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Author Verrill, S.; McDonnell, S.
Title Equal Outcomes with and without Human-to-Horse Eye Contact When Catching Horses and Ponies in an Open Pasture Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Journal of Equine Veterinary Science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 28 Issue 5 Pages 309-312
Keywords Horse handling; Horse management; Eye contact; Interspecies interactions; Equine behavior
Abstract Each of 104 horses and ponies was approached for catching at pasture by the same human handler in a standard manner, either maintaining human-to-animal eye contact (EC+; n = 51) or avoiding eye contact (EC-; n = 53). A subset of 74 of these subjects were reevaluated 3 weeks later under similar standard conditions except with the eye contact condition opposite to that used in the first round. Nonparametric statistical methods were used to evaluate between subjects (round 1, n = 104) and within subjects (rounds 1 and 2, n = 74) comparisons of successful or unsuccessful catching outcome with EC+ and EC-. Catching outcomes were similar with eye contact condition. Although this study represents a single handler at one study site, results suggest that human-to-horse eye contact may not be an important influence on catching pastured horses. Certainly, further work is needed to better understand the role of eye contact in horse handling.
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0737-0806 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4711
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Author Kavar, T.; Dovc, P.
Title Domestication of the horse: Genetic relationships between domestic and wild horses Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Livestock Science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 116 Issue 1-3 Pages 1-14
Keywords Equus caballus; Domestication; Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); Y chromosome markers
Abstract To date, a large amount of equine genetic data has been obtained regarding (i) extant domestic horses of various breeds from all over the world, (ii) ancient domestic horses, (iii) the extant Przewalski's wild horse, and (iv) the late Pleistocene wild horse from Eurasia and North America. Here, a review of mtDNA and Y chromosome marker analyses is presented in the context of horse domestication. High matrilineal (mtDNA) diversity, which can be found in both extant and ancient (domestic and wild) horses, has suggested that a high number of wild (and tamed) mares were domesticated. Alternatively, Y chromosome marker analysis revealed a single haplotype in all domestic horses analyzed; interestingly even a small population of extant Przewalski's wild horses showed two different Y chromosome haplotypes. It seems that an extreme male population bottleneck occurred due to domestication, while reduction in the female population was only moderate, leaving about 100 distinct haplotypes. For this reason, we speculate that domestication might have started when the appropriate stallion was found or was obtained by selection. Perhaps it had some unusual but special characteristics which could have accelerated the process of domestication. We doubt that only a single Y chromosome haplotype will be found in present-day domestic horses if there are no important differences between the founder stallion/s and the other stallions that were not included in the domestication. In the Eneolithic, tamed and wild mares have probably been spread all over Eurasia, although the number of animals was most likely very low and the populations were limited to a restricted area (e.g., taming centers). Only two subspecies of wild horses (Tarpan and Przewalski's wild horse) have survived up to recently. During the further process of domestication, mares (tamed or wild) were preferentially crossed to stallions having more desirable characteristics. We assume that mares from different regions varied in their morphology due to adaptation to their local environmental conditions. These data might explain rapid expansion of horse populations, as well as their rapid differentiation into various phenotypes during the early phase of domestication.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1871-1413 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4771
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Author Thiruvenkadan, A.K.; Kandasamy, N.; Panneerselvam, S.
Title Coat colour inheritance in horses Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Livestock Science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 117 Issue 2-3 Pages 109-129
Keywords Horse; Coat colour; Melanogenesis; Genetic control; Molecular genetics
Abstract The colours of the horses have long been a subject of interest to owners and breeders of horses as well as to scientists. Though, the colour of horses has little to do with its performance, it is a primary means of identification and also the first indicator of questionable parentage. Probably the ancestral colour of the horse was a black-based pattern that provided camouflage protection against predators. Horse colours are mostly controlled by genes at 12 different loci. The three basic colours of horses are black, bay and chestnut. The genetic control of the basic colours of horses resides at two genetic loci, namely Extension (E) and Agouti (A) loci. Among the basic colours bay is dominant to black and both are epistatic to chestnut. Dilution of basic colours of horses as a result of four colour dilution genes such as cream dilution, dun, silver dapple and champagne resulted in extensive array of possible colours of horses. The most widespread and familiar of the horse colour dilution gene is the one that produces the golden body colour and are called as palomino or buckskin based on the colour of the points. The grey coat colour is due to the presence of dominant gene (G) at the grey locus. Grey is epistatic to all coat colour genes except white and a grey horse must have at least one grey parent. Roan is due to a dominant gene (Rn) at roan locus and this combines with any base colour to produce the various shades of roan pattern. White coat is due to a single dominant gene (W) and it is epistatic to the genes controlling all other colours. White marking in the face and legs are due to genetic and non-genetic factors. Several genes are involved in producing white markings. During recent years, comparative genomics and whole genome scanning have been used to develop DNA tests for different variety of horse colours. Molecular genetic studies on coat colour in horses helped in identification of the genes and mutation responsible for coat colour variants. In future, this will be applied to breeding programmes to reduce the incidence of diseases and to increase the efficiency of race horse population.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1871-1413 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4776
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Author Corballis, M.C.
