Events around weaning in semi-feral and stable-reared Konik polski foals: Evaluation of short-term physiological and behavioural responses

Górecka-Bruzda, Aleksandra; Suwała, Mira; Palme, Rupert; Jaworski, Zbigniew; Jastrzębska, Ewa; Boroń, Marlena; Jezierski, Tadeusz

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2014.11.004

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…In forest Konik husbandry, the trapping and weaning/separation of foals is also a very stressful procedure, as confirmed by high fecal cortisol metabolite levels and stress-related behavior, including pseudodepressive states in weanlings [56]. Although closing the bands in traps is noninvasive, as the horses voluntarily enter the enclosures tempted by the hay, the separation of the youngstock from the dams (and the bands), which involves human manipulation, restraint, and transportation to the stable, is one of the most difficult stages in young horses' lives, more difficult than what stable-reared Koniks experience [56]. Furthermore, later in stable life, the forest-reared foals react with higher levels of fear and aversion to human manipulation during routine husbandry procedures than stable-reared Koniks [18,57].…”

Section: Welfare Of Koniks Related To Feeding Drinking and Locomotomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Husbandry politics for semiferal Koniks populations in Poland presumes the control of the number of reproducing horses. This is made possible by the annual removal of all foals around the natural weaning time, which is the most substantial interference in Koniks' lives [56]. The procedure of removing the weanlings from the sanctuary was described in detail in Górecka-Bruzda et al [56].…”

Section: Management Techniques To Assure Welfare In Semiferal Konik Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is made possible by the annual removal of all foals around the natural weaning time, which is the most substantial interference in Koniks' lives [56]. The procedure of removing the weanlings from the sanctuary was described in detail in Górecka-Bruzda et al [56]. The weanlings are transferred to stables outside the sanctuary and habituated to humans [57].…”

Section: Management Techniques To Assure Welfare In Semiferal Konik Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Welfare of Free-Roaming Horses: 70 Years of Experience with Konik Polski Breeding in Poland

Górecka-Bruzda

Jaworski

Jaworska

et al. 2020

Animals

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To prevent abuse and to assure the welfare of domestic horses, attempts to assess welfare in a standardized way have been made. Welfare-assessment tools often refer to the physical and social environments of feral domestic horses as examples of welfare-friendly conditions for horses. However, free-roaming horses are often exposed to conditions or states that may be regarded as welfare threats or abuse. The aim of this review was to present cases of welfare compromises as well as natural ways to restore high standards of welfare to Konik polski horses (Koniks) living in semiferal conditions in a forest sanctuary over the course of 70 years. Welfare problems in Koniks related to feeding, locomotor, social, reproductive, and comfort behavior, as well as health issues concerning hoof trimming and parasitism in Koniks, are discussed. Periodic food scarcity or abundance, stressful events around weaning and gathering, the consequences of fights among stallions, exposure to sire aggression during dispersal, lameness during “self-trimming,” exposure to insect harassment, high levels of parasitism, and specific landscape formations may endanger free-roaming horses. It has to be underlined that despite the excellent adaptability of horses to free-roaming conditions, one should be aware that welfare problems are to be expected in any semiferal population. Here, we present the management system applied for 70 years in free-roaming Konik polski horses that minimizes welfare threats. It allows close follow-up of individual horses, the strict monitoring of health and welfare on a daily basis, and if necessary, instant reactions from caretakers in cases of emergency. Moreover, it addresses the problem of starvation due to overgrazing and thus, the ethical controversy related to the eradication of surplus animals causing environmental damage.

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Section: Welfare Of Koniks Related To Feeding Drinking and Locomotomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Techniques To Assure Welfare In Semiferal Konik Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Techniques To Assure Welfare In Semiferal Konik Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Welfare of Free-Roaming Horses: 70 Years of Experience with Konik Polski Breeding in Poland

Górecka-Bruzda

Jaworski

Jaworska

et al. 2020

Animals

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“…The corticosterone EIA has been used successfully in several species to measure FGMs (Fanson et al 2017), but it has not been validated physiologically or biologically in equids, despite being used in several studies (Yarnell et al 2016, Yarnell and Walker 2017, Lea et al 2018. We predicted the physiological response to the acute stress of the annual roundup event measured by the corticosterone assay should be correlated with the 11-oxoetiocholanolone EIA, which has proven to be a reliable measure of HPA activity via FGMs in equids (Möstl et al 1999, Merl et al 2000, Vick et al 2012, Fureix et al 2013, Gorecka-Bruzda et al 2015. Human handling and transportation increase HPA axis activity in horses (Kirkpatrick et al 1979, Fazio andFerlazzo 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We predicted the physiological response to the acute stress of the annual roundup event measured by the corticosterone assay should be correlated with the 11‐oxoetiocholanolone EIA, which has proven to be a reliable measure of HPA activity via FGMs in equids (Möstl et al 1999, Merl et al 2000, Vick et al 2012, Fureix et al 2013, Gorecka‐Bruzda et al 2015). Human handling and transportation increase HPA axis activity in horses (Kirkpatrick et al 1979, Fazio and Ferlazzo 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites as Biomarkers in Equids: Assay Choice Matters

et al. 2021

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Free ranging animals are exposed to environmental, demographic, and ecological challenges over time, which can affect their health and fitness. Non-invasive biomarkers can provide insight into how animals cope with these challenges and assess the effectiveness of conservation management strategies. We evaluated how free ranging ponies (Equus ferus caballus) on the Carneddau Mountain range, North Wales respond to 2 stimuli: an acute stressor of an annual roundup event in November 2014, and spatial and temporal variation in ecological factors in 2018. We evaluated fecal glucocorticoid metabolites using 2 enzyme immunoassays (EIAs): an 11-oxoetiocholanolone EIA (measuring 11,) and a corticosterone EIA. The former assay has been validated in equids, whereas there is limited evidence for the suitability of the latter. We used an additional parent testosterone EIA to measure fecal androgen metabolites in response to the ecological challenges. Following the roundup, the metabolite concentrations measured by the 2 glucocorticoid EIAs were not correlated. The 11,17-DOAs were elevated from the second day following the roundup and then slowly returned to pre-round levels over the next 2 weeks. In contrast, the metabolites measured by the corticosterone assay showed no response to the roundup. For the ecological data, all 3 assays detected a positive correlation between metabolites and social group size in males but not in females. The metabolite concentrations measured by the testosterone and corticosterone assays were highly correlated and were temporally associated with the onset of the breeding season, whereas the 11,17-DOAs were not. The co-variance of metabolites measured by the corticosterone and testosterone assays, and the lack of an acute response in the corticosterone assay to the roundup, suggests that metabolites detected by the corticosterone assay were not primarily associated with increased glucocorticoid production. We recommend using well-validated fecal biomarker assays of hypothalamuspituitary-adrenal axis activity to evaluate and compare the effect of different management interventions and environmental change.

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Weaned horses, especially females, still prefer their dam after five months of separation

Lansade¹,

Lévy²,

Parias³

et al. 2022

animal

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Events around weaning in semi-feral and stable-reared Konik polski foals: Evaluation of short-term physiological and behavioural responses

Cited by 15 publications

References 28 publications

Welfare of Free-Roaming Horses: 70 Years of Experience with Konik Polski Breeding in Poland

Welfare of Free-Roaming Horses: 70 Years of Experience with Konik Polski Breeding in Poland

Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites as Biomarkers in Equids: Assay Choice Matters

Weaned horses, especially females, still prefer their dam after five months of separation

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