FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Pattern of social interactions after group integration: a po...
PloS one2013; 8(1); e54688; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054688

Pattern of social interactions after group integration: a possibility to keep stallions in group.

Abstract: Horses are often kept in individual stables, rather than in outdoor groups, despite such housing system fulfilling many of their welfare needs, such as the access to social partners. Keeping domestic stallions in outdoor groups would mimic bachelor bands that are found in the wild. Unfortunately, the high level of aggression that unfamiliar stallions display when they first encounter each other discourages owners from keeping them in groups. However, this level of aggression is likely to be particularly important only during group integration, when the dominance hierarchy is being established, whereas relatively low aggression rates have been observed among stable feral bachelor bands. We investigated the possibility of housing breeding stallions owned by the Swiss National Stud in groups on a large pasture (5 stallions in 2009 and 8 stallions in 2010). We studied the pattern of agonistic, ritual and affiliative interactions after group integration (17-23 days), and the factors influencing these interactions (time after group integration, dominance rank, age or experience of group housing). We found that stallions displayed generally more ritual than agonistic and than affiliative interactions. The frequency of agonistic and ritual interactions decreased quickly within the first three to four days. The frequency of affiliative interactions increased slowly with time before decreasing after 9-14 days. A stable hierarchy could be measured after 2-3 months. The highest-ranking males had less ritual interactions than the lowest-ranking. Males had also less agonistic, ritual and affiliative interactions if they had already been housed in a group the previous year. Therefore, we found that breeding stallions could be housed together on a large pasture, because the frequency of agonistic interactions decreased quickly and remained at a minimal level from the fourth day following group integration. This housing system could potentially increase horse welfare and reduce labour associated with horse management.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2013-01-30 PubMed ID: 23382940PubMed Central: PMC3559779DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054688Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 article examines the possibility of housing stallions in groups by observing their social interactions after integration into a group. The researchers found that after a brief period of initial aggression, the stallions quickly settled into a stable hierarchy with minimal aggression, suggesting that group housing may be a viable and beneficial practice for horse management.

Introduction and Objectives

  • The study aims to examine the feasibility and implications of housing stallions in groups, a practice mirroring natural behavior found in wild bachelor bands of horses. This is of importance due to the potential welfare benefits it may provide to the horses and decreased labour for their caretakers.
  • Despite the initial aggression displayed by unfamiliar stallions meeting for the first time, the researchers hypothesized that such aggression would decrease quickly, paving the way for a more peaceful coexistence.

Methods and Study Design

  • The researchers studied the social behavior of groups of breeding stallions owned by the Swiss National Stud being housed together on a pristine pasture. They first investigated a group of 5 stallions in 2009, and then a larger group of 8 stallions in 2010.
  • The study focused on patterns of agonistic (aggressive), ritual (dominance/submission indicators), and affiliative (friendly) interactions after group integration, occurring over a period of 17-23 days.
  • Various factors influencing these interactions were also studied, including time elapsed after group integration, dominance rank, age, and previous experience of group housing.

Findings and Observations

  • The findings revealed that stallions generally displayed more ritual interactions compared to both agonistic and affiliative interactions.
  • Agonistic and ritual interactions frequency decreased rapidly within the first three to four days post-integration, suggesting an establishment of a stable social order.
  • Affiliative interactions frequency saw an initial increase and then decreased after 9-14 days, further underpinning the notion of a stable group dynamic.
  • A measurable hierarchy amongst the stallions was observed to be established after 2-3 months. In this hierarchy, the highest-ranking males had fewer ritual interactions compared to the lowest-ranking ones.
  • Overall, males had fewer interactions (agonistic, ritual, and affiliative) if they had been previously housed in a group in the prior year, indicating a familiarization with group dynamics.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The decrease in frequency of agonistic interactions suggests that the initial aggresion among stallions when introduced in a new group is temporary, and a peaceful co-existence is possible from the fourth day onward.
  • This study points towards the feasibility of housing stallions in groups while minimizing confrontation, a practice that could potentially raise welfare standards for horses and decrease labor associated with their management.

