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Zimmermann, W., & Zimmermann, M. (2012). Operation unterm Kranichhimmel. In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: Auf dem herbstlichen Zug in den Süden rasten bis zu 80 000 Kraniche im Hortobágy Nationalpark im Osten Ungarns. Das einst von Wildtieren besiedelte Gebiet ist heute eine Kulturlandschaft aus Feldern und Weiden, wo seltene Haustierrassen wie Zackelschaf, Graurind und Noniuspferde grasen, die von Hirten mit ihren Hunden gehütet werden. Die noch erhaltenen Steppengebiete zeichnen sich durch eine große Vielfalt in Flora und Fauna aus. Sie sollen möglichst wenig betreten werden, damit vor allem die bodenbrütenden Vögel, wie z.B. die seltene Großtrappe nicht gestört werden. Deshalb wurde die Kernzone – das Pentezug-Gebiet (2400 ha) – mit Przewalskipferden und „Auerochsen“ zur natürlichen Beweidung besetzt. Bereits in den ersten Jahren fiel es auf, dass das Rind deutlich schlechter an die kalte Jahreszeit angepasst ist als das Wildpferd. Deshalb wurden beide Arten besendert, um Körpertemperatur und Herzschlagfrequenz zu messen. Außerdem sollten Gras- und Kotanalysen Aufschluss über die Unterschiede in der Futterverwertbarkeit liefern.
Der Film zeigt die chirurgische Arbeit im Feld und vermittelt einen Eindruck über die Funktion der Sender. Außerdem werden die neuen Bemühungen vorgestellt, aus dem Heckrind eine robuste Rinderrasse zu züchten, die dem Auerochsen noch ähnlicher sieht.
Ein Ziel der Untersuchungen war es, die klimatischen Grenzen zu erkennen, in denen die „Auerochsen“ einen Winter ohne Zufütterung überleben können. Diese Rinderrasse wird verstärkt zur Beweidung in Naturschutzgebieten eingesetzt, ihren Bedürfnissen wird aber nicht immer Rechnung getragen.
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Zeitler-Feicht, M. H., & Streit, S. (2012). Checkpunkte für eine tiergerechte Fütterung von Pferden an Abrufautomaten. In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: In der Offenstallhaltung von Pferden wird für die individuelle Fütterung der Fressstand, der eine art-typische synchrone Nahrungsaufnahme erlaubt, empfohlen (BMELV 2009). Seit einigen Jahren kommen jedoch vermehrt Abrufstationen für Kraft- und Raufutter zum Einsatz. Diese ermöglichen nur ein asynchrones Fressen, was das Risiko für Auseinandersetzungen im Fressbereich erhöht.
In einer repräsentativen Studie an insgesamt 567 individuell unterschiedenen Pferden in 32 Offen-laufställen mit Abrufstationen und 10 Betrieben mit Fressständen wurden die Aufenthaltsdauer und Besuchshäufigkeit sowie das Droh- und Meideverhalten der Pferde im Fütterungsbereich und die Häu-figkeit von Blockaden erfasst, des Weiteren Herzfrequenz und Integumentverletzungen. Fazit war, dass es an den Abrufstationen doppelt so oft zu Auseinandersetzungen kam als an den Fressständen. Als Ursache hierfür konnte die starke Frequentierung der Automaten eruiert werden. Umso wichtiger ist somit die tiergerechte Ausführung der Abrufautomaten. In der Studie konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass Durchlaufstationen pferdegerechter sind als Rücklaufstationen. Als nicht tiergerecht wurden Stationen mit Strom führender Austreibehilfe.eingestuft. Die für das fressende Pferd als verhaltens-gerecht empfohlene Variante (Fressstand mit Eingangssperre und ohne Austreibehilfe) führte zu einer Erhöhung der Besuchshäufigkeit und Aufenthaltsdauer und somit auch zu einer erhöhten Anzahl an Drohgesten je Tier und Tag. Die Herzfrequenz lag im Wartebereich bei den meisten Pferden im physio-logischen Bereich (45,1 ± 12,42 Schläge/min), erhöhte sich jedoch in der Abrufstation um ca. 20 Schlä-ge/min. Einige Tiere zeigten möglicherweise stressbedingt auffallend hohe Herzfrequenzwerte ( 100 Schläge/min). Integumentverletzungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Fütterungssystem traten nicht auf. Das Flächengebot und die Konzeption der Offenstallanlage sowie das Management erwiesen sich als maßgebliche Einflussfaktoren auf alle überprüften Kriterien zur Tiergerechtheit.
