Environmental and demographic risk factors for poor welfare in working horses, donkeys and mules in developing countries

The relationship between the welfare quality and stress index in working and breeding horses

The aim of this observational study was to investigate if a relationship exists between the calculated overall individual welfare score (as an indicator of the welfare quality) and the neutrophil:lymphocyte (N:L) ratio (as a stress indicator) in working (draught) and reproduction horses (breeding stallions and broodmares), in two different seasons. The welfare of the horses was assessed by a protocol which included health and behavioural parameters. An individual welfare score was computed, the total and differential WBC count was established and the N:L ratio was calculated for each of the 1482 assessed horses. Using all these parameters, comparisons were made between the horse categories (working horses, breeding stallions, broodmares) in two assessment seasons. Finally, the relationship between the individual welfare score and the N:L ratio was studied in light of the significant correlations found. The highest frequency of health problems was recorded in working horses. The human-animal relationship did not present significant differences between the horse categories. The individual welfare scores were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the working than in the breeding animals, in both assessment seasons. The N:L ratio was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the working horses than in those kept for reproduction. The season had no significant influence (P>0.05) on the investigated parameters. All the significant correlations found between the N:L ratio and the individual welfare score were negative. The results obtained indicate poor welfare in the working horses, comparing with the breeding animals. The findings of our study confirmed that the N:L ratio increases in horses with a poor welfare state. The multiple correlations of the N:L ratio with the individual welfare scores of the assessed horses emphasised the efficiency of this parameter in identifying the acute and chronic stress conditions in the living environment of the animals.

Welfare Conditions of Donkeys in Europe: Initial Outcomes from On-Farm Assessment

Simple Summary

This paper aims to present the first outcomes of data collected using the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys in 20 EU donkey facilities. Three assessors evaluated 278 donkeys. The authors found recurrent issues: tendency to obesity, lack of hoof care and irregular positive interactions with humans. The protocol proved to be applicable in different management conditions and for donkeys of different attitude.

Abstract

This paper is a baseline study to present the initial outcomes of data collected in a sample of EU donkey farms using the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for donkeys, comprehensive of 22 valid, reliable and feasible animal-based indicators. A total of 20 donkey facilities (N = 12 in Italy and N = 8 in United Kingdom) were visited and 278 donkeys of different breed, aged 2–45 years, were assessed. Three assessors underwent a common training period to learn how to perform and score all the indicators included in the protocol. Data was collected using digitalized systems and downloaded to a database. A descriptive statistic for each welfare indicator was calculated. The authors found recurrent issues: 25% of donkeys were moderately over weight; although most of the assessed animals had good quality hoof care, 15.16% of them presented some signs of neglect, such as overgrowth and/or incorrect trimming; 18.05% of donkeys showed an avoidance reaction to an approaching human in the avoidance distance test. The protocol has proven to be applicable in different management conditions and for donkeys of different attitude.

Evaluation of changes in equine care and limb-related abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India, as part of a two year participatory intervention study

Background

Previous studies have found the prevalence of lameness in working horses to be 90–100%. Risk factors for lameness in this important equine population, together with risk-reduction strategies adopted by their owners, are poorly understood. The objective was to uncover risk factors for lameness and limb abnormalities in working horses, by associating clinical lameness examination findings on three occasions over two years with owner reported changes in equine management and work practices over this period.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Twenty-one communities of horse owners in Jaipur, India, took part in a participatory intervention (PI) project aiming to reduce risk factors for poor welfare, particularly lameness and limb problems. Associations between quantitative measures of equine lameness/limb abnormalities and reported changes in management and work practices were compared with 21 control (C) communities of owners where no intervention had taken place. Key findings from ‘complete cases’, where the same horse stayed with the same owner for the whole study period (PI group = 73 owners of 83 horses, C group = 58 owners of 66 horses), were that more positive statements of change in equine management and work practices were made by PI group owners than C group owners. A mixed picture of potential risk factors emerged: some reported management improvements, for example reducing the weight of the load for cart animals, were associated with improved limbs and lameness, and others, such as making improvements in shoeing and increasing the age at which their animals started work, with negative outcomes.

Conclusions/Significance

This study illustrates the complexity and interacting nature of risk factors for lameness in working horses, and highlights the importance of longitudinal investigations that recognise and address this. PI group owners found the project useful and requested similar inputs in future. Our findings demonstrate the value of exploratory and participatory research methodology in the field of working horse welfare.

