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This article reports on the results of a survey of racehorse trainers (n = 112) outlining the reasons for tongue-tie (TT) and noseband (NB) use by Thoroughbred trainers (TBTs) (n = 72) and Standardbred trainers (SBTs) (n = 40). The study also investigated the reported effectiveness of TTs and possible complications arising from their use. Tongue-tie use was reported by 62.5% (n = 70) of racehorse trainers. The reasons for TT use varied between TBTs and SBTs. For TBTs, the most common reason for TT use was to prevent or reduce airway obstruction (72.3%, n = 34), followed closely by to prevent or reduce airway noise (55.3%, n = 16). Standardbred trainers assigned equal importance for TT use [to prevent or reduce airway obstruction (69.6%, n = 16) and to prevent the horse from moving its tongue over the bit (69.6%, n = 16)]. Tongue-ties were considered significantly less effective at improving performance than at reducing airway obstruction and preventing the tongue from moving over the bit (t = −2.700, p = 0.0007). For respondents who used both TTs and NBs, there was a mild to moderate positive association between the reasons for using TTs and NBs. Of the 70 TT-using respondents, 51.4% (n = 36) recorded having encountered either a physical or behavioural complication due to TT use, with redness/bruising of the tongue (20.0%, n = 14) being the most common physical complication reported. Duration of use influenced the risk of observing complications. The likelihood of a respondent reporting a behavioural complication due to TT use increased with every minute of reported application and a nine-minute increment in application period doubled the odds of a respondent reporting a complication. Tightness was a risk factor for physical complications: Checking TT tightness by noting the tongue as not moving was associated with increased reporting of physical complications (OR = 6.59; CI 1.1–67.5). This pilot study provides some insight into how and why TTs are applied by some racehorse trainers, and the potential risks associated with their use. A further study of a larger cohort is recommended because these results are valid for only the 112 trainers who responded and cannot be generalized to the equine industry.
Dominic Weller; Samantha Franklin; Peter White; Glenn Shea; Kate Fenner; Bethany Wilson; Cristina Wilkins; Paul McGreevy. The Reported Use of Tongue-Ties and Nosebands in Thoroughbred and Standardbred Horse Racing—A Pilot Study. Animals 2021, 11, 622 .
AMA StyleDominic Weller, Samantha Franklin, Peter White, Glenn Shea, Kate Fenner, Bethany Wilson, Cristina Wilkins, Paul McGreevy. The Reported Use of Tongue-Ties and Nosebands in Thoroughbred and Standardbred Horse Racing—A Pilot Study. Animals. 2021; 11 (3):622.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDominic Weller; Samantha Franklin; Peter White; Glenn Shea; Kate Fenner; Bethany Wilson; Cristina Wilkins; Paul McGreevy. 2021. "The Reported Use of Tongue-Ties and Nosebands in Thoroughbred and Standardbred Horse Racing—A Pilot Study." Animals 11, no. 3: 622.
There is increasing evidence that undesirable behaviours (UBs) in dogs can compromise the welfare of both canine companions and their carers. Veterinarians are regularly consulted about affected animals and may be asked to euthanase the more severely affected individuals. A recent study of veterinary records showed that UBs were the predominant cause of mortality in young dogs in the UK. This companion study from Australia reports the proportion of mortality due to UBs among dogs aged three years and under that attended veterinary practices from 2013 to 2018. Deidentified patient records were extracted from the VetCompass Australia database and manually assessed to reveal the prevalence and type of UBs reported. The results reveal that 29.7% of the 4341 dogs that died at three years of age or under had deaths ascribed to at least one UB, and that the most commonly reported UB was aggression. Neutered dogs had 2.5× the odds of death due to an UB compared to intact dogs, and crossbred dogs were found to have 1.43× the odds of a UB related death compared to purebred dogs. The breeds at highest risk were Australian cattle dogs (odds ratio (OR) 4.77) and American Staffordshire terriers (OR 4.69). The attending veterinarian referred behaviour cases to a behaviourist or dog trainer in 11.0% of all UB cases, and attempted pharmacological therapy in 5.9% of cases. The results reveal how often UBs affect dogs and their owners in Australia, and infer the beneficial impact that educating dog owners and veterinary professionals in modifying and managing UBs may have.
