engleski

Non-invasive monitoring of cortisol metabolites level in farmed brown hare (Lepus europaeus)

Cage breeding technology of hares (Lepus europaeus) was established on some mini farms in Croatia in order to produce sufficient number of hares for hunting as well as for repopulation purposes. Conditions in hare’ s cage breeding cause certain level of stress. Influence of stress on reproduction and health status caused by daily manipulation was previously undetectable. Measuring of corticosteroid metabolite 11, 17-dioxoandrostan (11, 17 DOA) in hare faeces was tested as non-invasive method of stress detection. Therefore we analyzed stress status due to daily manipulation in mating couple in the beginning of reproduction season and after it. Samples were not collected as individual but as average to represent couple sample. The 11, 17 DOA level showed less significant difference between couples in the reproductive season and more significant difference of couple value during and after mating season.

hare; cage breeding; stress; 11; 17-dioxoandrostane

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