Title Of mice and men – and lopsided birds Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Cortex Abbreviated Journal
Volume 44 Issue 1 Pages 3-7
Keywords Cerebral asymmetry; Handedness; Evolution; Laterality
Abstract The article by Zucca and Sovrano (2008, this issue) represents part of a new wave of studies of lateralization in nonhuman species. This work is often in conflict with earlier studies of human cerebral asymmetry and handedness, and the associated claim that these asymmetries are uniquely human, and perhaps even a result of the “speciation event” that led to modern humans. It is now apparent that there are close parallels between human and nonhuman asymmetries, suggesting that they have ancient roots. I argue that asymmetries must be seen in the context of a bilaterally symmetrical body plan, and that there is a balance to be struck between the adaptive advantages of symmetry and asymmetry. In human evolution, systematic asymmetries were incorporated into activities that probably are unique to our species, but the precursors of these asymmetries are increasingly evident in other species, including frogs, fish, birds, and mammals – especially primates.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4634
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Author Amant, R. St.; Horton, T.E.
Title Revisiting the definition of animal tool use Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.
Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 1199-1208
Keywords cognition; tool use
Abstract Benjamin Beck's definition of tool use has served the field of animal cognition well for over 25 years (Beck 1980, Animal Tool Behavior: the Use and Manufacture of Tools, New York, Garland STPM). This article proposes a new, more explanatory definition that accounts for tool use in terms of two complementary subcategories of behaviours: behaviours aimed at altering a target object by mechanical means and behaviours that mediate the flow of information between the tool user and the environment or other organisms in the environment. The conceptual foundation and implications of the new definition are contrasted with those of existing definitions, particularly Beck's. The new definition is informally evaluated with respect to a set of scenarios that highlights differences from Beck's definition as well as those of others in the literature.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5861
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Author Boogert, N.J.; Reader, S.M.; Hoppitt, W.; Laland, K.N.
Title The origin and spread of innovations in starlings Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.
Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 1509-1518
Keywords diffusion dynamics; dominance; foraging; group; innovation; neophobia; social learning; social network; starling; Sturnus vulgaris
Abstract There are numerous reports of novel learned behaviour patterns in animal populations, yet the factors influencing the invention and spread of these innovations remain poorly understood. Here we investigated to what extent the pattern of spread of innovations in captive groups of starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, could be predicted by knowledge of individual and social group variables, including association patterns, social rank orders, measures of neophobia and asocial learning performance. We presented small groups of starlings with a series of novel extractive foraging tasks and recorded the latency for each bird to contact and solve each task, as well as the orders of contacting and solving. We then explored which variables best predicted the observed diffusion patterns. Object neophobia and social rank measures characterized who was the first of the group to contact the novel foraging tasks, and the subsequent spread of contacting tasks was associated with latency to feed in a novel environment. Asocial learning performance, measured in isolation, predicted who was the first solver of the novel foraging tasks in each group. Association patterns did not predict the spread of solving. Contact latency and solving duration were negatively correlated, consistent with social learning underlying the spread of solving. Our findings indicate that we can improve our understanding of the diffusion dynamics of innovations in animal groups by investigating group-dependent and individual variables in combination. We introduce novel methods for exploring predictors of the origin and spread of behavioural innovations that could be widely applied.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6036
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Author Brooks, C.J.; Harris, S.
Title Directed movement and orientation across a large natural landscape by zebras, Equus burchelli antiquorum Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.
