Portable data acquisition cart for equine transportation stress study.

The research article discusses the development of a portable data collection system used for studying the environmental factors that cause stress in horses during transit. The research involved collecting data using this system and analyzing effects on horses in various transport conditions.

Design and Construction of Monitoring Equipments

• The researchers developed a remote data sampling cart specifically for this experiment. This portable unit uses an XT-compatible motherboard that is powered by a 12 V battery.
• It has been equipped with a customized BIOS and ROM program for precise functioning. This cart performs sampling using two digital and eight A/D channels in burst mode at a transmission frequency of 1 kHz.
• All collected data is digitized and stored on a magnetic tape for subsequent retrieval and analysis.

Configuration and Data Collection

• The sampling parameters are configured using a serial communication link connected to a host computer. The configured parameters are stored in battery-backed-up RAM, allowing the cart to self initialize.
• Digitized data from transducers measures three-axis accelerations, airflow, sound intensity, environmental temperatures, and heart rates of two horses.

External Sampling Controls

• The system has twenty-four digital output lines that control external sampling devices designed to collect gas samples.
• This allows for the quantification and identification of airborne particles, noxious gas concentrations, and airborne microbes.

Application and Future Studies

• The sampling cart was used in a preliminary study to understand the effects of tethering positions (head forward vs. head backward) on heart rates in horses during transportation.
• Going forward, the researchers plan to continue investigations aimed at modifying the transport environment to minimize the stress inflicted on animals during transit.