Yan Yu; Bethany Wilson; Sophie Masters; Diane van Rooy; Paul D. McGreevy. Mortality Resulting from Undesirable Behaviours in Dogs Aged Three Years under Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in Australia. Animals 2021, 11, 493 .
AMA StyleYan Yu, Bethany Wilson, Sophie Masters, Diane van Rooy, Paul D. McGreevy. Mortality Resulting from Undesirable Behaviours in Dogs Aged Three Years under Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in Australia. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):493.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYan Yu; Bethany Wilson; Sophie Masters; Diane van Rooy; Paul D. McGreevy. 2021. "Mortality Resulting from Undesirable Behaviours in Dogs Aged Three Years under Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in Australia." Animals 11, no. 2: 493.
The study investigated equine responses to novelty and handling, aiming to reveal whether horse–human relationships reflect criteria of an attachment bond. Twelve adult Standardbreds were subjected to a fear-eliciting test (novel objects presented close to two humans) and a handling test (being led passing novel objects) to study attachment-related behaviours and ease of handling. The tests were performed both before (pre-test) and after (post-test) horses had been trained by the same female handler (10 sessions of 15 min). Horses were assigned to three groups of four, each of which underwent different operant conditioning protocols: negative reinforcement (NR; pressure, release of lead, and whip tap signals) or combined NR with either positive reinforcement using food (PRf) or wither scratching (PRs). Results showed that neither familiarity of the person nor training method had a significant impact on the horses’ behavioural responses in the post-tests. However, horses showed decreased heart rates between pre- and post-tests, which may indicate habituation, an effect of training per se, or that the presence of the familiar trainer served to calm the horses during the challenging situations. There were large individual variations among the horses’ responses and further studies are needed to increase our understanding of horse–human relationships.
Elke Hartmann; Therese Rehn; Janne Christensen; Per Nielsen; Paul McGreevy. From the Horse’s Perspective: Investigating Attachment Behaviour and the Effect of Training Method on Fear Reactions and Ease of Handling—A Pilot Study. Animals 2021, 11, 457 .
AMA StyleElke Hartmann, Therese Rehn, Janne Christensen, Per Nielsen, Paul McGreevy. From the Horse’s Perspective: Investigating Attachment Behaviour and the Effect of Training Method on Fear Reactions and Ease of Handling—A Pilot Study. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):457.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElke Hartmann; Therese Rehn; Janne Christensen; Per Nielsen; Paul McGreevy. 2021. "From the Horse’s Perspective: Investigating Attachment Behaviour and the Effect of Training Method on Fear Reactions and Ease of Handling—A Pilot Study." Animals 11, no. 2: 457.
Abattoirs are faced with the challenge of moving livestock efficiently through the plant, while also engaging in handling practices that assure good animal welfare. Achieving optimal outcomes for both of these goals can bring them into conflict. An additional source of conflict can arise from the design of the abattoir. These problems are compounded by the dearth of research available to inform how livestock should be handled to achieve all of these goals. We applied the concept of ‘Optimal Flow’ to describe conditions under which rate of movement is maximised while overt signs of distress in sheep are minimised. Effectively, this represents the point at which trade-offs between speed and welfare converge. The current pilot study examined the behavioural interactions between humans (n = 5), livestock herding dogs (n = 7), and sheep (n = 3235) in a large Australian abattoir to describe the factors associated with an increase or decrease in rate of sheep movement per minute. It revealed that distress behaviours in sheep were associated with dog presence and with a decrease in livestock movement rate. However, we found that as sheep density increased, there was increased livestock movement rate as well as an elevated incidence of distress behaviours. Optimal Flow at this abattoir was achieved by maintaining sheep at lower densities. Our report discusses the possible confounds in this interpretation.
Melissa J. Starling; Elyssa Payne; Paul McGreevy. Optimal Flow—A Pilot Study Balancing Sheep Movement and Welfare in Abattoirs. Animals 2021, 11, 344 .
