Strategies are needed to improve the dietary habits of children. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of implementing a school food programme on the dietary quality of lunches consumed by school children aged 7–13 years compared with packed lunches brought from home. A secondary objective was to investigate if a possible effect would differ between the younger children and the older. A quasi-experimental study design with four intervention schools and four matched control schools was conducted. In total, 984 school children participated. Data on packed lunches were collected at baseline. At the 1st follow-up the children in the intervention schools were offered free school meals and at the 2nd follow-up children paid for their school meals. The control group had packed lunches at all measurements. A digital photographic method combined with a Meal Index of dietary Quality (Meal IQ) was used for dietary assessment. Multilevel modelling was employed for data analyses. The quality of dietary intake was improved when free school meals were offered (P = 0·004); if the school meals were paid for the use was limited and no difference in change in dietary quality was found (P = 0·343). The school food programme had no difference in effect according to age (P = 0·083). In conclusion, offering a free school meal had a positive effect on dietary quality of the lunches consumed by school children aged 7–13 years. No effect was measured when the school meals were not provided for free. The dietary effect did not depend on age.

A total of 166 crossbred does were used to study the possible long-term effect of two types of crossbred does (H1 v. H2, old and current generations, respectively) from the cross of different generations of lines selected for litter size, the use of a rearing programme based on a low-energy diet, and the administration of a high-energy diet during reproductive life, on the performance and body condition of lactating rabbit does and their litters until slaughter. The body condition of the reproductive rabbit does increased in the successive cycles to the fourth parturition, being maintained from this moment on. Animals more selected for litter size at weaning presented a greater food intake (+3%; P<0·05) and milk yield (+6%; P<0·05) during the first 21 days of lactation, which could be related to greater maternal aptitude. The difference in the weight of pups at slaughter time (+24 g for H2 respect to H1 pups) was one third lower than that expected from the generation response of the paternal line (0·45 g/day), perhaps related to the different enteropathy incidence depending on the genetic type. The use of a high-energy diet during the reproduction period increased the milk yield (+22%; P<0·05) of does, as the growth (+16 g at weaning day; P<0·05) and survival index (+2%; P<0·05) of the litters during lactation, but could produce a more sudden weaning of pups as a consequence of their lower pre-weaning food intake (−42%; P<0·05), which has been related with a greater health risk index during the growing period (+4·2%; P<0·05). Reproductive does given a high fibre diet during the rearing period (from 3 kg live weight to 28th day of the first pregnancy) reached parturition with a higher live weight than does that received a moderate energy diet restricted during this same period (+142 g; P<0·05). All other parameters controlled for the lactating does and their litters were not affected by the type of diet received during the rearing period. Females that were not effectively mated at first AI (11 days post partum) showed a greater increase in their perirenal fat thickness between partum and the 11th day of lactation than those lactating females that showed an effective mating (+0·22 v. +0·37 mm, respectively; P<0·05).

A total of 166 crossbred does were used to study the possible long term effect of two types of crossbred does (H1 v. H2, old and current generations, respectively) from the cross of different generations of lines selected for litter size, the use of a feeding programme based on a low-energy diet during the rearing and the administration of a high-energy diet during reproductive life, on the performance and body condition of multiparous pregnant does. Selection did not affect the live weight (LW) of does at the effective artificial insemination (AI; 4257 g), the LW change (+12·3 g/day) and food intake (172 g dry matter (DM) per day) until the 28th day of pregnancy. However, H2 does showed greater LW losses during the pre-partum period than H1 does (120+g; P<0·05), perhaps related to their higher prolificacy (+1·1 total pups born; P<0·05). H2 does showed a higher perirenal fat thickness (PFT) at first AI (+0·12 mm; P<0·05) than H1 does, these differences disappearing at effective AI. Females given a high-energy reproduction diet showed a lower LW at effective AI than those receiving a medium-energy diet (4210, 4305 g, respectively; P<0·05). However, type of reproduction diet did not affect the LW and PFT changes of pregnancy does, reaching partum with a similar PFT (8·83 v. 8·93 mm) and maintaining the differences in LW. Pregnant does given high-energy diet consumed 20 g DM and 1·4 g digestible protein per day less than does receiving medium-energy diet until the 28th day of pregnancy, but their digestible energy (DE) intake was significantly higher (+78 kJ DE per day; P<0·05). Does given high-energy diet showed a significantly lower litter size at birth (−0·7 pups; P<0·05), although there were no significant differences in the number of pups born alive (9·54 and 9·76 pups for high and medium-energy diets, respectively). Pups from does given high-energy diet were slightly weightier than those from medium-energy diet (+5·4 g; P<0·05). Multiparous pregnant does that received a low-energy diet ad libitum during the rearing period and first pregnancy showed a higher LW at effective AI (+137 g LW; P<0·05) but a lower PFT (−0·26 mm; P<0·05) than those females that received a medium-energy diet restricted during this same period. These differences were maintained at parturition (+142 g LW and −0·20 mm; P<0·05). Feeding programme during rearing affected neither the food intake of multiparous pregnant does until the 28th day of pregnancy, nor the litter size and weight at birth. The interval between parturitions was not affected by the selection for litter size or the reproduction diet received, but was longer for does that received the low-energy diet ad libitum during the rearing period (+2·9 days; P<0·05). In conclusion, rabbit selection programmes by litter size seem to be working well, but high energy reproduction diets, frequently used to cover their higher energy requirements, must be used carefully out of lactation in the long term to avoid a reduction in litter size.

A total of 166 crossbred young female rabbits were used to study the effect of two types of crossbred does (H1 v. H2, old and current generations, respectively) from the cross of different generations of maternal lines selected for litter size, the use of a feeding programme based on a low energy rearing diet (F) and the presentation of a high-energy diet pre-partum (E) on the performance of young rabbit females until their first parturition and on the main litter traits at first kindling. Perirenal fat was thicker at the age of 3 months for H2 than for H1 does, but this difference disappeared at the first insemination (4·5 months). H2 does had a significantly larger total number and number of live pups at birth (+2·06 live pups) than H1, higher than expected (+1·06). As this greater foetal growth was obtained for a similar energy intake of does, possible differences may exist in partitioning and/or effficiencies of dietary and body energies in favour of foetal growth as the genetic propensity for litter size increased. The use of a low-energy diet significantly reduced the growth of does during the rearing period (−294 g), but they showed a greater compensatory growth during the first 4 weeks of gestation (+79 g) as a consequence of their higher energy intake, without any retardation in their reproductive development. Does receiving diet F until 28th day of gestation showed a significantly greater pre-partum energy intake and their number of pups born alive was lower (−1·3 pups). Finally, the litters of females receiving diet E pre-partum and during lactation had lower mortality during the 1st week (26·9 v. 42·9% dead pups) and throughout lactation than those receiving a moderate energy diet.