Um die Anzahl an Auseinandersetzungen im Fütterungsbereich von Abrufstationen zu mindern wird eine Reduzierung der Fütterungshäufigkeit von üblicherweise bis zu 24 Mahlzeiten auf nur 10 Mahlzeiten empfohlen, gemäß dem natürlichen Fressrhythmus von Pferden. Unabhängig vom Fütterungssystem traten die wenigsten Auseinandersetzungen auf, wenn die Pferde täglich etwa 1,5 kg Heu pro 100 kg Körpermasse erhielten bei zusätzlicher ad Libitum Fütterung von Stroh.
Nach bisherigen Erkenntnissen ergeben sich nachfolgende Checkpoints für Abrufautomaten:
Checkpunkte für Abrufstationen
 Schutz des Pferdes durch Trennwände über die gesamte Körperlänge
 Trennwände mit Sichtkontakt zu den anderen Pferden
 Durchlaufstationen mit separatem Ein- und Ausgang
 Eingangssperre für eine stressfreie Futteraufnahme
 Ausgang mit Pendeltüre und Rücklaufsperre
 Ausgang in einen anderen Funktionsbereich
 Ausreichend Ausweichmöglichkeiten für rangniedere Tiere
 Räumliche Trennung von Kraftfutter- und Heuautomaten
 Maximal je 10 Kraft- und Grobfutterrationen je Tier und Tag
 ≥ 1,5 kg Heu bzw. Heulage pro 100 kg Körpermasse je Pferd und Tag
 Stroh zur freien Verfügung (Möglichkeit zum synchronen Fressen)
 Individuelles Anlernen der Pferde am Automaten erforderlich
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Wyss, C. (2015). Does housing in a „social box“ change faecal cortisol metabolites concentration in stallions? In Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting.
Abstract: In order to improve the housing conditions of stallions in individual boxes by offering a possibility to have more social contact, the Swiss national stud farm tested a new box system for horses, allowing increased physical contact with the neighbouring stallion. The aim of this part of the study was to investigate whether this type of housing system (named “social box”) potentially induces a change in stress reactions in stallions compared to conventional boxes. Therefore faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentration was measured as a non-invasive parameter to assess endocrine responses related to this new environment.
Four groups each consisting of eight adult Freiberger breeding stallions were included in the test design. Every stallion spent three weeks in a conventional box and in a social box respectively (cross-over design). The conventional box consisted of a separation wall with a lower opaque part and an upper part with vertical barriers (5 cm between barriers), allowing visual and olfactory contact but strongly limiting tactile contact. The separating wall of the social box consisted of two lateral sections, one part being opaque to the ceiling and the second part consisting of vertical barriers (30 cm between barriers), allowing the horse to have physical contact with its neighbour or to avoid it.
In horses, FCM concentration reflects an average level of circulating cortisol over a period of approximatively 24h. Faecal samples were collected the day following integration in social / conventional boxes, reflecting the potential stress induced by increased social interactions during the integration. In order to asses potential chronical stress, faeces samples were also collected in week one, two and three after the integration into the social / conventional box (in total: 4 samples per horse and housing system). The samples were immediately stored at -20°C until they were analysed. The samples were not analysed in the laboratory until the end of the experiment, therefore the duration of conservation in the freezer varied from 40 to 429 days.
A considerable percentage of data from groups 1 and 2 was below the detection limit (<0.8 ng/g) (Tab. 1). Thus the statistical analysis was conducted with the FCM concentration from groups 3 and 4 (n horses = 16) which contained no values below the detection limit.
Tab. 1: Details about FCM values and storage time for the 4 groups of stallions
Group Storage duration [d] Proportion of data below the detection limit (<0.8 ng/g) Mean [ng/g] Median [ng/g]
Group 1 384-429 55.6 % 2.2 0
Group 2 315-360 25.5 % 5.8 6.3
Group 3 41-79 0.0 % 8.7 8.0
Group 4 40-85 0.0 % 5.8 5.4
Despite the impressive social interactions observed between the stallions directly after being introduced into the social boxes, we did not find any differences in FCM concentration between the stallions being introduced into the conventional box and the social box on the day of integration (social box: n samples = 16, mean±SD: 6.9±4.7 ng/g; conventional box: n samples = 16, mean±SD: 9.0±11.2 ng/g; Wilcoxon signed rank test V = 70, p = 0.94).