AMA StyleMelissa J. Starling, Elyssa Payne, Paul McGreevy. Optimal Flow—A Pilot Study Balancing Sheep Movement and Welfare in Abattoirs. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):344.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMelissa J. Starling; Elyssa Payne; Paul McGreevy. 2021. "Optimal Flow—A Pilot Study Balancing Sheep Movement and Welfare in Abattoirs." Animals 11, no. 2: 344.
The depletion in genetic diversity of closed-pedigree dog breeds can be a contentious topic and can lead to calls for open-registry. However, strong evidence in support of proposed open-registry solutions is lacking, with the reproductive isolation of these breeds unlikely to be the sole cause of elevated inbreeding levels. Human-induced limitations, such as popular sire effects, are unlikely to be confined to closed-registry breeds and conceivably play an important role in maintaining genetic diversity within all breeds. Consequently, the aim of the current study was to explore inbreeding levels in an open-registry breed and determine the impact open-registry has on genetic diversity. Complete pedigree records on all Australian working kelpies (AWKs) were provided by the Working Kelpie Council with the cleaned pedigree consisting of 86,671 individuals with a median pedigree depth of 6.6 generations. The average inbreeding coefficient in the AWK population was 0.049 with an increase in inbreeding coefficient of 0.0016/year. This demonstrates that opening a breed registry can have a beneficial impact on the level of inbreeding within a population over the longer-term. However, allowing for a generation length of 5.1 years yielded an effective population size of 61 for AWKs and demonstrated a pattern consistent with closed-registry dog populations of comparable size.
Brandon D. Velie; Bethany J. Wilson; Elizabeth R. Arnott; Jonathan B. Early; Paul D. McGreevy; Claire M. Wade. Inbreeding levels in an open-registry pedigreed dog breed: The Australian working kelpie. The Veterinary Journal 2021, 269, 105609 .
AMA StyleBrandon D. Velie, Bethany J. Wilson, Elizabeth R. Arnott, Jonathan B. Early, Paul D. McGreevy, Claire M. Wade. Inbreeding levels in an open-registry pedigreed dog breed: The Australian working kelpie. The Veterinary Journal. 2021; 269 ():105609.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBrandon D. Velie; Bethany J. Wilson; Elizabeth R. Arnott; Jonathan B. Early; Paul D. McGreevy; Claire M. Wade. 2021. "Inbreeding levels in an open-registry pedigreed dog breed: The Australian working kelpie." The Veterinary Journal 269, no. : 105609.
Current evidence of how human sex-related differences in riders and handlers may influence horse behaviour is limited. The Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) was used to collect demographic data on riders and handlers (n = 1420) and behavioural data on their horses. It includes demographic items about the sex of the respondent and how frequently the horse has been ridden or handled by male and female humans. The questionnaire then gathers observations on the horse’s behaviour on the ground and under saddle or when driven. Using E-BARQ’s battery of 97 questions, the current study showed differences in ridden and non-ridden horse behaviour that were related to the sex of the rider or handler. Data were evaluated using multivariate analysis and revealed that horses handled by male humans were significantly more difficult to catch (t-value = −3.11; p = 0.002) and significantly more defensive when approached (t-value = −2.104; p = 0.035), but significantly less likely to pull on the reins/brace the neck or toss their head (t-value 1.980; p = 0.048) than horses handled more frequently by female humans. The differences found between male and female horse handlers suggest that sex is an important factor to consider when understanding equine behaviour. Our study explored reported differences in confidence, handling and working compliance and touch sensitivity among horses ridden and handled by male and female humans and suggested further research into how these differences are gendered.
Ashley Anzulewicz; Kate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Susan Heald; Bibiana Burattini; Nicole Romness; Jessica McKenzie; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. The Impact of the Sex of Handlers and Riders on the Reported Social Confidence, Compliance and Touch Sensitivity of Horses in Their Care. Animals 2021, 11, 130 .