Volume 76 Issue 2 Pages 277-285
Keywords correlated random walk; directed movement; Equus burchelli antiquorum; Gps; movement path; orientation; spatial memory; spatial scale; zebra
Abstract We investigated how plains zebras moved across a large natural landscape by analysing the movement paths of nine zebra mares foraging out from spatially confined waterholes during the dry season in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. Since it was essential to investigate directed movement over a range of spatial scales to determine the correct movement behaviour and strategy, we used Nams's scaling test for oriented movement. Zebras followed directed movement paths in the lower to medium spatial scales (10 m–3.7 km) and above their visual, and possibly olfactory, range. The spatial scale of directed movement suggests that zebras had a well-defined spatial awareness and cognitive ability. Seven zebras used directed movement paths, but the remaining two followed paths not significantly different to a correlated random walk (CRW). At large spatial scales (>3 km) no distinct movement pattern could be identified and paths could not be distinguished from a CRW. Foraging strategy affected the extent of directed movement: zebras with a confined dispersion of grazing patches around the central place directed their movements over a longer distance. Zebras may extend the distance at which they can direct their movement after improving their knowledge of the local environment.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6148
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Author Siegel, J.M.
Title Do all animals sleep? Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Trends in Neurosciences Abbreviated Journal
Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 208-213
Keywords
Abstract Some animals never exhibit a state that meets the behavioral definition of sleep. Others suspend or greatly reduce ‘sleep’ behavior for many weeks during the postpartum period or during seasonal migrations without any consequent ‘sleep debt.’ Rats die from one form of sleep deprivation, but sleep loss has not been shown to cause death in well-controlled studies in other vertebrate species. Some marine mammal species do not show evidence for REM sleep, and convincing evidence for this state in reptiles, fish and insects is lacking. The enormous variation in the nature of rest and sleep states across the animal kingdom and within the mammalian class has important implications for understanding the evolution and functions of sleep.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0166-2236 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5613
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Author Innes, L.; McBride, S.
Title Negative versus positive reinforcement: An evaluation of training strategies for rehabilitated horses Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 112 Issue 3–4 Pages 357-368
Keywords Horse; Training; Positive reinforcement; Negative reinforcement; Stress; Rehabilitation
Abstract Rescued equids are often exposed to rehabilitation and training (or retraining) programmes to improve their physical and psychological well-being as well as to facilitate the re-homing process. Training uses either positive or negative reinforcement learning procedures and it is considered here that, there may be welfare implications associated with using the latter technique as it has the potential to overlay acute stress on animals with a chronic stress life history. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare these training strategies (negative versus positive reinforcement) on equine behaviour and physiology as the first step in establishing an optimal rehabilitation approach (from a welfare perspective) for equids that have been subjected to chronic stress in the form of long-term neglect/cruelty. Over a 7-week period, 16 ponies (aged 6–18 months) were trained using either positive (‘positive’) (n = 8) or negative reinforcement (‘negative’) (n = 8) techniques to lead in hand, stand to be groomed, traverse an obstacle course and load into a trailer. Heart rate was measured (5 s intervals) on days 1 and 4 of each training week, ‘Pre’- (1 h), ‘During’ (0.5 h) and ‘Post’- (1 h) training session. Ethograms (10.00–20.00 h) outside of the training period were also compiled twice weekly. In addition, weekly arena tests (as a measure of reactivity) were also performed 1 week before and during the 7 weeks of training. Results showed significant differences between the two training schedules for some measures during the latter stages of the trial and suggested that animals trained under a positive reinforcement schedule were more motivated to participate in the training sessions and exhibited more exploratory or ‘trial and error’ type behaviours in novel situations/environments. In this context, the incorporation of positive reinforcement schedules within a rehabilitation programme may be of benefit to the animal from a welfare perspective.
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ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5644
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Author Li, W.; Howard, J.D.; Parrish, T.B.; Gottfried, J.A.
Title Aversive Learning Enhances Perceptual and Cortical Discrimination of Indiscriminable Odor Cues Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Science Abbreviated Journal Science
Volume 319 Issue 5871 Pages 1842-1845
Keywords
Abstract Learning to associate sensory cues with threats is critical for minimizing aversive experience. The ecological benefit of associative learning relies on accurate perception of predictive cues, but how aversive learning enhances perceptual acuity of sensory signals, particularly in humans, is unclear. We combined multivariate functional magnetic resonance imaging with olfactory psychophysics to show that initially indistinguishable odor enantiomers (mirror-image molecules) become discriminable after aversive conditioning, paralleling the spatial divergence of ensemble activity patterns in primary olfactory (piriform) cortex. Our findings indicate that aversive learning induces piriform plasticity with corresponding gains in odor enantiomer discrimination, underscoring the capacity of fear conditioning to update perceptual representation of predictive cues, over and above its well-recognized role in the acquisition of conditioned responses. That completely indiscriminable sensations can be transformed into discriminable percepts further accentuates the potency of associative learning to enhance sensory cue perception and support adaptive behavior.
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Notes 10.1126/science.1152837 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4408
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