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| Author | Flauger, B. | ||||
| Title | The introduction of horses into new social groups with special regard to their stress level | Type | Manuscript | ||
| Year | 2011 | Publication | Abbreviated Journal | ||
| Volume | Issue | Pages  |
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| Keywords | Pferd; Equiden; Eingliederungstechnik; Integrationspferd; Stress; Cortisol; Endokrine Reaktion; Gruppenhaltung; Verletzungsgefahr; Aggression; Futterplatzwahl; Kot; Geruchssinn; Mensch-Pferd Interaktion; horse; equids; introduction technique; integration horse; stress; cortisol; endocrine response; group housing; injury risk; aggression; feeding decision; faecal sample; olfaction; human-horse interaction | ||||
| Abstract | Horses are a highly social species living in complex social systems which should require them to memorise and generalise social experiences and distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics. In the main part of my thesis I concentrated on the specific conflict situation of a horse being introduced into a new social group, and investigated its behaviour and stress level. Horses were either introduced (1) immediately, (2) after an observation period, or (3) together with an integration horse after an observation period. Additionally, in the second part of my thesis I arranged several experiments to elaborate additional aspects which could affect the behaviour of horses during introductions. In this study I could describe a simplified method for measuring stress through the analysis of faecal GCMs in horses. An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for 11-oxoaetiocholanolone using 11-oxoaetiocholanolone-17-CMO: BSA (3?,11-oxo-A EIA) as antigen showed high amounts of immunoreactive substances. The new assay increases the accuracy of the test and lowers the expenses per sample; also storing of samples at room temperature after collection is less critical. This is a big advantage both in the field of wildlife management of equids and in the field of equestrian sports (chapter 1). Comparing the different introduction techniques, the introduction with an integration horse led to significantly less total interactions and lower levels of aggression than the introduction of single horses, both immediately and after several days of observing the new group. Additionally, by observing the behaviour of the horses during everyday sociality I could develop a formula describing the interrelationship between expected aggression level and enclosure size per horse. The curve takes an exponential shape. Starting from a space allowance of 300 m2 and more per horse, the amount of aggressions per hour approaches zero. For the reduction of aggression levels and injury risks in socially kept horses I recommend an enclosure size of at least 300 m2 per horse (chapter 2). I further investigated the stress level of the introduced animals. Horses which were immediately introduced did not show elevated faecal GCMs. In contrast, horses which were introduced after an observation period had slightly elevated values 2 and 3 days after the introduction. For horses introduced together with an integration horse faecal GCMs were significantly above the baseline value on the day of introduction and 1 day after it. These differences between introduction techniques indicate that the introduction event itself is not as stressful as previously assumed. Rather standing together with an integration horse and not being able to integrate immediately into the complete group elicits stress in horses (chapter 3). In the commentary of chapter 4 several studies are discussed which failed to demonstrate social learning in horses. It is argued that they did not consider important aspects which could have an influence, such as the dominance status or the social background of the horses (chapter 4). In chapter 5 a social feeding situation was investigated. The social rank as well as the position of conspecifics affected the feeding strategy of horses. Domestic horses used social cognition and strategic decision making in order to decide where to feed. When possible they tended to return to the same, continuously supplied feeding site and switched to an ?avoidance tendency? in the presence of dominant horses or when another horse was already feeding there (chapter 5). One possibility to recognize group members is through olfactory recognition. In chapter 6 it is shown that horses are able to distinguish their own from their conspecifics? faeces. In addition, they paid most attention to the faeces of those group members from which they received the highest amount of aggressive behaviour (chapter 6). Horses show cognitive abilities because they are able to use humans as local enhancement cues when searching