The rabbit industry in Europe The rabbit industry in France The French breeding program CSIRO ChiswickField day 6 April 2002

The European rabbit meat production SPAIN ITALY GRECE IRELAND GREAT BRITAIN T PORTUGAL FINLAND DANEMARK HOLLAND GERMANY BELGIUM World production : TEurope : T

Several production levels areas in Europe Intensive production areas : average breeding does per farm Specialized breeding The west of France, Italy, Mediterranean Spain, Portugal, Holland Low production areas : Many small rural farms Germany, the east and centre of France, the south of Spain Medium intense production areas : smaller farms rabbit breeding are often part of the farm activity The South of France, the north of Spain, the south of Portugal “Rabbit’s desert” : Rabbit production is almost null England and northern Europe

The rabbit meat consumption in Europe Malta Italy Spain France Belgium Holland Portugal Danemark Germany Grece Main rabbit meat consumers countries : Italy, France, Ukraine, Spain, China, Russia (kg/person/year)

The international rabbit meat trade 80 % of the world import are made by the European Union Main importer countries : Italy, Belgium, France, Germany Main exporter countries : China, Eastern Europe countries

The rabbit marketing CountryCarcass weight (kg) Italy (Piemont)1,6 - 1,8 Germany1,6 - 1,8 Italy (Venetie)1,4 - 1,5 France1,3 – 1,4 Greece1,0 - 2,0 Portugal1,0 - 1,3 Italy (Campanie)1,0 - 1,2 Spain1,0 - 1,2 Traditional carcass weight in different countries and European regions

The rabbit industry in France

RATIONAL PRODUCTION T (live weight) NATIONAL MARKET T dressed RECORDED SLAUGHTERING T dressed 343 abattoirs FAMILIAL PRODUCTION T (live weight) IMPORT 9800 T dressed EXPORT 6600 T dressed RABBIT FOOD T CATERING T FAMILY PURCHASE T 67 % in Supermaket SELF-CONSUMPTION T THE FRENCH RABBIT PRODUCTION

Meat consumption in France in 2000 (Thousands Tonnes dressed )

Evolution of the meat consumption 2000\1999

Evolution of rabbit price +2%/ year %

Rabbit reproduction Artificial insemination has become the main reproduction technique in rabbit A large number of doe can be bred at one time (time gain) Provides large batches of kits at uniform age Allow all-in all-out system (cleaning and disinfection are easier)

Doe management Single Batch, AI every 42 days 1Days AI 1Birth 1AI 2 42 Wean.1 2 Batches, AI every 21 days 1Days AI 1Birth 1AI 2 42 Wean.1 AI 1Birth 1AI 2Wean Batch 1 Batch 2

Current production situation in France (1997) Number of kindling/doe/year : 7 Replacement rate : 117 % Doe mortality : 30 % Fertility : 75 % Litter size born : 9.8 kittens Mortality birth to weaning : 15 % Mortality weaning to market : 14 % Number of Kittens/doe/year : 44 Live weight at slaughter : 2.4 kg (10 weeks) Average rabbit price (AUS $) : 2.7 Average food price (AUS $) : 0.32 Income after accounting for food cost/doe/year (AUS $) : 156

The French breeding program

The rabbit selection : a breeders request Myxomatosis 1952 SNEALC Staff Resources Ministry of agriculture INRA 1968 National scheme

From 1968 to lines were used in cross-breeding experiments 2 lines have been chosen : Californian New Zealand High heterosis effects have been shown for fertility (8%) et la prolificacy (15%) Bingo !

1972: a three way crossbreeding program is set up A AB BSELECTION A : litter size at birth B : litter size at weaning INRA PRODUCTION ABC : Rabbit for meat Commercial breedings MULTIPLICATION Associated breedings c AB AB c

In 1975: INRA provide the breeders with 2500 pure breed 1077 does (B type) Which represent a potential of crossbred females in breedings Which soon become insufficient !!!

1984: The « over-mutiplication » or the « associated selection » A A A B B B C An additionnal floor AAB A B B Similar line ASimilar line B INRA Associated breedings

1996 :introduction of a new selection criterion Weight at 63 days The line 1077 (A type) is selected from this date on : litter size and weight at 63 days

Parental does breeds used in France (1994) Breed Number Number of Doe Number of rabbit Average com. of farm (thousands) per doe per year live weight Pure Breed New-Zealand Califonian Crossbred or composite line Vitaline Hyplus 780 INRA Solaf Hyla Hycole Zika Other Total

The new requests of breeders. Culling and mortality of reproductive females are high. In high size litters, kittens remain weak and the heterogeneity of weights at slaughter is a problem for selling animals.In 1997 the enterocolitis causes high mortality in rabbit farms and oblige the breeders to use antibiotics

Study of a selection for canalisation of native weight (M. San Cristobal) Experiment to evaluate the genetic resistance to enterocolitis (H. de Rochambeau) Survival analyse of reproductive females (V.Ducrocq)

France is number 1 for rabbit selection in the world 7 rabbits out of 10 eaten in France come from the INRA breeding scheme In 2001, what is the program result ? :