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Author Dalla Costa, E.; Rabolini, A.; Scelsa, A.; Canali, E.; Minero, M. pdf  openurl
  Title A study on inter-observer reliability of castration pain assessment in horses Type Conference Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg  
  Volume in press Issue Pages  
  Keywords Horse, Pain, Behavior, inter-observer reliability  
  Abstract Pain evaluation is a key issue for equine welfare and it is often cause of concern because it is difficult to determine its intensity and duration. This is essential when different people are looking after the animals and they need to decide when or not giving analgesics to guarantee the welfare of the subject. The most widely used technique to determine pain in horses is identifying pain related behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine inter-observer reliability of two different assessors evaluating pain related behaviors in horses undergoing castration. 8 stallions of different breed, aged between 2 and 4 years, were included in the study. All the subjects underwent routine castration (closed technique in general anesthesia). The subjects were placed in an observation box for 5 days and their behavior was recorded for 15 minutes before the surgery and 4, 8, 16, 24 and 40 hours after intervention. Two blind observers, using a given ethogram of horse pain related behaviors modified from literature (for a review Ashley, 2005), analyzed horses behavior at each interval. Descriptive statistics and K Kendall test were performed. Observers agreed significantly assessing agitation, reluctance to move, kicking the abdomen, lethargy, rolling, attention and curiosity (P<0.05), however agreement was low for head movements, stretching, flank watching, lowered head carriage, weight shifting, abnormal movement, fixed stare. Our results show that assessing pain in horses should be a cause of concern, because different pain related behaviors are difficult to identify and to have agreement between two observers. Training of care takers of horses on identification of specific behaviors is needed to standardize pain assessment. Acknowledgements: The authors wish to thank the EU VII Framework programme (FP7-KBBE-2010-4) for financing the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project and for providing funds for Emanuela Dalla Costa and Michela Minero to present this paper.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Dalla Costa, E. Thesis  
  Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor Krueger, K.;  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5579  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ermilina, J.A. pdf  openurl
  Title Dominance hierarchy in feral horses in Rostov Region Type Conference Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg  
  Volume in press Issue Pages  
  Keywords feral horse, island population, dominance, hierarchy  
  Abstract Horses maintain the social structure through the establishment of dominant-subordinate hierarchical relationships, both within and between groups. The object of study was the feral horse population, living on the Vodnyi Isl, Manych-Ghudilo Lake, on the territory of Rostov Region, S Russia the State Nature Biosphere Reserve “Rostov”. The social structure of this population is represented by the harem and bachelor groups, and their variety – the “mixed”groups, the presence and composition of which is atypical for the populations of feral horses. The main objectives of this work were to identify the hierarchical structure of different types of social groups and the role of the stallions in them, defining the dominance rank of animals. The method of continuous logging occurred aggressive reaction, ritualized interaction between stallions, take into account the direction of interactions between individuals. We observed 5 harem, 3 bachelor and 3 mixed groups. Each group was studied for a total of 60 h (8 h per group per days).Behavioral observations were carried out in summer 2009-2011. Based on the number and direction of aggressive interactions the hierarchical coefficient was calculated for individual horses (Ivanov et al, 2007). Harem group consists of an adult stallion (<5 years old) and a few mares with their offspring. Our observations of harem groups confirm the previously known information about this type of social groups (Berger, 1986; Carson, Wood-Gush, 1983, Keiper, 1983). Hierarchical system between mares is close to linear with reversal. The stallion is not included in the hierarchy of the mares; he is the leader and serves to maintain the integrity of the group and inter-group hierarchy, and has reproductive function. Bachelor groups consist of stallions 2-3 years and older who do not have their own harem. It is known that dominance hierarchy in these groups is linear, young males or males who recently had joined the group have low ranks (Berger, 1977; Houpt, Keiper, 1982; Kirillov Paklina, 1990). In observed bachelor groups dominant stallion have a significantly higher rank in the hierarchy. However, among other stallions is not always observed strict linear hierarchy – some individuals have very similar ranks. Function of managing the group and maintaining the intergroup hierarchy can be distributed among the all stallions in the group. Mixed groups are composed of several mature stallions, one or more mares (sometimes with the offspring). In the study population in this type of social groups animals may be mature (age 5 and older) and semi-mature (2-5 years). The hierarchy of these atypical groups has not been studied. In the studied 3 mixed groups stallions have very similar hierarchical rank, dominant and subordinate stallions share a function of managing the group, participation in ritualized interactions. Our studies have revealed the plasticity of the hierarchical structure of groups of horses and the need to further investigate the distribution of social roles among stallions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Ermilina, J.A. Thesis  
  Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor Krueger, K.;  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5580  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Flauger, B.; Krueger, K. pdf  openurl
  Title Social feeding decisions in horses (Equus caballus) Type Conference Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg  
  Volume in press Issue Pages  
  Keywords Feeding decision; Horse; Rank; Social behaviour  
  Abstract Like many other herbivores equids feed on rather evenly distributed resources. Especially in ruminants several studies have proved the influence of social organisations, rank, sex and the depletion of feeding sites on the feeding behaviour of individuals. However, it is not yet understood whether social aspects affect horses´ feeding decisions. Horses roam on vast habitats with constantly changing vegetation. In non-competitive situations domestic horses tend to return to the same feeding site until it is overgrazed. Whereas, for competition over limited food the social status of the individuals appears to be important. Curiosity about the influence of social rank and different social feeding conditions on the horses´ feeding decisions between two buckets, equally filled with high-quality surplus food, led us to create the test situation described here. The observer horses were alternately tested with a dominant and a subordinate demonstrator placed in one of three different positions. We conclude that domestic horses use cognitive strategic decision making in order to decide where to feed in a social feeding situation. When possible they tend to return to the same, continuously supplied feeding site and switch to an “avoidance tendency” when another horse is already feeding from it or in the presence of a dominant horse. Thus the position and the social rank of conspecifics affect the feeding strategy of horses.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Flauger, B. Thesis  
  Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5581  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bouskila, A.; de Vries, H.; Hermans, Z.M.; van Dierendonck, M. pdf  openurl
  Title Leadership roles in movements of free-roaming Konik horses (Equus caballus) in a Dutch reserve Type Conference Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg  
  Volume in press Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract We observed the activity and movements of Konik horses (Equus caballus) in order to determine the initiators of movements and the individuals taking the lead in movements of the main groups. We conducted our observations between March-June 2010 along the shores of the Rhine river, in the Blauwe Kamer reserve, in the Netherlands. The horses were introduced to the reserve alongside with cattle to prevent the growth of the forest and maintain the grass habitat. We videotaped all observations on two digital video cameras, one providing the general view of the group and the other scanning and focusing on the individuals, to aid with identification. Horses were recognized based on individual profiles that were created for each one, consisting of photos of both sides and notes of the main characters, such as orientation and coloration of the mane, prominent scars and markings, etc. Twenty three horses (not counting foals) were organized in two harem groups with 11 individuals (two of which were dominant stallions) in the large group and six individuals (one of which was a stallion) in the second group. These two main groups were always within sight of each other, and two bachelor males moved usually in their vicinity. An additional group of three young bachelor males roamed elsewhere in the reserve. We divided the movements of the horses to local movements while grazing and to long-distance movements, in which the horses moved to a different grazing location, to a pond of water, resting area or groups of trees that were used by the horses for scratching themselves. During the local movements, any two of the three oldest females in the large harem group were enough to cause the whole group to follow them and gradually change position within the pasture. The smaller harem always followed the large harem’s movements. The long-distance movements of the large harem were sometimes initiated by one of the harem stallions that herded their group and at other times – by the oldest females. Soon after the movement was clearly initiated, the dominant stallions positioned themselves in the back of the group or in the center and had no influence on the direction of move that was only determined by the leading females. In the long-distance movements too, the small harem followed the large harem group, and the two bachelor males usually followed behind them. Social interactions included aggressive interactions between the two dominant males within the large harem or between dominant stallions and the two bachelor males accompanying the two harems. In addition, dominant males courting or attempting to mate with mares sometimes caused a turmoil that eventually initiated movement of the harems. KW -  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Bouskila, A. Thesis  
  Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor Krueger, K.;  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5592  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Szarka, A.; Nagy, K.; Maros, K. pdf  openurl
  Title Approaching a horse, approaching a human: Tolerating and seeking human contact in pastured horses Type Conference Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg  
  Volume in press Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract We tested untrained horses (foals and breeding mares) in 3 different breeding centres. Horses were kept in a pasture during daytime in bigger groups (median 12, min: 6, max 35 / pasture) according to age, gender and breed (hungarian halfbred, hucul, arabian and thoroughbred). To measure their reactions to an unfamiliar person we conducted an active and a passive human test. In the active human test the test person (TP) approached a focal animal in the group from a predetermined direction: from their front, from their side (left or right) or from the rear. As TP reached the horse (of app. 0.5 m distance), she tried to pet the animal’s head. The TP always chose and approached a standing or a grazing horse (ie. those that were not walking, galloping, playing etc.). The horse’s reaction to the approaching human was scored 1-5. Score 1: the horse moved away and the TP could not even approach it within 0.5 m; Score 2: the horse made max. 2 steps away, but could be reached and petted; Score 3 and Score 4: the horse stood in its place but showed different signs of discomfort (head turn – Score 3; backing ears, tail slash – Score 4); Score 5: the horse stood and did not show any sign of discomfort or actively approached the TP. There was no significant difference in the horses’ reaction between approaching from their left or right side. Approaching from their front or from their side (left or right) did not differ significantly either. However, the odds of walking away from the TP (score 1 or 2) was 2.7 (Fisher-test, p=0.039) and 3.3 (p=0.012) times higher when TP approached from the rear compared to approaching from their front or from their side (left or right), respectively. In the passive human test the TP stood immobile for 4 minutes in 5 or 10 m far from the horses during their active (grazing) or inactive (standing idle during noon) period. Horses approached TP significantly sooner (general linear model, p=0.017) when she stood 5m distance (38 ±63 s) compared to 10m (97 ±52 s). The arrival of a second horse after the first horse approached the TP showed significant high correlation with the latency of the first horse arrival (Pearson correlation, r=0.96, p<0.001). The horses were less keen (p=0.008) to approach the human when they were tested in an inactive period (177 ±110 s) compare to active period (38 ±63 s).  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Maros, K. Thesis  
  Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor Krueger, K.;  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5594  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Garamszegi, L.Z.; Møller, A.P.; Erritzøe, J. doi  openurl
  Title Coevolving avian eye size and brain size in relation to prey capture and nocturnality Type Journal Article
  Year 2002 Publication Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc Roy Soc Lond B Biol Sci  
  Volume 269 Issue 1494 Pages 961-967  
  Keywords adaptation; behaviour; brain size; coevolution; eye size; vision  
  Abstract Behavioural adaptation to ecological conditions can lead to brain size evolution. Structures involved in behavioural visual information processing are expected to coevolve with enlargement of the brain. Because birds are mainly vision–oriented animals, we tested the predictions that adaptation to different foraging constraints can result in eye size evolution, and that species with large eyes have evolved large brains to cope with the increased amount of visual input. Using a comparative approach, we investigated the relationship between eye size and brain size, and the effect of prey capture technique and nocturnality on these traits. After controlling for allometric effects, there was a significant, positive correlation between relative brain size and relative eye size. Variation in relative eye and brain size were significantly and positively related to prey capture technique and nocturnality when a potentially confounding variable, aquatic feeding, was controlled statistically in multiple regression of independent linear contrasts. Applying a less robust, brunching approach, these patterns also emerged, with the exception that relative brain size did not vary with prey capture technique. Our findings suggest that relative eye size and brain size have coevolved in birds in response to nocturnal activity and, at least partly, to capture of mobile prey.  