Cite This Article

APA
Briefer Freymond S, Briefer EF, Von Niederhäusern R, Bachmann I. (2013). Pattern of social interactions after group integration: a possibility to keep stallions in group. PLoS One, 8(1), e54688. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054688

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Pages: e54688
PII: e54688

Researcher Affiliations

Briefer Freymond, Sabrina
  • Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP-Haras, Swiss National Stud Farm SNSTF, Les Longs Prés, Avenches, Switzerland. sabrina.briefer@haras.admin.ch
Briefer, Elodie F
    Von Niederhäusern, Rudolf
      Bachmann, Iris

        MeSH Terms

        • Aggression
        • Animals
        • Behavior, Animal
        • Breeding
        • Horses
        • Male
        • Social Behavior
        • Social Dominance

        Conflict of Interest Statement

        The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

        References

        This article includes 52 references
        1. Hartmann E, Søndergaard E, Keeling LJ. Keeping horses in groups. A review.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012 136: 77–87.
        2. Christensen JW, Ladewig J, Søndergaard E, Malmkvist J. Effects of individual versus group stabling on social behaviour in domestic stallions.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2002 75: 233–248.
        3. Fureix C, Bourjade M, Henry S, Sankey C, Hausberger M. Exploring aggression regulation in managed groups of horses Equus caballus .. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012 138: 216–228.
        4. McGreevy PD, Cripps PJ, French NP, Green LE, Nicol CJ. Management factors associated with stereotypic and redirected behaviour in the thoroughbred horse.. Equine Vet J 1995 Mar;27(2):86-91.
          pubmed: 7607155doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb03041.xgoogle scholar: lookup
        5. Cooper JJ, Mason GJ. The identification of abnormal behaviour and behavioural problems in stabled horses and their relationship to horse welfare: a comparative review.. Equine Vet J Suppl 1998 Nov;(27):5-9.
          pubmed: 10484995doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1998.tb05136.xgoogle scholar: lookup
        6. Bachmann I, Audigé L, Staﾬher M. Risk factors associated with behavioural disorders of crib-biting, weaving and box-walking in Swiss horses.. Equine Vet J 2003 Mar;35(2):158-63.
          pubmed: 12638792doi: 10.2746/042516403776114216google scholar: lookup
        7. Heleski C, Shelle A, Nielsen B, Zanella A. Influence of housing on weanling horse behavior and subsequent welfare.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2002 78: 291–302.
        8. Rose-Meierhöfer S, Klaer S, Ammon C, Brunsch R, Hoffmann G. Activity behavior of horses housed in different open barn systems.. J Equine Vet Sci 2010 30: 624–634.
        9. van Dierendonck MC, Spruijt BM. Coping in groups of domestic horses – Review from a social and neurobiological perspective.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012 138: 194–202.
        10. Visser EK, Ellis AD, Van Reenen CG. The effect of two different housing conditions on the welfare of young horses stabled for the first time.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008 114: 521–533.
        11. Bourjade M, Moulinot M, Henry S, Richard-Yris MA, Hausberger M. Could adults be used to improve social skills of young horses, Equus caballus?. Dev Psychobiol 2008 May;50(4):408-17.
          pubmed: 18393282doi: 10.1002/dev.20301google scholar: lookup
        12. Ladewig J, Søndergaard E, Christensen JW. Ontogeny: preparing the young horse for its adult life.. 2005 139–149.
        13. van Dierendonck MC. The importance of social relationships in horses Utrecht University. PhD thesis.. .
        14. Klingel H. Social organization and reproduction in equids.. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 1975 Oct;(23):7-11.
          pubmed: 1060868
        15. McCort WD. Behavior of feral horses and ponies.. J Anim Sci 1984 58: 493–499.
        16. Berger J. Wild Horses of the Great Basin: Social Competition and Population Size.. .
        17. Bourjade M, Tatin L, King SRB, Feh C. Early reproductive success, preceding bachelor ranks and their behavioural correlates in young Przewalski’s stallions.. Ethol Ecol Evol 2009 21: 1–14.
        18. Tilson RL, Sweeny KA, Binczik GA, Reindl NJ. Buddies and bullies: Social structure of a bachelor group of Przewalski horses.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 1988 21: 169–185.
        19. McDonnell SM, Haviland JCS. Agonistic ethogram of the equid bachelor band.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 1995 43: 147–188.
        20. Christensen JW, Zharkikh T, Ladewig J, Yasinetskaya N. Social behaviour in stallion groups (Equus przewalskii and Equus caballus) kept under natural and domestic conditions.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2002 76: 11–20.
        21. Heitor F, Vicente L. Dominance relationships and patterns of aggression in a bachelor group of Sorraia horses (Equus caballus).. J Ethol 2010 28: 35–44.
        22. Feist JD, McCullough DR. Behavior patterns and communication in feral horses.. Z Tierpsychol 1976 Aug;41(4):337-71.
          pubmed: 983427doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1976.tb00947.xgoogle scholar: lookup
        23. Rubenstein DI, Hack MA. Horse signals: The sounds and scents of fury.. Evol Ecol 1992 6: 254–260.
        24. Lemasson A, Boutin A, Boivin S, Blois-Heulin C, Hausberger M. Horse (Equus caballus) whinnies: a source of social information.. Anim Cogn 2009 Sep;12(5):693-704.
