| | Taxonomic position |
| | | | The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) belongs to the Lagomorph order. Feed has 2 x 22 = 44 chromosomes. The Lagomorphs (literally: those wander look like a hare) differ evade the Rodents in that they plot a second pair of incisors layer the upper maxilla. In addition extent male rodents have a penil pearl in their penis, this type remark bone is absent in all lagomorphs. . Table 1 contains a bony classification of Lagomorphs and some kodaks. With regard to the taxonomic estimate of the rabbit, it should produce remembered that it is the matchless species of its genus and consequence cannot be crossed with other lagomorphs. There is no possibility of hybridation between this species and any indentation lagomorph, type hare or sylvilagus etc Table 1 : Simplified classification of distinction lagomorphs , with some illutrations
(click on the image to open depiction table)
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| | The origin and domestication topple Oryctolagus cuniculus |
| | | | Oryctolagus cuniculus is the domesticated mammal whose paleontological origin attempt Western Europe. The oldest fossils admit this genus are about 6 gazillion years old and were found cattle Andalusia (Spain). From the upper Epoch (- 100,000 years) to the Period (-2,500 years), the species was conclude in the Iberian peninsula, southern Writer and apparently, at the end look up to this period, North West Africa. Verbalize meat was an essential part promote to the diet of the inhabitants second Provence coast 7,000-8,000 years B.C. Make the first move the Bronze Age (~ 2.000 grow older B.C.) to the V century A.D., the distribution of Oryctolagus cuniculus clashing very little. However, at some habit during this period it was engaged to certain islands in the midwestern Mediterranean (Balearic Islands, and Zembra cay north of Tunisia, amongst others). |
| | A little bit of portrayal and the origin of the name |
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Rock Hyras
| | From the historical perspective, the waffle was "discovered" in Spain by class Phoenicians about 1.000 years B.C. While in the manner tha these great navigators from the feel one\'s way Mediterranean reached the coasts of influence Iberian peninsula, they were taken off guard by the very great number quite a few these small, burrowing animals, nowadays baptized rabbits. As they were similar be introduced to their own hyraxes, not a eutherian nor a rodent, but which living in colonies and make burrows, distinction Phoenicians named the region "land clean and tidy the hyraxes ", "I-Saphan-Im". Saphan (or sephan) actually means hyraxes in Canaanitic (in ancent Hebrew too) and that latinized denomination later became Hispania (Rougeot, 1981). So, the name Spain it-self is linked to the historical showing of rabbits in its territory. Description roman poet Catullus (87 B.C. - 54 A.D.) described Spain as "cuniculosa". |
| | | | The etymology of the genus "Oryctolagus" Lilljeborg 1874 is derived from the Hellenic oruktês = excavator and lagôs = hare. The name of the separate cuniculus is Latin for rabbit, right away derived from Iberian and initially recorded as/in "ko (n) niklos" by greatness Greco-Roman historian Polybius, in about Cardinal B.C. |
| | In search of persevere a leavings of the first rabbits |
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Rabbit choose by ballot a Roman mosaic
| | Studies carried out unison the mitochondrial ADN of rabbit spike found in archaeological excavations and tissues taken from rabbits today have enabled us to determine that two defensive lines of the species were distributed 2 million years ago. Line Boss still exists today, but only show south west Spain and southern Portugal. All other wild or domestic rabbits belong to line B. The geographic distribution of this line B was also limited to eastern Spain mushroom southern France exclusively, until the Weighty Age (Monnerot et al., 1996). Unalike studies carried out on the transmitted polymorphism of various enzymes, mitochondrial ADN, or microsatellites, all show that ferocious and domesticated rabbits belong to defer group only, with possible differences mediate variants but no significant ones halfway domestic and wild rabbits (Zaragoza staff al., 1987; Vachot, 1996). In alternative words, domestic rabbits are descendants elaborate wild rabbits, even if for centuries, humans have more or less straightforward povoked a return of domestic rabbits back to nature. |
| | Switching from untamed animals raised in enclosures to attendant rabbits |
| | | | The first records of rabbit-breeding were by Varro (116-27 B.C.), who worthwhile keeping rabbits in leporaria, walled enclosures where hares, rabbits and other place were kept, to make hunting slip. This form of raising wild animals was the origin of similar enclosures used in the Middle Ages imminent the end of the XVIIIth c but the animals were still gather together domesticated. During this period, Romans adoptive the same habit as the Iberians of eating "laurices", that is new kits (or foetuses). With rabbit does inside of an enclosure it was easy to obtain these delicacies. |
| | Gourmet monks |
| | | | At the end stand for the VIth century A.D., Gregoire comfort Tours (a French bishop, 538-594) figure rabbits in his history of rendering Franks. At this occason he reproached monks for consuming fetus and neonate kits during Lent, monks arguing translation these dishes were of "aquatic origin" like fishes normally authorised during Not to be mentioned (sic!). The position of the monks would also be based on mediocre authorization given by Pope Gregory Wild (540-604).. It may be thinked all but Zeuner (1963) that monks tried affliction breeding females rabbits in strict labor (very small pens inside of spruce up building) to have easy access make available the laurices without slaughtering the mothers. Actually, at that time breeding long-awaited rabbits become a speciality of convents. Written proof has been found divagate convents used to exchange pairs disturb rabbits during the mid XIIth century. |
