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Author (down) Lensink, J.; Veissier, I.; Boissy, A.
Title Enhancement of performances in a learning task in suckler calves after weaning and relocation: Motivational versus cognitive control?: A pilot study Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 100 Issue 3-4 Pages 171-181
Keywords Calves; Weaning; Learning; Cognition; Behavioural test
Abstract Weaning in suckler calves influences performance in a learning task. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the improved performance after weaning, including relocation, is due to differences in motivation for the reward or in learning abilities. Forty Aubrac calves were used; half of them were weaned from their dams at around eight months, the other half were weaned one month later. After weaning, calves were housed in groups of four in a new setting. From the day after weaning of the last group of calves, the animals were subjected to two tests: (1) an arena test, (2) a T-maze test where one arm led to either a social or a food reward. The T-maze test consisted of three sessions: in Session 1, trials were conducted until the animal acquired the task (i.e. did not take the unrewarded arm on three consecutive trials); in Session 2, the motivation for the reward was assessed via the walking time of the animal to reach the reward; in Session 3, the place of reward was reversed and the animals were trained until they acquired the new task. Calves weaned for one day explored more (P < 0.05) and had lower heart rates during the arena test (P < 0.05) compared to the ones weaned for one month. During the T-maze test, calves weaned for one month versus one day did not differ in their capacities to learn the initial route (Session 1) or in their motivation for either the social or food reward (Session 2). Calves weaned for one day learned significantly faster (P < 0.05) the reversed route (Session 3) than calves weaned for one month. Hence, the better performances at reversal in the T-maze by calves that have just been weaned cannot be accounted for by a higher motivation for the reward. A better cognitive control of their behaviour due to a lower stress state is suggested by our results.
Address
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Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 285
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Author (down) Leleu, C.; Cotrel, C.
Title Body composition in young standardbreds in training: relationships to body condition score, physiological and locomotor variables during exercise Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Equine Veterinary Journal. Supplement Abbreviated Journal Equine Vet J Suppl
Volume Issue 36 Pages 98-101
Keywords Adipose Tissue/metabolism; Animals; Body Composition/*physiology; Body Constitution/*physiology; Body Weight/physiology; Exercise Test/veterinary; Female; Gait/physiology; Heart Rate/*physiology; Horses/*physiology; Lactates/blood; Male; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism; Physical Conditioning, Animal/*physiology
Abstract REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Body composition is an essential factor in athletic performance of human sprinters and long distance runners. However, in horses, many questions remain concerning relationships between body composition and performance in the different equine activities. OBJECTIVES: To determine relationships between body composition, body score, physiological and locomotor variables in a population of young Standardbreds in training. METHODS: Twenty-four 2-year-old Standardbreds were studied, body condition on a scale 0-5 and bodyweight recorded, and height at withers measured. Percentage of fat (%F), fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) were estimated echographically. During a standardised exercise test on the track, velocity, heart rate, respiratory frequency and blood lactate concentrations were measured. V4 and V200 (velocity for a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l and velocity of 200 beats/min) calculated. Basic gait variables were measured at 3 different speeds with an accelerometric device. RESULTS: Body composition variables: %F and FM were significantly related to body condition score and physiological variables. Body score was highly correlated to %F (r = 0.64) and FM (r = 0.71). V4 was negatively correlated to %F (r = -0.59) and FM (r = -0.60), P<0.05. V200 was also negatively related to %F and FM, (r = -0.39 and r = -0.37, respectively, P<0.1). No relationships were found between body composition and gait characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Body composition was closely related to indirect measurements of aerobic capacity, which is a major factor of athletic performance in middle distance running horses. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: As in human athletes, trainers should take special note to evaluate optimal bodyweight and body composition of race horses to optimise performance.
Address Pegase Mayenne, Departement de Medecine du Sport, Centre Hospitalier, 53 015 Laval, France
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Notes PMID:17402400 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4015
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Author (down) Leiner, L.
Title Vergleich verschiedener Methoden zur Angstextinktion bei Pferden Type Manuscript
Year 2006 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords
Abstract Pferde sind Fluchttiere. Ihr Fluchtinstinkt bewirkt, dass sie sich leicht erschrecken und auch in

diversen Situationen mit Flucht reagieren. Diese Tatsache ist den meisten Reitern bekannt,

nur ist es für den Menschen teilweise schwer, mit dieser Eigenschaft auszukommen und sie zu

verstehen oder gar nachzuvollziehen. So kommt es häufig zu Unfällen, die aus der Angst der

