Effects of cross-tying horses during 24 h of road transport.
Abstract: Transportation stress has been implicated as a predisposing factor to respiratory disease in horses. Cross-tying horses individually in stalls is common practice for transporting show and racehorses, but horses also travel in small groups or individually without being restricted by tying. The objective of this study was to compare physiological responses of horses travelling cross-tied or loose during 24 h of road transport. Ten horses were used in a cross-over design consisting of two 4 day trials. In the first trial, 6 horses were cross-tied, while 2 pairs of horses were loose in enclosed compartments. Treatments were reversed in the second trial. Baseline samples were collected on Day 1, horses transported on Day 2, and recovery data collected on Days 3 and 4. Blood samples were collected daily at 0800, 1100 and 2000 h. The mean responses in all horses of serum cortisol, lactate, glucose, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, and total protein concentrations, packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) counts and aminotransferase and creatine kinase were was elevated significantly from baseline during the 4 day study. The response of white blood cell counts, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios and glucose and cortisol concentrations was significantly elevated in the cross-tied compared to the loose group during transport and recovery. This study supports the recommendation of allowing horses during long-term transportation to travel loose in small compartments, without elevating their head by cross-tying.
Publication Date: 2002-10-03 PubMed ID: 12357993DOI: 10.2746/042516402776180214Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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This research studied the physiological responses in horses when they are cross-tied during transport versus when they are transported loosely. The study found that cross-tying significantly increases stress responses in horses during and after transport, suggesting that allowing horses to travel loose in small compartments may be a more humane method of transportation.
Study Objective and Design
- This study aimed to compare the physiological responses of horses during a 24-hour road transport. The researchers were particularly interested in seeing if the common practice of cross-tying (tying the horse’s head so it cannot move freely) in stalls affected stress levels compared to when horses were transported loosely.
- The experiment followed a cross-over design using ten horses. This method involves each horse experiencing both conditions (cross-tied and loose) in two separate trials.
- Each trial lasted four days. On the first day, baseline samples were collected. The second day involved transportation. Recovery data was gathered on the following two days.
Data Collection and Findings
- Blood samples were collected thrice daily from the horses. The levels of cortisol, lactate, glucose, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, and total protein concentrations in the horse’s serum were measured. Additionally, packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) counts and levels of aminotransferase and creatine kinase were evaluated.
- All of these measures increased significantly from the baseline during the study period, indicating a stress response associated with transportation.
- Significantly higher levels of WBC, the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes, as well as glucose and cortisol, were observed in the cross-tied group compared to the loose group during and after transport, supporting the conclusion that cross-tying causes additional stress to the animals.
Study Conclusion
- The study provides evidence backing the recommendation to allow horses during the long-term transportation to travel loose in small compartments, rather than cross-tying them.
- This could potentially reduce the transportation stress linked with respiratory diseases in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Stull CL, Rodiek AV.
(2002).
Effects of cross-tying horses during 24 h of road transport.
Equine Vet J, 34(6), 550-555.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516402776180214 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of California, Davis, 95616, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry / methods
- Animals
- Blood Glucose / analysis
- Creatine Kinase / blood
- Cross-Over Studies
- Female
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Hydrocortisone / blood
- Lactic Acid / blood
- Leukocyte Count
- Male
- Motor Vehicles
- Restraint, Physical / veterinary
- Stress, Physiological / blood
- Stress, Physiological / etiology
- Stress, Physiological / veterinary
- Time Factors
- Transaminases / blood
- Transportation / methods
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