scholarly journals Activity Time Budgets—A Potential Tool to Monitor Equine Welfare?

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 850
Author(s):  
Ulrike Auer ◽  
Zsofia Kelemen ◽  
Veronika Engl ◽  
Florien Jenner
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Equine Welfare ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Potential Tool

Horses’ behavior can provide valuable insight into their subjective state and is thus a good indicator of welfare. However, its complexity requires objective, quantifiable, and unambiguous evidence-based assessment criteria. As healthy, stress-free horses exhibit a highly repetitive daily routine, temporal quantification of their behavioral activities (time budget analysis) can assist in equine welfare assessment. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of equine time budget studies. A review of the literature yielded 12 papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria: assessment of equine time budgets for eating, resting and movement for a minimum of 24 continuous hours. A total of 144 horses (1–27 years old), 59 semi-feral and 85 domesticated horses, are included in this review. The 24 h time budgets for foraging or eating (10–6.6%), resting (8.1–66%), lying (2.7–27.3%), and locomotion (0.015–19.1%) showed large variance between studies, which can largely be attributed to differences in age and environmental conditions. Management interventions in domesticated horses (ad libitum access to food, increased space, decreased population density) resulted in time budgets similar to their (semi-)feral conspecifics, emphasizing the importance of environmental conditions and the ability of time budgets to assist in monitoring horses’ welfare.

scholarly journals Recumbency as an Equine Welfare Indicator in Geriatric Horses and Horses with Chronic Orthopaedic Disease

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3189
Author(s):  
Zsofia Kelemen ◽  
Herwig Grimm ◽  
Mariessa Long ◽  
Ulrike Auer ◽  
Florien Jenner
Keyword(s):  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Sleep Cycle ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Sleep Deficiency ◽  
Equine Welfare

Recumbency is a prerequisite for horses achieving rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and completing a full sleep cycle. An inability to lie down due to environmental insecurities or pain results in REM sleep deficiency, which can cause substantial impairment of welfare and health. Therefore, the present study used wearable automated sensor technology on 83 horses housed in an animal sanctuary to measure and compare the recumbency, locomotion, and standing time budgets of geriatric horses with and without chronic lameness to younger adult sound and lame horses. Recumbency times ranged from 0 to 319 min per day with an overall mean of 67.4 (±61.9) minutes; the time budget for locomotion was 19.1% (±11.2% s.d.) and for standing 75.6% (±13.1 s.d.). Interestingly, neither age nor lameness due to chronic orthopedic disease had a significant influence on recumbency times in this study. Eight horses showed symptoms of REM deficit. These horses had significantly shorter lying times (7.99 ± 11.4 min) and smaller locomotion time budgets than the other horses enrolled in this study (73.8 ± 61.8 min), indicating a general compromise of well-being. Thus, wearable sensor technology can be used to identify horses with low recumbency times at risk for REM sleep deficiency and to assess and monitor equine welfare objectively.

scholarly journals Equine Activity Time Budgets: The Effect of Housing and Management Conditions on Geriatric Horses and Horses with Chronic Orthopaedic Disease

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1867
Author(s):  
Zsofia Kelemen ◽  
Herwig Grimm ◽  
Claus Vogl ◽  
Mariessa Long ◽  
Jessika M. V. Cavalleri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Budget ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Activity Time ◽  
Automated Tracking ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Domestic Environments ◽  
Tracking Device ◽  
Movement Activities

Housing and management conditions strongly influence the health, welfare and behaviour of horses. Consequently, objective and quantifiable comparisons between domestic environments and their influence on different equine demographics are needed to establish evidence-based criteria to assess and optimize horse welfare. Therefore, the present study aimed to measure and compare the time budgets (=percentage of time spent on specific activities) of horses with chronic orthopaedic disease and geriatric (≥20 years) horses living in different husbandry systems using an automated tracking device. Horses spent 42% (range 38.3–44.8%) of their day eating, 39% (range 36.87–44.9%) resting, and 19% (range 17–20.4%) in movement, demonstrating that geriatric horses and horses suffering from chronic orthopaedic disease can exhibit behaviour time budgets equivalent to healthy controls. Time budget analysis revealed significant differences between farms, turn-out conditions and time of day, and could identify potential areas for improvement. Horses living in open-air group housing on a paddock had a more uniform temporal distribution of feeding and movement activities with less pronounced peaks compared to horses living in more restricted husbandry systems.

scholarly journals Columba livia time budget in the conditions of Kazan in spring

2021 ◽  
Vol 265 ◽  
pp. 01003
Author(s):  
Aizat Basyyrov ◽  
Tamila Leonova
Keyword(s):  
Time Budget ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Night Sleep ◽  
Rock Pigeon ◽  
Daily Time

The daily time budgets of the rock pigeon (Columba livia) in the spring were studied basing on the example of birds with different foraging strategies. The connection between daylight hours and the birds’ night sleep was revealed. The relation between the daily routine and various forms of activity in birds with different foraging strategies was revealed.