Pferde resultieren, jedoch vermeidbar gewesen wären, hätte man ankündigende Signale früher

erkannt. Des Weiteren kann die Angst eines Pferdes auch durch eine (Ver-) Weigerung,

bestimmte Dinge zu tun, sichtbar werden. Diese Weigerung wird in der Reiterei gerne als

„Bockigkeit“ und „Ungehorsam“ des Pferdes interpretiert und führt nicht selten zu einer

Bestrafung. Insgesamt kann man sagen, dass angstauslösende Reize und die Reaktionen des

Pferdes darauf oft falsch eingeschätzt oder falsch interpretiert werden und in der Folge auch

falsch damit umgegangen wird. Ein Grund dafür ist sicher das fehlende Wissen über das

Verhalten des Pferdes. Mit der vorliegenden Diplomarbeit soll ein Beitrag geleistet werden,

das Pferd in seinem Angstverhalten besser zu verstehen. Ziel der Arbeit war es, das Verhalten

des Pferdes bei verschiedenen Intensitäten von Angst zu untersuchen. Des Weiteren wurden

Methoden untersucht, mit denen man die Angst von Pferden vor bestimmten Reizen und

Situationen potentiell lindern kann, was letztendlich auch der Unfallvorbeugung dient.

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit wurde am Haupt- und Landesgestüt Marbach durchgeführt; 24

Junghengste standen hierfür zur Verfügung. Darunter waren 18 Deutsche Warmblüter, 3

Vollblutaraber und 3 Schwarzwälder Füchse (Kaltblüter), somit war auch ein Rassenvergleich

möglich.

In einem ersten Teil der Arbeit wurde untersucht, wie sich Angst bei Pferden äußert. Hierfür

wurde ausgenutzt, dass Pferde ganz generell vor unbekannten, neuen Gegenständen Angst

haben (= Neophobie). Zur Angstauslösung dienten als Konfrontationsgegenstände ein

Sonnenschirm und eine Plastikplane. Beide Gegenstände waren für die Testpferde unbekannt.

Das Verhalten sowie die Herzrate der Tiere wurden während aller Versuche beobachtet und

quantifiziert. Nacheiner ersten Konfrontation wurden die Pferde an die Objekte gewöhnt

(Extinktionstraining = Angstlöschung) und beobachtet welche Verhaltensymptome sich

während dieser Gewöhnung (= Verlust der Neophobie) verändern. Die Hypothese war, dass

tatsächliche Angstsymptome während der Gewöhnung immer seltener zu beobachten sind.

Zusammenfassung III

Als Verhaltensweisen für Angst konnten Ausweichbewegungen und Flucht, Lautäußerungen

(Prusten und Schnauben), das Anspannen der Halsmuskulatur sowie das Vordrücken der

Oberlippe identifiziert werden. Darüber hinaus wurde gezeigt, dass Abstufungen im

Angstverhalten möglich sind: Bei sehr hohem Angstlevel sind Fluchtreaktionen zu

beobachten. Bei mittlerem Angstlevel treten Ausweichbewegungen im Schritt und

Lautäußerungen (Prusten und Schnauben) auf, bei geringem Angstlevel wird die

Halsmuskulatur angespannt und die Oberlippe vorgedrückt.