Overall the samples taken during integration and in week one, two and three did not show evidence of changes in FCM concentration in either housing system over a longer period of time (social box: n samples = 64, mean±SD: 7.9±6.2 ng/g; conventional box: n samples = 64, mean±SD: 6.6±3.4 ng/g; Linear mixed model (LMM), p = 0.56).
Our results suggest that the possibility of having physical contact with a conspecific does not induce changes in FCM concentration in breeding stallions. The considerable percentage of values below the detection limit in groups 1 and 2 seemed to correlate with the increasing duration of storage before analysis. During the IESM Network Meeting 2015, we would like to discuss possible methodological issues and the possibilities to correctly integrate these low values in the statistical analysis.
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Wulf, M., Aurich, C., Nees, M., & Aurich, J. (2012). Identification of horses – hot iron branding versus microchip transponders. In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: Identification of horses with hot iron branding is one of the most controversial issues in German horse breeding and also discussed in other countries. Traditionally horses have been identified by hot iron branding with breed-specific symbols and additional numbers. Since 2009, European Union legislation requires that all horses born after that year must have a microchip implanted for identification, although some exceptions are possible. So far it has not been tested using scientific criteria to what extent branding and microchips reliably allow identification of individual horses. In this study, the readability of branding symbols and numbers was analyzed by 3 independent investigators in 248 horses participating in an equestrian competition. Microchip transponders implanted into the neck were read in another 182 horses on different breeding farms. Microchip readings were made on both sides of the neck and 3 different commercially available ISO 11785/11785 scanners were compared (A: Minimax II, B: I-MaxPlus, C: Isomax V, all by Virbac, Germany). Correct reading of the branding breed symbol in horses at an equestrian championship by the individual investigators was close to 90% and differed only marginally between the investigators. Correct identification of the breed-specific symbol by all 3 investigators occurred in 84% of cases. The double-digit number branded together with the breed symbol was identified correctly by all 3 investigators in 39% of cases with correct readings by individual investigators ranging from 47 to 54%. Correct identification of the branding signs did not differ significantly between horses of different coat color and age group. Readability of microchips differed between scanners. Best results were obtained with scanner C which allowed microchip reading on the implantation side in 100% and on the contralateral side of the neck in 95% of 182 horses. Time for location of the microchip on the implanted side ranged from 1 to 4 sec (1.1±0.4). Scanner A identified 92 and 25% of microchips on the implanted and contralateral side, respectively while corresponding values for scanner B were 86 and 20%. Readability of microchip transponders on the side contralateral to implantation was influenced by size and thus caliber of the horse. In conclusion, hot iron branding does not allow unique identification of horses and individual branding numbers can be read in less than 40% of the horses. Readability of microchip transponders is more reliable compared to hot iron branding but depends on the type of scanner used. Scanner C allowed identification of all horses tested and gave good results also when used on the contralateral side of the horses` neck. KW -
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Wolter, R., & Krueger, K. (2015). The analysis of social bonds in feral horses. In Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting.
Abstract: In many social mammals, individuals preferentially affiliate with a small subset of available partners instead of distributing their social behaviors equally among all group members. The resulting social bonds have been investigated in several mammalian taxa, especially in primate societies, but also in other taxa such as birds, dolphins, rodents and ungulates. In feral horses, a great number of studies on social bonds can be found, but with a huge variety between methods for the analysis. There seems to be a lack of a clear and common definition of social bonds in horses and of comparable analyses. For example, there are irregularities between the studies regarding the research designs, the selection of recording methods and the interpretation of the measurements. Mutual grooming is used most often for the analysis of social relationships in many species. As mutual grooming is rare in horses, especially measurements of spatial proximity are commonly used for the analysis of social bonds in addition to other behavioral patterns. However, the combination of mutual grooming and nearest neighborhood analyses for the analysis of social bond is debatable, as in contrast to mutual grooming, which must occur deliberately by both grooming partners, the spatial distribution can be influenced by one partner alone, which may even force the other horse to keep a certain distance or to stay in close proximity.
