Increased freedom of head movement mitigates stress and bacterial load in the airways of horses during transport.
Abstract: Protection of horse welfare during transport is crucial. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of head and neck restraint on behavior and airway bacteria. Unassigned: In a randomized crossover study, six healthy Thoroughbreds were transported by road for 22 h in an individual bay with tight head restraint (50 cm short-rope) or loose head restraint (95 cm long-rope). Behavioral parameters relating to head position, eating, and stress were monitored during transportation. Tracheal wash samples were obtained 6 days before and immediately after transport for bacterial culture and metagenomic analysis. Unassigned: Compared to before transport, bacterial load (CFU/mL) after transport was significantly increased in the short-rope group ( = 0.04), whereas no changes were observed in the long-rope group. Transport significantly reduced Simpson index at phylum, class, order, and family levels in both groups ( < 0.001) of tracheal microbiota. In both groups, this reduction was associated with increases in the dominant members of relative abundance at phylum (Firmicutes: +24% in long-rope and +14% in short-rope), class (: +20% in long-rope and +22% in short-rope) and family (: +22% in long-rope and +23% in short-rope) levels. Licking behavior during transportation with short-rope restraint was more frequent than in horses with long-rope restraint. These results suggest loose head restraint during transportation is likely to ameliorate stress and mitigate the associated increased bacterial load in the lower airways associated with transport. Further, head position during transportation is likely a more important determinant of airway hygiene and distress than duration of travel.
Copyright © 2024 Takahashi, Niwa, Ebisuda, Mukai, Yoshida, Raidal, Padalino and Ohmura.
Publication Date: 2024-10-04 PubMed ID: 39430384PubMed Central: PMC11486923DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1477653Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research finds that loosening head restraints on horses during transport can reduce the horses’ stress and decrease the spread of bacteria in their airways. Interestingly, the position of a horse’s head during transportation may have a greater impact on airway health and stress levels than the duration of travel.
Study Design and Method
- The study conducted a randomized crossover survey on six healthy Thoroughbreds which were transported for 22 hours by road.
- Each horse was placed in a separate bay and restricted by either a short rope (50 cm) or a long rope (95 cm).
- Behavioral parameters such as head position, eating habits, and stress levels were monitored during the course of transport.
- Furthermore, bacteria samples from the horses’ trachea were collected for further analysis. These samples were taken 6 days before and immediately after the transportation.
Findings
- Post transport, the bacterial load in the airway was significantly increased in the short-rope group. On the contrary, the long-rope group showed no noticeable changes in bacterial count.
- There was a significant reduction in the Simpson index at different levels of tracheal microbiota (from phylum to family) in both groups, which signifies a decrease in biodiversity within the microbiome.
- Increases were observed in the dominant members of relative abundance at the phylum, class, and family levels in both groups. This could suggest a microbial imbalance or dysbiosis.
- Licking behavior, which is believed to be a stress-related behavior in horses, was seen more frequently in horses with short-rope restraint than those with the long rope.
Implications
- The study suggests that providing horses with looser head restraints during transportation can help in reducing their stress and in controlling the increase of bacteria in their airways.
- The position of a horse’s head during transportation seems to be a significant factor in maintaining airway hygiene and minimizing stress more than the actual duration of travel.
These observations highlight the importance of handling horses appropriately during their transport to ensure their optimal health and wellbeing.
Cite This Article
APA
Takahashi Y, Niwa H, Ebisuda Y, Mukai K, Yoshida T, Raidal S, Padalino B, Ohmura H.
(2024).
Increased freedom of head movement mitigates stress and bacterial load in the airways of horses during transport.
Front Vet Sci, 11, 1477653.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1477653 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Sports Science Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
- Microbiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
- Sports Science Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
- Sports Science Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
- Sports Science Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tochigi, Japan.
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
- Miho Training Center, Japan Racing Association, Ibaraki, Japan.
Conflict of Interest Statement
YT, HN, YE, KM, TY, HO were employed by Japan Racing Association. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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