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Author Goodwin, D.; Davidson, H.P.B.; Harris, P.
Title Selection and acceptance of flavours in concentrate diets for stabled horses Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 95 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 223-232
Keywords Horse; Flavour; Diet; Selection; Acceptance
Abstract Like most large grazing herbivores, horses select their food based on visual cues, odour, taste, texture, availability and variety. There is relatively little published information about the role of flavour in diet selection by domestic horses in comparison with other domestic and companion animals. However, previous trials investigating effects of diet flavour in stabled horses indicated significant effects on foraging behaviour and selection. In this series of three trials we aimed to determine relative acceptance by presenting flavour preference tests to eight horses. Horses were stabled and fed hay ad lib on trial data collection days plus a standard unflavoured concentrate ration at 7:30 a.m. In Trial 1, 15 flavours were separately presented in standard 100 g cereal by-product meals and the trial was replicated. Quantity consumed, time of completion, partial rejection or refusal were recorded. Order of presentation was determined by a Latin Square design. Trial data were collected on five sampling days, separated by a minimum of 1 day. Horses were presented with six flavoured meals daily; minimum 1 h between the meals. Twelve flavours were universally accepted and of these the eight flavours with fastest mean consumption times (banana, carrot, cherry, cumin, fenugreek, oregano, peppermint and rosemary) were presented in paired preference tests in Trial 2. In Trial 2, all paired combinations of the eight flavours were presented, in two tests per day at noon and 4 p.m. Presentations of the same flavour were separated by at least 1 day. Paired presentations were in 300 g cereal by-product. Presentations were terminated when approximately half of the total amount presented had been consumed. Flavour preferences were expressed as a ratio from 0 (rejection) to 1 (exclusive consumption). Paired flavour preferences produced the following rank order: fenugreek, banana, cherry, rosemary, cumin, carrot, peppermint, oregano. In Trial 3, relative consumption times of mineral pellets flavoured with fenugreek and banana were significantly reduced in comparison with unflavoured pellets. In these short-term trials, flavour had significant effects on diet acceptance, selection and consumption times.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3643
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Author Mal, M. E.; McCall, C. A.; Cummins, K. A.; Newland, M. C.
Title Influence of preweaning handling methods on post-weaning learning ability and manageability of foals. Type Journal Article
Year 1994 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 40 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 187-195
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Abstract Twenty-three foals were used to determine if different amounts of handling between birth and weaning affected their later learning ability and manageability. Foals were assigned to one of three treatments: non-handled (NH) foals were not handled except for necessary maintenance procedures; intermediately handled (IH) foals were handled daily in two 10-min sessions for 7 days after birth and then not handled except for necessary maintenance procedures; extensively handled (EH) foals were handled daily for 7 days as were IH foals and then handled for 10 min once weekly until weaning. Foals were weaned at 120 +/- 10 days of age. On days 1, 3, and 15 after weaning, foals were subjected to a one-trial learning test. The learning test consisted of placing the foal in a familiar pen with an 1.5 X .6-m apparatus containing 40 15 X 15-cm compartments. Number of visits to the apparatus and compartment visited were recorded for 5 min. A small amount of concentrate feed then was placed in a target compartment, and visits were recorded for an additional 5 min. On day 16 after weaning, foals were subjected to a manageability test in which flight distance from an unfamiliar handler and reaction to a novel stimulus were recorded. Split-plot analysis of variance revealed no treatment differences in performance on the learning test (P > .05). Foal performance on the test was greater on day 15 than on day 1 or day 3 (P < .01). Analysis of variance indicated handling treatment had no effect (P > .05) on foal performance during the manageability test. Results indicate that this preweaning handling regimen has no effect on foal learning ability or manageability as measured by these procedures.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3674
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Author Fleurance, G.; Duncan, P.; Fritz, H.; Cabaret, J.; Cortet, J.; Gordon, I.J.