A two-year participatory intervention project with owners to reduce lameness and limb abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India

BACKGROUND

Participatory methods are increasingly used in international human development, but scientific evaluation of their efficacy versus a control group is rare. Working horses support families in impoverished communities. Lameness and limb abnormalities are highly prevalent in these animals and a cause for welfare concern. We aimed to stimulate and evaluate improvements in lameness and limb abnormalities in horses whose owners took part in a 2-year participatory intervention project to reduce lameness (PI) versus a control group (C) in Jaipur, India.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In total, 439 owners of 862 horses participated in the study. PI group owners from 21 communities were encouraged to meet regularly to discuss management and work practices influencing lameness and poor welfare and to track their own progress in improving these. Lameness examinations (41 parameters) were conducted at the start of the study (Baseline), and after 1 year and 2 years. Results were compared with control horses from a further 21 communities outside the intervention. Of the 149 horses assessed on all three occasions, PI horses showed significantly (P<0.05) greater improvement than C horses in 20 parameters, most notably overall lameness score, measures of sole pain and range of movement on limb flexion. Control horses showed slight but significantly greater improvements in four parameters, including frog quality in fore and hindlimbs.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

This participatory intervention succeeded in improving lameness and some limb abnormalities in working horses, by encouraging changes in management and work practices which were feasible within owners' socioeconomic and environmental constraints. Demonstration of the potentially sustainable improvements achieved here should encourage further development of participatory intervention approaches to benefit humans and animals in other contexts.

Using physical and emotional parameters to assess donkey welfare in Botswana

INTRODUCTION

Working donkeys in Maun, Botswana contribute to people's livelihoods substantially through the provision of transport, ploughing and income generating activities. However, working donkeys suffer from various welfare issues that were investigated in this study to provide preliminary insights on their health and well-being.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An assessment protocol involving direct observations of the donkeys was developed and operationalised to assess physical and emotional welfare. Physical welfare parameters such as body condition score, abnormal limbs, impeded gait, eye abnormalities, sore and scar locations, hoof and coat condition were recorded. Emotional welfare parameters such as eyes, tail movement, ear position, neck position, posture and vocalisation were recorded. In addition, donkey-owner interactions were recorded and scored, as well as the donkey's response to environmental factors. A total cross-section of 100 donkeys sub-stratified by roles of riding, cart pulling and resting were randomly selected in eight villages and three urban wards and assessed during the period of May to August 2012.

RESULTS

The findings reveals that the 100 adult working donkeys assessed were physically afflicted by poor BCSs of two (66 per cent), long and cracked hooves (50 per cent), sores on at least two locations on their body (53 per cent), scars on at least two locations on their body (86 per cent), and poor coat conditions (58 per cent). Emotionally, donkeys displayed unresponsiveness (35 per cent), avoidance (31 per cent), disinterest in hand sniffing (59 per cent), dull facial expression (33 per cent), tail stillness (89 per cent), neck stiffness and/or raised head (13 per cent) or head hanging low (32 per cent visibly withdrawn), and tense ears pointing back or to the side (69 per cent). By contrast, the remaining donkeys (31 per cent) exhibited a happy demeanour of curiosity, interest, alert facial expression, tail swishing, relaxed ears pointed to the side or forward and neck relaxed and/or level.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers preliminary findings from an investigation into the welfare of working donkeys in Greater Maun, Botswana, and provides baseline research to inform future research and strategies to enhance donkey well-being.

The range and prevalence of clinical signs and conformation associated with lameness in working draught donkeys in Pakistan

REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY

Lameness is prevalent in working donkeys and has major welfare implications; however, a detailed study of the associated clinical signs is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the range and prevalence of clinical signs and conformation associated with lameness in working draught donkeys.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study.

METHODS

Data were collected from 102 working draught donkeys in Pakistan. A lameness assessment adapted for working donkeys was used to record clinical signs of lameness, gait, limb conformation and pain responses in the feet, limbs and spine using observation, palpation and manipulation. Lameness at the walk was scored from 0 to 10 (sound to nonweightbearing).