AMA StyleAshley Anzulewicz, Kate Fenner, Michelle Hyde, Susan Heald, Bibiana Burattini, Nicole Romness, Jessica McKenzie, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. The Impact of the Sex of Handlers and Riders on the Reported Social Confidence, Compliance and Touch Sensitivity of Horses in Their Care. Animals. 2021; 11 (1):130.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAshley Anzulewicz; Kate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Susan Heald; Bibiana Burattini; Nicole Romness; Jessica McKenzie; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2021. "The Impact of the Sex of Handlers and Riders on the Reported Social Confidence, Compliance and Touch Sensitivity of Horses in Their Care." Animals 11, no. 1: 130.
Infrared thermography (IRT) can be used to identify stressors associated with greyhound racing procedures. However, factors unrelated to stress may influence measurements. Validation of an eye side (right or left) and a reference point on the eye is required if IRT is to be standardised for industry use. Infrared images of greyhound heads (n = 465) were taken pre-racing and post-racing at three racetracks. Average temperature was recorded at seven different locations on each eye. A multivariate analysis model determined how several factors influenced eye temperature (ET) pre-racing and post-racing. As expected, ET increased after racing, which may be attributed to physical exertion, stress and arousal. The right eye and lacrimal caruncle had the highest sensitivity to temperature changes and could be considered reference points for future studies. Additionally, dogs that raced later had higher ET, and Richmond racetrack had the lowest pre-race ET, but the highest post-race ET. This may suggest that arousal increases as the race meet progresses and certain track attributes could increase stress. Furthermore, ET increased as humidity increased, and higher post-race ET was associated with light-coloured, young and low-performing dogs. Environmental and biological factors need to be considered if IRT is to become accurate in the detection of canine stress and monitoring of greyhound welfare.
Belle Elias; Melissa Starling; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Influences on Infrared Thermography of the Canine Eye in Relation to the Stress and Arousal of Racing Greyhounds. Animals 2021, 11, 103 .
AMA StyleBelle Elias, Melissa Starling, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Influences on Infrared Thermography of the Canine Eye in Relation to the Stress and Arousal of Racing Greyhounds. Animals. 2021; 11 (1):103.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBelle Elias; Melissa Starling; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2021. "Influences on Infrared Thermography of the Canine Eye in Relation to the Stress and Arousal of Racing Greyhounds." Animals 11, no. 1: 103.
It is logical to assume that horses with multiple riders encounter variation in application of training cues. When training cues are inconsistent, we expect to see a decrease in trained responses or an increase in conflict behaviours. This study investigated the relationship between the number of people that regularly ride or handle a horse and the horse’s response to operant cues. Data on 1819 equids were obtained from the Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ), an online global survey of horse owners and caregivers. Three mutually independent indices (acceleration, deceleration, and responsiveness) were derived from a parallel analysis of E-BARQ items related to acceleration and deceleration cues. These indices were then subjected to multivariable modelling against a range of dependent variables including horse and human demographics, horse management, and the number of riders or handlers. The number of riders or handlers was a significant predictor for two out of three indices. As the number of riders or handlers increased, horses were more difficult to accelerate (regression coefficient = 0.0148 ± 0.0071; p = 0.0366) and less difficult to decelerate (regression coefficient = −0.017 ± 0.008; p = 0.030) than those with fewer riders or handlers. These findings suggest that horses’ responses to rein tension cues are more persistent than their responses to leg pressure or whip cues. Alternatively, horses with these responses may be actively selected for multiple rider roles. Longitudinal studies of this sort should reveal how the number of riders or handlers affects horse behaviour and could lead to safer and more humane equestrian practices.
Jessica McKenzie; Kate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Ashley Anzulewicz; Bibiana Burattini; Nicole Romness; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Equine Responses to Acceleration and Deceleration Cues May Reflect Their Exposure to Multiple Riders. Animals 2020, 11, 66 .
AMA StyleJessica McKenzie, Kate Fenner, Michelle Hyde, Ashley Anzulewicz, Bibiana Burattini, Nicole Romness, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Equine Responses to Acceleration and Deceleration Cues May Reflect Their Exposure to Multiple Riders. Animals. 2020; 11 (1):66.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJessica McKenzie; Kate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Ashley Anzulewicz; Bibiana Burattini; Nicole Romness; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Equine Responses to Acceleration and Deceleration Cues May Reflect Their Exposure to Multiple Riders." Animals 11, no. 1: 66.
