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Kaiser, L., Heleski, C. R., Siegford, J., & Smith, K. A. (2006). Stress-related behaviors among horses used in a therapeutic riding program. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 228(1), 39–45.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine whether therapeutic riding resulted in higher levels of stress or frustration for horses than did recreational riding and whether therapeutic riding with at-risk individuals was more stressful for the horses than was therapeutic riding with individuals with physical or emotional handicaps. DESIGN: Observational study. ANIMALS: 14 horses in a therapeutic riding program. PROCEDURE: An ethogram of equine behaviors was created, and horses were observed while ridden by 5 groups of riders (recreational riders, physically handicapped riders, psychologically handicapped riders, at risk children, and special education children). Number of stress-related behaviors (ears pinned back, head raised, head turned, head tossed, head shaken, head down, and defecation) was compared among groups. RESULTS: No significant differences in mean number of stress-related behaviors were found when horses were ridden by recreational riders, physically handicapped riders, psychologically handicapped riders, or special education children. However, mean number of stress-related behaviors was significantly higher when horses were ridden by the at-risk children. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that for horses in a therapeutic riding program, being ridden by physically or psychologically handicapped individuals is no more stressful for the horses than is being ridden in the same setting by recreational riders. However, at-risk children caused more stress to the horses, suggesting that the time horses are ridden by at-risk children should be limited both daily and weekly.
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Poncet, P. A., Ionita, J. C., Doherr, M. G., & Steiger, A. (2006). [The influence of the socio-economic structure of the breeding farms of Franches-Montagnes horses on the conditions of husbandry]. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd, 148(4), 183–189.
Abstract: The socio-economic structure of the breeding farms of Franches-Montagnes horses (FM) in Switzerland is evaluated on the basis of an investigation carried out in 2002 by the Swiss FM breeding federation. Questionnaires were sent to 3500 of its members and the results include data from 968 breeding enterprises, housing a total of 3965 FM. The quality of the husbandry of FM varies according to factors such as the altitude and the geographical situation of the farms and studs. Socio-economic parameters, such as the role of FM in the business, their use (breeding, driving, riding) and the age and level of professional education of the owners may also have an effect on standards of husbandry. The results show that the owners for whom FM represent a source of income more frequently keep their horses in standing stalls, but give them more time to exercise at liberty than the horses belonging to amateur breeders. Younger and better educated breeders are more likely to house their animals in groups.
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Ionita, J. C., Poncet, P. A., Doherr, M. G., & Steiger, A. (2006). [Evaluation of the quality of husbandry of Franches-Montagnes horses in their breeding farms]. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd, 148(4), 191–197.
Abstract: The quality of husbandry of Franches-Montagnes horses (FM) in Switzerland is evaluated on the basis of an investigation carried out in 2002 by the Swiss FM breeding federation. Questionnaires were sent to 3500 of its members and the results include data from 968 breeding enterprises, housing a total of 3965 FM: 46.1% were breeding mares (61.0% with foal at foot), 26.5% young stock, 1.3% stallions and 26.0% non breeding stock (74.6% of which were pleasure horses and 25.4% working horses). 57.6% of the FM were housed in individual boxes with or without permanent outdoor access, 25.4% were hold in groups with or without permanent outdoor access, the remaining 17.0% were kept in standing stalls. 95.0% of the FM had at least visual contact with other equines and 99.2% had sufficient light in their stable. 88.1% were stabled on long stalk straw, while only 4.3% were bedded on other materials other than straw. The average time spent at pasture per horse and per week ranged from 96.5 +/- 51.6 hours in summer to 27.2 +/- 26.7 hours in winter. On average, a FM is used for 8.3 +/- 6.5 hours per week. Horses with an paddock at their disposal spend an average of 39.8 +/- 45.9 hours there per week.
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Jonsson, H., & Egenvall, A. (2006). Prevalence of gastric ulceration in Swedish Standardbreds in race training. Equine Vet J, 38(3), 209–213.
Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: There is little information about the prevalence of gastric ulcers in Standardbred trotters and potential correlations between ulcers and various traits, e.g. age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens, need further elucidation. OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Swedish Standardbreds was estimated and the associations between ulcer score and age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens were determined. METHODS: Eighty Swedish Standardbreds in active race training, trained by 9 different trainers, underwent gastroscopy. Information on age, gender, status of training, performance over the last 4 months compared with the trainer's expectations before that period, behaviour, eating habits, feed type, bedding type, time spent outdoors per day and medical treatment during the last month was collected. Gastroscopy was performed and lesions in the squamous gastric mucosa were scored from 0 to 4 (0 = no lesions; 4 = > 5 lesions with haemorrhage, > 10 lesions with no haemorrhage, or a large area of diffuse loss of surface epithelium). RESULTS: Twenty-four (30%) of the horses had no lesions in the squamous mucosa, 22 (27.5%) had a score of 1; 21 (26.2%) score 2; 9 (11.2%) score 3; and 4 (5%) score 4. Horses that were in preparatory training and those that had raced during the last month were significantly more affected than horses that were fit for racing but had not raced during the last month, using a logistic regression model with trainer incorporated as a random effect. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed a high prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Standardbreds in race training. Of the studied parameters only status of training showed a significant association with gastric ulcers of the squamous mucosa. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Gastric ulceration is a common disease and diagnosis should be made by endoscopic examination of the gastric mucosa, since parameters such as age, gender, performance, behaviour, eating habits provide only weak clues as to which horses might be affected. Further studies are needed to determine the aetiology of the syndrome and to find ways to reduce, if possible, the frequency of gastric ulcers.
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Thomas, K. E., Annest, J. L., Gilchrist, J., & Bixby-Hammett, D. M. (2006). Non-fatal horse related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States, 2001-2003 (Vol. 40).
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To characterise and provide nationally representative estimates of persons with non-fatal horse related injuries treated in American emergency departments. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) is a stratified probability sample comprising 66 hospitals. Data on injuries treated in these emergency departments are collected and reported. NEISS-AIP data on all types (horseback riding and otherwise) of non-fatal horse related injuries from 2001 to 2003 were analysed. RESULTS: An estimated 102,904 persons with non-fatal horse related injuries (35.7 per 100,000 population) were treated in American emergency departments each year from 2001 to 2003 inclusive. Non-fatal injury rates were higher for females (41.5 per 100,000) than for males (29.8 per 100,000). Most patients were injured while mounted on a horse (66.1%), commonly from falling or being thrown by the horse; while not mounted, injuries most often resulted from being kicked by the horse. The body parts most often injured were the head/neck region (23.2%), lower extremity (22.2%), and upper extremity (21.5%). The most common principal diagnoses were contusions/abrasions (31.4%) and fractures (25.2%). For each year that was studied, an estimated 11 502 people sustained traumatic brain injuries from horse related incidents. Overall, more than 11% of those injured were admitted to hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Horse related injuries are a public health concern not just for riders but for anyone in close contact with horses. Prevention programmes should target horseback riders and horse caregivers to promote helmet use and educate participants about horse behaviour, proper handling of horses, and safe riding practices.
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Naylor, J. M., Poirier, K. L., Hamilton, D. L., & Dowling, P. M. (2006). The effects of feeding and fasting on gastrointestinal sounds in adult horses. J Vet Intern Med, 20(6), 1408–1413.
Abstract: The effect of changes in feed intake on auscultatable gastrointestinal sounds has not been systematically studied. Disagreement also is present in the literature about variation in sounds according to the quadrant of auscultation. Gastrointestinal sounds were recorded over the center of the left dorsal, left ventral, right ventral, and right dorsal quadrants and over the middle of the right abdominal flank. During 24 hours (n = 4) or 48 hours (n = 5) of fasting, there was a reduction in the intensity of gastrointestinal sounds as assessed by analysis of sound recordings. There was also a reduction in the number of mixing-like and propulsive-like sounds heard by 2 blinded observers. After refeeding, there was a marked increase in sound. Sound intensity varied among abdominal quadrants, but blinded observers did not notice significant differences in the number of mixing-like sounds. The left dorsal quadrant was quieter than others during fasting and refeeding. The right ventral quadrant appeared to be least affected by fasting, and sounds were louder over the right ventral and right middle quadrants than over the others. The blinded observers' perceptions of sound correlated poorly with one another and with objective measures of sound intensity. This experiment demonstrates the effectiveness of computerized analysis of abdominal sound in detecting a reduction in the intensity of gastrointestinal sounds during fasting and their return during refeeding. The left dorsal quadrant was quieter than other quadrants, likely because of its position over the small colon. There was considerable observer variation in the number of intestinal sounds heard.
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Rosa, P. A. J., Azevedo, A. M., & Aires-Barros, M. R. (2007). Application of central composite design to the optimisation of aqueous two-phase extraction of human antibodies. J Chromatogr A, 1141(1), 50–60.