RESULTS

Every donkey examined had gait abnormalities, with 5% having a nonweightbearing limb. Lameness was significantly more severe with older age, lower body condition score and forward-at-the-knee conformation. More severe lameness was also associated with pain responses in the hoof walls, palpation of limb joints and spinal flexion. Joint, tendon and foot pathology was highly prevalent, as well as pain responses to joint flexion and spinal manipulation. Conformational abnormalities showed lateral asymmetries.

CONCLUSIONS

Over 98% of the world's 42.2 million donkeys are in low-income countries, most being used for work. The high prevalence of lameness, pain and multiple limb and spinal abnormalities in working donkeys is of great welfare concern and highlights the complexity of addressing this problem. This standardised lameness assessment can be used when implementing and monitoring interventions to reduce lameness prevalence in working donkeys.

The interrelations of good welfare indicators assessed in working horses and their relationships with the type of work

This paper presents a different approach to the welfare of working horses through the indicators of good welfare, their interrelations and their relationships with the type of work performed by the horses. 697 working horses were assessed by using observation, behavioural tests, clinical exams and questionnaires. The correlated results highlight the complex and multiple interrelations between the good welfare indicators, showing once again that animal welfare is under the influence of all its three dimensions (physical and emotional wellbeing and naturalness). In working horses, the heavier the work they perform is, the more important it is for horse owners/breeders/farmers to fulfil their inherent needs so as to help them cope with the multiple specific risks imposed by their work.

Does long-term unilateral circling affect locomotor symmetry in ponies used for carousel rides?

There is ethical debate on the use of ponies for carousel rides at city fairs, as these animals may develop progressive locomotor asymmetry during their career. To investigate this issue, 21 ponies used for carousel rides were walked and trotted over a pressure plate system. Non-directional symmetry ratios and directional asymmetry indices of forelimb peak vertical force (PVF), vertical impulse (VI), stance time (ST) and hoof contact area (CA) were calculated and compared to reference data. In both the carousel and reference groups, most ponies presented higher loading of the right forelimb at the walk and trot. Carousel ponies presented slightly, though significantly, lower symmetry ratios and more negative asymmetry indices than the reference group for PVF and VI, but not for ST and CA. However, repeated analysis after exclusion of the ponies with visually observed lameness revealed no significant differences in asymmetry indices, whereas symmetry ratios remained lower in the carousel group. Interestingly, Ten of 21 carousel ponies were subjectively more difficult to lunge on the circle opposite to their routine working direction, whereas the ponies in the reference group were easily lunged in both directions. In the absence of clear unilateral lameness or locomotor asymmetry in the majority of ponies, it is reasonable to assume a behavioural explanation for this observation. There was no significant association between the duration of the career and all symmetry indices. These results indicate an overall less symmetric locomotion in carousel ponies, but progressive locomotor asymmetry due to long-term unilateral circling seems to be unlikely.

Cross-sectional survey of owner knowledge and husbandry practices, tack and health issues affecting working horses in Lesotho

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY

To establish baseline parameters of equine health, owner knowledge and husbandry practices and tack against which benefits to local horses arising from an equine charity's training programme in Lesotho could be measured.

OBJECTIVES

To describe and investigate associations between owner knowledge and equine husbandry practices, horse health and tack-related parameters prior to the start of the training programme.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in the catchment area of students attending the first training course. Owners from randomly selected villages were interviewed about horse care using a standardised, structured questionnaire, administered face to face in local language. Horses were clinically examined and tack assessed according to standardised protocols.

RESULTS

Clinical examinations were performed on 312 horses and 287 owners were interviewed. Owners had variable knowledge of equine husbandry and limited understanding of appropriate primary and preventive healthcare. Equine health problems identified included ecto- and endoparasite infestation, mouth lesions, overgrown and unbalanced feet and tack-associated wounds. The majority of tack was in poor condition, dirty and ill-fitting. With the exception of below-average body condition score, no associations were found between key adverse horse-related clinical findings and owners reporting their horse as being 'unhealthy'.

CONCLUSIONS

Working horses in Lesotho have a range of physical problems, many of which could be ameliorated through targeted owner education. With limited access to veterinary advice and scarce resources, improved availability of affordable local equine trade skills is key to improving equine health.

POTENTIAL RELEVANCE

Findings could be used to inform and direct training programmes to maximise benefits to equine health and to serve as a baseline against which to monitor effects of educational and other interventions.