Pilot Study: Simultaneous Daily Recording of Total Locomotor Activity and Heart Rate in Horses for Application in Precision Livestock Farming.

This research studied how recording a horse’s total locomotor activity (movement) and heart rate simultaneously over a 24-hour period in their regular stalls can be beneficial in the field of precision livestock farming. Using these two physiological measures can help provide a more objective assessment of the horse’s welfare.

Methodology

• The study involved ten clinically healthy horses kept in individual stables under a natural light and temperature cycle.
• For recording horses’ total locomotor activity, a device called an actigraphy-based data logger was attached to their headstall. This device was set to take readings every 5 minutes.
• Heart rate was monitored using an equine heart rate monitor strap placed around the chest of the horses, with readings taken at 5-second intervals.
• To make the data from the two devices more easily compared, the researchers calculated the average measurements over 5-minute intervals.

Findings and Analysis

• The research found that both locomotor activity and heart rate displayed daily rhythmicity. This rhythm peaked around the same time in the late afternoon for both parameters (locomotor activity at 17:05 on average and heart rate at 16.40).
• The robustness (consistency over time) of daily rhythmicity differed for each parameter – it was less consistent for locomotor activity (17.95%) than for heart rate (37.05%).
• A significant positive correlation was found between the locomotor activity and heart rate measurements for each horse. This indicates that as locomotor activity increases, heart rate also tends to increase, and vice versa.

Implications and Conclusion

• The research suggests that these simultaneous heart rate and locomotor activity measurements could be a good indicator for the success of management strategies for horses, because any changes in these parameters can provide objective signs of changes in the horse’s welfare.
• The positive correlation between the two measures strengthens the case for their combined use in evaluating animal welfare in a farm setting.
• The use of new technology to simultaneously record these parameters could be a very practical and effective tool in precision livestock farming, improving animal welfare assessments.