for food, independently of their body posture or gaze consistency when the persons face them. Moreover, they seem to orientate on the attention of familiar persons more than of unfamiliar persons (chapter 7). Altogether, the results of this thesis provide further support for the view that horses show good conflict resolution strategies. They are perfectly able to deal with the conflict situation of being introduced to new group members, and the introduction event itself is not as stressful as previously assumed. It is rather suggested that standing together with an integration horse and not being able to integrate immediately into the complete group elicits stress in horses. All additional experimental set-ups could demonstrate that horses are well capable of social cognition. | ||||
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| Corporate Author | Thesis | Ph.D. thesis | |||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ epub18463 | Serial | 5736 | ||
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| Author | Stucke, Diana | ||||
| Title | Überprüfung der Anwendbarkeit der „Chronopsychobiologischen Regulationsdiagnostik“ (CRD) zur Beurteilung von Belastungssituationen und Bestimmung von Stressreaktionstypen bei Pferden | Type | Manuscript | ||
| Year | 2012 | Publication | Abbreviated Journal | ||
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| Keywords | Pferd, Stressmessung, CRD; horse, stress measurement, CRD | ||||
| Abstract | In dieser Untersuchung sollte überprüft werden, ob die für die Stressmessung beim Menschen angewandte „Chronopsychobiologische Regulationsdiagnostik“ (CRD) mithilfe des smardwatch®-Messsystems auch beim Pferd psychische Belastungssituationen aussagekräftig widerspiegelt. Menschen können anhand variierender physiologischer und ethologischer Reaktionen auf Stressoren aus der Umwelt in Stresstypen eingeteilt werden. Auch Pferde reagieren in identischen Situationen ganz unterschiedlich. Es stellte sich daher die Frage, ob Pferde ebenfalls bestimmten Stresstypen zugeordnet werden können. Mit 26 dreijährigen Hengsten des Landgestüts Celle wurde ein Verhaltenstest durchgeführt. Auf der Grundlage wissenschaftlich dokumentierter und modifizierter Testsituationen (Open-Field-Test, Novel-Object-Test, Startling-Test Objekt/Geräusch, Mensch-Pferd-Interaktion, Ressourcenkontrolle) wurde das Erkundungs- und Fluchtverhalten untersucht (Goslar 2011). Während dieser Belastungssituationen wurden mit dem smardwatch®-Messgerät die elektrophysiologischen Parameter Hautwiderstand, Hautpotential und Muskelaktivität erfasst. Durch eine Zeitreihenmessung dieser physiologischen Parameter konnten die Reaktionen des übergeordneten Reglers (vegetatives Nervensystem) dargestellt werden. Der Hautwiderstand spiegelt die vegetativ-emotionalen Reaktionen wider, das Hautpotential die vegetativ-nervalen und somit laut Balzer (2009) die kognitiven Verarbeitungsweisen, und durch das Elektromyogramm werden die typischen muskulär-motorischen Reaktionen aufgezeichnet. Die vorliegenden Datenzeitreihen wurden mit Hilfe einer biorhythmometrischen Zeitreihenanalyse nach Balzer und Hecht (Hecht 2001, Balzer 2009) ausgewertet. Als Ergebnis wurden chronobiologische Regulationszustände definiert, die dann gemäß dem „Periodischen System der Regulationszustände“ (PSR) (Balzer 2000) eine Beurteilung der psychischen Belastungssituation erlauben. Zur Bestimmung von Stresstypen wurde die Untersuchung nach dem Reiz-Reaktions-Prinzip in drei Phasen unterteilt: Ruhephase, Stressreizphase und Stressverarbeitungsphase. Der Verhaltenstest wurde nach einer Woche zur gleichen Tageszeit mit jedem Hengst einmal wiederholt. Als physiologische Vergleichsparameter wurden vor, während und nach der Belastung insgesamt zehn Speichelproben zur Cortisolbestimmung entnommen. Die smardwatch®-Messtechnik ist prinzipiell geeignet die physiologischen Parameter Hautwiderstand, Hautpotential und Muskelaktivität auf der Haut des Pferdes aufzunehmen. Durch die biorhythmometrische Zeitreihenanalyse konnten chronobiologische Regulationszustände definiert werden. Der Verhaltenstest führte bei allen Pferden zu einem signifikanten Anstieg der Cortisolwerte. Ein ebenfalls statistisch gesicherter Unterschied der aktivierten Cortisolwerte zwischen der ersten und zweiten Testwoche zeigt eine geringere Stressreaktion und weist auf einen Lerneffekt der Pferde hin: Entsprechend der relativen Instabilitäten der Regulation der Körperfunktionen in Messphase 2 und 3 konnten die Pferde in vier Stressregulationstypen (nach Balzer u. Hecht 1996) eingeteilt werden: Stressbeherrscher, -bewältiger und kompensierer sowie Stressnichtbewältiger. Anhand der Aktivierung von Sympathikus und Parasympathikus konnten zusätzlich vier verschiedene Vegetative Stresstypen unterschieden werden: