Response of Blood Metabolite Profile and Feed Intake in Rabbits under Heat Mitigation Housing

Abstract

Heat stress significantly affects physiological metabolism, feed intake, and overall productivity in rabbits, particularly in tropical and subtropical climates. This study investigates the response of blood metabolite profiles and feed intake in rabbits under heat mitigation housing systems to evaluate their effectiveness in improving animal performance and welfare. The proposed methodology involves controlled experimental trials comparing conventional housing with heat mitigation systems such as evaporative cooling, ventilation enhancement, and shading. Key parameters, including feed intake, body weight gain, and blood metabolite indicators such as glucose, total protein, urea, cholesterol, and electrolyte balance, are measured using standard laboratory and animal monitoring techniques. Environmental variables, including temperature, humidity, and temperature–humidity index (THI), are continuously recorded to assess heat stress levels. The collected data are preprocessed through cleaning, normalization, and statistical validation to ensure consistency and reliability. Advanced analytical and machine learning models, including regression analysis, Random Forest, and Artificial Neural Networks, are employed to evaluate the relationship between housing conditions, metabolic responses, and feed intake. Experimental results indicate that heat mitigation housing significantly improves feed intake and stabilizes blood metabolite profiles by reducing thermal stress. Enhanced cooling conditions maintain metabolic balance, improve nutrient utilization, and support better growth performance compared to conventional housing systems. In contrast, rabbits exposed to heat stress show reduced feed intake and altered metabolite levels, indicating physiological strain. The findings highlight the effectiveness of improved housing design in mitigating heat stress impacts. The study concludes that integrating heat mitigation strategies with data-driven analysis provides a sustainable and efficient solution for enhancing rabbit productivity, maintaining metabolic health, and improving animal welfare under high-temperature conditions.