Effects of bedding material on the lying behavior in stabled horses.

This research explored the impact of different types of bedding materials–straw, sawdust, coconut husk, and coconut fiber–on the welfare of horses in stables, as measured through analyzing their resting behavior. Results showed that horses tended to lie down laterally more often when their stalls were bedded with coconut husk compared to sawdust; this suggests that using sawdust as a bedding material could potentially harm the welfare of stabled horses.

Research Methodology

• Twenty horses, ranging in ages from 3 to 21 years, participated in the study conducted at the Equine Research Institute of the Japan Racing Association, Utsunomiya, Japan.
• Five horses were assigned each type of bedding material: straw, sawdust, coconut husk (husk), and coconut fiber (fiber).
• The researchers observed and recorded the behavior of the horses using a video camera for three consecutive days, from 5pm to 5am.
• The total time spent, the number of instances, and the average and maximum duration of each instance were calculated for different types of rest: standing, lying sternal (on their breastbone), and lying lateral (on their side).

Results and Analysis

• No significant differences were found in the standing rest and sternal lying behavior among the different bedding materials. In other words, the type of bedding did not influence these behaviors.
• However, significant differences were observed in the lateral lying behavior of the horses depending on the kind of bedding material used.
• When coconut husk was used as bedding, the horses exhibited greater total duration, number of instances, average instance duration, and maximum instance duration of lateral lying compared to when sawdust was the bedding.

Conclusion and Implications

• The findings suggest that newer bedding materials, such as coconut husk and coconut fiber, can be utilized effectively, similar to traditional straw bedding.
• However, sawdust as a bedding material resulted in less frequent instances of horses lying on their side. This could be indicative of decreased welfare in horses, as lateral lying is considered a deeper, more restorative form of rest in horses.