toggle visibility Search & Display Options

Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print
  Records Links
Author Wulf, M.; Dörstelmann, V; Aurich, C. pdf  openurl
  Title (up) Behavioural patterns of pony foals after simultaneous and consecutive weaning Type Conference Article
  Year 2008 Publication IESM 2008 Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract In this study, the behaviour of Shetland pony foals after weaning was analysed. Foals were either weaned simultaneously (group SW; n=7) by removing all mares at the same time and leaving the foals as a group or foals were weaned consecutively (group CW; n=4) by removing one mare per day on consecutive days. Behaviour of the foals was observed 3 times per day (6:00-8:00, 12:00-14:00 and 18:00-20:00) from one day before weaning to 7 days (group SW) or 10 days (group CW) after removing the first mare. Vocalisation after removal mares was more frequent in foals weaned simultaneously (d 1: SW 66±37 per 2 hrs) than when mares were removed consecutively at one-day intervals (d1, i.e. removal of first mare: CW 3±2 per 2 hrs). In CW foals, vocalisation was most frequent on the day after removal of the last mare (day 5: 18±6 per 2 hrs), although it was lower than in SW foals on day 1 after weaning. Locomotor activity was highest in SW foals on days 1 and 2 after weaning (maximum 17±6 movements per 2 hrs, p<0.05 vs. CW: <2 movements per 2 hrs at all times). Frequency of defaecation increased to 7±1 per 2 hrs on day 1 after SW (p<0.05 vs. group CW), it was 3±2 per 2 hrs in group CW at the time 3 mares had been removed and was below 2 at all other times in both groups. The time, foals spent in lateral recumbency and in sternal recumbency was reduced to near zero during the two days following weaning (group SW) and the period during which mares were removed consecutively (group CW). Tactile contact between foals was increased in SW foals after weaning compared to CW foals during the period of consecutive weaning. Suckling on other foals increased in both groups for several days after weaning but did not differ between groups. No major changes over time or differences between groups were found for other behaviour parameters. Foals weaned simultaneously lost weight slightly but significantly (p<0.05) within two days after weaning (from 78±11 to 75±10) while no weight loss occurred in CW foals. In conclusion, SW elicited more pronounced behavioural changes than CW in pony foals. Consecutive weaning can be considered a more gentle method than SW and thus may be associated with lower risks and less stress for the foals.  
  Address 1Centre for Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, University of Vet Sciences, A-Vienna  
  Corporate Author Wulf, M. Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference IESM 2008  
  Notes Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4488  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hoffmann; G. openurl 
  Title (up) Bewegungsaktivität und Stressbelastung bei Pferden in Auslaufhaltungssystemen mit verschiedenen Bewegungsangeboten Type Manuscript
  Year 2008 Publication Dissertation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Pferdehaltungssysteme mit angrenzenden Ausläufen gelten als eine sehr tiergerechte

Haltungsform, da sie den Tieren eine gewisse Bewegungsmöglichkeit

bieten. Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchung war es, zu erfassen, ob der angrenzende

Auslauf selbst einen ausreichenden Anreiz zur Bewegung darstellt und wie sich verschiedene

Bewegungs- und Platzangebote auf die Bewegungsaktivität von Pferden

in einer Gruppen-Auslaufhaltung auswirken. Zudem wurde ermittelt, welche Auswirkung

die Bewegungsform bzw. –intensität auf das Wohlbefinden der Tiere hat.

Der Großteil der in Deutschland gehaltenen Pferde verbringt die meiste Zeit des

Tages im Stall, obwohl mittlerweile bekannt ist, dass Pferde unter natürlichen

Haltungsbedingungen 12 bis 16 Stunden des Tages in Bewegung verbringen. Der

Optimierung der Stallhaltungssysteme gilt daher ein besonderes Interesse.

Zu diesem Zweck wurden von September 2004 bis Oktober 2005 Versuche mit 24

Warmblutstuten im Alter von 1½ bis 3½ Jahren in Einzel- und Gruppen-

Auslaufhaltungssystemen durchgeführt. Jeweils sechs Pferde bildeten eine Versuchsgruppe.

