Animal Behaviour - Stereotypies in Horses
Wood chewing – Horses gnaw on wooden surfaces, often due to boredom or lack of forage; it can develop into crib-biting. Crib-biting – The horse grasps a fixed object with its teeth, flexes its neck, and sucks in air, often linked to stress or confinement.
Give examples of stereotypic behaviour in horses
Wood chewing
-> Leading to Crib-Biting
Wind sucking
Key Terms
Give examples of stereotypic behaviour in horses
Wood chewing
-> Leading to Crib-Biting
Wind sucking
How did crib biting used to be treated?
Surgical intervention - cutting the muscles and nerves of the neck
What are the proposed reasons for crib biting?
Alleviates boredom - no evidence
Alleviates stress - no evidence
What is the difficulty with cross sectional studies of crib biting?
mature populations -> population bias - culling!
Sample size means studies usually look at abnormal behaviour not specifically crib biting...
What is an odds ratio?
The ratio of odds in one group compared to a baseline/control group
Odds are probability that an event occurs : cf probability that it will n...
What are the links between feeding and abnormal behaviours in horses? Give studies.
McGreevy 1995, Redbo 1998, Bachmann 2003 - AB associated with Low forage ration, high concentrate ration, non straw bedding
- Thousands of ho...
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Give examples of stereotypic behaviour in horses | Wood chewing -> Leading to Crib-Biting Wind sucking |
How did crib biting used to be treated? | Surgical intervention - cutting the muscles and nerves of the neck |
What are the proposed reasons for crib biting? | Alleviates boredom - no evidence Alleviates stress - no evidence |
What is the difficulty with cross sectional studies of crib biting? | mature populations -> population bias - culling! Sample size means studies usually look at abnormal behaviour not specifically crib biting Any measurements taken to potentially look at cause/effect -> Have these factors caused the problem or have the yards responded by implementing changes? Impossible to work out cause and effect |
What is an odds ratio? | The ratio of odds in one group compared to a baseline/control group Odds are probability that an event occurs : cf probability that it will not Quantifies an extent to which a factor is associated with increased/decreased risk |
What are the links between feeding and abnormal behaviours in horses? Give studies. | McGreevy 1995, Redbo 1998, Bachmann 2003 - AB associated with Low forage ration, high concentrate ration, non straw bedding - Thousands of horses in each study |
What are crib biting horses at higher risk of developing? | Entrapment of the SI in the epiploic foramen - Archer et al. Colonic obstruction and distension - Hillyer 2001 NOT at higher risk of ALL types of colic |
What is the relationship between oroceacal transit time and crib biting? | OCTT ^ than normal when CB horses are prevented from crib biting OCTT is the same as normal when allowed to crib bite |
What is the relationship between gastric ulcers and crib biting in foals? Study? | Mucosal lining of CB foals significantly more enfaced, dry and ulcerated than normal foals - Nicol 2002 |
Does crib biting show rebound? | YES - therefore an adaptive behaviour? Definitely one some horses are motivated to perform |
How does adding antacid to the diet effect crib biting? | Pioneered by Willard - reduces crib biting Dose related effect found |
What is the potential causal link between crib biting and physiological factors? | An adaptive attempt to reduce gut acidity or speed gut transit time? Biting -> ^ saliva outflow Houpt showde that crib biting -> release of small amounts of saliva |
Outline a study by Nicol on crib biting | CB and normal foals < 1 year No other attempts had been made to stop the behaviour 3 months on standard diet or antacid supplement Gastroscoped Stomach of antacid horses improved, CB tended to decrease - foals that CB excessively (2000s/hour) were not as affected by the diet treatment |
What is the average age of onset of crib biting? | 20 weeks (Badnell-Waters et al.) |
Can foals start to crib bite before weaning? | Yes |
What did Waters discover as potential causal factors for CB? | Dominant mother Stressful weaning method NOT age at weaning Feeding concentrates after weaning |
What did Nicol 2005 discover from looking at Badnell Waters data? | Foals that did not CB pre-weaning but did go on to develop the vice spent more time suckling, peri-suckling behaviour and much fewer vocalisations |
Give a study looking at weaving | Cooper 2000 - different stable design Weaving and nodding appears to be higher when only 1 window is open onto the courtyard (as opposed to having contact with neighbours and seeing fields) |
Give a study looking at the effect of mirrors | McAfee 2002 Mirror and no mirror - mirror significantly decreased weaving |
How may weaving be prevented | Avoid stressful weaning Allow for as much social contact as possible in the yard |