1,720,974 research outputs found
Foraging enrichment for stabled horses: effects on behaviour and selection
No full textThe restricted access to pasture experienced by many competition horses has been linked to the exhibition of stereotypic and redirected behaviour patterns. It has been suggested that racehorses provided with more than one source of forage are less likely to perform these patterns; however, the reasons for this are currently unclear. To investigate this in 4 replicated trials, up to 12 horses were introduced into each of 2 identical stables containing a single forage, or 6 forages for 5 min. To detect novelty effects, in the first and third trials the single forage was hay. In the second and fourth, it was the preferred forage from the preceding trial. Trials were videotaped and 12 mutually exclusive behaviour patterns compared. When hay was presented as the single forage (Trials 1 and 3), all recorded behaviour patterns were significantly different between stables; e.g. during Trial 3 in the 'Single' stable, horses looked over the stable door more frequently (P<0.001), moved for longer (P<0.001), foraged on straw bedding longer (P<0.001), and exhibited behaviour indicative of motivation to search for alternative resources (P<0.001) more frequently. When a previously preferred forage was presented as the single forage (Trials 2 and 4) behaviour was also significantly different between stables, e.g in Trial 4 horses looked out over the stable door more frequently (P<0.005) and foraged for longer in their straw bedding (P<0.005). Further study is required to determine whether these effects persist over longer periods. However, these trials indicate that enrichment of the stable environment through provision of multiple forages may have welfare benefits for horses, in reducing straw consumption and facilitating the expression of highly motivated foraging behaviour
Selection and acceptance of flavours in concentrate diets for stabled horses
No full textLike most large grazing herbivores, horses select their food based on visual cues, odour, taste, texture, availability and variety. There is relatively little published information about the role of flavour in diet selection by domestic horses in comparison with other domestic and companion animals. However, previous trials investigating effects of diet flavour in stabled horses indicated significant effects on foraging behaviour and selection.In this series of three trials we aimed to determine relative acceptance by presenting flavour preference tests to eight horses. Horses were stabled and fed hay ad lib on trial data collection days plus a standard unflavoured concentrate ration at 7:30 a.m.In Trial 1, 15 flavours were separately presented in standard 100 g cereal by-product meals and the trial was replicated. Quantity consumed, time of completion, partial rejection or refusal were recorded. Order of presentation was determined by a Latin Square design. Trial data were collected on five sampling days, separated by a minimum of 1 day. Horses were presented with six flavoured meals daily; minimum 1 h between the meals. Twelve flavours were universally accepted and of these the eight flavours with fastest mean consumption times (banana, carrot, cherry, cumin, fenugreek, oregano, peppermint and rosemary) were presented in paired preference tests in Trial 2.In Trial 2, all paired combinations of the eight flavours were presented, in two tests per day at noon and 4 p.m. Presentations of the same flavour were separated by at least 1 day. Paired presentations were in 300 g cereal by-product. Presentations were terminated when approximately half of the total amount presented had been consumed. Flavour preferences were expressed as a ratio from 0 (rejection) to 1 (exclusive consumption). Paired flavour preferences produced the following rank order: fenugreek, banana, cherry, rosemary, cumin, carrot, peppermint, oregano.In Trial 3, relative consumption times of mineral pellets flavoured with fenugreek and banana were significantly reduced in comparison with unflavoured pellets.In these short-term trials, flavour had significant effects on diet acceptance, selection and consumption times
Sensory varieties in concentrate diets for stabled horses: effects on behaviour and selection
No full textThere is little published information about feeding behaviour of horses presented with concentrate diets and whether restricted variety affects foraging behaviour on concentrate diets is currently unclear. This study investigated the effects of sensory variety on diet selection and behaviour of stabled horses. In three replicated trials, four low energy concentrates were presented. In trial 1 formulation varied with no added flavourants, in trial 2 formulation and flavour varied, in trial 3 formulation was constant and flavour varied.Up to eight horses were observed in two identical stables containing, either a single concentrate feed or four concentrate feeds (multiple concentrates) for 5 min. To control for palatability each concentrate was presented as the single concentrate twice within each trial. Trials were videotaped and 12 mutually exclusive behaviour patterns compared.Significant differences (P < 0.05 ? P < 0.001) in foraging and non-foraging behaviour were recorded between single and multiple sessions in trials 1, 2 and 3. In all trials the concentrate available in the single concentrate sessions was shown to influence diet selection during multiple sessions. In trial 3, four otherwise identical base diets flavoured with molasses, garlic, mint or herbs, tested whether manipulating flavour was sufficient to affect behaviour and diet selection. When multiple and single session behaviour was compared horse foraged more frequently (P < 0.005) and for longer (P < 0.05) in multiple sessions but foraging bouts were shorter (P < 0.05), suggesting natural patch foraging behaviour occurs in stabled horses offered multiple concentrate diets even if they vary only in flavour
Flavour preferences in concentrate diets for stabled horses
No full textOur previous trials investigating effects of diet flavour in stabled horses indicated significant effects on foraging behaviour and selection.