In jeder Gruppe fanden fünf Varianten von einer ca. dreiwöchigen

Dauer statt. Die Gruppenhaltung wurde dabei durch drei unterschiedliche Zusatzbewegungsangebote

(2 Std. Weide / Tag, 2 Std. unbegrünte Koppel / Tag, 1 Std. Freilauf-

Führanlage / Tag) ergänzt. In der Einzel-Auslaufhaltung (Box mit 45 m²-großem

angrenzenden Auslauf) und in einer Versuchsvariante der Gruppenhaltung bekamen

die Pferde hingegen keine zusätzliche Bewegung außerhalb des Stallhaltungssystems

angeboten. Das Gruppenhaltungssystem selbst war durch die räumliche

Trennung der Funktionsbereiche (Liegen, Fressen, Trinken, Bewegen) gekennzeichnet

und der angrenzende Auslauf war 270 m² groß. In einer zusätzlichen Versuchsphase

fand in der Gruppenhaltung eine Erweiterung des permanent zugänglichen

Auslaufs auf insg. 540 m² statt.

Die Bewegungsaktivität wurde mit Pedometern erfasst, die an jeweils einem Hinterbein

der Pferde befestigt wurden und ergänzend fand eine Analyse von Videoaufzeichnungen

statt. Zur Beurteilung der Stressbelastung fanden Messungen der Herz192

Zusammenfassung

frequenzvariabilität (Parameter HF und SD2) und der fäkalen Cortisolmetabolitenkonzentration

statt.

Die Auswertung des Bewegungsverhaltens ergab, dass eine zusätzliche zweistündige

freie Bewegung der Pferdegruppe auf einer Weide zu einer deutlichen

Steigerung der durchschnittlichen Bewegungsaktivität (149,6 Min. / Tag) führt,

ebenso wie eine einstündige Bewegung in einer Führanlage (173,0 Min. / Tag). Eine

unbegrünte Koppel regte die Pferde der Gruppenhaltung hingegen nicht zu vermehrter

Bewegung an (131,6 Min. / Tag), sondern bewirkte z. T. sogar eine Abnahme

der Bewegungsaktivität. In der Gruppen-Auslaufhaltung ohne zusätzliches Bewegungsangebot

war die Bewegungsaktivität ebenfalls gering (125,8 Min / Tag) und

während der Einzel-Auslaufhaltung ohne Zusatzbewegung zeigten die Pferde die

geringste Bewegungsaktivität (102,3 Min. / Tag).

Bei der alleinigen Analyse der Bewegungszeit im Stallhaltungssystem war kein signifikanter

Einfluss der zusätzlichen Bewegung außerhalb des Stallsystems auf die

übrige Fortbewegung feststellbar.

Auch eine Vergrößerung des an den Stall angrenzenden Auslaufs im Gruppenhaltungssystem

hatte keinen steigernden Einfluss auf das Bewegungsverhalten der

Pferde.

Die Stressbelastung der Pferde war in den Varianten der Gruppenhaltung mit zweistündigem

Weidegang (SD2: 82,9 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten: 29,0 nmol / kg Kot) sowie

der einstündigen Bewegung in einer Freilauf-Führanlage (SD2: 99,2 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:

27,7 nmol / kg Kot) am geringsten. Die Untersuchungen zeigten eine

Stresszunahme in der Gruppenhaltung mit zweistündigem Auslauf auf einer unbegrünten

Koppel ohne Futterangebot (SD2: 101,3 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:

39,6 nmol / kg Kot) sowie in der Variante der Gruppenhaltung ohne zusätzliches Bewegungsangebot

(SD2: 113,3 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten: 38,4 nmol / kg Kot). Dem

Mittelwert der Gruppe nach zu folgern hatten die Pferde während der Einzelhaltung

ohne Zusatzbewegung eine sehr große Stressbelastung (SD2: 123,8 ms; Cortisolmetaboliten:

37,5 nmol / kg Kot). Ein Vergleich der Gruppen- und Einzelhaltung hinsichtlich

der Herzfrequenzvariabilität hat jedoch gezeigt, dass insg. 70 % der Pferde

während der Haltung in einer Gruppe weniger Stress empfinden. Es gab aber auch

Zusammenfassung 193

Pferde (30 %), die in der Einzelhaltung eine abnehmende Stressbelastung zeigten,

wobei hier der Einfluss der Rangordnung eine entscheidende Rolle zu spielen

scheint.

