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Ransom, J.I.; Cade, B.S.; Hobbs, N.T. |
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Title |
Influences of immunocontraception on time budgets, social behavior, and body condition in feral horses |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
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Volume |
124 |
Issue |
1-2 |
Pages |
51-60 |
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Keywords |
Equus caballus; Fertility control; Porcine zona pellucida (PZP); Wild horse; Wildlife contraception |
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Abstract |
Managers concerned with shrinking habitats and limited resources for wildlife seek effective tools for limiting population growth in some species. Fertility control is one such tool, yet little is known about its impacts on the behavioral ecology of wild, free-roaming animals. We investigated influences of the immunocontraceptive porcine zona pellucida (PZP) on individual and social behavior in bands of feral horses (Equus caballus) in three discrete populations and used 14 hierarchical mixed effect models to gain insight into the influences of PZP treatment on feral horse behavior. A model of body condition was the strongest predictor of feeding, resting, maintenance, and social behaviors, with treated females allocating their time similarly to control females. Time spent feeding declined 11.4% from low condition to high condition females (F1,154 = 26.427, P < 0.001) and was partially reciprocated by a 6.0% increase in resting (F1,154 = 7.629, P = 0.006), 0.9% increase in maintenance (F1,154 = 7.028, P = 0.009), and 1.8% increase in social behavior (F1,154 = 15.064, P < 0.001). There was no difference detected in body condition of treated versus control females (F1,154 = 0.033, P = 0.856), but females with a dependent foal had lower body condition than those without a foal (F1,154 = 4.512, P = 0.038). Herding behavior was best explained by a model of treatment and the interaction of band fidelity and foal presence (AICc weight = 0.660) which estimated no difference in rate of herding behavior directed toward control versus treated females (F1,102 = 0.196, P = 0.659), but resident females without a dependent foal were herded 50.9% more than resident females with a foal (F3,102 = 8.269, P < 0.001). Treated females received 54.5% more reproductive behaviors from stallions than control mares (F1,105 = 5.155, P = 0.025), with the model containing only treatment being the most-supported (AICc weight = 0.530). Treated and control females received harem-tending behaviors from stallions equally (F1,105 = 0.001, P = 0.969) and agonistic behaviors from stallions equally (F1,105 < 0.001, P = 0.986). Direct effects of PZP treatment on the behavior of feral horses appear to be limited primarily to reproductive behaviors and most other differences detected were attributed to the effects of body condition, band fidelity, or foal presence. PZP is a promising alternative to traditional hormone-based contraceptives and appears to contribute few short-term behavioral modifications in feral horses. |
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0168-1591 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5084 |
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Sankey, C.; Richard-Yris, M.-A.; Henry, S.; Fureix, C.; Nassur, F.; Hausberger, M. |
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Title |
Reinforcement as a mediator of the perception of humans by horses (Equus caballus) |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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13 |
Issue |
5 |
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753-764-764 |
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Perception of humans – Human/animal relationship – Positive reinforcement – Negative reinforcement – Equus caballus |
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A central question in the interspecific human/animal relationship is how domestic animals perceive humans as a significant element of their environment. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the use of positive or negative reinforcement in horse training may have consequences on the animals’ perception of humans, as a positive, negative or neutral element. Two groups of ponies were trained to walk backwards in response to a vocal order using either positive or negative reinforcement. Heart rate monitors and behavioural observations were used to assess the animals’ perception of humans on the short (just after training) and long (5 months later) terms. The results showed that the type of reinforcement had a major effect on the subsequent animals’ perception of familiar and unfamiliar humans. Negative reinforcement was rapidly associated with an increased emotional state, as revealed by heart rate measurements and behavioural observations (head movements and ears laid back position). Its use led the ponies to seek less contact with humans. On the contrary, ponies trained with positive reinforcement showed an increased interest in humans and sought contact after training. This is especially remarkable as it was reached in a maximum of 5 sessions of 1 to 3 min (i.e. 5 to 15 min) and had lasting effects (visible after 5 months). Even learning was positively influenced by positive reinforcement. Overall, horses seem capable of associating humans to particular experiences and display extended long-term memory abilities. |
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Springer Berlin / Heidelberg |
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1435-9448 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5175 |
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Sankey, C.; Richard-Yris, M.-A.; Leroy, H.; Henry, S.; Hausberger, M. |
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Title |
Positive interactions lead to lasting positive memories in horses, Equus caballus |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
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79 |
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4 |
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869-875 |
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Equus caballus; horse; human–animal relationship; learning; memory; positive interaction; social cognition |
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Social relationships are important in social species. These relationships, based on repeated interactions, define each partner's expectations during the following encounters. The creation of a relationship implies high social cognitive abilities which require that each partner is able to associate the positive or negative content of an interaction with a specific partner and to recall this association. In this study, we tested the effects of repeated interactions on the memory kept by 23 young horses about humans, after 6 and 8 months of separation. The association of a reward with a learning task in an interactional context induced positive reactions towards humans during training. It also increased contact and interest, not only just after training, but also several months later, despite no further interaction with humans. In addition, this ‘positive memory’ of humans extended to novel persons. Overall, positive reinforcement enhanced learning and memorization of the task itself. These findings suggest remarkable social cognitive abilities that can be transposed from intraspecific to interspecific social contexts. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5418 |