In this series of three trials we aimed to determine relative acceptance by presenting
flavour preference tests to eight horses. Horses were stabled and fed hay ad lib on trial
data collection days plus a standard unflavoured concentrate ration at 7.30am.
In Trial I 15 flavours were separately presented at 1% in standard 100g cereal by-product
meals. Quantity consumed, time to completion, partial rejection or refusal were recorded.
Order of presentation determined by Latin Square design. Trial data was collected on
fi ve sampling days, separated by a minimum of one day. Horses were presented with six
flavoured meals daily, minimum one hour between meals. Each flavour presented in two
replicates. The most preferred 8 flavours (grams consumed and time to completion) from
Trial I (Cherry, Oregano, Peppermint, Cumin, Rosemary, Fenugreek, Banana and Carrot)
were presented in paired preference tests in Trial II.
In Trial II all combinations of the eight flavours were presented, in two tests per day at noon
and 4pm. Presentations of the same fl avour separated by at least one day. Paired presentations
were of 3g in 300g cereal by-product. Presentations terminated when approx half of
the total amount presented had been consumed. Flavour preferences expressed as a gram
ratio from 0 (rejection) to 1 (exclusive consumption). One sample T-tests for paired fl avour
preferences indicated an order based on significance levels (t=2.3 – 7.3 P<0.05 – P<0.001)
of Fenugreek>Banana>Rosemary>Carrot>Cherry>Cumin>Peppermint>Oregano.
In Trial III relative consumption times of 100g mineral pellets flavoured with Fenugreek or
Banana were significantly reduced in comparison with unflavoured pellets over 5 days (Wilcoxon
signed ranks test: Fenugreek Z=-1.99 -2.2, P<0.05, Banana Z=-2.2, P<0.05).
In these short term trials, flavour had significant effects on diet acceptance and consumption
times
The effect of social environment on the development of object play in domestic horse foals
No full textIntroductionFree-ranging horses exist in cohesive social groups that usually consist of one to six mares, their offspring and a stallion. Foals normally have several conspecifics to engage with in social play. Object play is described as “manipulation of an inanimate object with out obvious purpose or reward” (Hughes, 2002). It has been suggested that providing foals with objects at weaning may improve their welfare as a substitute for social play (Mills and Nankervis, 1999). Object play has been reported to substitute for social play in free-roaming dogs (Bekoff, 1974) and marmosets (Jolly, 1985).In the preceding two studies (Hughes, 2002) the authors studied 24 foals. In the first study the foals were from different breeds and kept either socially, or isolated from other foals. The breed of the foals was thought to be an important factor in the large differences in object play behaviour observed between the foals. Therefore, the second study included only Arabian foals. These foals were all kept with at least one other foal. However, individual differences were again observed. The aim of the study reported here was to determine whether social environment affects the display of object play in domestic horse foals within a single breed group.MethodsThree solitary and three socially kept Arabian foals were observed for 30 minutes, once a week from one week to three months of age. All the foals were handled daily by staff at the stud farms. They were maintained at pasture during the day and stabled with their dam at night. Two of the foals were located in the South of England, three were located in South Wales and one was located in the West Midlands of England. The size of the sample was small due to a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the UK, which restricted the type of land that could be visited. During these observations a Jolly Ball (Horseman’s Pride, Ravenna, OH, USA), a large ball (25cm in diameter) with a handle, was placed in the field to ensure that all the foals had the opportunity to manipulate an object. An observer using a hand held video camera filmed the observations. During observations the observer was located in the same field as the foals, but did not interact with them. The videotapes were then viewed and the duration of object play behaviour was timed using a stopwatch and recorded using check sheets.As in previous studies a “boldness” score was devised based on the foals’ interaction with the observer (observer score). Boldness was defined as the willingness of the foals to take risks. The observer score was then compared to an object score, based on the foals’ interaction with objects in the presence of the observer. These scores were as follows: 0 = Foal