Seasonal Habitat Use by Nubian Ibex (Capra Nubiana) Evaluated with Behavioral Indicators

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon A. Tadesse ◽  
Burt P. Kotler
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Focal Observation

Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) prefer steep terrain in their landscape to reduce risks of predation and human nuisance disturbances. They also use vigilance and time allocation to manage risk of predation. We studied time budgets and habitat selection of Nubian ibex to: (1) identify the habitat variables to which Nubian ibex were behaviorally responsive; (2) investigate how time budget responses of Nubian ibex were related to season, slope condition, group size, and sex-age structure; and (3) develop behavioral-based models that account for the variations in the behaviors of Nubian ibex across the landscape and seasons.To quantify time budgets, we took regular field observations on focal individuals of Nubian ibex classified according to their habitat, group size, sex, and age. For each focal observation, we quantified environmental variables that were thought to influence the behavioral responses of ibex. Then, we developed behavioral models by correlating the proportion of behaviors measured in focal animal observations to the influential environmental variables. The behaviors of Nubian ibex significantly varied with sex and age structure, season, habitat type, and slope conditions. Adult females are more vigilant than adult male ibex, especially in the spring. This correlates with breeding and nursing activities. Based on the characteristics of the habitat, ibex behave to minimize risks of predation and human nuisance disturbances while maximizing their food intake.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Egg Deposition of the European Mantis

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-49
Author(s):  
Joanna Kajzer-Bonk
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Egg Deposition ◽  
Predatory Insect ◽  
Egg Case ◽  
Potential Tool

In this paper, we studied the egg-case (oothecae) deposition of the European mantis, Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus 1758), a predatory insect. We hypothesized that the height of ootheca deposition on a plant reflects the insolation requirements of the species, and would increase when plant cover is denser. We found that the taller the plants nearby, the greater the height of egg deposition. Oothecae were also oviposited higher in denser vegetation. The observed behavior may ensure the proper insolation of developing offspring. To our knowledge, this is the first description of an egg laying strategy of this species under natural conditions. This finding allows for a better understanding of habitat selection and the overall ecology of the European mantis. It may be also useful in identifying the mechanisms of the range extension of this species and is a potential tool to effectively conserve xerothermic ootheca-laying animals. Further studies are required to assess the flexibility of this behavior under different environmental conditions.

Effects of Supplemental Food on the Behaviour and Paternity Status of Male Indigo Buntings (Passerina CyaNea)

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
Brad T. McLeod ◽  
Gary Ritchison
Keyword(s):  
Time Budget ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Passerina Cyanea ◽  
And Control

Breeding is energetically costly and, if energy-limited, birds may alter their time budgets, spending less time engaged in some activities and more time in others. Investigators who have provided breeding birds with supplemental food have noted changes in time budgets, but the extent and types of changes have been found to vary among species. Our objective was to determine how food supplementation might influence the time budgets and paternity status of male Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea). We studied Indigo Buntings from 8 May to 15 August 2009 in Madison County, Kentucky. Territories of male Indigo Buntings (n=30) were randomly assigned as either food supplemented (n=8) or controls (n=22). During time-budget observations, all behaviours were noted. To determine paternity status, blood samples were collected from adults and nestlings at 16 nests. Males with feeders in their territories spent significantly less time foraging and more time vocalising (chip notes) than males without feeders. Time spent singing and mate guarding by treatment and control males did not differ. Differences in the proportion of extra-pair young did not differ between nests in territories with and without supplemental food. Our results suggest that, when provided with supplemental food, male Indigo Buntings spend less time foraging and more time engaged in other activities. However, neither the presence of supplemental food nor differences in the behaviour of males in food-supplemented versus non-supplemented territories affected rates of extra-pair paternity.