Sympathikotoniker, Amphotoniker, Indifferenter Typ und Vagotoniker. Die Cortisolreaktion der Hengste war individuell sehr unterschiedlich. Um die maximalen Anstiege vergleichen zu können, wurde der Trend der jeweiligen Cortisolverlaufskurve bestimmt. Anhand der Trend-korrigierten Cortisolkurven konnten einerseits die relativen Maxima der Cortisolreaktion besser verglichen werden, anderseits konnten die Pferde mittels des unterschiedlichen Trendes in drei Cortisolverlaufsgruppen eingeteilt werden: Tendenz fallend, gleichbleibend oder steigend. Ein statistischer Nachweis für eine Abhängigkeit zwischen den verschiedenen Stresstypenklassifizierungen konnte anhand der geringen Stichprobenzahl nicht erbracht werden. Jedoch lassen sich Pferde, wie Menschen, unterschiedlichen Stresstypen zuordnen. Schwierig bleibt aber die objektive Beurteilung von Befindlichkeiten, da Empfindungen und Gefühle nur subjektiv wahrnehmbare Qualitäten sind, die von einer Reihe innerer und äußerer Faktoren abhängen. Die Verhaltenszuordnung emotionaler Zustände durch die „Chronopsychobiologische Regulationsdiagnostik“ (CRD) kann nicht ohne die Basis weiterer vergleichender Studien vom Mensch auf das Pferd übertragen werden. Die CRD-Methode könnte allerdings einen interdisziplinären Ansatz ermöglichen und zukünftig neben den klassischen deskriptiven Verhaltensbeobachtungen bei der Beurteilung von Haltungs- und Umgangssituationen von Tieren wertvolle Aufschlüsse über die Fähigkeit zur Stressbewältigung und deren Konsequenzen für das Wohlbefinden der Tiere geben. In this study we examined, whether the “Chronopsychobiological regulation diagnosis” (CRD) with the smardwatch®-system which is used to assess specific strain in humans, is also able to reflect convincingly specific strain in horses. Humans can be categorized into so-called stress types, because they react differently in physiology and behaviour to environmental stimuli. Concerning horses, it is also known that individuals react differently in identical situations. The question to be answered is, if it is possible to categorize horses into certain stress types as well. We carried out a behavioural test with 26 three-year-old stallions of the State Stud of Celle, involving different test situations. On the basis of test situations, well known in scientific literature including slight modifications (open-field-test, novel-object-test, startling-test object/sound, human-horse-interaction, resource control) the explorative and flight behaviour of horses were examined (Goslar 2011). During these situations of strain the system smardwatch® measured the electro-physiological parameters skin resistance, skin potential and muscle activity. With time series analyses of these physiological parameters the reactions of the vegetative nervous system as superior control could be shown. The skin resistance reflects the vegetative-emotional, the skin potential the vegetative-nervous hence according to Balzer (2009) cognitive reactions and the electromyogram shows the motorized reactions. The time series of measured data was analyzed using the biorhythmometrical time series analysis of Balzer and Hecht (Hecht 2001, Balzer 2009). As a result of this, typical states of chronobiological regulation were defined. With the help of the “periodic system of regulatory states” (PSR) (Balzer 2000) these led to a classification of mental stress situations. To categorize horses into stress types the study was devided into three phases according to the stimulus-response principle: phase 1 (relaxing), phase 2 (situation of strain) and phase 3 (stimulus processing phase). The behavioural test was repeated once with each stallion exactly one week later. In addition ten samples of saliva were taken before, during and after the situations of strain from which we determined the cortisol concentration to be compared with the chronopsychobiological parameters. The smardwatch®-measurement technology is fundamentally suitable to measure the physiological parameters skin resistance, skin potential and electrical muscle activity of horses. Using the biorhythmometrical time series analysis, chronobiological regulatory states could be defined for horses as well. For each horse the cortisol value increased significantly during the behavioural test. A remarkable difference of the cortisol values assessed in the first and second test, indicates a learning effect: The behavioural test led to a significantly lower stress reaction in the second week. Depending on the proportions of unstable regulation processes during and after the situations of strain, four types of regulation (Balzer u. Hecht 1996) can be defined: the Control-, Cope-, Compensate- and Non-cope-type. Using the activation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system four vegetative stress types could be