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PeerJ2020; 8; e10305; doi: 10.7717/peerj.10305

Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies.

Abstract: Individual animals experience different costs and benefits associated with group living, which may impact on their foraging efficiency in ways not yet well specified. This study investigated associations between social dominance, body condition and interruptions to foraging behaviour in a cross-sectional study of 116 domestic horses and ponies, kept in 20 discrete herds. Social dominance was measured for each individual alongside observations of winter foraging behaviour. During bouts of foraging, the duration, frequency and category (vigilance, movement, social displacements given and received, scratching and startle responses) of interruptions were recorded, with total interruption time taken as a proxy measure of foraging efficiency. Total foraging time was not influenced by body condition or social dominance. Body condition was associated with social dominance, but more strongly associated with foraging efficiency. Specifically, lower body condition was associated with greater vigilance. This demonstrates that factors other than social dominance can result in stable differences in winter body condition.
© 2020 Giles et al.
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Publication Date: 2020-11-09 PubMed ID: 33240636PubMed Central: PMC7659649DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10305Google 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 research explored the connection between social status, body condition, and feeding efficiency in a group of 116 domestic horses and ponies. The study found that the social status and body condition of the horses had no significant effect on total feeding time, but body condition had a strong correlation with feeding efficiency, with leaner animals showing higher vigilance.

Study Design and Objective

  • The main purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between social hierarchy, physical condition, and foraging disruptions in domesticated horses and ponies.
  • Utilizing a sample of 116 domestic horses and ponies from 20 separate herds, the researchers observed these animals’ foraging habits during winter.

Social Dominance and Interrupted Foraging

  • The animals’ status on the social ladder was measured and compared with instances of interruptions during their feeding times.
  • The interruptions during feeding sessions were classified into various categories such as vigilance, movement, social displacements given and received, scratching, and startle responses.
  • The total amount of time spent not foraging as a result of these disruptions was regarded as an indication of the efficiency of foraging.

Observations and Findings

  • The researchers observed that both social status and body condition did not affect the total amount of time spent on foraging.
  • However, it was noted that body condition and social dominance were connected, with body condition having a stronger link to foraging efficiency.
  • Interestingly, horses and ponies that had lesser body conditions displayed a higher degree of vigilance during foraging.
  • These findings suggested that elements other than social dominance could lead to consistent differences in the winter body conditions of these animals.

Conclusion

  • Although the social hierarchy didn’t significantly affect total feeding time, it was apparent that an animal’s body condition had an impact on its feeding efficiency.
  • This implies that the body condition of an animal might be an essential factor to consider in future feeding and care strategies for group-living horses and ponies.

Cite This Article

APA
Giles SL, Harris P, Rands SA, Nicol CJ. (2020). Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies. PeerJ, 8, e10305. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10305

Publication

PeerJ
ISSN: 2167-8359
NlmUniqueID: 101603425
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 8
Pages: e10305
PII: e10305

Researcher Affiliations

Giles, Sarah L
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, North Somerset, UK.
Harris, Pat
  • Equine Studies Group, WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK.
Rands, Sean A
  • School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Nicol, Christine J
  • Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Christine Nicol is an Academic Editor for PeerJ. Pat Harris is an employee of WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute. The authors declare that they have no other competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Foury A, Mach N, Ruet A, Lansade L, Moisan MP. Transcriptomic signature related to poor welfare of sport horses. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol 2023 Nov;16:100201.
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  3. Hoyle ZE, Miller RA, Rands SA. Behavioural synchrony between fallow deer Dama dama is related to spatial proximity. BMC Ecol Evol 2021 May 6;21(1):79.
    doi: 10.1186/s12862-021-01814-9pubmed: 33957862google scholar: lookup
  4. Barnabé MA, Elliott J, Harris PA, Menzies-Gow NJ. Effects of pasture consumption and obesity on insulin dysregulation and adiponectin concentrations in UK native-breed ponies. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):243-255.
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