An evidence-based understanding of dangerous or unwelcome behaviour in horses would greatly benefit both horses and humans who interact with them. Using owner-reported data from the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ), the current study investigated in-hand behaviours associated with dangerous or unwelcome ridden behaviours, notably bolting, rearing and bucking. Respondents (n = 1584) to the ridden horse section of the E-BARQ answered 42 demographic questions, followed by 268 behavioural items. Parallel analysis was conducted to group individual behaviours into rotated components to create independent and dependent indices. Multivariable general linear modelling and ordinal logistic regression were used to identify behaviours associated with bolting, rearing and bucking. Results revealed that safety-from-bolt increased as social confidence with horses (Odds ratio (OR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (cf = 1.02–1.09) and other animals (OR = 1.08; cf = 1.03–1.12), compliance in-hand (OR = 1.10; cf = 1.06–1.16) and tolerance of restraint (OR = 1.05; cf = 1.0–1.11) increased; and decreased as loading problems (OR = 0.95; cf = 0.92–0.99) increased. Safety-from-rear increased as tolerance of restraint (OR = 1.07; cf = 1.02–1.12) and social confidence with other animals (OR = 1.05; cf = 1.01–1.09) increased; and decreased as loading problems (OR = 0.94; cf = 0.91–0.98) increased. Safety-from-buck increased as social confidence with horses (b-value = 0.011, p < 0.001) and other animals (b-value = 0.010, p = 0.002), compliance in-hand (b-value = 0.015, p < 0.001), tolerance of restraint (b-value = 0.009, p = 0.027) and tolerance of haltering/bridling (b-value = 0.016, p = 0.010) increased, and it decreased as loading problems increased (b-value = −0.011, p < 0.001). By revealing, for the first time, that specific behaviours on the ground are associated with particular responses in the same horses when ridden, this study advances equitation science considerably. Identification of risk factors for dangerous behaviour while under saddle can improve safety for horses and riders and highlights the importance of effective and humane in-hand training.
Nicole Romness; Kate Fenner; Jessica McKenzie; Ashley Anzulewicz; Bibiana Burattini; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Associations between Owners’ Reports of Unwanted Ridden Behaviour and in-Hand Behaviour in Horses. Animals 2020, 10, 2431 .
AMA StyleNicole Romness, Kate Fenner, Jessica McKenzie, Ashley Anzulewicz, Bibiana Burattini, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Associations between Owners’ Reports of Unwanted Ridden Behaviour and in-Hand Behaviour in Horses. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2431.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicole Romness; Kate Fenner; Jessica McKenzie; Ashley Anzulewicz; Bibiana Burattini; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Associations between Owners’ Reports of Unwanted Ridden Behaviour and in-Hand Behaviour in Horses." Animals 10, no. 12: 2431.
The broad traits of boldness and independence in domestic horses can affect their usefulness and, indirectly, their welfare. The objective of the current study was to explore associations between attributes that reflect equine boldness and independence with both the age of horses and the age at which they were started under saddle, as well as other variables including breed, colour and primary equestrian discipline. All data were sourced from responses (n = 1940) to the 97-question online Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ). Twenty E-BARQ items from the dataset were selected to reflect boldness and independence and were tested for univariate significance at p < 0.2. Multivariable modelling of the effect of age on remaining traits was assessed by an ordinal logistic regression, using a cumulative log odds model. This revealed that older horses were bolder (p = 0.012). However, horses started under saddle at an older age were less bold and less independent (p = 0.040 and p = 0.010, respectively). Australian Stock Horses were bolder and more independent (p = 0.014 and p = 0.007, respectively) than crossbreed horses. Horses used for breeding conformation (p = 0.039), working equitation (p = 0.045), eventing (p = 0.044) and traditional working horses (p = 0.034) were bolder than those used for other disciplines. Dressage (p = 0.039) and therapy (p = 0.040) horses were less bold than horses used for other disciplines. Stallions were bolder (p = −0.034) than geldings. Brown (p = 0.049) and chestnut (p = 0.027) horses were less bold than bay horses. Compared to crossbreed horses, Thoroughbreds (p = 0.000) and companion horses (p = 0.017) were less bold whilst heavy horses (p = 0.029) and ponies (p = 0.044) were bolder. Compared to pleasure horses, mounted games horses (p = 0.033) were less independent whereas working equitation horses (p = 0.020) were more independent. Riders with more than eight years’ experience reported more independence in their horses (p = 0.015) than those who had ridden their whole lives. The study findings suggest that boldness and independence are separate traits and only boldness was associated with the age of the horse. Factors that relate to desirable boldness and independence are important in ridden horses because they can affect rider safety. Results from this study should improve horse–rider matching and thereby potentially enhance horse welfare.