determined: Sympathicotonic, Amphotonic, Indifferent Type and Vagotonic. The stress reaction of the stallions in terms of cortisol level was quite individual. To compare the maximum increase the trend of each cortisol trajectory was analyzed. On the one hand correcting for the trend allowed a comparison of relative maxima, on the other hand the horses could be categorized into groups, according to the evolution of their cortisol level (cortisol progression groups): Tendency falling, stable or rising. The number of samples was not considered to be sufficient in order to statistically assess some dependence among the different classifications of stress types. But to our point of view horses can be assigned to different stress types like humans. But it’s still difficult to judge the emotions of animals, because emotions are subjectively perceptible qualities dependent on many internal and external factors. The assignment of emotional behaviour to the chronopsychobiological regulation diagnosis (CRD) can’t be transferred from human to horse without further studies. However, the CRD method could enable an interdisciplinary approach. Besides classic descriptive observations of behavior, the CRD could give further information about the coping capacity and the consequences for animal welfare in the assessment of stressful situations. |
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| Corporate Author | Thesis | Ph.D. thesis | |||
| Publisher | Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover | Place of Publication | Hannover | Editor | |
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5815 | ||
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| Author | Wyss, C. | ||||
| Title | Does housing in a „social box“ change faecal cortisol metabolites concentration in stallions? | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2015 | Publication | Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
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| Keywords | housing system, stallions, social interaction, stress, faecal cortisol metabolites | ||||
| 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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| Corporate Author | Wyss, C. | Thesis | |||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5869 | ||
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| Author | Berger, A. | ||||
| Title | Evaluation of living conditions in free running animals by chronobiological analysis of continuously recorded behavioural data | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2015 | Publication | Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
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| Keywords | non-invasive, stress detection, chronobiology, activity | ||||
| Abstract | We developed a biorhythmical method to assess behaviour patterns and to evaluate living conditions of animals. All kinds of continuous and equidistant long-term recordings of behaviour are suitable for this method. As simple behavioural parameters, such as motor activity, can be conveniently recorded by telemetry from wild animals now, it is possible to investigate stressors by analysing its biorhythmic structure. It is the purpose of this report to describe the basic idea, and the procedure, and to give some examples of application measured on Przewalski horses in an Semireserve. | ||||
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| Corporate Author | Berger, A. | Thesis | |||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5880 | ||
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| Author | Berger, A.; Wolfram, M. | ||||
| Title | Integration of zoo-kept Przewalski horses into a herd of Przewalski horses living in a semireserve | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2015 | Publication | Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
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| Keywords | Przewalski horse, introduction, stress | ||||
| Abstract | Naturally, horses live in groups in which all individuals are long-term acquainted with each other and a stable hierarchical system is established. In conservation management, introduction of horses into foreign groups is often required but will lead to fights, stress and increased health risks for the animals. We investigated the integration process of four Przewalski mares from the Zoo Leipzig into the herd of five Przewalski horses of the semireserve Liebenthal (Brandenburg, Germany). We observed changes in social hierarchy as well as a higher stress level (expressed by disturbed activity pattern and lower synchronization with environmental conditions) especially in the introduced horses (from Zoo Leipzig). We investigated the animals continuously over two years to detect what time is needed for a successful integration. Finally, we give some advice for the integration of Przewalski horses into a new herd to reduce the stress of the animals substantially. | ||||
