FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Biology letters2014; 10(9); 20140390; doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0390

Rapid animal welfare assessment: an archaeological approach.

Abstract: The welfare of an individual depends on its capacity to overcome suboptimal conditions in its environment; otherwise, its physical and psychological health becomes compromised. A situation that clearly indicates lack of control of the environment is the expression of abnormal behaviours, such as stereotypies. This study aimed to verify the well-being of police horses using a new rapid form of welfare assessment: an archaeological approach. To this end, we sampled and quantified marks found on the stables, deposited as a result of abnormal behaviour. We cross-referenced these physical marks with veterinary records of diseases, such as colic, known to be associated with stress. A total of 46 horses were sampled and the results showed a significant medium-strength, positive correlation between bite mark frequency on stable doors and the incidence of colic. A weak significant positive correlation was found between length of scratch marks (from pawing) and the incidence of lameness. We conclude that these marks reflect the accumulated expression of abnormal behaviour and can provide rapid insight into the welfare of individual animals.
© 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2014-09-12 PubMed ID: 25209197PubMed Central: PMC4190958DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0390Google 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.

The researchers in this study used an innovative “archaeological” technique to evaluate the well-being of police horses by examining physical marks on their stables in relation to abnormal behaviors. The research found that certain types of marks were significantly correlated with veterinary health records, suggesting the technique could provide a quick way to check on an animal’s well-being.

Objective of Research

  • The research aimed to apply a new and innovative method of assessing the welfare of police horses based on an “archaeological approach.” This involves examining physical marks on the stables that are a result of abnormal behaviors, indicating stress or discomfort in the animal.

Methodology

  • Physical marks on the stables of 46 police horses, classified as scratches or bite marks, were quantitatively analyzed.
  • These marks were considered representative of abnormal behavior linked to stress and were therefore interpreted as indicators of the horse’s wellbeing.
  • These physical indicators were then cross-referenced with veterinary records, particularly those related to illnesses known to be associated with stress, like colic and lameness.

Results and Conclusions

  • The data revealed a medium-strength, positive correlation between the frequency of bite marks on stables’ doors and the incidence of colic in the horses. That is, more frequent bite marks suggest a higher likelihood of the horse experiencing colic.
  • A weaker, but still significant, positive correlation was found between the length of scratch marks, prompted by pawing, and the incidence of lameness in the horses. This suggests that horses that paw more often, thus leaving longer scratch marks, are more likely to suffer from lameness.
  • The study concludes that these tangible indicators – the bite and scratch marks – are reflective of accumulated abnormal behavior in horses. As such, they can be used as a rapid assessment tool, to gain understanding about the welfare and health conditions of individual animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Schork IG, Young RJ. (2014). Rapid animal welfare assessment: an archaeological approach. Biol Lett, 10(9), 20140390. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0390

Publication

Biology letters
ISSN: 1744-957X
NlmUniqueID: 101247722
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 9
PII: 20140390

Researcher Affiliations

Schork, Ivana Gabriela
  • Conservation, Ecology and Animal Behaviour Group, Prédio 41, Mestrado em Zoologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Avenida Dom José Gaspar, 500, Coração Eucarístico, 30535-610 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Young, Robert John
  • Conservation, Ecology and Animal Behaviour Group, Prédio 41, Mestrado em Zoologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Avenida Dom José Gaspar, 500, Coração Eucarístico, 30535-610 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil School of Environment and Life Science, University of Salford Manchester, Peel Building, Salford M5 4WT, UK r.j.young@salford.ac.uk.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animal Welfare
  • Animals
  • Archaeology
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Colic / epidemiology
  • Colic / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / psychology
  • Horses
  • Housing, Animal
  • Lameness, Animal / epidemiology
  • Male