          pubmed: 19449192doi: 10.1007/s10071-009-0229-9google scholar: lookup
        25. Krueger K, Flauger B. Olfactory recognition of individual competitors by means of faeces in horse (Equus caballus).. Anim Cogn 2011 Mar;14(2):245-57.
          pubmed: 21132447doi: 10.1007/s10071-010-0358-1google scholar: lookup
        26. Vannoni E, McElligott AG. Low frequency groans indicate larger and more dominant fallow deer (Dama dama) males.. PLoS One 2008 Sep 3;3(9):e3113.
          pmc: PMC2518835pubmed: 18769619doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003113google scholar: lookup
        27. Briefer E, Vannoni E, McElligott AG. Quality prevails over identity in the sexually selected vocalisations of an ageing mammal.. BMC Biol 2010 Apr 9;8:35.
          pmc: PMC2858104pubmed: 20380690doi: 10.1186/1741-7007-8-35google scholar: lookup
        28. Reby D, McComb K. Anatomical constraints generate honesty: acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer stags.. Anim Behav 2003 65: 519–530.
        29. Proops L, McComb K, Reby D. Cross-modal individual recognition in domestic horses (Equus caballus).. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009 Jan 20;106(3):947-51.
          pmc: PMC2630083pubmed: 19075246doi: 10.1073/pnas.0809127105google scholar: lookup
        30. Hartmann E, Christensen JW, Keeling LJ. Social interactions of unfamiliar horses during paired encounters: Effect of pre-exposure on aggression level and so risk of injury.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009 121: 214–221.
        31. Christensen JW, Søndergaard E, Thodberg K, Halekoh U. Effects of repeated regrouping on horse behaviour and injuries.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011 133: 199–206.
        32. McDonnell MD. The equid ethogram, a practical field guide to horse behaviour.. .
        33. Jørgensen GHM, Borsheim L, Mejdell CM, Søndergaard E, Bøe KE. Grouping horses according to gender–Effects on aggression, spacing and injuries.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009 120: 94–99.
        34. Houpt KA, Law K, Martinisi V. Dominance hierarchies in domestic horses.. Appl Anim Ethol 1978 4: 273–283.
        35. Lehmann K, Kallweit E, Ellendorff F. Social hierarchy in exercised and untrained group-housed horses–A brief report.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2006 96: 343–347.
        36. Zharkikh TL, Andersen L. Behaviour of bachelor males of the Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the reserve Askania Nova.. Zool Gart 2009 78: 282–299.
        37. Craig JV. Measuring social behavior: social dominance.. J Anim Sci 1986 Apr;62(4):1120-9.
          pubmed: 3519554doi: 10.2527/jas1986.6241120xgoogle scholar: lookup
        38. Bates D, Maechler M, Bolker B. lme4: Linear mixed-effects models using S4 classes.. .
        39. Burnham KP, Anderson DR. Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach.. .
        40. Burnham KP, Anderson DR, Huyvaert KP. AIC model selection and multimodel inference in behavioral ecology: some background, observations, and comparisons.. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011 65: 23–35.
        41. R Development Core Team. R Foundation for Statistical Computing.. .
        42. Feh C. Social behaviour and relationships of Prezewalski horses in Dutch semi-reserves.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 1988 21: 71–87.
        43. McElligott AG, Mattiangeli V, Mattiello S, Verga M, Reynolds CA. Fighting tactics of fallow bucks (Dama dama, Cervidae): reducing the risks of serious conflict.. Ethology 1998 104: 789 – 803.
        44. Wells SM, von Goldschmidt-Rothschild B. Social behaviour and relationships in a herd of Camargue horses.. Z Tierpsychol 1979 49: 363–380.
        45. Heitor F, Vicente L. Affiliative relationships among Sorraia mares: influence of age, dominance, kinship and reproductive state.. J Ethol 2010 28: 133–140.
        46. Heitor F, do Mar Oom M, Vicente L. Social relationships in a herd of Sorraia horses Part II. Factors affecting affiliative relationships and sexual behaviours.. Behav Processes 2006 Nov 1;73(3):231-9.
          pubmed: 16828984doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2006.05.005google scholar: lookup
        47. Sigurjónsdóttir H, van Dierendonck MC, Snorrason S, Thórhallsdóttir AG. Social relationships in a group of horses without a mature stallion.. Behaviour 2003 140: 783–804.
        48. Bourjade M, de Boyer des Roches A, Hausberger M. Adult-young ratio, a major factor regulating social behaviour of young: a horse study.. PLoS One 2009;4(3):e4888.
          pmc: PMC2654111pubmed: 19293930doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004888google scholar: lookup
        49. Rivera E, Benjamin S, Nielsen B, Shelle J, Zanella AJ. Behavioral and physiological responses of horses to initial training: the comparison between pastured versus stalled horses.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2002 78: 235–252.
        50. Søndergaard E, Ladewig J. Group housing exerts a positive effect on the behaviour of young horses during training.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2004 87: 105–118.
        51. Dawkins MS. Behaviour as a tool in the assessment of animal welfare.. Zoology (Jena) 2003;106(4):383-7.
          pubmed: 16351922doi: 10.1078/0944-2006-00122google scholar: lookup
        52. Jensen P, Toates FM. Who needs “behavioural needs”? Motivational aspects of the needs of animals.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 1993 37: 161–181.