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| Corporate Author | Berger, A. | Thesis | |||
| Publisher | Xenophon Publishing | Place of Publication | Wald | Editor | Krueger. K. |
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| ISSN | ISBN | 978-3-95625-000-2 | Medium | ||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5892 | ||
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| Author | Berger, A.; Scheibe, K.-M.; Eichhorn, K.; Scheibe, A.; Streich, J. | ||||
| Title | Diurnal and ultradian rhythms of behaviour in a mare group of Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), measured through one year under semi-reserve conditions | Type | Journal Article | ||
| Year | 1999 | Publication | Applied Animal Behaviour Science | Abbreviated Journal | Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume | 64 | Issue | 1 | Pages |
1-17 |
| Keywords | Horse; Przewalski horse; Circadian rhythm; Ultradian rhythm; Feeding and nutrition; Telemetry; Stress | ||||
| Abstract | Investigations were conducted on four horses from a group of 12 Przewalski mares raised in different zoos and kept in a 44-ha enclosure under semi-natural conditions. Activity and feeding were continuously measured every second and were saved every 15 min by the storage-telemetry system ETHOSYS, from June 1995 to July 1996. Body mass of the horses was regularly recorded. Daily and monthly mean values, power spectra and DFC (as a measure for stability of rhythms synchronised with circadiurnal period) for activity and feeding were calculated. The general pattern of activity and feeding over the year was closely related to sunrise and sunset. Feeding accounted for 40% of total activity in summer and 62% in spring (all-year average being 52%). The level of activity was lowest in winter; whereas feeding was lowest in summer. The time budget for feeding reflected both feeding conditions and the annual pattern of body condition. Greatest activity occurred during daylight hours. Only on hot summer days, activity at night was higher than during daylight hours. Spectral analysis of activity and feeding in Przewalski horse showed a time pattern which was characterised by 24-h rhythmicity, but also by ultradian components with period lengths between 4.8 and 12 h, i.e., an activity pattern of up to five strong bouts per day. Annual variation in the pattern of power spectra was not high during the year. Results are discussed in connection with horse feeding strategy. Analysing the time structure of long-term and continuously measured activity and feeding could be a useful method to follow the general living conditions, especially the nutritional situation and to detect stressful conditions. | ||||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 2236 | ||
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| Author | Rogers, L.J. | ||||
| Title | Relevance of brain and behavioural lateralization to animal welfare | Type | Journal Article | ||
| Year | 2010 | Publication | Applied Animal Behaviour Science | Abbreviated Journal | Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume | 127 | Issue | 1-2 | Pages |
1-11 |
| Keywords | Hemispheric specialization; Cognitive bias; Stress; Limb preference; Experience; Development | ||||
| Abstract | The left and right sides of the brain are specialised to process information in different ways and to control different categories of behaviour. Research on a range of species has shown that the left hemisphere controls well-established patterns of behaviour performed in non-stressful situations, whereas the right hemisphere responds to unexpected stimuli and controls escape and other emergency responses. The known functions of each hemisphere are summarised in this paper. Then it is hypothesised that stressed animals rely on predominant use of the right hemisphere, and that a bias to use the right or left hemisphere, respectively, may explain the behavioural differences between animals with a negative cognitive bias and those with a positive cognitive bias. In some species of primates it has been shown that the preferred limb used to pick up food when the animal is in a relaxed state reflects the dominant hemisphere and may be an accessible measure indicating susceptibility to stress and tendency towards positive versus negative cognitive bias. Hence, limb preference might be a useful measure of such tendencies in domesticated species. Some difficulties in determining a relevant measure of limb preference in non-primate species are mentioned, followed by the suggestion that eye preferences for viewing certain stimuli may be a useful measure in species with laterally placed eyes. Finally, effects of experience on the development of hemispheric dominance are discussed, leading to a suggestion that the welfare of domestic animals may be enhanced by ensuring development of left hemisphere dominance (e.g. by exposing chick embryos to light) and by shifting right to left hemisphere dominance in animals with negative cognitive bias. | ||||