In this study, we investigated the comparability of mutual grooming and nearest neighborhood data for social bond analyses in feral horses. Therefore, we observed five groups of semi-wild living Przewalski’s horses and six groups of feral horses.
We analysed the horses’ social ranks by applying an Average Dominance Index, we recorded the distances between the animals and observed the number of mutual grooming events as well as friendly approaches.
Our results show that there was only a weak correlation between the frequency of staying in nearest neighborhood and mutual grooming in all observed horse groups. In contrast to this, the correlation between the number of friendly approaches and mutual grooming events was higher in most groups.
Hierarchies did not affect social bonds, as mutual grooming was similarly induced by higher and lower ranking animals and the social rank did not affect the choice of the grooming partner. Similarly, likelihoods of staying in the neighborhood of particular animals were not affected by the animals’ social rank.
The grooming frequencies differed between the different horse groups and between the individual horses living in the particular groups. They seem to be effected by individual predisposition.
Altogether we suggest that the ratio of mutual grooming seems to be a better indicator for social bonds in feral horses than the frequency of staying in the nearest neighborhood. Mutual grooming occurs deliberately and is bidirectional, whereas nearest neighborhoods could be enforced and unidirectional. For the calculation of social bonds in horses, we consider it to be more reliable to combine the frequency of mutual grooming with the frequency of friendly approaches.
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Westermann, K. (2012). The contribution of horses (Equus caballus) to human health Requirements, stresses and strains, selection, training, compensation and rectification. In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: For a longer time, I occupy myself in my profession as a veterinarian, with the requirements and strains of horses (Equus caballus) used to contribute human health. For the first time complex and interdisciplinary scientific investigations are made to draw conclusions from determined requirements and strains of so-called therapy horses in regard to an adequate selection and training as well as compensation of physical and psychic strains and rectification of these horses. Focusing the physical and psychic resources of horses as well, it becomes obvious, that a horse which received conventional training, compensation and rectification is neither adequately prepared for its task as a therapy horse, nor adequately escorted through its employment. Therefore it is time now for hippologists and veterinarians to promote a justifiable use of horses for therapy purposes by suitable means having in mind not only the efficiency of the intervention, but also the safety of clients, therapists and horses as well as our responsibility towards the horse and animal welfare in general. For a concept profitable for all participants, different, each other complementing modules are worked out. Based on an interdisciplinary exchange of know-how and interdisciplinary cooperation, the decisive elements of a comprehensive, targeted, requirement-oriented and horse-friendly training, compensation of the horse’s strains and rectification are outlined.
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Westermann, K. (2012). Das Therapiepferd: Was macht es so besonders und wertvoll? In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: Als Tierärztin beschäftige ich mich seit geraumer Zeit mit den Anforderungen und Belastungsmomenten von Therapiepferden. Mein Ziel ist es, geeignete Methoden für die Auswahl, Ausbildung, Ausgleichs- und Korrekturarbeit dieser Pferde zu entwickeln.
Umfangreiche Recherchen haben ergeben, dass ein Pferd unter Berücksichtigung seiner physischen und psychischen Fähigkeiten durch die derzeit verbreitete Ausbildung, Ausgleichs- und Korrekturarbeit nur unzureichend auf die Aufgaben eines Therapiepferdes vorbereitet bzw. während seinesEinsatzes begleitet wird.
Aber genau hier liegt der Schlüssel für die Sicherheit von Klient, Therapeut und Pferd und den Erfolg der Therapie- und Fördermaßnahme. Darüber hinaus ist es auch im Sinne der Verantwortung für das Pferd und des Tierschutzes an der Zeit, durch geeignete Maßnahmen die verantwortbare Nutzung des Pferdes als Therapiepferd zu unterstützten.
Auf der Basis von interdisziplinärem Wissenstransfer und interinterdisziplinärer Kooperation werden die entscheidenden Elemente einer nachvollziehbaren, zielorientierten, bedarfs- und pferdegerechten Ausbildung, Ausgleichs- und Korrekturarbeit von Therapiepferden kurz skizziert.
