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Prevention of crib-biting: a review.
Abstract: Crib-biting is a common oral stereotype. Because of perceived deleterious effects on the health and appearance of subjects the prevention of crib-biting is regularly attempted. The resourcefulness of horses in satisfying their motivation to perform this behaviour often frustrates owners' efforts at prevention. This paper reviews the efficacy and observable consequences of attempting to prevent crib-biting by a variety of methods. These include attempts to prevent the grasping of objects, to interfere with air-engulfing and to introduce punishment for grasping and neck-flexion. Other approaches include the use of surgery, acupuncture, pharmaceuticals, operant feeding and environmental enrichment. A remedy that is effective for every crib-biter remains elusive. We conclude that, rather than concentrating on remedial prevention, further research should be directed at establishing why horses crib-bite and how the emergence of crib-biting can be avoided.
Publication Date: 1999-09-15 PubMed ID: 10485002DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1998.tb05143.xGoogle 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.
- Journal Article
- Review
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 examines the various methods used to prevent crib-biting, a common oral stereotype in horses, their effectiveness and consequences, and emphasizes the need for understanding the reasons why horses crib-bite to prevent its emergence.
Understanding the Problem: Crib-Biting in Horses
Crib-biting is a common oral stereotype, a repetitive behaviour that horses exhibit. With detrimental effects on horses’ health and appearance, owners often attempt to prevent this behaviour, but find it challenging due to the resourcefulness of horses in performing this action.
Review of Prevention Measures
The research paper discusses an array of methods attempted to curb this behavioural issue:
- Actions to prevent horses from grasping objects, a part of the crib-biting process.
- Interventions to interfere with air-engulfing, another essential aspect of crib-biting.
- Introducing punishment for the horse when they attempt to grasp objects or exhibit neck-flexion, behaviours associated with crib-biting.
Alternative Approaches
The paper also examines different approaches used to tackle crib-biting:
- Use of surgery to physically prevent the horse from being able to crib-bite.
- Acupuncture treatment for managing the horse’s behaviour.
- Administration of pharmaceuticals to control the urge to crib-bite.
- Operant feeding methods to manipulate the horse’s feeding behaviour and discourage crib-biting.
- Environmental enrichment to provide a stimulating environment for the horse, reducing the tendency to crib-bite.
Ineffectiveness of Remedial Strategies
Despite myriad methodologies, a universally effective remedy for crib-biting remains elusive. The paper suggests that these methods have been less effective due to insufficient understanding of why horses crib-bite.
Recommended Direction for Future Research
The study concludes with the recommendation that future research should focus on understanding the reasons behind horses’ crib-biting behaviour. By doing so, it may be possible to prevent the emergence of crib-biting behaviours or mitigate its frequency more effectively, rather than focusing on trying to halt the behaviour once it has already become a habit. This approach could potentially save time, resources, and reduce the stress on both the horses and their owners.
Cite This Article
APA
McGreevy PD, Nicol CJ.
(1999).
Prevention of crib-biting: a review.
Equine Vet J Suppl(27), 35-38.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1998.tb05143.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horse Diseases / psychology
- Horses
- Stereotyped Behavior
References
This article includes 39 references
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Mitra S, Bult-Ito A. Bidirectional Behavioral Selection in Mice: A Novel Pre-clinical Approach to Examining Compulsivity. Front Psychiatry 2021;12:716619.
- Padalino B, Aubé L, Fatnassi M, Monaco D, Khorchani T, Hammadi M, Lacalandra GM. Could dromedary camels develop stereotypy? The first description of stereotypical behaviour in housed male dromedary camels and how it is affected by different management systems. PLoS One 2014;9(2):e89093.
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