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| ISSN | 0168-1591 | ISBN | Medium | ||
| Area | Expedition | Conference | |||
| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5296 | ||
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| Author | Breuer, K.; Hemsworth, P.H.; Coleman, G.J. | ||||
| Title | The effect of positive or negative handling on the behavioural and physiological responses of nonlactating heifers | Type | Journal Article | ||
| Year | 2003 | Publication | Applied Animal Behaviour Science | Abbreviated Journal | Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume | 84 | Issue | 1 | Pages |
3-22 |
| Keywords | Dairy heifer; Fear; Handling; Stress response; Milk production; Stimulus generalisation | ||||
| Abstract | This experiment investigated the effects of positive and negative tactile handling on the stress physiology and behaviour of dairy heifers. Forty-eight 5-14-month-old nonlactating Holstein-Friesian heifers were allocated to one of two handling treatments, either positive or negative tactile handling, over four time replicates. Handling was imposed twice daily, 2-5 min per session and involved moving animals individually along a 64 m outdoor route. The negatively handled heifers took longer to approach within 1 and 2 m of a stimulus person in a standard test, than their positively handled counterparts (P<0.001) and had a greater flight distance to an approaching stimulus (P<0.001). The time taken by the heifers to approach within 1 and 2 m of a familiar person was similar to that taken to approach within 1 and 2 m of an unfamiliar person in the standard test (P<0.05). There was a tendency for heifers to have a greater flight distance from the approaching unfamiliar person than from the approaching familiar person (P=0.06). The negatively handled heifers had greater (P<0.05) increases in total cortisol concentrations 5, 10 and 15 min after exposure to a human and had higher (P<0.05) free cortisol concentrations in the afternoon than the positively handled heifers. It is concluded that the nature of the human contact affects the subsequent behavioural response of heifers to humans. This behavioural response may extend to other humans through the process of stimulus generalisation, although there was some evidence of moderate discrimination. Negative handling results in an acute stress response in the presence of humans and also leads to a chronic stress response. Further research into the effect of these stress responses on milk production and welfare in fearful cows in a commercial situation is suggested. | ||||
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| ISSN | 0168-1591 | ISBN | Medium | ||
| Area | Expedition | Conference | |||
| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 4980 | ||
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| Author | Touma, C.; Palme, R.; Sachser, N. | ||||
| Title | Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress hormones | Type | Journal Article | ||
| Year | 2004 | Publication | Hormones and Behavior | Abbreviated Journal | Horm Behav |
| Volume | 45 | Issue | 1 | Pages |
10-22 |
| Keywords | Adrenal Cortex/drug effects; Adrenal Cortex Function Tests; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/pharmacology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Corticosterone/*analysis/metabolism; Dexamethasone/pharmacology; Feces/*chemistry; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques/*methods; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Animal; Reproducibility of Results; Stress, Psychological/*metabolism | ||||
| Abstract | In small animals like mice, the monitoring of endocrine functions over time is constrained seriously by the adverse effects of blood sampling. Therefore, noninvasive techniques to monitor, for example, stress hormones in these animals are highly demanded in laboratory as well as in field research. The aim of our study was to evaluate the biological relevance of a recently developed technique to monitor stress hormone metabolites in fecal samples of laboratory mice. In total, six experiments were performed using six male and six female mice each. Two adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge tests, two dexamethasone (Dex) suppression tests and two control experiments [investigating effects of the injection procedure itself and the diurnal variation (DV) of glucocorticoids (GCs), respectively] were