References

This article includes 22 references
  1. Fraser D. The role of the veterinarian in animal welfare. Animal welfare: too much or too little? Abstracts of the 21st Symposium of the Nordic Committee for Veterinary Scientific Cooperation (NKVet). Vaerløse, Denmark. September 24-25, 2007.. Acta Vet Scand 2008;50 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S1-12.
    doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-50-S1-S1pmc: PMC4235121pubmed: 19049678google scholar: lookup
  2. Carenzi C, Verga M. Animal welfare : review of the scientific concept and definition. Ital. J. Anim. Sci. 8, 21–30.
    doi: 10.4081/ijas.2009.s1.21google scholar: lookup
  3. Mason G, Rushen J. (eds). 2006. Stereotypic animal behaviour: fundamentals and applications to welfare, 2nd edn Wallingford, UK: CABI.
  4. Mason GJ, Latham NR. Can't stop, won't stop: is stereotypy a reliable animal welfare indicator?. Anim. Welf. 13, 57–69.
  5. Dawkins MS. Behaviour as a tool in the assessment of animal welfare.. Zoology (Jena) 2003;106(4):383-7.
    doi: 10.1078/0944-2006-00122pubmed: 16351922google scholar: lookup
  6. Ursin H, Eriksen HR. The cognitive activation theory of stress.. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2004 Jun;29(5):567-92.
    doi: 10.1016/S0306-4530(03)00091-Xpubmed: 15041082google scholar: lookup
  7. Dantzer R. Stress, stereotypies and welfare.. Behav Processes 1991 Dec;25(2-3):95-102.
    doi: 10.1016/0376-6357(91)90012-Opubmed: 24923969google scholar: lookup
  8. Wickens CL, Heleski CR. Crib-biting behavior in horses: a review. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 128, 1–9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2010.07.002google scholar: lookup
  9. Whisher L, Raum M, Pina L, Pérez L, Erb H, Houpt C, Houpt K. Effects of environmental factors on cribbing activity by horses. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 135, 63–69.
    doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.09.001google scholar: lookup
  10. Rushen J. Changing concepts of farm animal welfare: bridging the gap between applied and basic research. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 81, 199–214.
    doi: 10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00281-2google scholar: lookup
  11. Whitham JC, Wielebnowski N. New directions for zoo animal welfare science. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 147, 247–260.
    doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2013.02.004google scholar: lookup
  12. Malamed R, Berger J, Bain MJ, Kass P, Spier SJ. Retrospective evaluation of crib-biting and windsucking behaviours and owner-perceived behavioural traits as risk factors for colic in horses.. Equine Vet J 2010 Nov;42(8):686-92.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00096.xpubmed: 21039797google scholar: lookup
  13. Archer DC, Pinchbeck GK, French NP, Proudman CJ. Risk factors for epiploic foramen entrapment colic: an international study.. Equine Vet J 2008 May;40(3):224-30.
    doi: 10.2746/042516408X266079pubmed: 18267890google scholar: lookup
  14. Archer DC, Proudman CJ. Epidemiological clues to preventing colic.. Vet J 2006 Jul;172(1):29-39.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2005.04.002pubmed: 15939639google scholar: lookup
  15. Leal BB. Avaliação do bem-estar dos equinos de cavalaria da Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais: indicadores etológicos, endocrinológicos e incidência de cólica. Master's thesis, Univesidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
  16. Leal BB, Alves GES, Douglas RH, Bringel B, Young RJ, Haddad JPA, Viana WS, Faleiros RR. Cortisol circadian rhythm ratio: a simple method to detect stressed horses at higher risk of colic?. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 31, 188–190.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2011.02.005google scholar: lookup
  17. Eilam D, Zor R, Szechtman H, Hermesh H. Rituals, stereotypy and compulsive behavior in animals and humans.. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2006;30(4):456-71.
    doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.08.003pubmed: 16253329google scholar: lookup
  18. Sarrafchi A, Blokhuis HJ. Equine stereotypic behaviors: causation, occurrence, and prevention. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 8, 386–394.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2013.04.068google scholar: lookup
  19. 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.
    doi: 10.2746/042516403776114216pubmed: 12638792google scholar: lookup
  20. Nagy K, Bodó G, Bárdos G, Harnos A, Kabai P. The effect of a feeding stress-test on the behaviour and heart rate variability of control and crib-biting horses (with or without inhibition). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 121, 140–147.
    doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2009.09.008google scholar: lookup
  21. Hothersall B, Nicol C. Role of diet and feeding in normal and stereotypic behaviors in horses.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2009 Apr;25(1):167-81, viii.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2009.01.002pubmed: 19303558google scholar: lookup
  22. Whitham JC, Wielebnowski N. Animal-based welfare monitoring: using keeper ratings as an assessment tool.. Zoo Biol 2009 Nov;28(6):545-60.
    doi: 10.1002/zoo.20281pubmed: 19851995google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Merridale-Punter MS, Wiethoelter AK, El-Hage CM, Hitchens PL. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Working Equid Lameness in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 10;12(22).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12223100pubmed: 36428328google scholar: lookup
  2. Schork IG, de Azevedo CS, Young RJ. Personality, abnormal behaviour, and health: An evaluation of the welfare of police horses. PLoS One 2018;13(9):e0202750.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202750pubmed: 30183748google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 100,129 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.