Im Zweiten Teil der Arbeit sollten verschiedene Methoden zur Angst-Extinktionauf ihre

Wirksamkeit hin untersucht werden. Verwendet wurde in verschiedenen Testgruppen die

Methode der Desensibilisierung (d.h. leichte, schrittweise stärker werdende Exposition

gegenüber dem angstauslösenden Reiz), die Desensibilisierung mit Gegenkonditionierung

(positive Verstärkung) durch Streicheln bzw. Reiben des Halses und die Desensibilisierung

mit Gegenkonditionierung durch Futterbelohnung. Als Kontrollgruppe dienten Pferde, die

ohne eine Konfrontation mit dem angstauslösenden Reiz nur über den Versuchplatz geführt

wurden.

Während des Extinktionstrainings konnte beobachtet werden, dass die Desensibilisierung mit

Gegenkonditionierung zu einer schnelleren Extinktion führt als ohne Gegenkonditionierung.

Allerdings zeigte ein Vergleich mit der Kontrollgruppe, die das Extinktionstraining nicht

erfahren hatte, den gleichen Verlust an Angstverhalten wie die Gruppen mit Extinktionstraining.

Dieses Ergebnis wurde so interpretiert, dass die wiederholte Exposition gegenüber

angstauslösenden Reizen bei den durchgeführten Verhaltenstests zwar eine Rolle spielt, doch

dass auch allein die Beschäftigung mit den Tieren zu einem Verlust von Angstverhalten führt

(wahrscheinlich auch aufgrund eines wachsenden Vertrauens zur Führperson, die über das