        Citations

        This article has been cited 9 times.
        1. Torres Borda L, Auer U, Jenner F. Equine Social Behaviour: Love, War and Tolerance.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 26;13(9).
          doi: 10.3390/ani13091473pubmed: 37174510google scholar: lookup
        2. Zollinger A, Wyss C, Bardou D, Bachmann I. Social Box: A New Housing System Increases Social Interactions among Stallions.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 20;13(8).
          doi: 10.3390/ani13081408pubmed: 37106974google scholar: lookup
        3. Górecka-Bruzda A, Jaworska J, Stanley CR. The Social and Reproductive Challenges Faced by Free-Roaming Horse (Equus caballus) Stallions.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 24;13(7).
          doi: 10.3390/ani13071151pubmed: 37048406google scholar: lookup
        4. Popescu S, Lazar EA, Borda C, Blaga Petrean A, Mitrănescu E. Changes in Management, Welfare, Emotional State, and Human-Related Docility in Stallions.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 30;12(21).
          doi: 10.3390/ani12212981pubmed: 36359105google scholar: lookup
        5. Gmel AI, Zollinger A, Wyss C, Bachmann I, Briefer Freymond S. Social Box: Influence of a New Housing System on the Social Interactions of Stallions When Driven in Pairs.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 21;12(9).
          doi: 10.3390/ani12091077pubmed: 35565503google scholar: lookup
        6. Gehlen H, Krumbach K, Thöne-Reineke C. Keeping Stallions in Groups-Species-Appropriate or Relevant to Animal Welfare?. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 4;11(5).
          doi: 10.3390/ani11051317pubmed: 34064522google scholar: lookup
        7. Sigurjónsdóttir H, Haraldsson H. Significance of Group Composition for the Welfare of Pastured Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Jan 5;9(1).
          doi: 10.3390/ani9010014pubmed: 30621272google scholar: lookup
        8. Maigrot AL, Hillmann E, Anne C, Briefer EF. Vocal expression of emotional valence in Przewalski's horses (Equus przewalskii).. Sci Rep 2017 Aug 18;7(1):8779.
          doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09437-1pubmed: 28821880google scholar: lookup
        9. Briefer EF, Mandel R, Maigrot AL, Briefer Freymond S, Bachmann I, Hillmann E. Perception of emotional valence in horse whinnies.. Front Zool 2017;14:8.
          doi: 10.1186/s12983-017-0193-1pubmed: 28203263google scholar: lookup
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.