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Windschnurer, I., Zeitlinger, S., Troxler, J., & Waiblinger, S. (2012). Human and horse behaviour during veterinary treatments. In K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting (Vol. in press). Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: Veterinary treatments are often aversive or painful, resulting in stress, avoidance, or aggressive behaviour. This preliminary study investigated which behaviours horses and humans display during veterinary examinations or treatments and if specific behaviours are shown more often during particular situations . Moreover, possible links between human and equine behaviour were investigated. Behaviours of horses, veterinarians, and assisting people were recorded at 5 clinics during 49 routine treatments that were divided into 111 situations (assigned to 7 categories: giving injections, waiting, leading horses, inspections with light body contact, invasive inspections, leg inspections, spraying/shaving). Behaviours of humans present during a situation were summarised. Behaviours (frequencies/minute) were analysed by Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman rank correlations. Horses showed insecurity (stopping, baulking, defecation) with different frequencies in the different categories (Chi2=23.38, df=6, P=0.001), e.g., often during leading. In humans, activating behaviour (e.g., arm waving, whistling, tongue clicking) was displayed with different frequencies (Chi2=20.42, df=6, P=0.002), e.g., frequently during leading. Restlessness in horses (e.g., stepping, head movements) tended to occur with different frequencies (Chi2=12.37, df=6, P=0.054), e.g., often during invasive inspections. Humans applied restraining techniques considered to be painful (e.g., ear twisting) with different frequencies (Chi2=26.20, df=6, P<0.001), e.g., mostly during invasive inspections. Restlessness in horses correlated with negative human interactions (e.g., hitting, talking impatiently, shouting: rs=0.28, P=0.002, n=111) and neutral human interactions (e.g., slight hits, talking dominantly: rs=0.45, P<0.001, n=111) as well as with the use of painful restraint techniques (rs=0.46, P<0.001, n=111). Moreover, avoidance behaviour of the horses (turning and stepping away) correlated with negative human interactions (rs=0.30, P=0.002, n=111). Thus, humans and horses showed certain behaviours in different situations with differing frequencies. Moreover, links between human and animal behaviour were found. Future studies should analyse causal connections, i.e., if the observed animal behaviour is the result of/or the reason for human interactions by sequence analysis. KW -
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Viksten, S., Blokhuis, H., Visser, K., & Nyman, S. (2015). Equine welfare assessment and feedback to owners. In , & K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting. Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
Abstract: To assess horse welfare and develop a system for feedback to horse owners is the aim of the present study. A protocol developed in line with the Welfare Quality® project was used to assess 26 stables and 497 horses. Questionnaires were used to investigate what kind of feedback horse owners wanted and where they currently got their questions about horse welfare answered. The questionnaire was sent to participating stables and made available to the public via websites and social media.
Questionnaires revealed that 38% retrieved information from popular science articles, 77% from discussions with peers while 8% generally perceived their peers to lack knowledge on horse welfare. Factors affecting decision making were horse health (85%) and economy (38%). 85% wanted exhaustive information and advice on improvements, 69% preferred to get feedback as a digital document and 92% were interested in benchmarking.
Answers from participating stables lead to the development of a feedback consisting of results, scientific background of used measures, copies of assessment protocols for each horse, supportive telephone calls regarding decision making and benchmarking from all participating stables.
Questionnaires to the public had 688 respondents of which 54% were amateur riders/drivers. Main questions respondents had regarding horse welfare were within feeding regimes (62%), housing (57%) and field size (54%). Main motivational factors in decision making was horse health (83%) and behavioural problems (71%). 81% got information about horse welfare and support for changes from discussions with peers and 63% based decisions on their own personal opinion. 91% were interested in benchmarking scores to compare themselves with other stables.
The results highlight the need for independent assessment and feedback with a scientific base to horse owners. This will enable horse owners to make informed decisions with a scientific background that will result in increased horse welfare.
Lay persons message
A developed protocol was used to assess horse welfare and horse owners were questioned regarding how they wanted the results presented. This resulted in the development of a feedback system that will aid horse owners to make informed decisions about horse welfare.
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Vidament. M. (2015). Laterality and emotions : behavioural response to an approach of a novel object by young ridden horses. In , & K. Krueger (Ed.), Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting. Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg. Wald: Xenophon Publishing.
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