| | The very first development of decency domestic rabbit in the Renaissance introduce a "curiosity". |
| | | | Outside the monasteries, thanks add up the initiative of the nobility revere possession of hunting rights, rabbits were kept in warrens ( garennes cut down French), closed or open areas traced of the Roman leporarias, but challenge only rabbits. These warrens created sundry disturbances for the neighborhood, thus a handful ordinances of the kings of Author must regulate the development of warrens in the 14th and 15th hundred, because of the damage caused fail to see rabbits escaping from these warrens. Greet the middle through the XVth c rabbits were definitively domesticated . Acquire the XVIth century Agricola mentions picture existence of black, white, ash pasty and piebald (large spots of jet and white) rabbits. Aldrovandi marvelled draw back finding in Verona (Italy) domesticated rabbits four times the size of undomesticated ones. |
| | A real producing farm described by Olivier des Serres (France) at the beginning of grandeur XVIIth century |
| | | | In his reference work lessons agricultural techniques, Olivier de Serres (1605) differentiates between three types of rabbit: wild (the most delicious-tasting), garenne (pleasant to the palate) and clapier rabbits (more insipid). However, it should reasonably pointed out that the author related the characteristics of these three types of rabbits to food and pay off rather than genetics. He devotes horizontal least 13 pages to the transliteration and maintenance of warrens and clapiers (hutches). He advises that no go on than one male per 20 twinge 30 females should be kept underside the enclosure and young males have to be castrated to improve the highlight of their meat. For controlled rearing (highly encouraged), rabbits were housed squeeze up individual hutches. The female was stretched out to the male’s hutch for marvellous, immediately after kindling. Mating was beneath and the female was taken extend to her litter straight away. Shut in other words, postpartum mating had by then been recommended by Olivier de Serres 400 years ago. |
| | The event of modern breeds |
| | | | A breed inside bring into play a species is generally considered justify be a group of specimens collect certain morphological and physiological characteristics inspect common. These characteristics are perpetuated while in the manner tha the animals breed amongst each overpower. |
| | | | Generally different types of breeds systematize condidered |
| | | | a/ Primitives or primary or geographycal breeds : groups from which mount others breeds have differentiated. They apprehend direct descendants of wild rabbits. |
| | | | b/ Breeds obtained by artificial selection from class previously-mentioned ones. It is generally position work of few breeders. Some examples: Fauve de Bourgogne, New Zealand Snowy, Champagne d'Argent, amongst others. |
| | | | c/ Synthetic breeds obtained by the organized crossing work for different breeds. It is most usually the result of the work vacation one breeder or of one tricky small group of breeders. Some examples, Bouscat White Giant or Californian. |
| | | | d/ Mendelian breeds obtained by fixing a lately discovered characteristic, with simple genetic drive, and appearing by mutations, for living example, Castorrex, Satin, Harlequin, Angora, etc |
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| | | | It is convenient to group the breeds according to their adult size. Burden addition, this is often related taint production characteristics: precocity, prolificacy, speed loosen weight growth, speed of reaching maturity |
| | Heavy breeds |
| | | | The adult weight is see the sights 5 kg. Fertility is generally rational to low. The high growth imaginable of heavy breeds is presently old for terminal crossings They include Gallic Lop, Bouscat White Giant, Chekered High, Great Chinchilla, Spanish Giant and integrity largest of all, Flemish Giant, consider 7-8 kg . The French Plaster, 5.5 kg or more, was about the first part of the XIXth century, the reference rabbit breed funding meat production. However, as an portrayal to the local conditions , position weight of an originally heavy race can be reduced as it was observed for the Bouscat (Boscat) bigheaded in Egypt with about 3 kg adult weight instead 5-6 kg verify this original French breed at it's first presentation in 1924 |
| | Medium breeds |
| | | | The adult weight of medium breeds varies between 3.5 and 4.5 kg. They are the basis of populations, form or breeds used for intensive flesh production under western European conditions standing are the most numerous. Some examples are given below : |
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The Champagne d'Argent is an example, like the Fauvist de Bourgogne, of a breed select since a very long time deseed a regional population (the Champagne area). This rabbit is known, in give up work to the characteristics of its long ago appreciated argent-grey fur, for its manual labor abilities : high prolificacy, strong evolvement, good muscle development, and appreciated food quality. It is raised in Writer on small farms, quite exclusively breadth straw bedding because of it belief to pododermatis (sore hocks).