conducted. The experiments clearly demonstrated that pharmacological stimulation and suppression of adrenocortical activity was reflected accurately by means of corticosterone metabolite (CM) measurements in the feces of males and females. Furthermore, the technique proved sensitive enough to detect dosage-dependent effects of the ACTH/Dex treatment and facilitated to reveal profound effects of the injection procedure itself. Even the naturally occurring DV of GCs could be monitored reliably. Thus, our results confirm that measurement of fecal CM with the recently established 5alpha-pregnane-3beta,11beta,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay is a very powerful tool to monitor adrenocortical activity in laboratory mice. Since mice represent the vast majority of all rodents used for research worldwide and the number of transgenic and knockout mice utilized as animal models is still increasing, this noninvasive technique can open new perspectives in biomedical and behavioral science. | ||||
| Address | Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster, D-48149 Muenster, Germany. touma@uni-muenster.de | ||||
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| Language | English | Summary Language | Original Title | ||
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| ISSN | 0018-506X | ISBN | Medium | ||
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| Notes | PMID:14733887 | Approved | no | ||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 4084 | ||
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| Author | McLean, A.N.; Christensen, J.W. | ||||
| Title | The application of learning theory in horse training | Type | Journal Article | ||
| Year | 2017 | Publication | Applied Animal Behaviour Science | Abbreviated Journal | Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume | 190 | Issue | Pages |
18-27 | |
| Keywords | Behaviour; Conflict theory; Desensitisation; Habituation; Reinforcement; Stress | ||||
| Abstract | The millennia-old practices of horse training markedly predate and thus were isolated from the mid-twentieth century revelation of animal learning processes. From this standpoint, the progress made in the application and understanding of learning theory in horse training is reviewed including a discussion of how learning processes are employed or otherwise under-utilised in training. This review describes the process of habituation and the most commonly applied desensitisation techniques (systematic desensitisation, counter-conditioning, overshadowing, response prevention) and propose two additional techniques (approach conditioning and stimulus blending). The salience of different types of cues, the interaction of operant and classical conditioning and the impact of stress are also discussed. This paper also exposes the inflexibility and occasional inadequacy of the terminology of learning theory when translated from the research laboratory situation to the practical setting in horse training. While learning theory provides a rich toolbox for riders and trainers, the training process is subject to the simultaneous use of multiple learning processes. In addition, learning/behavioural outcomes and trained responses are not just the result of simple stimulus-response based interactions but are further shaped by arousal, affective and attachment states. More research is needed in these areas. For the field of equitation science to progress and to improve clarity and use of learning processes, changes in nomenclature are required. In particular, the use of the terms 'positive' and 'negative' as descriptive labels in both reinforcement and punishment modalities are unacceptably misleading for everyday use. These labels inhibit the understanding and recognition of the learning processes that these terms supposedly represent, yet the learning processes they describe are vital for horse riders, handlers and trainers to understand. We therefore propose that these labels should be re-labelled more appropriately as 'addition' or 'subtraction' reinforcement/punishment. This would enlighten trainers on the correct application of learning theory, and safety and welfare benefits for people and horses would follow. Finally it is also proposed that the term 'conflict theory' be taken up in equitation science to facilitate diagnosis of training-related behaviour disorders and thus enable the emergence of improved training practices. The optimal use of learning theory should be established as a fundamental principle in equestrian education. | ||||
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| ISSN | 0168-1591 | ISBN | Medium | ||
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| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 6597 | ||
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