Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour
Cribbing is an oral stereotypy, tends to develop in captive animals as a means to cope with stress, and may be indicative of reduced welfare. Highly energetic diets ingested in a short time are one of the most relevant risk factors for the development of cribbing. The aim of this study was to verify...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2016-01-01
|
| Series: | Veterinary Medicine International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4698602 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832551512763531264 |
|---|---|
| author | Silvia Mazzola Clara Palestrini Simona Cannas Eleonora Fè Gaia Lisa Bagnato Daniele Vigo Diane Frank Michela Minero |
| author_facet | Silvia Mazzola Clara Palestrini Simona Cannas Eleonora Fè Gaia Lisa Bagnato Daniele Vigo Diane Frank Michela Minero |
| author_sort | Silvia Mazzola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cribbing is an oral stereotypy, tends to develop in captive animals as a means to cope with stress, and may be indicative of reduced welfare. Highly energetic diets ingested in a short time are one of the most relevant risk factors for the development of cribbing. The aim of this study was to verify whether feeding cribbing horses through a dispenser that delivers small quantities of concentrate when activated by the animal decreases cribbing behaviour, modifies feeding behaviour, or induces frustration. Ten horses (mean age 14 y), balanced for sex, breed, and size (mean height 162 cm), were divided into two groups of 5 horses each: Cribbing and Control. Animals were trained to use the dispenser and videorecorded continuously for 15 consecutive days from 1 h prior to feeding to 2 h after feeding in order to measure their behaviours. The feed dispenser, Quaryka®, induced an increase in time necessary to finish the ration in both groups of horses (P<0.05). With Quaryka, cribbers showed a significant reduction of time spent cribbing (P<0.05). After removal of the feed dispenser (Post-Quaryka), cribbing behaviour significantly increased. The use of Quaryka may be particularly beneficial in horses fed high-energy diets and ingesting the food too quickly. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-10c7826a8a934f5a90828cb510ec049a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-8113 2042-0048 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Medicine International |
| spelling | doaj-art-10c7826a8a934f5a90828cb510ec049a2025-02-03T06:01:11ZengWileyVeterinary Medicine International2090-81132042-00482016-01-01201610.1155/2016/46986024698602Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing BehaviourSilvia Mazzola0Clara Palestrini1Simona Cannas2Eleonora Fè3Gaia Lisa Bagnato4Daniele Vigo5Diane Frank6Michela Minero7Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyFaculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Sciences Cliniques, Université de Montréal, No. 3200, rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, CanadaDipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, ItalyCribbing is an oral stereotypy, tends to develop in captive animals as a means to cope with stress, and may be indicative of reduced welfare. Highly energetic diets ingested in a short time are one of the most relevant risk factors for the development of cribbing. The aim of this study was to verify whether feeding cribbing horses through a dispenser that delivers small quantities of concentrate when activated by the animal decreases cribbing behaviour, modifies feeding behaviour, or induces frustration. Ten horses (mean age 14 y), balanced for sex, breed, and size (mean height 162 cm), were divided into two groups of 5 horses each: Cribbing and Control. Animals were trained to use the dispenser and videorecorded continuously for 15 consecutive days from 1 h prior to feeding to 2 h after feeding in order to measure their behaviours. The feed dispenser, Quaryka®, induced an increase in time necessary to finish the ration in both groups of horses (P<0.05). With Quaryka, cribbers showed a significant reduction of time spent cribbing (P<0.05). After removal of the feed dispenser (Post-Quaryka), cribbing behaviour significantly increased. The use of Quaryka may be particularly beneficial in horses fed high-energy diets and ingesting the food too quickly.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4698602 |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Mazzola Clara Palestrini Simona Cannas Eleonora Fè Gaia Lisa Bagnato Daniele Vigo Diane Frank Michela Minero Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour Veterinary Medicine International |
| title | Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour |
| title_full | Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour |
| title_fullStr | Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour |
| title_short | Efficacy of a Feed Dispenser for Horses in Decreasing Cribbing Behaviour |
| title_sort | efficacy of a feed dispenser for horses in decreasing cribbing behaviour |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4698602 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT silviamazzola efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT clarapalestrini efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT simonacannas efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT eleonorafe efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT gaialisabagnato efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT danielevigo efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT dianefrank efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour AT michelaminero efficacyofafeeddispenserforhorsesindecreasingcribbingbehaviour |