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Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2016; 58(Suppl 1); 61; doi: 10.1186/s13028-016-0242-3

Prevalence and risk factors for overweight horses at premises in Sweden assessed using official animal welfare control data.

Abstract: There are Swedish animal welfare regulations concerning the body condition of horses and general advice on keeping horses including that horses should be fed so that they do not become over- or underweight relative to their use. Compliance is assessed by official animal welfare inspectors. The objective of this study was to determine whether the national animal welfare control database could be used to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for overweight horses in Sweden. The official animal welfare control checklist for horses contains 45 checkpoints (CP) of which CP-8 pertains to the acceptability of the horses' body condition including whether they were under- or overweight. Prevalence of non-compliance with CP-8, with 95 % confidence intervals (CI), were calculated for the years 2010-2013. Associations between risk factors and non-compliance for overweight body condition were estimated using logistic regression and expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95 % CIs. Results: Of 7870 premises with registered horses that were inspected against CP-8, a total of 63 premises had non-compliant inspections due to overweight horses (0.80 %; CI 0.62, 1.02 %). In multivariable analyses, premises that were non-compliant with requirements for the care of sick or injured horses (OR 3.52; CI 1.51, 8.22) or with the requirements for feeding a balanced high-quality diet (OR 5.15; CI 2.49, 10.67) had greater odds of having overweight horses. Premises that also kept other species for meat production were more likely to have overweight horses (OR 2.12; CI 1.18, 3.81) whereas professional horse establishments were less likely (OR 0.09; 0.01, 0.64). Overweight horses were more likely in summer compared to winter (OR 2.18; CI 1.02, 4.70). Premises in regions of Sweden with more horses in relation to the human population were less likely to have overweight horses (OR 0.97; CI 0.95, 1.00). Conclusions: Official animal welfare control data may be used to monitor the premises prevalence of overweight horses in Sweden. Strategies to reduce the prevalence of overweight horses should focus on education about equine care and nutrition, especially summer grazing.
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Publication Date: 2016-10-20 PubMed ID: 27766966PubMed Central: PMC5073806DOI: 10.1186/s13028-016-0242-3Google 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 study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Sweden’s animal welfare control database in determining the incidence and risk factors for overweight horses. The findings suggest a low rate of non-compliance concerning horse weight, with greater risks seen among establishments also raising meat animals and those not feeding a balanced diet or adequately caring for sick or injured horses.

Objective of the Research

The aim of this study was to evaluate how adequately Sweden’s national animal welfare control database could be used for determining the prevalence and risk variables for overweight horses in the country. The researchers focused on the specifications of the official animal welfare control checklist for horses, particularly checkpoint 8 (CP-8), which evaluates horses’ body conditions.

Methods of the Study

  • The researchers evaluated non-compliance with CP-8 in the database from 2010 to 2013, with an emphasis on overweight horses in each case.
  • Using logistic regression, they associated various risk factors with non-compliance in terms of overweight horses, expressing the results as odds ratios (OR) alongside their 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Research Findings

  • Out of 7870 inspections, only 63 took place at premises with overweight horses – a non-compliance rate of 0.80%
  • Premises that failed to meet standards for the care of unwell or injured horses or that didn’t provide a balanced, high-quality diet were more likely to have overweight horses.
  • Buildings that also kept animals for meat production had a higher likelihood of overweight horses, while professional horse establishments were less likely to have overweight horses.
  • Overweight horses were more likely to be found in the summer season as opposed to winter season.
  • Regions with a higher horse-to-human population ratio had a smaller chance of overweight horses.

Conclusion

The results suggest that animal welfare control data can be effectively utilised for monitoring the prevalence of overweight horses in Sweden. The study suggests focus should be placed on educating horse owners on high-quality care and nutrition, especially regarding summer grazing, in strategizing how to reduce the prevalence of overweight horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Hitchens PL, Hultgren J, Frössling J, Emanuelson U, Keeling LJ. (2016). Prevalence and risk factors for overweight horses at premises in Sweden assessed using official animal welfare control data. Acta Vet Scand, 58(Suppl 1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-016-0242-3

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 58
Issue: Suppl 1
Pages: 61
PII: 61

Researcher Affiliations

Hitchens, Peta L
  • Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7068, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. phitchens@unimelb.edu.au.
  • Equine Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Hwy, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia. phitchens@unimelb.edu.au.
Hultgren, Jan
  • Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 234, 532 23, Skara, Sweden.
Frössling, Jenny
  • Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7068, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
  • National Veterinary Institute, 751 89, Uppsala, Sweden.
Emanuelson, Ulf
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7054, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
Keeling, Linda J
  • Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), P.O. Box 7068, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Welfare
  • Animals
  • Databases, Factual
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • Logistic Models
  • Odds Ratio
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Overweight / veterinary
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sweden / epidemiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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  3. McTigue FE, Mansbridge SC, Pyatt AZ. Equine Anthelmintic Resistance: Horse Owner and Yard Manager Perception of the Barriers Affecting Strategic Control Measures in England. Vet Sci 2022 Oct 11;9(10).
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