Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour.
Abstract: Cribbing is an oral stereotypy, tends to develop in captive animals as a means to cope with stress, and may be indicative of reduced welfare. Highly energetic diets ingested in a short time are one of the most relevant risk factors for the development of cribbing. The aim of this study was to verify whether feeding cribbing horses through a dispenser that delivers small quantities of concentrate when activated by the animal decreases cribbing behaviour, modifies feeding behaviour, or induces frustration. Ten horses (mean age 14 y), balanced for sex, breed, and size (mean height 162 cm), were divided into two groups of 5 horses each: and . Animals were trained to use the dispenser and videorecorded continuously for 15 consecutive days from 1 h prior to feeding to 2 h after feeding in order to measure their behaviours. The feed dispenser, Quaryka®, induced an increase in time necessary to finish the ration in both groups of horses ( < 0.05). With Quaryka, cribbers showed a significant reduction of time spent cribbing ( < 0.05). After removal of the feed dispenser (Post-Quaryka), cribbing behaviour significantly increased. The use of Quaryka may be particularly beneficial in horses fed high-energy diets and ingesting the food too quickly.
Publication Date: 2016-10-13 PubMed ID: 27818832PubMed Central: PMC5081461DOI: 10.1155/2016/4698602Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates whether a feed dispenser can be used to deter horses from cribbing, an unwanted habit where horses latch onto surfaces with their front teeth often due to stress. The study showed that the dispenser, which releases small amounts of food at intervals, indeed reduced the duration of cribbing behavior among horses.
Objective of the Research
- The primary aim of this experiment was to test the efficiency of a feed dispenser, named Quaryka®, in reducing cribbing behavior among horses.
- Another objective was to study whether this method alters the feeding behavior of these animals or induces frustration.
Methodology
- The researchers selected ten horses of different breeds, sexes, and sizes to split into two groups each containing five horses.
- All of the horses were trained to use the feed dispenser.
- The animals were observed and recorded for 15 consecutive days, starting one hour before feeding and ending two hours after feeding, to document their behavior.
Results
- Both groups of horses took longer to finish their ration when using the Quaryka® dispenser, suggesting the device slowed down their feeding speeds.
- Among the horses that had the cribbing habit, the researchers noted a substantial decrease in the amount of time spent cribbing while using the dispenser.
- However, once the feed dispenser was taken away, the cribbing behavior significantly increased again, reinstating its prevalence without the interferance of the Quaryka®.
Conclusions
- Based on the study findings, the researchers concluded that the Quaryka® feed dispenser is beneficial, particularly for horses fed a high-energy diet and ingesting the food too quickly, as it regulated their pace of eating and reduced cribbing behavior.
- The device did not seem to induce frustration in the horses and rather accomplished its purpose of reducing the cribbing issue, making it a viable solution for horses prone to this behavior.
Cite This Article
APA
Mazzola S, Palestrini C, Cannas S, Fè E, Bagnato GL, Vigo D, Frank D, Minero M.
(2016).
Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour.
Vet Med Int, 2016, 4698602.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4698602 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
- Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Université de Montréal, No. 3200, rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada J2S 2M2.
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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