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Schneider, G.; Krueger, K. |
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Third-party interventions keep social partners from exchanging affiliative interactions with others |
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Journal Article |
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2012 |
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Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
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83 |
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2 |
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377-387 |
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Equus caballus; horse; rank; social bond; social network; third-party intervention |
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Third-party interventions are defined as the interruption of dyadic interactions by third animals through direct physical contact, interposing or threats. Previous studies focused on the analysis of interventions against agonistic encounters. However, there have been no evaluations of interventions against affiliative behaviours, particularly in relation to the intervening animal�s social relationships and its social and spatial position. Horses, Equus caballus, are an interesting model species, as interventions against affiliative interactions occur more frequently than against agonistic interactions. In this study, 64 feral horses displayed 67 interventions in affiliative interactions and eight interventions in agonistic interactions within the observation period. We analysed the interventions in affiliative encounters, and found that it was mainly higher-ranking females that intervened in the affiliative interactions of group mates in the stable horse harems. The intervening animals took an active part in affiliative and agonistic encounters within the group, but did not occupy particular social roles or spatial positions. They intervened in affiliative interactions in which group mates with which they had social bonds interacted with other members of the group. They targeted the nonbonded animal and approached the one with which they were socially bonded. We suggest some species use third-party interventions in affiliative interactions to prevent competition for preferred social interaction partners from escalating into more costly agonistic encounters. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5492 |
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Author |
Stanley, C.; Shultz, S. |
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Title |
Mummy’s Boys: Sex Differential Maternal Offspring Relationships in Semi-feral Horses |
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Conference Article |
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2012 |
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Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting |
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Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
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in press |
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dispersal, Equus ferus caballus, social, maternal investment |
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In polygynous species with high reproductive skew in males, mothers often show differential investment between sons and daughters; however consistent sex differential investment has not been found by previous studies in horses. We investigated sex differences in mother-offspring relationships in nutritionally independent sub-adult semi-feral Carneddau Welsh mountain ponies Equus ferus caballus. Mothers and their sub-adult sons had consistently closer relationships than mothers and daughters. Stronger affiliative bonds between mothers and sons were quantified by their maintenance of closer proximity, higher rates of affiliative interactions and more frequent suckling bouts. These measures of affiliation were temporally associated with higher aggression levels directed towards sub-adults by other band members, particularly stallions. We suggest that aggression may serve as the proximate mechanism driving male dispersal in feral horses and that the stronger mother-son bond signals an attempt to delay their dispersal, highlighting conflict within the band concerning dispersal timing. Since males become increasingly central within the band over time, with mature stallions requiring excellent social skills in order to both acquire and keep a band of mares, we propose that delaying colts' dispersal allows for further development of these skills in a relatively safe environment. This additional investment is expected to maximise their reproductive success. This study illustrates how social network theory can be used to quantify individuals' social experiences, contributing to a greater understanding of the evolution of group living. It also gives us further insight into the mechanisms underlying dispersal in wild and semi-wild horse populations and how conflict often arises when individual needs differ. |
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Stanley, C. |
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Xenophon Publishing |
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Wald |
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Krueger, K. |
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978-3-9808134-26 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5530 |
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Vervaecke, H.; Stevens, J.; Vandemoortele, H.; Sigurjönsdöttir, H.; De Vries, H. |
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Aggression and dominance in matched groups of subadult Icelandic horses (Equus caballus) |
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2007 |
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Journal of Ethology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Ethol. |
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25 |
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3 |
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239-248 |
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Equus – Dominance – Aggression – Hierarchy – Steepness |
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Abstract We studied sex differences in the nature of aggression and dominance behaviour in two newly formed groups of 1-year-old Icelandic horses. One herd contained nine geldings, the other nine mares. The groups were matched with regard to dominance-determining traits such as age, weaning age, composition of native herd, social experience, genetic origin, body condition and maternal dominance status. High-ranking individuals of both sexes were more aggressive, high-ranking males were older, and high-ranking females had a better body condition. Frequencies of aggressions were similar in both groups. The mares reacted significantly more by showing submission upon an aggression rather than by not responding or by escalating the aggression. For the geldings, this difference was not observed due to a lower tendency to submit. A linear dominance hierarchy was found in both groups. David`s scores provided additional information regarding cardinal rank distances and were used to calculate steepness of hierarchies. The female hierarchy was somewhat steeper compared to the male hierarchy, suggesting somewhat lower despotism among males. This was mainly a consequence of the lower unidirectionality in male submission. Male contests occurred predominantly between dyads at top and mid positions, suggesting a low degree of acceptance of the hierarchy. |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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2192 |
