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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Determining a Welfare Prioritization for Horses Using a Delp...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(4); 647; doi: 10.3390/ani10040647

Determining a Welfare Prioritization for Horses Using a Delphi Method.

Abstract: Equine welfare issues are receiving increasing attention in the UK, but welfare problems can arise from a wide range of causes. In order to identify the most important welfare concerns for horses, we used a Delphi method with 19 equine welfare experts. An initial list of 84 equine welfare issues was generated using an online discussion board and NVivo thematic analysis. Subsequently, experts ranked these welfare issues for perceived prevalence, severity and duration of suffering associated with each issue on a 6-point Likert scale. All issues with a mean score of 3 or above ( = 37) were included in subsequent rounds. Finally, a subset of experts attended a two-day workshop to determine the final priority list of welfare issues. The welfare issues perceived to be most prevalent were lack of biosecurity, delayed euthanasia, lack of owner knowledge of equine welfare needs, fear and stress from use, and obesity. The issues considered to cause greatest suffering for individual horses were delayed euthanasia, lack of recognition by owners of pain behaviour, large worm burdens, obesity and being fed unsuitable diets for equine feeding behaviour. These outcomes can help to focus research and education interventions on the most pressing welfare issues for horses.
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Publication Date: 2020-04-09 PubMed ID: 32283607PubMed Central: PMC7222753DOI: 10.3390/ani10040647Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study used a Delphi method with 19 horse welfare experts to identify the most pressing welfare issues for horses in the UK. Prominent concerns include lack of biosecurity, delayed euthanasia, lack of owner knowledge, fear and stress from use, obesity, unrecognized pain behavior, large worm burdens, and unsuitable diets.

Methodology of the Research

  • The authors used a Delphi method, an information-gathering process used in expert consensus building. Nineteen equine welfare experts participated in this process.
  • Initially, the experts generated a list of 84 potential horse welfare issues using an online discussion board and an NVivo thematic analysis, a software package used for qualitative and mixed-methods research.
  • These experts then ranked these welfare issues based on their perceived prevalence, severity, and duration of suffering associated with each issue. They used a 6-point Likert scale, a widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, to do this ranking.

Results of the Research

  • The initial list was narrowed down to those issues that received a mean score of 3 or above on the Likert scale. This resulted in 37 issues.
  • A subset of the original expert group met for a two-day workshop where they finalized the priority order of these welfare issues.
  • The most prevalent welfare issues identified were lack of biosecurity, delayed euthanasia, inadequate understanding by horse owners of their horses’ welfare needs, fear and stress from use, and obesity.
  • The issues causing the greatest suffering for individual horses were delayed euthanasia, lack of owner recognition of pain behavior, large worm burdens, obesity, and being fed unsuitable diets for equine feeding behavior.

Implications of the Research

  • This study can provide guidance on the focus of future research and education interventions, aimed at these identified major welfare issues affecting horses.
  • This prioritized list of horse welfare issues can help stakeholders in the equine industry, including vets, trainers, horse owners, and policymakers, to address the most significant concerns effectively.

Cite This Article

APA
Rioja-Lang FC, Connor M, Bacon H, Dwyer CM. (2020). Determining a Welfare Prioritization for Horses Using a Delphi Method. Animals (Basel), 10(4), 647. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040647

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 4
PII: 647

Researcher Affiliations

Rioja-Lang, Fiona C
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
Connor, Melanie
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
Bacon, Heather
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
Dwyer, Cathy M
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
  • Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Department of Animal and Veterainry Sciences, Central Faculty, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

This article has been cited 24 times.
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