Application of a wearable GPS unit for examining interindividual distances in a herd of Thoroughbred dams and their foals.
Abstract: Global positioning system (GPS) units are now lightweight and compact. They have proven useful for analyzing the behavioral characteristics of horses in pastures. Because the GPS records data in latitude and longitude, it may be feasible to calculate the distance between GPS units. The present study aimed to confirm the applicability of GPS units in behavioral studies on horses. For this, we analyzed the accuracy of the distances calculated from GPS units using Hubeny's distance formula and of the monthly changes in interindividual distances obtained from GPS units worn by Thoroughbred dams and their foals in a pasture until weaning. The calculated inter-GPS distances were highly accurate. The regression line was linear, and the squared correlation coefficient (r) was 0.9998. During the first month of age, the interindividual dam-dam and foal-foal distances were significantly greater than the dam-foal distance. During the second month of age, the dam-foal distance increased once and gradually decreased up to the fifth month of age. During the sixth month of age, the dam-foal distance was significantly greater than the foal-foal distance. The GPS distances calculated using Hubeny's distance formula were useful for analyzing changes in interindividual distances in a herd of Thoroughbred dams and their foals. Most likely, calculation of the distance between GPS units worn on equine head collars is likely to become a very useful tool as an objective index for quantifying equine behavioral observations.
Publication Date: 2017-03-28 PubMed ID: 28400702PubMed Central: PMC5383626DOI: 10.1294/jes.28.13Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research demonstrates the successful use of GPS units to measure interindividual distances within a herd of Thoroughbred dams (mother horses) and their foals.
Objective of the Study
- The primary aim of the study was to confirm the applicability and accuracy of GPS units in behavioral studies on horses, particularly focusing on measuring the distances between individual horses within a herd.
Methodology
- The GPS units used were lightweight and compact, and they were attached to head collars worn by the horses.
- The distance between GPS units, signifying the interindividual distances among horses, was calculated using Hubeny’s distance formula.
- The study examined the distances among Thoroughbred dams and their foals in a pasture until the foals were weaned (removed from their mothers’ milk).
Results
- The distances calculated from the GPS units were found to be highly accurate, with a squared correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9998 — indicating near perfect correlation.
- Initially, the distances between individual dams as well as between individual foals were larger than distances between dams and their foals.
- In the second month, dam-foal distances increased once and then progressively decreased up to the fifth month.
- By the sixth month, the distance between the dam-foal was significantly greater than the distances between individual foals.
Conclusions
- The results indicate that the use of GPS units and the application of Hubeny’s distance formula are highly effective tools for analyzing changes in interindividual distances within a herd of horses.
- With the proven accuracy of this approach, the research suggests that GPS units could be extensively used as an objective tool for quantifying equine behavior observations.
Cite This Article
APA
Sato F, Tanabe T, Murase H, Tominari M, Kawai M.
(2017).
Application of a wearable GPS unit for examining interindividual distances in a herd of Thoroughbred dams and their foals.
J Equine Sci, 28(1), 13-17.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.28.13 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Breeding Science, Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan; United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Division of Biosphere Science, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan.
- Department of Equine Breeding Science, Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
- Department of Equine Breeding Science, Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
- Shizunai Livestock Farm, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 056-0141, Japan.
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Ishimaru M, Tsuchiya T, Endo Y, Matsui A, Ohmura H, Murase H, Korosue K, Sato F, Taya K. Effects of different winter paddock management of Thoroughbred weanlings and yearlings in the cold region of Japan on physiological function, endocrine function and growth. J Vet Med Sci 2024 Jul 2;86(7):756-768.
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