Title Selection of feeding sites by horses at pasture: Testing the anti-parasite theory Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 108 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 228-301
Keywords Foraging strategies; Horses; Parasite risk; Patch choice
Abstract Management of grazed grasslands for production and/or conservation objectives requires a thorough understanding of the choices of feeding sites by herbivores, and of the biological processes involved. Most models of the feeding strategies of herbivores are based on the principle that optimising the intake of energy (or some nutrient) is the primary goal of foragers but other selective forces, such as parasitism, could be important. Gastrointestinal parasites (including cyathostome nematodes) have powerful effects on the fitness of herbivores and may act as a major selection pressure favouring host behaviour that reduces the risk of encountering parasites. Among large herbivores, horses have perhaps the most marked tendency to select particular feeding sites within grasslands. We test here: (1) whether horses select feeding patches with relatively low parasite densities and (2) if their choice is affected by their parasite load. We used 10 two-year old saddle-horses and three periods. In the first period, the horses were under natural parasitism which varied strongly among individuals; in the second period they were all dewormed, and in the third, a sub-set of the horses was experimentally infected with cyathostome larvae. Ninety-eight percent of the infective larvae in the pasture were found <1 m from faeces. The main determinant of the choice of feeding patch by horses was the availability of patches of different parasite risk and grass height. Controlling for availability, the horses used tall grasses (>16 cm) less than expected, whether the grass was contaminated or not, and they selected for short patches >1 m from faeces, where the risk of encountering parasites was low. These results suggest that selection of feeding sites by horses is driven by an interaction between their nutritional and anti-parasite strategies: the horses avoid the patches of tall grass which are generally of low quality and areas contaminated by parasite larvae which leads them to prefer the patches of short grass far from faeces. The parasite status of the horses at the time of the experiment had no effect on their feeding choices. However, before concluding that the challenge by cyathostomes has no effect on the selection of feeding sites in horses, it will be necessary to test whether the history of parasitism of the individuals, rather than the current status, is important.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4228
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Author Marinier, S.L.; Alexander, A.J.
Title Selective grazing behaviour in horses: development of methodology and preliminary use of tests to measure individual grazing ability Type Journal Article
Year 1991 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 30 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 203-221
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Abstract Methods are described to assess horses' selective grazing ability that includes choosing, sorting and the adaptive value of this behaviour. Choosing ability was tested by the experimenter presenting pairs of cut plant species that were then alternated at each presentation until the test horse had taken three bites of one of the plant pair. The results were analysed in relation to five measures of choosing behaviour: (1) the strength of the choice; (2) correspondence between first bite and the final choice; (3) constancy of the choice over a number of trials; (4) the comparison of the horses' ranking of the species over a number of trials; (5) the constancy of the linear arrangement of the plants over a number of trials. Sorting ability was tested using two methods. A mixture of two plant species was presented either in a clamp or loose in a trough. Results were based on number and weight of plant residues. The adaptive value of the behaviour related to the bitterness of toxic plants. This bitterness was represented in testing by quinine sulphate and a poisonous Senecio species. An extremely bitter substance “Bitrex” was also used in this context but was totally accepted by the horses. The horses' reactions to these substances were monitored using a behavioural score chart. The results from 12 horses revealed that the horses differed individually in their grazing ability. On this basis, the horses were classified as efficient, semi-efficient, or inefficient grazers. This finding has practical implications in deciding which horses may safely graze on pastures infested with toxic plants.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4230
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Author Lloyd, A.S.; Martin, J.E.; Bornett-Gauci, H.L.I.; Wilkinson, R.G.
Title Horse personality: Variation between breeds Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 112 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 369-383
Keywords Horse personality; Breed; Assessment; Questionnaire survey; Animal
Abstract Anecdotal evidence from horse owners and handlers suggests the existence of breed typical behaviour and personality in horses. This is further supported by current research on heritability of personality characteristics in a range of species. The Horse Personality Questionnaire (HPQ) is a 25-item rating method that has previously been shown to be reliable for the assessment of personality in horses. Principal component analysis on HPQ data has identified six underlying personality components in horses. These are Dominance, Anxiousness, Excitability, Protection, Sociability and Inquisitiveness. Using the HPQ a survey of 1223 horses of eight different breeds was completed. Data were analysed to explore any differences in personality between breeds across the six personality components. Breed differences in personality were identified, and it was noted that variability between breeds varied between personality components. Anxiousness and Excitability showed the most variation between breeds, whilst Dominance and Protection showed the least variance. The results identified breed typical personalities that were comparable to results from previous studies as well as anecdotal evidence provided by the popular equine literature. The results are discussed in terms of the potential selection pressures that may have resulted in these differences.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4279
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Author Hausberger, M.; Gautier, E.; Muller, C.; Jego, P.
Title Lower learning abilities in stereotypic horses Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 107 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 299-306
Keywords Stereotypies; Learning ability; Horses
Abstract The question of whether motor stereotypies may be associated with learning disorders is a highly debated issue both in humans and animals, but evidence is still scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between the occurrence of stereotypic behaviours in horses where stereotypies are well described and learning abilities measurable. Seventy horses were observed in their box at two periods (August and November) and were then submitted to an instrumental task (opening a chest by raising the lid using the nose). Fifty-one of them had shown stereotypic behaviours at both periods. It appeared that more stereotypic horses (36/51) were unsuccessful than non-stereotypic horses (3/19) in the learning task. When successful, they required a longer time in order to perform the task (368 s on average against 220 for the non-stereotypic horses). No difference was found according to the type of stereotypy performed. This is to our knowledge the first time that a relation is found between stereotypy and learning in an animal species. The additional finding that stereotypic horses spent less time lying down and sleeping suggests a possible role of attentional processes. This finding has important implications for the horse industry.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4301
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Author Nagy, K.; Schrott, A.; Kabai, P.