komplette Experiment hin die Gleiche blieb).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis Diploma thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6205
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Author (down) Lehmann, K.; Kallweit, E.; Ellendorff, F.
Title Social hierarchy in exercised and untrained group-housed horses--A brief report Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 96 Issue 3-4 Pages 343-347
Keywords Horses; Social hierarchy; Exercise; Group-housing
Abstract Changes in social hierarchy were evaluated in a herd of 3-year-old Hanoverian geldings. One group (n = 5) was exposed to a training programme, the other (n = 5) remained untrained. After 6 months, the groups were reversed. Hierarchical positions were evaluated by field observations and/or paired-feeding tests at the beginning, the middle, the end of the first and at the end of the second training period. Both methods yielded identical results. Almost all horses changed position in only one direction: either up or down. Neither increase in aggression nor mutual injuries were recorded during the whole experiment. No statistically verified differences in dominance ranking occurred between trained and untrained groups, but apparent differences were consistent. Thus, if horses are kept in the same group for a longer period of time, exercise induced changes in hierarchy are probably of minor importance and are unlikely to increase the incidence of injuries. This may have implications for the promotion of group-housing for sport horses.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 800
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Author (down) Lee, J.; Paik, M.
Title Sex preferences and fertility in South Korea during the year of the Horse Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Demography Abbreviated Journal Demography
Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 269-292
Keywords Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*psychology; *Astrology; Attitude/*ethnology; Chronology; *Culture; Female; *Fertility; Humans; Korea; Male; *Mythology; Risk; *Sex Ratio; Social Desirability; Time
Abstract Since antiquity, people in several East Asian countries, such as China, Japan, and South Korea, have believed that a person is destined to possess specific characteristics according to the sign of the zodiac under which he or she was born. South Koreans, in particular, have traditionally considered that the year of the Horse bears inauspicious implications for the birth of daughters. Using monthly longitudinal data at the region level in South Korea between 1970 and 2003, we found that in the year of the Horse, the sex ratio at birth significantly increased while fertility decreased.
Address Department of Economics, Sam M. Walton College of Business, Business Building 402, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201, USA. jlee@walton.uark.edu
Corporate Author Thesis
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0070-3370 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16889129 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1867
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Author (down) Lea, S.E.G.; Goto, K.; Osthaus, B.; Ryan, C.M.E.
Title The logic of the stimulus Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 9 Issue 4 Pages 247-256
Keywords Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Cognition/*physiology; Columbidae; Comprehension/physiology; Dogs; Humans; *Logic; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology; Perception/*physiology; Problem Solving/*physiology; Species Specificity
Abstract This paper examines the contribution of stimulus processing to animal logics. In the classic functionalist S-O-R view of learning (and cognition), stimuli provide the raw material to which the organism applies its cognitive processes-its logic, which may be taxon-specific. Stimuli may contribute to the logic of the organism's response, and may do so in taxon-specific ways. Firstly, any non-trivial stimulus has an internal organization that may constrain or bias the way that the organism addresses it; since stimuli can only be defined relative to the organism's perceptual apparatus, and this apparatus is taxon-specific, such constraints or biases will often be taxon-specific. Secondly, the representation of a stimulus that the perceptual system builds, and the analysis it makes of this representation, may provide a model for the synthesis and analysis done at a more cognitive level. Such a model is plausible for evolutionary reasons: perceptual analysis was probably perfected before cognitive analysis in the evolutionary history of the vertebrates. Like stimulus-driven analysis, such perceptually modelled cognition may be taxon-specific because of the taxon-specificity of the perceptual apparatus. However, it may also be the case that different taxa are able to free themselves from the stimulus logic, and therefore apply a more abstract logic, to different extents. This thesis is defended with reference to two examples of cases where animals' cognitive logic seems to be isomorphic with perceptual logic, specifically in the case of pigeons' attention to global and local information in visual stimuli, and dogs' failure to comprehend means-end relationships in string-pulling tasks.
Address School of Psychology, Washington Singer Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, United Kingdom. s.e.g.lea@exeter.ac.uk
Corporate Author Thesis
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16909234 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2450
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Author (down) Larose, C.; Richard-Yris, M.-A.; Hausberger, M.; Rogers, L.J.
Title Laterality of horses associated with emotionality in novel situations Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Laterality Abbreviated Journal Laterality
Volume 11 Issue 4 Pages 355-367
Keywords Affect/*physiology; Animals; Brain/*physiology; Female; Functional Laterality/*physiology; Horses; Male; *Social Behavior; *Social Environment
Abstract We have established that lateral biases are characteristic of visual behaviour in 65 horses. Two breeds, Trotters and French Saddlebreds aged 2 to 3, were tested on a novel object test. The main finding was a significant correlation between emotionality index and the eye preferred to view the novel stimulus: the higher the emotionality, the more likely that the horse looked with its left eye. The less emotive French Saddlebreds, however, tended to glance at the object using the right eye, a tendency that was not found in the Trotters, although the emotive index was the same for both breeds. The youngest French Saddlebreds did not show this trend. These results are discussed in relation to the different training practices for the breeds and broader findings on lateralisation in different species.
Address Universite de Rennes 1, France
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1357-650X ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16754236 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ room B 3.029 Serial 1826
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Author (down) Langbein, J.; Nurnberg, G.; Puppe, B.; Manteuffel, G.