Durch die Auswertung mehrerer Messparameter (sowohl für Stress- als auch für Bewegungsverhalten)

werden gleichgerichtete Tendenzen bei den Versuchsvarianten

deutlich, allerdings ist eine eindeutige Gewichtung der Parameter nicht möglich.

Somit ist die methodische Vorgehensweise dieser Untersuchung sehr positiv und als

notwendig anzusehen, da die Messdaten auch immer gewissen Schwankungen

durch externe Einflüsse unterliegen.

Allgemein ist festzuhalten, dass Auslaufhaltungssysteme zwar eine gewisse

Anregung zur Bewegung bieten, aber mit maximal vier Stunden (insg. 62 – 248 Min.)

Bewegung pro Tag war der tägliche Anteil an Bewegung sehr viel geringer als

beispielsweise bei Pferden in freier Wildbahn oder ganzjähriger Weidehaltung. Somit

deckt ein Auslaufhaltungssystem trotz getrennter Funktionsbereiche und eines

großen Auslaufs nicht den Bewegungsbedarf der Pferde, wenn keine zusätzlichen

Bewegungsanreize und –möglichkeiten angeboten werden.

Eine zusätzliche Bewegung von Pferden ist nicht nur zur Gesunderhaltung des

Bewegungsapparates und der Körperfunktionen notwendig, sondern auch um das

Wohlbefinden und die Ausgeglichenheit der Pferde zu steigern.

[Horse husbandry systems with close-by discharge are considered to be a very livestock-

friendly housing form, as they offer a certain movement opportunity for the

animals. The aim of the present study was to examine how different movement and

space offerings affect the movement activities of horses in a group horse husbandry

with close-by discharge, and whether the discharge provides itself an adequate

incentive for movement. The impact that the form or rather intensity of movement has

on the wellbeing of the animals was also established.

Most of the horses held in Germany spend most of the day in the stable, although it is

meanwhile known that horses under natural housing conditions are 12 to 16 hours of

the day in motion. Therefore the improvement of stable housing systems applies a

special interest.

For this purpose, 24 warmblood mares, aged from 1½ to 3½ years, were studied in

single and group discharge husbandry systems from September 2004 until October

2005. Six horses formed an experimental group. In every group five variants of approximately

three weeks were proceeded. Thereby the group husbandry was supplemented

with three different additional movement opportunities (2 h pasture / day,

2 h non-grassy pasture land / day, 1 h free range horse walker / day). In the single

discharge husbandry (single box with 45 sq. m-large close-by discharge) and in one

experimental variant of the group husbandry got the horses, however, offered no additional

movement outside the husbandry system. The group husbandry system itself

was marked by the spatial division of the functional areas (lying, eating, drinking,

moving) and the close-by discharge measured 270 sq. m. In an additional phase of

the study, and expansion of the permanently accessible close-by discharge to

540 sq. m was found.

The movement activity was documented with pedometers attached respectively to

one hind leg of the horse and a supplementary analysis of video documentation. To

evaluate the stress exposure measurements of heart frequency variability (parameters

HF and SD2) and of the faecal cortisol metabolite concentration were performed.

Summary 195

The interpretation of the movement behaviour showed that additional two hours of

free movement on a pasture led to a significant increase in the average movement

activity (149.6 min / day), as well as one hour movement in a horsewalker did

(173.0 min / day). The non-grassy pasture land, however, didn’t inspire the horses of

the group husbandry to increased movement (131.6 min / day), but sometimes even

caused a decrease in movement activity. In the group discharge husbandry without

additional movement opportunities the movement activity was also low

(125.8 min / day), and during the single discharge husbandry without additional

movement the horses showed the least movement activity (102.3 min / day).

In analysing only the movement time in the stable system was no significant impact

of the additional movement outside the housing system to the rest of locomotion

ascertainable.

As well an expansion of the close-by stable discharge in the group husbandry system

had no increasing influence on the movement behaviour of the horses.