  Address  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes 10.1098/rspb.2002.1967 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5452  
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Author Liker, A.; Bókony, V. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Larger groups are more successful in innovative problem solving in house sparrows Type Journal Article
  Year 2009 Publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA  
  Volume 106 Issue 19 Pages 7893-7898  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Group living offers well-known benefits to animals, such as better predator avoidance and increased foraging success. An important additional, but so far neglected, advantage is that groups may cope more effectively with unfamiliar situations through faster innovations of new solutions by some group members. We tested this hypothesis experimentally by presenting a new foraging task of opening a familiar feeder in an unfamiliar way to house sparrows in small and large groups (2 versus 6 birds). Group size had strong effects on problem solving: sparrows performed 4 times more and 11 times faster openings in large than in small groups, and all members of large groups profited by getting food sooner (7 times on average). Independently from group size, urban groups were more successful than rural groups. The disproportionately higher success in large groups was not a mere consequence of higher number of attempts, but was also related to a higher effectiveness of problem solving (3 times higher proportion of successful birds). The analyses of the birds' behavior suggest that the latter was not explained by either reduced investment in antipredator vigilance or reduced neophobia in large groups. Instead, larger groups may contain more diverse individuals with different skills and experiences, which may increase the chance of solving the task by some group members. Increased success in problem solving may promote group living in animals and may help them to adapt quickly to new situations in rapidly-changing environments.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6538  
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Author Morand-Ferron, J.; Quinn, J.L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Larger groups of passerines are more efficient problem solvers in the wild Type Journal Article
  Year 2011 Publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA  
  Volume 108 Issue 38 Pages 15898-15903  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Group living commonly helps organisms face challenging environmental conditions. Although a known phenomenon in humans, recent findings suggest that a benefit of group living in animals generally might be increased innovative problem-solving efficiency. This benefit has never been demonstrated in a natural context, however, and the mechanisms underlying improved efficiency are largely unknown. We examined the problem-solving performance of great and blue tits at automated devices and found that efficiency increased with flock size. This relationship held when restricting the analysis to naive individuals, demonstrating that larger groups increased innovation efficiency. In addition to this effect of naive flock size, the presence of at least one experienced bird increased the frequency of solving, and larger flocks were more likely to contain experienced birds. These findings provide empirical evidence for the “pool of competence” hypothesis in nonhuman animals. The probability of success also differed consistently between individuals, a necessary condition for the pool of competence hypothesis. Solvers had a higher probability of success when foraging with a larger number of companions and when using devices located near rather than further from protective tree cover, suggesting a role for reduced predation risk on problem-solving efficiency. In contrast to traditional group living theory, individuals joining larger flocks benefited from a higher seed intake, suggesting that group living facilitated exploitation of a novel food source through improved problem-solving efficiency. Together our results suggest that both ecological and social factors, through reduced predation risk and increased pool of competence, mediate innovation in natural populations.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6539  
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Author Lee, R.D. doi  openurl
  Title Rethinking the evolutionary theory of aging: transfers, not births, shape senescence in social species Type Journal Article
  Year 2003 Publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A  
  Volume 100 Issue 16 Pages 9637-9642  
  Keywords Adaptation, Physiological; *Aging; Animals; *Biological Evolution; Demography; Economics; Environment; Fertility; Humans; Life Expectancy; Longevity; Models, Theoretical; Parturition; Population Dynamics; Population Growth; Reproduction  
  Abstract The classic evolutionary theory of aging explains why mortality rises with age: as individuals grow older, less lifetime fertility remains, so continued survival contributes less to reproductive fitness. However, successful reproduction often involves intergenerational transfers as well as fertility. In the formal theory offered here, age-specific selective pressure on mortality depends on a weighted average of remaining fertility (the classic effect) and remaining intergenerational transfers to be made to others. For species at the optimal quantity-investment tradeoff for offspring, only the transfer effect shapes mortality, explaining postreproductive survival and why juvenile mortality declines with age. It also explains the evolution of lower fertility, longer life, and increased investments in offspring.  
  Address Department of Demography, University of California, 2232 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94720-2120, USA. rlee@demog.berkeley.edu  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0027-8424 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:12878733 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5465  
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Author Warmuth, V.; Eriksson, A.; Bower, M.A.; Barker, G.; Barrett, E.; Hanks, B.K.; Li, S.; Lomitashvili, D.; Ochir-Goryaeva, M.; Sizonov, G.V.; Soyonov, V.; Manica, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Reconstructing the origin and spread of horse domestication in the Eurasian steppe Type Journal Article
  Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Abbreviated Journal (down) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Despite decades of research across multiple disciplines, the early history of horse domestication remains poorly understood. On the basis of current evidence from archaeology, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-chromosomal sequencing, a number of different domestication scenarios have been proposed, ranging from the spread of domestic horses out of a restricted primary area of domestication to the domestication of numerous distinct wild horse populations. In this paper, we reconstruct both the population genetic structure of the extinct wild progenitor of domestic horses, Equus ferus, and the origin and spread of horse domestication in the Eurasian steppes by fitting a spatially explicit stepping-stone model to genotype data from >300 horses sampled across northern Eurasia. We find strong evidence for an expansion of E. ferus out of eastern Eurasia about 160 kya, likely reflecting the colonization of Eurasia by this species. Our best-fitting scenario further suggests that horse domestication originated in the western part of the Eurasian steppe and that domestic herds were repeatedly restocked with local wild horses as they spread out of this area. By showing that horse domestication was initiated in the western Eurasian steppe and that the spread of domestic herds across Eurasia involved extensive introgression from the wild, the scenario of horse domestication proposed here unites evidence from archaeology, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-chromosomal DNA.  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5612  
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