Abstract: The partition of human antibodies in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and phosphate was systematically studied using first pure proteins systems and then an artificial mixture of proteins containing 1mg/ml human immunoglobulin G (IgG), 10mg/ml serum albumin and 2mg/ml myoglobin. Preliminary results obtained using pure proteins systems indicated that the PEG molecular weight and concentration, the pH value and the salts concentration had a pronounced effect on the partitioning behaviour of all proteins. For high ionic strengths and pH values higher than the isoelectric point (pI) of the contaminant proteins, IgG could be selectively recovered on the top phase. According to these results, a face centred composite design was performed in order to optimise the purification of IgG from the mixture of proteins. The optimal conditions for the isolation of IgG were observed for high concentrations of NaCl and low concentrations of both phase forming components. The best purification was achieved using an ATPS containing 8% (w/w) PEG 3350, 10% (w/w) phosphate pH 6 and 15% (w/w) NaCl. A recovery yield of 101+/-7%, a purity of 99+/-0% and a yield of native IgG of 97+/-4% were obtained. Back extraction studies of IgG to a new phosphate phase were performed and higher yields were obtained using 10% phosphate buffer at pH 6. The total extraction yield was 76% and the purity 100%.
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Krcmar, S., Mikuska, A., & Merdic, E. (2006). Response of Tabanidae (Diptera) to different natural attractants. J Vector Ecol, 31(2), 262–265.
Abstract: The response of female tabanids to natural attractants was studied in the Monjoros Forest along the Nature Park Kopacki rit in eastern Croatia. Tabanids were caught in canopy traps baited with either aged cow, horse, sheep, or pig urine and also in unbaited traps. Tabanids were collected in a significantly higher numbers in traps baited with natural attractants compared to unbaited traps. The number of females of Tabanus bromius, Tabanus maculicornis, Tabanus tergestinus, and Hybomitra bimaculata collected from canopy traps baited with cow urine and traps baited with other natural attractants differed significantly. Females of Haematopota pluvialis were also collected more frequently in canopy traps baited with aged cow urine than in those with aged horse urine, but this difference was not significant. However, the number of females of Haematopota pluvialis collected from canopy traps baited with other natural attractants (sheep and pig urine) differed significantly when compared with aged cow urine baited traps. Canopy traps baited with aged cow urine collected significantly more Tabanus sudeticus than did traps baited with aged pig urine. Finally, the aged cow urine baited canopy traps collected 51 times more tabanids than unbaited traps, while aged horse, aged sheep, and aged pig urine baited traps collected 36, 30, and 22 times as many tabanids, respectively, than unbaited traps.
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Henry, S., Richard-Yris, M. - A., & Hausberger, M. (2006). Influence of various early human-foal interferences on subsequent human-foal relationship. Dev Psychobiol, 48(8), 712–718.
Abstract: Whereas the way animals perceive human contact has been particularly examined in pet animals, a small amount of investigations has been done in domestic ungulates. It was nevertheless assumed that, as pet animals, non-aggressive forms of tactile contact were as well rewarding or positive for these species, even though the features of intraspecific relationships in pet animals and domestic ungulates may be to some extent different.We test here the hypothesis that horses may not consider physical handling by humans as a positive event. When comparing different early human-foal interactions, we found that early exposure to a motionless human enhanced slightly foals reactions to humans whereas forced stroking or handling in early life did not improve later human-foal relation. Foals that were assisted during their first suckling (e.g., brought to the dam's teat) even tended to avoid human approach at 2 weeks, and physical contact at 1 month of age.We argue that interspecies differences may exist in how tactile stimulation is perceived. It may be important for the establishment of a bond that a young animal is active in the process and able, through its behavioral responses, to help define what is positive for it. This way of investigation may have important general implications in how we consider the development of social relations, both within and between species.
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Scheibe, K. M., & Gromann, C. (2006). Application testing of a new three-dimensional acceleration measuring system with wireless data transfer (WAS) for behavior analysis (Vol. 38).
Abstract: A wireless acceleration measurement system was applied to free-moving cows and horses. Sensors were available as a collar and a flat box for measuring leg or trunk movements. Results were transmitted simultaneously by radio or stored in an 8-MB internal memory. As analytical procedures, frequency distributions with standard deviations, spectral analyses, and fractal analyses were applied. Bymeans of the collar sensor, basic behavior patterns (standing, grazing, walking, ruminating, drinking, and hay uptake) could be identified in cows. Lameness could be detected in cows and horses by means of the leg sensor. The portion of basic and harmonic spectral components was reduced; the fractal dimension was reduced. The system can be used for the detection and analysis of even small movements of free-moving humans or animals over several hours. It is convenient for the analysis of basic behaviors, emotional reactions, or events causing flight or fright or for comparing different housing elements, such as floors or fences.
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