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Jaworska J, Jaworski Z, McDonnell SM, Górecka-Bruzda A. Harem stallion changes are not associated with diminished reproductive performance of females in semi-feral Konik polski horses (Equus caballus). Theriogenology 2020; 151:1-6. [PMID: 32251935 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Infanticide, related to a stallion's aggression toward a foal sired by another stallion, and feticide related to a new stallion's aggression and/or pheromonal influence (the Bruce effect) inducing loss of a fetus sired by another stallion, a female's counteraction to infanticide, have been proposed for domestic horses (Equus caballus) in human-managed conditions. The aim of the present study was, in conditions close to natural, to investigate the influence of the natural succession of a harem stallion on the mares' subsequent reproductive performance. In a population of semi-feral Konik polski horses observed for 31 years (reproductive seasons) in 8 bands, harem stallion changed 10 times. These changes involved 26 out of 48 mares and 60 out of 609 observed mare-seasons (MS, a year in which a mare experienced a reproductive event). Binary distribution and log link function were assumed. The marginal model included the classification variable (SCH) and the continuous variables (age of the mare and calendar year of reproductive event (birth of a live foal, abortion, foals lost or barrenness) in a given MS was analyzed with generalized linear mixed model. The reproductive fitness of mares and their reproductive success (foal surviving ≥ 1 year), did not differ between MS with and without SCH. Older females were more likely to stay barren, with chances increasing by 21% with each successive year; and less likely to give birth to a foal (13% decrease of chance), and rear a foal to one year of age (12% decrease of chance). The age did not affect the probability of abortions. Of the 26 MS when mares were pregnant when the stallion had changed, there were 25 healthy foals born. For the entire 31 years of monitoring, no aggression toward any foal was observed and all foals that were born in the harem of a new, succeeding stallion successfully reached adulthood. Due to the lack of incidents of infanticide and the lack of evidence suggesting that the presence of a new harem stallion leads to the termination of pregnancies sired by another stallion, the Bruce effect was not confirmed as a biological strategy to reduce investment in pregnancy and potential infanticide in studied population of semi-feral horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jaworska
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Zbigniew Jaworski
- University of Warmia and Mazury, Department of Horse Breeding, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Sue M McDonnell
- Havemeyer Equine Behavior Laboratory, Section of Reproduction and Behavior, Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, USA
| | - Aleksandra Górecka-Bruzda
- Department of Animal Behavior, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Magdalenka, Poland
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Hausberger M, Lerch N, Guilbaud E, Stomp M, Grandgeorge M, Henry S, Lesimple C. On-Farm Welfare Assessment of Horses: The Risks of Putting the Cart before the Horse. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E371. [PMID: 32106531 PMCID: PMC7143857 DOI: 10.3390/ani10030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the question of animal welfare has been an important source of concern in the scientific community for several decades, many aspects are still under debate. On-farm assessments have to be rapid, acceptable to farmers and safe for both the assessors and animals. They are thus very demanding, with multiple decisions to make, such as the choice of appropriate indicators, sampling methods and scoring. Research has moved from resource-based to animal-based criteria, which reflects the subjective welfare state of an animal rather than relying upon external indices. In the present review, we describe two major (i.e., the most frequently/recently tested or disseminated) protocols: one in low-/middle-income countries, and the other in high-income countries, for on-farm assessments of horses, using animal-based resources; we evaluate their strengths and limitations, and then we compare their results with those obtained by various other studies. We propose lines of improvement, particularly in view of public dissemination, and offer suggestions for further refinement or new protocols. We emphasize the high risks of putting the cart before the horse, i.e., proposing protocols that rely upon indicators and sampling methods that need to be refined, as this could lead to under-evaluation (or less likely over-evaluation) of current welfare problems. Because welfare is a subjective experience, the true representation of an individual's actual welfare status has to be evaluated by using objective assessment tools (that are validated and have a scientific basis) used by well-trained observers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Clémence Lesimple
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France; (M.H.); (N.L.); (E.G.); (M.S.); (M.G.); (S.H.)
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Henry S, Sigurjónsdóttir H, Klapper A, Joubert J, Montier G, Hausberger M. Domestic Foal Weaning: Need for Re-Thinking Breeding Practices? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020361. [PMID: 32102206 PMCID: PMC7070483 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial weaning is a standard practice known to be one of the most stressful events in a domestic foal's life. Research has mainly focused on ways to alleviate weaning stress. However, there is still a need for more detailed research on what should constitute best practices with respect to animal welfare. The aim of this review is to address this issue by examining the natural weaning process. We first provide an overview of the scientific literature on the natural temporal dynamics of the dam-offspring bond in horses: it is to be noted that the natural process of weaning is little documented, individual variations have been poorly investigated and immediate effects of weaning on the mare-foal relationship remain unexplored. To partly address these gaps, we performed a study around the weaning period on 16 mare-foal pairs kept with minimal human interference. Most foals were weaned spontaneously when 9-10 months old, with individual variations mainly due to the conception rate of mares. Natural weaning induced no stress response in either partner and was performed without clear signs of rejection by the dams either just before or after. We lastly open up the discussion on the need for rethinking weaning practices under domestic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Henry
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France; (A.K.); (J.J.); (G.M.); (M.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Hrefna Sigurjónsdóttir
- Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, School of Education, University of Iceland, Stakkahlíð, R105 Reykjavík, Iceland;
| | - Aziliz Klapper
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France; (A.K.); (J.J.); (G.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Julie Joubert
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France; (A.K.); (J.J.); (G.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Gabrielle Montier
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France; (A.K.); (J.J.); (G.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Martine Hausberger
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France; (A.K.); (J.J.); (G.M.); (M.H.)