The stress exposure of the horses was least in the variations of group husbandry

with two hours on a pasture (SD2: 82.9 ms; cortisol metabolites: 29.0 nmol / kg faeces)

as well as one hour of movement in a free range horse walker (SD2: 99.2 ms;

cortisol metabolites: 27.7 nmol / kg faeces). The studies showed a rise in stress in

group husbandry with two hours of movement on a non-grassy pasture land without

feeding opportunity (SD2: 101.3 ms; cortisol metabolites: 39.6 nmol / kg faeces) as

well as in the variation of the group husbandry without additional movement offerings

(SD2: 113.3 ms; cortisol metabolites: 38.4 nmol / kg faeces). Judging from the mean

of the group the horses had a very high stress exposure in the variation of the single

husbandry without additional movement offerings (SD2: 123.8 ms; cortisol metabolites:

37.5 nmol / kg faeces). But a comparison of the group and single husbandry in

terms of the heart frequency variability showed that alltogether 70 % of the horses

experienced less stress if hold in a group. However, some horses (30 %) showed

reducing stress in the single husbandry, whereas here the influence of social hierarchy

seems to play a decisive role.

196 Summary

In consequence of the examination of several measuring parameters (both for stressand

for movement behaviour) parallel aligned tendencies become apparent in the

experimental variants, however, is a unique weighting of the parameters not possible.

Thus, the methodological approach of this study is to be regarde as very positive and

necessary, since the data always vary with some fluctuations by external influences.

In general it can be established that discharge husbandry systems offer some incentive

for the horse to move, but with a maximum of four hours (overall 62 – 248 min) of

movement per day, the daily proportion of movement was much less than, for example,

in the case of wild horses or year-round pasture keeping. Thus, if no additional

movement incentives and possibilities are offered, the discharge husbandry system

doesn’t cover the movement needs of the horse despite separate functional areas

and a large outside discharge.

Additional movement is not only necessary to keep the musculoskeletal system and

bodily functions of the horse healthy, but also to ensure the horse’s well being and

mental balance.]
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5660  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Knubben, J.M.; Fürst, A.; Gygax, L.; Stauffacher, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (up) Bite and kick injuries in horses: Prevalence, risk factors and prevention Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Equine Veterinary Journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 40 Issue 3 Pages 219-223  
  Keywords horse; kick; bite; injury; risk factors  
  Abstract Reasons for performing study: Studies on the prevalence and predisposing factors of bite and kick injuries in horses have not been reported in a population-based data sample. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of bite and kick injuries in horses and associated risk factors in a representative sample of horses in Switzerland. Methods: A questionnaire on the incidence of disease and injury, which included the frequency of bite and kick injuries and their association with breed, housing, use and feeding regime, was sent to 2559 horse owners randomly selected throughout Switzerland. Results: The data of 2912 horses with 897 disorders diagnosed by a veterinarian were analysed. There were 231 injuries, 50 (21.6%) caused by a bite or kick from another horse; this number corresponded to 5.6% of all diseases and injuries and concerned only 1.7% of all the horses evaluated. Warmblood, Thoroughbred and Arabian horses had a 4.3 times higher risk of bite or kick injuries than horses of other breeds. Eighteen per cent of injuries were associated with a change in housing management and occurred regardless of whether horses were kept in groups permanently or sporadically. Conclusions and potential relevance: A stable group hierarchy and a housing system that provides adequate space and is adapted to horse-specific behaviour are important factors in prevention and kick and bite injuries.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Blackwell Publishing Ltd Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2042-3306 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5760  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Schmidt, A.; Möstl, E.; Neuhauser, S.; Aurich, J.; Müller, J.; Aurich, C. pdf  openurl
  Title (up) Changes in heart rate and cortisol release during initial training of three-year-old warmblood sport horse stallions Type Conference Article
  Year 2008 Publication IESM 2008 Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract The first weeks of training in young sport horses have been suggested to represent a stressful period and training practises for horses have been questioned recently. So far, only limited data on the stress response of young horses to the initial training are available. Heart rate (HR) provides information on fitness of the horse but is also an indicator of stress or pain. Determination of cortisol metabolites in faeces is a non-invasive technique to determine a prolonged stress response. In our study, three-year-old warmblood sport horse stallions (n=8) were followed through a standardised 10-week classical training programme from lunging to first mounting of a rider and progressing to moderate work. Feed, housing and management were similar for all horses. HR was recorded with a mobile recording System (f810i, Polar, Kempele, Finland) fixed to a girth around the thorax of the horse and was monitored twice weekly from 30 min before to 30 min after training, i.e. including the training period. In addition, cortisol concentrations were determined in faecal samples collected three times daily. Overall basal HR before daily training was 39±2 (SEM) beats/min and mean values did not change significantly over the 10-week study period. Average HR during initial lunging (week 1) was 119±14 beats min and decreased to 95±5 beats/min in week 2. Due to individual variations this decrease did not reach statistical significance. Neither first mounting of a rider (89±10 beats/min) nor an increasing workload (e.g. week 8: 111±4 beats/min) were associated with prolonged increases in mean HR, but transient increases were recorded and the response to mounting of the rider differed markedly between stallions. After daily training, HR decreased rapidly but was slightly, although significantly (p<0.05, Friedman-test) higher than pre-work values (46±2 beats/min). Cortisol metabolite concentrations in faeces tended to decrease during the period of lunging, were not increased when the horses were first mounted by a rider but rose slightly with an increasing work load during the last 4 weeks of the 10-week training period. In conclusion, based on HR and faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations, the initial training of sport horse stallions in the classical German training system is not associated with major stress for the horse. The increase in HR during training is due to physical exercise itself and not associated with specific situations of the training programme.

