Infectious pathologies in intensive meat rabbit production

Abstract

Pathology results in important economic losses on intensive meat rabbit farms. Indeed, a quarter of young rabbits die from birth to slaughter. In reproductive does, on three females entering a batch, one dies before the 3rd parturition, another is culled due to insufficient performances (infertility) or a medical problem, and only one ensures production. Two main syndromes are classically identified in the rabbit: the respiratory syndrome that dominates in adults and the digestive syndrome, more frequent in growing rabbits. In this synthesis we will give a report on the main infectious diseases that can be encountered in commercial rabbit breeding and on the research deve-loped during recent years relating to the etiologic agents implied.