Bibiana Burattini; Kate Fenner; Ashley Anzulewicz; Nicole Romness; Jessica McKenzie; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Age-Related Changes in the Behaviour of Domestic Horses as Reported by Owners. Animals 2020, 10, 2321 .
AMA StyleBibiana Burattini, Kate Fenner, Ashley Anzulewicz, Nicole Romness, Jessica McKenzie, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Age-Related Changes in the Behaviour of Domestic Horses as Reported by Owners. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2321.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBibiana Burattini; Kate Fenner; Ashley Anzulewicz; Nicole Romness; Jessica McKenzie; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Age-Related Changes in the Behaviour of Domestic Horses as Reported by Owners." Animals 10, no. 12: 2321.
It is estimated that around 40% of Australian households currently own dogs that have been acquired from a variety of sources, including purpose-bred litters. However, little is known about how litters are being planned, whelped, and raised and less still on what motivates breeders to adopt their current practices. The current study used on online survey to explore the motivations and aims of Australian dog breeders; the breeding and selling practices Australian dog breeders favor and the extent to which breeders classify their breeding in terms of business, or hobby. Responses from breeders (n = 275) revealed that whilst most did not commence breeding to make financial gain, 86% of participants who answered the question confirmed that the making of money when they breed was a very important aim. Most breeders did not view their breeding as a commercial activity, despite nearly 20% of them confirming that they had declared income from the breeding and selling of puppies to the Australian Taxation Office.
Simone A. Blackman; Bethany J. Wilson; Alistair R. Reed; Paul D. McGreevy. Reported Motivations and Aims of Australian Dog Breeders—A Pilot Study. Animals 2020, 10, 2319 .
AMA StyleSimone A. Blackman, Bethany J. Wilson, Alistair R. Reed, Paul D. McGreevy. Reported Motivations and Aims of Australian Dog Breeders—A Pilot Study. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2319.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimone A. Blackman; Bethany J. Wilson; Alistair R. Reed; Paul D. McGreevy. 2020. "Reported Motivations and Aims of Australian Dog Breeders—A Pilot Study." Animals 10, no. 12: 2319.
The willingness of racing greyhounds in Australia to chase a mechanical lure on racetracks will affect the longevity of its racing career. Racing greyhounds that fail to chase may be retired from racing at an early age and their fate becomes uncertain and may in some cases be euthanasia. At the end of races, greyhounds are diverted into a catching pen while the lure continues on. Racing greyhounds may also run on straight tracks for training purposes, where the lure comes to a stop either within the catching pen or just outside it, rather than continuing on. The purpose of the current study was to determine if these different track conditions and lure features affected greyhound behaviour before and after chasing the lure. Video cameras were used to record the behaviour of greyhounds immediately before chasing a lure either on one of two straight trial tracks (n = 89 greyhounds) or during race-meets on oval racetracks (n = 537), as well as at the end of the chase in the catching pen. The results were analysed with logistic regression mixed models and coefficients expressed as odds ratios. It was predicted there would be a higher frequency of behaviours indicating frustration in the catching pen at tracks where no chase objects were accessible. This pattern was present, but not significant. It was also predicted there would be a higher frequency of behaviours that may indicate high anticipation before chasing at tracks where chase objects were accessible in the catching pen. This pattern was not realised. Behaviours prior to chasing varied between track types and days, suggesting these behaviours are unlikely to be good indicators of anticipation or motivation to chase. This study shows that greyhounds behave differently in the catching pen depending on the track and lure features.