Title Possible influence of neighbours on stereotypic behaviour in horses Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 111 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 321-328
Keywords Horse; Stereotypies; Survey; Risk factors; Logistic mixed regression
Abstract Revealing risk factors of abnormal stereotypic behaviour (ASB) in horses can help in the design of protective measures. Previous epidemiological studies indicate that social isolation, housing, management conditions, and feeding regime have a strong effect on developing ASB. The common belief that exposure to a stereotypic horse increases the risk of ASB has never been substantiated. Here we report that a generalised linear mixed models (GLMM) analysis of data on 287 horses of nine riding schools revealed that exposure to a stereotypic neighbour is a significant risk factor for performing stereotypy. Also, aggressive behaviour towards other horses increased the odds of stereotypy in the aggressor. These correspondences are unlikely to be a riding-school effect, because riding schools were treated as random factor in the GLMM. Risk factors identified by epidemiological studies cannot be treated as causal agents without independent evidence. Our aim in presenting these findings was to draw attention to the possibility of neighbour effects so that other researchers would include this variable in their surveys.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4302
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Author Piggins, D.; Phillips, C.J.C.
Title Awareness in domesticated animals--concepts and definitions Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 57 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 181-200
Keywords Complex mind; Awareness; Humans; Domesticated animals; Conscious state
Abstract Humans will probably never experience the awareness of another species, but adopting a broad concept of awareness leads to the conclusion that other species have some awareness. The existence of a more complex mind in humans, compared with other species, leads some to suggest that awareness only exists in humans. We postulate that humans possess a significantly increased level of awareness, facilitated in particular by the acquisition of language, but that generally animals possess a level of awareness that is appropriate to their needs. Categories of awareness can be devised by identifying levels, such as are used in the identification of the conscious state in humans, or by ranking states of awareness in order of complexity. A scheme is proposed that combines these two approaches, which is considered suitable for use with domesticated animals. The advantages of identifying awareness as being sensation-, perception- or cognition-based are discussed, as well as the possibility of a scheme based on the degree and site of CNS processing. Finally, the acquisition of awareness by learning and inheritance is considered, and it is argued that in variable environments, animals will evolve increased awareness, whereas in very stable environments the energetic cost of awareness will encourage the evolution of less aware animals.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4308
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Author Lomas, C.A.; Piggins, D.; Phillips, C.J.C.
Title Visual awareness Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 57 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 247-257
Keywords Visual awareness; Colour vision; Rhythm
Abstract Awareness varies between different species and humans can never truly appreciate what it is like to be another individual, either of the same species or another. Visual perceptual faculties provide some evidence of the extent to which domesticated animals derive information from objects in their environment, whilst changes in behaviour resulting from different visual stimuli can also provide valuable information on the state of visual awareness. Extensive processing of potentially visual information must occur in all domesticated species, but is much less well understood than purely sensory based information. For example, sensory aspects of colour vision are reasonably well understood, but the role of wavelength variables in an animal's cognition and its colour experience is not clear. Considerable use is made of diurnal changes in photoperiod to synchronise endogenous rhythms to particular times of the day and the year. Variation in light intensity in natural images is also important for social reasons for animals to be able to discriminate between, e.g., different faces, but little is known about intensity preferences or the effects of intensity on behaviour. It appears likely that in many cases visual stimuli represent some of the most important influences on an animal's awareness, either alone or in combination with, e.g., olfactory cues. However, a much greater understanding of their processing is required before we can make useful deductions about visual awareness in domesticated animals.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4309
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Author Veissier, I.; Boissy, A.; Nowak, R.; Orgeur, P.; Poindron, P.
Title Ontogeny of social awareness in domestic herbivores Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 57 Issue (up) 3-4 Pages 233-245
Keywords Animal; Environment; Relationship
Abstract It is now well established that domestic animals construct responses to their environment that depend on experience and on integration of several features of the environment, including social partners. This ability to be aware of the environment is not fully developed at birth but improves and varies through the animal's life. This topic is discussed on the basis of social processes in sheep and cattle. Social relationships of an animal with its conspecifics develop with age; they do not merely depend on pre-programmed behaviours but rely at least in part on learning of characteristics of the partners. Soon after birth, a strong preferential bond establishes with the dam then to a lesser extent, the young associates to other members of the flock, especially other young. The attractiveness of the group varies later in life due to external events or to physiological state: the abrupt separation from the dam at artificial weaning strengthens bonds between peers, whereas around parturition, females are less disturbed by isolation from the group. More recently, the awareness of social partners has been described in non-social contexts: the animal modifies its responses to events according to the presence of partners, and also to their emotional state and behaviour. The effects of partners seem to depend on their relationship with the animal and also on the social motivation of that animal, which both vary during its life. We recommend study of the ontogeny of awareness using the model of social influences.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour Team @ birgit.flauger @ Serial 4326
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