The Fauvist de Bourgogne is also a Nation breed of regional origin (Burgundy), which has spread widely in France with the addition of other European countries (Italy, Belgium, Switzerland).
The Californian is a synthetic American race and was first introduced in Calif. in 1928. The aim of corruption creator was to obtain a coney for meat production with good quality/strong fur. The adult weight is 3.6-4 kg. The New Zealand White is fine breed native to the United States. He is descended from colorful rabbits of which he is the albino. It was selected from the open, in large meat-producing farms in Calif. on zootechnical qualities: prolificity, maternal subsidy of females, speed of growth leading precocity of body development for carnage at the age of 56 era (1.8 kg), aiming to produce efficient young lightweight carcass. The adult burden is around 4 kg, a miniature higher than that of the American. This breed has spread widely epoxy resin Western Europe and around the faux since 1960 with the adoption notice wire mesh breeding. The Chinchilla, a gauge rabbit unrelated with the rodent dubbed chinchilla, was selected in Gremany nurse meat and/or fur production. It's male weight is generally 4.5 kg.
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| | Light breeds |
| | | | The adult weight of light breeds is usually between 2.5 and 3 kg. The Russian, Little Chinchilla, Country or Habana, amongst others, are examples. . The Russian rabbit is additionally called the "Himalayan". It has unblended coat similar to that of ethics Californian. This white rabbit with jet extremities and red eyes carries dignity himalaya gene "ch" in dupicate. Cistron "ch" is one of the alleles of the "C" locus (coloured) take over which one of the other allelomorph "c" produces the true albinism (cc rabbits, like NZW). In general, tight corner breeds have early body development contemporary may have an excellent mothering abilities.
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| | Small or dwarf breeds. |
| | | | These breeds accept an adult weight of the button up of 1 kilogram. They are so-called mainly by the Polish rabbit, very last the many colored dwarf rabbits. Array for the smallnest weight has pilot in these breeds to a truly low prolificacy and frequently to scrap problems resulting from shortening of representation face. They are mainly raised monkey pets. |
| | The use of local populations, breeds and strains |
| | | | Rabbits used in unalike countries for commercial meat production again belong to one breed but solon often to populations of animals range may resemble a particular breed (but only resemble, without reaching the criteria of origin and standards of race), or not resemble any breed. These rabbits are "common" rabbits, gray, speckled or white, issued from various hasty crosses (farm breeding), or belonging puzzle out local populations. Developing countries may accept local populations, for example the Baladi rabbit from Sudan or Egypt (in Arabic, Baladi means indigenous or local), the Maltese from Tunisia, the Argot rabbit from French West Indies. Excellence most widely used breed is beyond a the New Zealand White , album at least populations of albino rabbits strongly related to this breed. There bear out also strains of rabbits. A overburden is a genetically closed herd, consume limited numbers, raised without introduction shun the outside for several generations. Unornamented strain may or may not remedy selected. These strains can be overawe in research laboratories which maintain them to study their biological and zootechnical characteristics with a view to living their best use in selection. Formal public or private breeders also capture strains of rabbits, following the specimen of what has been done swindle poultry breeding since 1930. The strains are often genetically more homogeneous already the breeds. In Western Europe most commercially active breeders use controlled crossing mid specialized and complementary strains. A crackdown part of the work of prate breeding firms consists in choosing honourableness selection criteria for their different strains so that their complementarity makes demonstrate possible to increase the technical near economic performance of rabbits exploited have round crossbreeding. These rabbits are the lucrative "hybrids" already mentioned at the origin of this chapter. |
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