Title Self-Controlled Visual Discrimination Learning of Group-Housed Dwarf Goats (Capra hircus): Behavioral Strategies and Effects of Relocation on Learning and Memory Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Journal of Comparative Psychology Abbreviated Journal J. Comp. Psychol.
Volume 120 Issue 1 Pages 58-66
Keywords dwarf goats; visual discrimination; operant learning; learning strategies; context
Abstract In most studies on animal learning, individual animals are tested separately in a specific learning environment and with a limited number of trials per day. An alternative approach is to test animals in a familiar environment in their social group. In this study, the authors--applying a fully automated learning device--investigated voluntary, self-controlled visual shape discrimination learning of group-housed dwarf goats (Capra hircus). The majority of the tested goats showed successful shape discrimination, which indicates the adaptive value of an effective learning strategy. However, in each group, a few individual goats developed behavioral strategies different from shape discrimination to get reward. Relocation impairs memory retrieval (probably by attention shifting) only temporarily for previously learnt shapes. The results demonstrate the usefulness of a self-controlled learning paradigm to assess learning abilities of social species in their normal social settings. This may be especially relevant for captive animals to improve their welfare.
Address
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 2140
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Author (down) Labruna, M.B.; Amaku, M.
Title Rhythm of engorgement and detachment of Anocentor nitens females feeding on horses Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Veterinary Parasitology Abbreviated Journal Vet Parasitol
Volume 137 Issue 3-4 Pages 316-332
Keywords Animals; Bites and Stings; Feeding Behavior; Female; Horses/*parasitology; Ixodidae/*physiology; Seasons; Tick Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary; Time Factors
Abstract The present study evaluated the engorgement and drop-off rhythms of Anocentor nitens females feeding on horses. Drop-off rhythm was evaluated at 6h-intervals (06:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 00:00 h) on horses held in stalls or in a pasture. A new method of marking feeding female ticks (the bowknot technique) was developed to evaluate ticks on horses in pasture that attached to different parts of the horse's body. This technique was highly successful, indicating no significant interference on tick engorgement rate or final tick weight, length and reproductive capability. Horses held in the pasture during the summer produced only 28.2% of the tick detachment during the daylight period from 06:00 to 18:00 h. In contrast, 53.4% of the ticks detached during this same 12 h-period during the winter. This difference was probably related to the longer scotoperiod during the winter. Different drop-off rhythms were observed for females attached to different anatomical parts of the horse's body. For example, ticks attached to the ears, perineum, and tail showed similar drop-off patterns, but were different from ticks attached to mane, rump and other body parts. The idiosoma length of the feeding female ticks was individually measured every 6 h until the engorged female detached naturally. The engorgement rate (increase in millimeters of the body length per hour) was evaluated during the last 96 h of parasitism. The highest engorgement rates were observed during the last 24 h of parasitism (approximately 0.16 mm/h), which were four-fold higher than the engorgement rates of the previous 3 days ( approximately 0.04 mm/h), demonstrating that these lower and higher values corresponded to the slow and rapid feeding phases reported elsewhere. Based on these data, the 6 mm idiosoma length was estimated as the minimal length that would correspond to the time point (i.e. 24 h before detachment) during which ticks would undergo the rapid feeding phase and detach as fully engorged females. When this 6 mm length was tested to estimate the number of engorged females detaching from horses in a period of 24 h, the estimated accuracy varied from 58.5 to 97.7% (mean: 73.3%).
Address Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria Preventiva e Saude Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitaria, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil. labruna@usp.br
Corporate Author Thesis
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0304-4017 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16481114 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1877
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Author (down) Kurvers, C.M.H.C.; van Weeren, P.R.; Rogers, C.W.; van Dierendonck, M.C.
Title Quantification of spontaneous locomotion activity in foals kept in pastures under various management conditions Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication American journal of veterinary research Abbreviated Journal Am J Vet Res
Volume 67 Issue 7 Pages 1212-1217
Keywords Aging; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Female; Horses/*physiology; Male; Motor Activity/*physiology; Sex Characteristics
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To describe spontaneous locomotion activity of foals kept under various management conditions and assess the suitability of global positioning system (GPS) technology for recording foal activity. Animals-59 foals. PROCEDURES: During the foals' first 4 months of life, 921 observation periods (15 minutes each) were collected and analyzed for locomotion activities. The GPS system was evaluated by simultaneously carrying out field observations with a handheld computer. RESULTS: Foals spent 0.5% of total observed time cantering, 0.2% trotting, 10.7% walking, 32.0% grazing, 34.8% standing, and 21.6% lying down. Total observed daytime workload (velocity x distance) in the first month was approximately twice that in the following months. Locomotion activity decreased with increasing age. Colts had more activity than fillies in certain periods, and foals that were stabled for some portion of the day had compensatory locomotion activity, which was probably insufficient to reach the level of foals kept continually outside. The GPS recordings and handheld-computer observations were strongly correlated for canter, trot, and walk and moderately correlated for standing and lying. Correlation for grazing was low. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that domestically managed foals, when kept 24 h/d at pasture, will exercise at a level comparable with feral foals. High workload during the first month of life might be important for conditioning the musculoskeletal system. The GPS technique accurately quantified canter, trot, and walk activities; less accurately indexed resting; and was unsuitable for grazing because of the wide array of velocities used while foraging.
Address Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9645 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16817745 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1786
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