Supported by a fellowship from Stiftung Forschung für das Pferd to AS
 
  Address Graf Lehndorff Institute, Brandenburg State Stud, 16845 Neustadt (Dosse), Germany; University of Veterinary Science, 1210 Vienna, Austria  
  Corporate Author Schmidt, A. Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference IESM 2008  
  Notes Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Approved yes  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4499  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bräuer, J.; Call, J.; Tomasello, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (up) Chimpanzees do not take into account what others can hear in a competitive situation Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.  
  Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 1435-9448  
  Keywords Social cognition – Food competition – Perspective taking  
  Abstract Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) know what others can and cannot see in a competitive situation. Does this reflect a general understanding the perceptions of others` In a study by Hare et al. (2000) pairs of chimpanzees competed over two pieces of food. Subordinate individuals preferred to approach food that was behind a barrier that the dominant could not see, suggesting that chimpanzees can take the visual perspective of others. We extended this paradigm to the auditory modality to investigate whether chimpanzees are sensitive to whether a competitor can hear food rewards being hidden. Results suggested that the chimpanzees did not take what the competitor had heard into account, despite being able to locate the hiding place themselves by the noise.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Admin @ knut @ Serial 4218  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Thiruvenkadan, A.K.; Kandasamy, N.; Panneerselvam, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (up) 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.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1871-1413 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4776  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Baragli, P.; Regolin, L pdf  openurl
  Title (up) Cognitive Tests in Equids (Equus caballus and Equus Asinus) Type Conference Article
  Year 2008 Publication IESM 2008 Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract For ages horses and donkeys constituted the most important domesticated animals. Even though equids were often bred and kept in close proximity to humans, surprisingly little is known about their cognitive abilities. Traditionally, horses are not regarded as clever animals; common beliefs maintain that the horses“ behaviour is merely driven by conditioned-responses. Additionally, from an anthropomorphic point of view donkeys are believed to be ”stupid“ animals.

Our study investigates the equids” ability to recover a hidden object. For this purpose the animal has to create and maintain a representation of the object and its location in space, from the moment in which it disappears from direct perception, till the moment in which it reappears. The knowledge about objects being entities that continue to exist even when they are no longer available for direct perception is refered to as the well known concept of “object permanence”.

We primarly assessed the ability of Esperia's pony and donkeys to solve a Detour problem while employing an opaque “U-shaped” barrier. Each animal observed a food bucket moving and disappearing behind the barrier. Immediately after the object"s disappearance, the animal was released to search for the object. If it solved the task by detouring the barrier it was positively reinforced.

The ability to retain in memory the hidden object as well as its spatial location was subsequently tested in the presence of two, rather than one, screens (Working Memory testing phase). The food bucket was made to move and hidden behind one of the two identical screens, while the animal was watching it. Following a pre-established delayed period of 10 sec, the animal was set free to look for the food. In such a test the detour problem is combined with the classical delayed-response task, which is in use for the comparison of memory duration in different species.