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Wolter, R.; Pantel, N.; Stefanski, V.; Möstl, E.; Krueger, K. |
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The role of an alpha animal in changing environmental conditions |
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2014 |
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Physiology & Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Physiol. Behav. |
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133 |
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236-243 |
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Alpha male; Horse; Equus ferus przewalskii; Bachelor group; Group structure |
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Abstract The maintenance and development of conservation areas by grazing of large herbivores, such as Przewalski's horses, is common practice. Several nature conservation areas house male bachelor groups of this species. When males are needed for breeding they are removed from the groups, often without considering group compositions and individual social positions. However, alpha animals are needed for ensuring group stability and decision making in potentially dangerous situations in several species. To investigate the role of the alpha male in a bachelor group, we observed the behaviour of five Przewalski's horse males during the enlargement of their enclosure. We analyzed the group's social structure and movement orders, as well as the animals' connectedness, activity budgets, and whether they moved with preferred group members and how factors such as social rank influenced the horses' behaviour. We also investigated the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) via faeces of the horses while exploring a new area as a parameter of glucocorticoid production. Our results show that the alpha male is important for a bachelor group in changing environmental conditions. The alpha male had the highest level of connectedness within the group. When exploring the new environment, its position in the group changed from previously being the last to being the first. Furthermore the whole group behaviour changed when exploring the new area. The stallions showed reduced resting behavior, increased feeding and did not stay close to each other. We found that the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites of most horses rose only marginally during the first days on the new area while only the alpha male showed a significant increased amount of glucocorticoid production during the first day of the enclosure enlargement. |
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0031-9384 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5818 |
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Zharkikh, T.L.; Andersen, L. |
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Behaviour of Bachelor Males of the Przewalski Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the Reserve Askania Nova |
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2009 |
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Der Zoologische Garten |
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Zoologische Garten |
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78 |
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5-6 |
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282-299 |
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Equid; Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii); Bachelor group; Social behaviour |
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The aim of this study was to investigate social relationships between Przewalski horses at a high density in a bachelor group housed in a 3.5-ha enclosure. The group consisted of 16 males aged 5 to 16. Behavioural data were collected during 18 days, total 216 h. Fifteen minute focal animal sampling was used; each horse was observed three times a day for a total of 45 min. The occurrence of 25 behaviours was recorded, and group spacing behaviour was studied using nearest neighbour recordings. The group divided into four subgroups; this supports earlier findings of bachelor groups (n>=10) dividing into two or more subgroups if they included several males aged >5 years. The total frequency of social interactions was 14.6±1.1 h-1. Although the density of the group in this study was higher than in other zoos, the males interacted agonistically only 3.6 h-1. The most frequently observed social behaviour categories were friendly interactions. This study shows possibilities to use some investigative behaviours (marking, flehmen, olfactory investigation, etc.) as indicators of social status of animals in a group. |
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0044-5169 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5098 |
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Zucca, P.; Cerri, F.; Carluccio, A.; Baciadonna, L. |
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Title |
Space availability influence laterality in donkeys (Equus asinus) |
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Behavioural Processes |
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Behav. Process. |
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In Press, Uncorrected Proof |
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Cerebral lateralization; Donkey; Footedness; Welfare; Equus asinus |
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Cerebral lateralization is the portioning of the cognitive functions between the two cerebral hemispheres. Several factors, like embryological manipulations, light exposure, health conditions, sex and age can influence the left-right brain asymmetries and contribute to increasing the variability in the strength and direction of laterality within most species. We investigated the influence of an environmental constraint, namely space availability, as a new source of variation on laterality in an adult vertebrate model, the donkey. In a baseline condition we tested whether donkeys show a motor lateralization bias at population level, while in an experimental condition we manipulated space availability to verify if a reduction in this parameter could represent a new source of variation in laterality. Results show that donkeys are lateralized at population level with a strong bias to standing with the right forelimb advanced over the left and that a reduction of space availability is an important source of variation in the laterality strength and direction within this species. The comparative analysis of the environmental and developmental factors that give origin to neural and behavioural laterality in animal models will be very important for a better understanding of the evolutionary origin of such multifaceted phenomenon. |
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0376-6357 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5400 |
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