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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / The Use of Sound Recorders to Remotely Measure Grass Intake ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(15); 2273; doi: 10.3390/ani15152273

The Use of Sound Recorders to Remotely Measure Grass Intake Behaviour in Horses.

Abstract: Visual observation to record grass intake is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Technological methods, such as activity monitors, have been used but only record head position. This study aimed to evaluate sound recorders attached to headcollars to acoustically measure grass intake behaviour in horses as a low-cost alternative method. Pilot Study 1 assessed 6 × 11 min periods comparing bites/min and chews/min between video footage (VD) and sound recorders (SR). Grazing was identified audibly (SR) and visually through soundwave pattern software (SR). Chew rates (SR: 47 ± 5 chews/min, VD: 43 ± 4 chews/min) were similar between methods. Pilot Study 2 compared hourly grass intake times between SR and visual observation (VO) for two horses during a 3 h period. Results showed significant correlation between methods ( = 0.99, < 0.01, Spearman). The main study measured intake behaviour using SR and VO methods for three free-ranging horses during 3 h observation periods over multiple days, adding up to 3 × 24 h in winter and in spring ( = 48). Mean differences per period between SR and VO were 1.8% ± 3 s.d. Foraging duration per period measured with SR closely matched VO ( = 0.99, < 0.001). Sound recorders accurately recorded grass intake time and chews in grazing horses during moderate weather conditions.
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Publication Date: 2025-08-04 PubMed ID: 40805063PubMed Central: PMC12345507DOI: 10.3390/ani15152273Google 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 research evaluated the usage of sound recorders attached to horse headcollars as an alternative method to measure grass intake behavior in horses. The results showed high correlation between the acoustic method and the traditional visual observation, validating sound recorders as an accurate tool under moderate weather conditions.

Introduction and Motivation

  • The study was premised on the challenge of visual observation for recording grass intake in horses – a method that is both time-consuming and labour-intensive.
  • The researchers sought alternative technological methods, citing that existing ones such as activity monitors were sub-optimal as they could only record the head position of the horses.
  • The proposed solution in this study was the use of sound recorders attached to horses’ headcollars. This was seen as a potential low-cost alternative method.

Methodology and Experiment Design

  • The study was conducted in two pilot studies and a main study, all comparing conventional methods with the sound recorder (SR) method.
  • Pilot Study 1 assessed 6 cycles of 11-minute periods comparing bites per minute and chews per minute between video footage (VD) and SR.
  • CCThe grazing was identified both audibly (SR) and visually with soundwave pattern software (SR). The chew rates were found to be similar between both methods.
  • Pilot Study 2 compared hourly grass intake times between SR and visual observation (VO) method for two horses, for a duration of 3 hours. Significant correlation was found between the two methods.
  • The main study further measured intake behaviour using SR and VO for three free-ranging horses over multiple days to encapsulate the full 24 hours in both winter and spring seasons.

Results and Conclusion

  • The results in both pilot studies showed strong correlation between SR and the traditional methods.
  • The main study found minimal mean differences between SR and VO methods, furthermore, the foraging duration recorded by SR very closely matched that of VO.
  • The conclusion drawn was that sound recorders accurately recorded grass intake time and chews in grazing horses during moderate weather conditions.
  • The results of this study validated the use of sound recorders as a reliable, cost-effective method to measure grass intake behaviour in horses in comparison to labour intensive traditional methods like visual observation.

Cite This Article

APA
Taylor DEF, Lancaster BE, Ellis AD. (2025). The Use of Sound Recorders to Remotely Measure Grass Intake Behaviour in Horses. Animals (Basel), 15(15), 2273. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15152273

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 15
PII: 2273

Researcher Affiliations

Taylor, Daisy E F
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Lancaster, Bryony E
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Ellis, Andrea D
  • UNEQUI Ltd., Research|Education|Innovation, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 8RT, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Andrea Ellis works for Unequi Ltd. (research, education) and gets paid a nominal amount for student supervision and support from the University of Edinburgh, but most of the work carried out for this project was unpaid.

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