In order to recover the hidden objects, animals must encode, maintain and correctly regain from their working memory the existence of the no longer visible object and its location from their working memory.

Both donkeys and ponies performed the Detour task showing to grasp the fact that an object which is no longer perceivable still continues to exist and can be regained. They also were able to correctly retrieve the goal object after a delay of 10 s in the Working Memory tasks, showing that they had encoded, maintained and correclty retrieved from their working memory the spatial location of the hidden object as well as its existence.

Nevertheless, when Standardbreds, raised in traditional stables, were tested in identical conditions to those describe for the ponies and donkeys, they could not succeed in the Detour tasks. The reason for such differences needs to be studied Even though it would be interesting to focus on handling differences, i.e., the ponies had been living in an environment rich in natural stimuli, while the Standardbreds had lived in a man-controlled environment since birth. It is also noteworthy that, like donkeys, the Esperia's pony have a reputation for being hard to handle.

Several considerations could arise from our preliminary investigations, and we will have the pleasure to leave them open for discussion.
 
  Address University of Pisa- Dept of Veterinary Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology  
  Corporate Author Baragli, P. Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference IESM 2008  
  Notes Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Approved yes  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4461  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Croft, D. P.; James, R..; Krause, J. url  openurl
  Title (up) Comparing Networks Type Book Chapter
  Year 2008 Publication Exploring Animal Social Networks Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 141-162  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Social network analysis is used widely in the social sciences to study interactions among people, groups, and organizations, yet until now there has been no book that shows behavioral biologists how to apply it to their work on animal populations. Exploring Animal Social Networks provides a practical guide for researchers, undergraduates, and graduate students in ecology, evolutionary biology, animal behavior, and zoology.

Existing methods for studying animal social structure focus either on one animal and its interactions or on the average properties of a whole population. This book enables researchers to probe animal social structure at all levels, from the individual to the population. No prior knowledge of network theory is assumed. The authors give a step-by-step introduction to the different procedures and offer ideas for designing studies, collecting data, and interpreting results. They examine some of today's most sophisticated statistical tools for social network analysis and show how they can be used to study social interactions in animals, including cetaceans, ungulates, primates, insects, and fish. Drawing from an array of techniques, the authors explore how network structures influence individual behavior and how this in turn influences, and is influenced by, behavior at the population level. Throughout, the authors use two software packages--UCINET and NETDRAW--to illustrate how these powerful analytical tools can be applied to different animal social organizations.

Darren P. Croft is lecturer in animal behavior at the University of Wales, Bangor. Richard James is senior lecturer in physics at the University of Bath. Jens Krause is professor of behavioral ecology at the University of Leeds.

Reviews:

“Exploring Animal Social Networks shows behavioral biologists how to apply social network theory to animal populations. In doing so, Croft, James, and Krause illustrate the connections between an animal's individual behaviors and how these, in turn, influence and are influenced by behavior at the population level. . . . Valuable for readers interested in using quantitative analyses to study animal social behaviors.”--Choice

“[T]his volume provides an engaging, accessible, and timely introduction to the use of network theory methods for examining the social behavior of animals.”--Noa Pinter-Wollman, Quarterly Review of Biology

“The book is a useful 'handbook' providing detailed, stepwise procedures sufficient to allow the reader to address a broad range of questions about social interactions. . . . The book includes numerous examples of the kind of research questions one might ask, and, thus, it allows the reader to find the analysis that best fits the data set to be analyzed. Thus, even readers with minimal prior knowledge of social network analysis will be able to apply this approach. And if further assistance is needed, the authors provide numerous references to specific procedures that have been used by others.”--Thomas R. Zentall, PsycCRITIQUES

Endorsements:

“An important and timely addition to the literature. This book should be readily accessible to researchers who are interested in animal social organization but who have little or no experience in conducting network analysis. The book is well-written in an engaging style and contains a good number of examples drawn from a range of taxonomic groups.”--Paul R. Moorcroft, Harvard University

More Endorsements

Table of Contents:

Preface vii

Chapter 1: Introduction to Social Networks 1

Chapter 2: Data Collection 19

Chapter 3: Visual Exploration 42

Chapter 4: Node-Based Measures 64

Chapter 5: Statistical Tests of Node-Based Measures 88

Chapter 6: Searching for Substructures 117

Chapter 7: Comparing Networks 141

Chapter 8: Conclusions 163

Glossary of Frequently Used Terms 173

References 175

Index 187

Subject Area:

* Biological Sciences
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Princton University Press Place of Publication Princeton, NY Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4955  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Fraser, N.O.; Schino,G.; Aureli, F.F doi  openurl
  Title (up) Components of Relationship Quality in Chimpanzees Type Journal Article
  Year 2008 Publication Ethology Abbreviated Journal Ethology  
  Volume 114 Issue 9 Pages 834-843  
  Keywords  
  Abstract A novel approach to studying social relationships in captive adult chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) was taken by using principal components analysis (PCA) to extract three key components of relationship quality from nine behavioural variables. Based on the loadings of the behavioural variables, the components appeared to match previously hypothesized critical aspects of social relationships and were therefore labelled Value, Compatibility and Security. The effects of kinship, sex combination, age difference and time spent together on each of the relationship quality components were analysed. As expected, kin were found to have more valuable, compatible and secure relationships than non-kin. Female2013female dyads were found to be more compatible than male2013male or mixed-sex dyads, whereas the latter were found to be most secure. Partners of a similar age were found to have more secure and more valuable relationships than those with a larger age gap. Individuals that were together in the group for longer were more valuable and more compatible, but their relationships were found to be less secure than individuals that were together in the group for a shorter time. Although some of the results may be unexpected based on chimpanzee socio-ecology, they fit well overall with the history and social dynamics of the study group. The methods used confer a significant advantage in producing quantitative composite measures of each component of relationship quality, obtained in an objective manner. These findings therefore promote the use of such measures in future studies requiring an assessment of the qualities of dyadic social relationships.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4936  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bartosova, J.; Dvorakova, R.; Vancatova, M.; Svobodova, I. pdf  openurl
  Title (up) Comprehension of human pointing gesture in domestic horses: Effect of training method Type Conference Article
  Year 2008 Publication IESM 2008 Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords Human-horse communication, Pointing, Training methods, Horsemanship  
  Abstract Horses have been considered to rely on human gesticular cues (McKinley and Sambrook 2000, Anim Cogn 3:13-22; and recently Maros et al. 2008, Anim Cogn 11:457-466), however large variability among individuals tested in two-ways object choice tasks was found. Part of the horses in those studies (40 and 26 %, respectively) even failed to pass adequately through the training session which preceded the testing phase and served to learn a horse to carry out a task. Therefore, we alternated the experimental design designed by McKinley and Sambrook (reduced number of testing trials to 10 per horse to keep its attention, applied just one, a dynamic-sustained pointing cue with touching the bucket, etc.), and tested an effect of training method, sex, age, and learning on proportion of correct choices. We hypothesised, that horses trained by “traditional” method (TTM) will get lower score than those experienced with “horsemanship-based” methods (HTM), being characterized by closer and more frequent human-horse contact and also extended exercising “from the ground” with frequent using of arms cues. Despite simplification of the methods, only about 60 % of tested horses passed through the training phase (i.e., learned to come to and upturn the bucket with hidden treat). Successful completion of training phase was reached regardless of age or sex of a horse, but by the training method; HTM horses ran better compared to TTM ones. No significant effect of age, sex, or learning (i.e., trial order within all 10), and training method as well was found on proportion of correct trials in the testing phase. Horses made a correct choice in more than 70% of trials. Individual scores ranged from 50 to 100 %. In conclusion, horses showed high level of comprehension of human pointing gesture, regardless of their sex or age. No effects of training method or learning process within a test suggest low impact of handling and learning on the level of comprehension at least of the most vivid human pointing gesture. Horses trained by methods based on “natural human-horse communication” did enhance cooperation with people.  
  Address Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, CZ-104 00 Praha Uhrineves, Czech Republic  
  Corporate Author Bartosova, J. Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference IESM 2008  
  Notes Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Approved yes  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4464  
Permanent link to this record
Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print