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Whitesell KMJ, Sertich PL, McDonnell SM. Endometrial Histology of Mares from a Semi-Feral Pony Herd of Known Lifelong High Fertility and Fecundity. J Equine Vet Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2018.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Rochais C, Henry S, Hausberger M. “Hay-bags” and “Slow feeders”: Testing their impact on horse behaviour and welfare. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Lima A, Lemasson A, Boye M, Hausberger M. Vocal activities reflect the temporal distribution of bottlenose dolphin social and non-social activity in a zoological park. Zoo Biol 2017; 36:351-359. [PMID: 29134680 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Lima
- Université de Rennes 1; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-CNRS; Université de Caen Normandie, Station Biologique; Paimpont France
- Département Scientifique et Pédagogique; Planète Sauvage; Port-Saint-Père France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes 1; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-CNRS; Université de Caen Normandie, Station Biologique; Paimpont France
| | - Martin Boye
- Département Scientifique et Pédagogique; Planète Sauvage; Port-Saint-Père France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- CNRS; Ethologie Animale et Humaine (UMR 6552)-Université de Rennes 1; Rennes Cedex; Université de Caen Normandie; Rennes France
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Do horses with poor welfare show 'pessimistic' cognitive biases? Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:8. [PMID: 28083632 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1429-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This field study tested the hypothesis that domestic horses living under putatively challenging-to-welfare conditions (for example involving social, spatial, feeding constraints) would present signs of poor welfare and co-occurring pessimistic judgement biases. Our subjects were 34 horses who had been housed for over 3 years in either restricted riding school situations (e.g. kept in single boxes, with limited roughage, ridden by inexperienced riders; N = 25) or under more naturalistic conditions (e.g. access to free-range, kept in stable social groups, leisure riding; N = 9). The horses' welfare was assessed by recording health-related, behavioural and postural indicators. Additionally, after learning a location task to discriminate a bucket containing either edible food ('positive' location) or unpalatable food ('negative' location), the horses were presented with a bucket located near the positive position, near the negative position and halfway between the positive and negative positions to assess their judgement biases. The riding school horses displayed the highest levels of behavioural and health-related problems and a pessimistic judgment bias, whereas the horses living under more naturalistic conditions displayed indications of good welfare and an optimistic bias. Moreover, pessimistic bias data strongly correlated with poor welfare data. This suggests that a lowered mood impacts a non-human species' perception of its environment and highlights cognitive biases as an appropriate tool to assess the impact of chronic living conditions on horse welfare.
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Burns TA. Effects of Common Equine Endocrine Diseases on Reproduction. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2016; 32:435-449. [PMID: 27726988 DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine diseases, such as equine metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, are common in domesticated horse populations, and the frequency with which these diseases are encountered and managed by equine veterinary practitioners is expected to increase as the population ages. As clinicians learn more about the effects of these diseases on equine reproductive physiology and efficiency (including effects on reproductive seasonality, ovulation efficiency, implantation, early pregnancy loss, duration of pregnancy, and lactation), strategies and guidelines for improving fertility in affected animals continue to evolve. It is hoped that further research will establish these recommendations more firmly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa A Burns
- Equine Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 601 Vernon L. Tharp St, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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10
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Hausberger M, Fureix C, Lesimple C. Detecting horses’ sickness: In search of visible signs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Malschitzky E, Pimentel AM, Garbade P, Jobim MIM, Gregory RM, Mattos RC. Management Strategies Aiming to Improve Horse Welfare Reduce Embryonic Death Rates in Mares. Reprod Domest Anim 2015; 50:632-6. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.12540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - AM Pimentel
- Reprolab; Faculdade de Veterinária; UFRGS; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - P Garbade
- Reprolab; Faculdade de Veterinária; UFRGS; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - MIM Jobim
- Reprolab; Faculdade de Veterinária; UFRGS; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - RM Gregory
- Reprolab; Faculdade de Veterinária; UFRGS; Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - RC Mattos
- Reprolab; Faculdade de Veterinária; UFRGS; Porto Alegre Brazil
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Benhajali H, Ezzaouia M, Lunel C, Charfi F, Hausberger M. Stereotypic behaviours and mating success in domestic mares. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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