that reported in the literature on the basis of external characters.