Social play and its initiation in an established group of young domestic horses

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 8-8
Author(s):  
L McCallum ◽  
L C Dumbell
Keyword(s):  
Social Communication ◽  
Social Play ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Adaptive Function ◽  
Domestic Horses ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Equine Welfare ◽  
Young Horses ◽  
Behavioural Repertoire ◽  
Established Group

Although ethograms of social play behaviour have been formulated (McDonnell & Poulin, 2002; Zharkikh, 2003) few studies focus on equine social play (Christensen et al., 2002). Social play studies have largely focussed on the time budgets and generalised interactions between herds (for example Boyd, 1988) rather than specific social behaviour sequences between limited numbers of horses. However, by observing pairs or small groups of animals, much may be learned about the dynamics of social communication in a particular species (Kalmus, 1969; Poole, 1972). Although play appears to be considered as either functionless or as serving different roles depending on species, age and even sex of individuals Burghardt (2006) speculated that 5 selected advantages in the performance of play within the behavioural repertoire of an animal existed, control, adaptive function, development, evolution and private experience. Further knowledge of equine social play may be of benefit to equine welfare and performance. The aim of the current study was to describe and quantify the involvement in social play and its initiation within an established group of young horses.

scholarly journals Aggressive mimics profit from a model–signal receiver mutualism

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1622) ◽  
pp. 2087-2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L Cheney ◽  
Isabelle M Côté
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Net Benefit ◽  
Aggressive Mimicry ◽  
Tripartite Interactions ◽  
Net Benefits ◽  
Amblyglyphidodon Curacao ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Gain Access

Mimetic species have evolved to resemble other species to avoid predation (protective mimicry) or gain access to food (aggressive mimicry). Mimicry systems are frequently tripartite interactions involving a mimic, model and ‘signal receiver’. Changes in the strength of the relationship between model and signal receiver, owing to shifting environmental conditions, for example, can affect the success of mimics in protective mimicry systems. Here, we show that an experimentally induced shift in the strength of the relationship between a model (bluestreak cleaner fish, Labroides dimidiatus ) and a signal receiver (staghorn damselfish, Amblyglyphidodon curacao ) resulted in increased foraging success for an aggressive mimic (bluestriped fangblenny, Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos ). When the parasite loads of staghorn damselfish clients were experimentally increased, the attack success of bluestriped fangblenny on damselfish also increased. Enhanced mimic success appeared to be due to relaxation of vigilance by parasitized clients, which sought cleaners more eagerly and had lower overall aggression levels. Signal receivers may therefore be more tolerant of and/or more vulnerable to attacks from aggressive mimics when the net benefit of interacting with their models is high. Changes in environmental conditions that cause shifts in the net benefits accrued by models and signal receivers may have important implications for the persistence of aggressive mimicry systems.

The flexibility of feeding patterns in individually housed pigs

2000 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. L. I. Bornett ◽  
C. A. Morgan ◽  
A. B. Lawrence ◽  
J. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Pattern ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Feeding Patterns ◽  
Large White ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
The Impact

AbstractGroup-housed pigs may be prevented from expressing their desired feeding pattern by more dominant individuals in the group. Indeed, when compared with individually housed pigs, group housed pigs eat less frequent, but larger meals. Therefore, it would be advantageous for pigs to have flexible feeding patterns in order to decrease the impact of group housing. The aim of this study was to assess the flexibility of feeding patterns by restricting the time of access to food of pigs previously given food ad libitum and then returning them to 24-h access. Thirty-two Large White x Landrace pigs were used in an experiment of two blocks (16 pigs per block) each comprising three, 2-week periods. In each block; during period 1, all pigs were allowed 24-h access to food after which, in period 2, eight of the pigs had access to the feeder restricted between 11:00 and 13:00 h of each day. The remaining eight pigs continued on 24-h access to food and acted as controls. In period 3, all pigs were again returned to 24-h access to food. Daily feeding pattern and food intake were recorded throughout. Behavioural observations in the form of scan samples were made and pigs were weighed twice a week. In period 2 the restricted pigs had fewer visits to the feeder per day, 34·0 v. 70·1 (P < 0·001); of a longer duration, 98·3 v. 64·5 s (P < 0·01); with a higher food intake per visit, 64·9 v. 33·3 g (P < 0·001) than the control pigs. Daily food intake and live-weight gain were lower (P < 0·001) for the restricted pigs in period 2 than for the control pigs. Restricted pigs spent more time rooting (P < 0·05), and less time sleeping (P < 0·05) than the control pigs in period 2. In addition, there was a trend for pigs to spend more time alert in the observation session prior to access to food in the second period when they were restricted and they made attempts to gain access to the feeders in this session. An indication of flexibility was gained by comparing feeding behaviour and time budgets between periods 1 and 3. The pigs that experienced a period of restricted feeding either resumed their previous behaviour or showed the same trend as the controls. In periods 1 and 3 daily feeder visits were 66·2 and 68·1 for control pigs, and 65·6 and 67·1 for restricted pigs. Mean durations of visits were 79·3 and 47·5 s, and 74·4 and 61·7 s respectively. It was concluded that feeding behaviour was flexible and time budgets were resilient across periods.

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