displays no interest in the object/observer; 1 = Foal orients toward the object/observer; 2 = Foal approaches object/observer; 3 = Foal sniffs object/observer; 4 = Foal makes physical contact with the object/observer.ResultsTotal duration of object manipulation was greater for solitary than social foals. The mean duration during observations for solitary foals was 1.65% versus 1.19% for social foals (Z=-2.04, P<0.05). Total duration of observer interaction was also greater for solitary than social foals. The mean duration during observations for solitary foals was 7.64% versus 2.33% for social foals (Z=-2.70, p<0.01). The solitary kept foals also had significantly higher object and observer scores than the socially kept foals (Object score: Z=-2.51, p<0.05; Observer score: Z=-2.79, p<0.01).DiscussionSolitary kept foals appear to be bolder with objects and people than socially kept foals. This could be because their owners have more time to spend with them and so they receive more handling. However, solitary kept foals also appear to manipulate objects more than socially kept foals. It is possible that the isolated foals are re-directing frustrated social play behaviour toward the object. The lower duration of object manipulation displayed by the socially kept foals may be due to competition between the foals for objects. It could also be that the socially kept foals play with objects less because they are able to engage in social play. In this case the composition of the social group could affect the levels of object manipulation observed.Social environment does appear to have an effect on the levels of object play displayed by foals. Isolated foals appear to manipulate objects for longer than socially kept foals. The initial results of this study indicate that object manipulation and play could be useful as a substitute for social play in socially isolated foals. However, the sample size for this study was small and further studies will be required to increase sample size and therefore reliability.<br/
Foraging enrichment for individually housed horses: practicality and effects on behaviour
No full textThe stabled (UK) or stalled (USA) horse is commonly fed a restricted-forage diet in contrast to the varied ad libitum high-fibre diet it evolved to consume. A low-forage diet has been linked to the performance of stereotypical behaviour and health problems including gastric ulceration and impaction colic (in cases where horses are bedded on straw). Provision of a diet closer to that which the horse is adapted to and which enables more natural feeding behaviour warrants investigation.This trial aimed to establish whether the behavioural effects observed in short-term trials when stabled horses were provided with a multiple forage diet persist over longer periods. It also aimed to develop a practical methodology for maintaining stabled horses under forage-enriched conditions.Nine horses (aged 5–20 years, various breeds), acting as their own controls, participated in an 18-day, cross-over, Latin Square designed trial, in which they received comparable weights of two dietary treatments: a Single Forage (SF, hay) diet and a Multiple Forage (MF) diet (three long-chop and three short-chop commercially available forages). Following a 2-day acclimatisation, horses were maintained on the forage treatments for 7 days. Horses were observed on alternate days, morning and afternoon, during the 25 min following forage presentation. Horses then crossed over onto their second treatment and, following a further 2 days’ acclimatisation, the same protocol was followed for a further 7 days. Observations from video were made using The Observer 3.0® and SPPS (version 11).Horses on the MF treatment performed foraging behaviour significantly more frequently and for significantly longer periods than horses on the SF treatment. On the MF treatment horses sampled all forages during observations. However, there were significant differences in the frequency and duration of foraging on individual forages, indicating that horses demonstrated individual preferences for particular forages. Stereotypic weaving behaviour only occurred on the SF treatment.The results indicate that the potentially beneficial behavioural effects of short-term multiple forage provision do persist when horses are managed on a MF diet for a 7-day period. They suggest that a MF diet provides a means of enriching the stabled horse's environment, by offering variety and enabling patch foraging behaviour. The methodology proved practical for maintaining horses under forage-enriched conditions and could easily be adopted by horse owners to facilitate foraging behaviour.<br/
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