Melissa Starling; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Effects of Lure Type on Chase-Related Behaviour in Racing Greyhounds. Animals 2020, 10, 2262 .
AMA StyleMelissa Starling, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Effects of Lure Type on Chase-Related Behaviour in Racing Greyhounds. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2262.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMelissa Starling; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Effects of Lure Type on Chase-Related Behaviour in Racing Greyhounds." Animals 10, no. 12: 2262.
“Social license to operate” (SLO) refers to the implicit process by which a community gives an industry approval to conduct its current business activities. It has become an important focus for many natural resource management fields (especially mining), but there is less awareness of its role in animal use industries. This article describes how animal welfare has recently become arguably the most crucial consideration underpinning the SLO for Australian animal use industries. It describes several industries in Australia that have faced animal welfare scrutiny in the past decade (2010–2020) to illustrate how persistent issues can erode SLO, lead to regulatory bans, and decimate previously profitable industries. Industries described include the live export of livestock, greyhound and horse racing, kangaroo harvesting, and dairy and sheep farming. In these cases, there has been intense public discourse but little scholarly progress. This article examines factors that may have contributed to these developments and suggests approaches that may assist these industries in maintaining their SLO. Animal welfare has become a mainstream societal concern in Australia, and effective management of the community’s expectations will be essential for the maintenance of SLO for many animal use industries.
Jordan O. Hampton; Bidda Jones; Paul D. McGreevy. Social License and Animal Welfare: Developments from the Past Decade in Australia. Animals 2020, 10, 2237 .
AMA StyleJordan O. Hampton, Bidda Jones, Paul D. McGreevy. Social License and Animal Welfare: Developments from the Past Decade in Australia. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2237.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJordan O. Hampton; Bidda Jones; Paul D. McGreevy. 2020. "Social License and Animal Welfare: Developments from the Past Decade in Australia." Animals 10, no. 12: 2237.
The current project aims to build on knowledge of the nociceptive capability of equine skin to detect superficial acute pain, particularly in comparison to human skin. Post-mortem samples of gluteal skin were taken from men (n = 5) and women (n = 5), thoroughbreds and thoroughbred types (mares, n = 11; geldings, n = 9). Only sections that contained epidermis and dermis through to the hypodermis were analysed. Epidermal depth, dermal depth and epidermal nerve counts were conducted by a veterinary pathologist. The results revealed no significant difference between the epidermal nerve counts of humans and horses (t = 0.051, p = 0.960). There were no significant differences between epidermal thickness of humans (26.8 µm) and horses (31.6 µm) for reference (left side) samples (t = 0.117, p = 0.908). The human dermis was significantly thinner than the horse dermis (t = −2.946, p = 0.007). Epidermal samples were thicker on the right than on the left, but only significantly so for horses (t = 2.291, p = 0.023), not for humans (t = 0.694, p = 0.489). The thicker collagenous dermis of horse skin may afford some resilience versus external mechanical trauma, though as this is below the pain-detecting nerve endings, it is not considered protective from external cutaneous pain. The superficial pain-sensitive epidermal layer of horse skin is as richly innervated and is of equivalent thickness as human skin, demonstrating that humans and horses have the equivalent basic anatomic structures to detect cutaneous pain. This finding challenges assumptions about the physical capacity of horses to feel pain particularly in comparison to humans, and presents physical evidence to inform the discussion and debate regarding the ethics of whipping horses.
Lydia Tong; Melinda Stewart; Ian Johnson; Richard Appleyard; Bethany Wilson; Olivia James; Craig Johnson; Paul McGreevy. A Comparative Neuro-Histological Assessment of Gluteal Skin Thickness and Cutaneous Nociceptor Distribution in Horses and Humans. Animals 2020, 10, 2094 .
AMA StyleLydia Tong, Melinda Stewart, Ian Johnson, Richard Appleyard, Bethany Wilson, Olivia James, Craig Johnson, Paul McGreevy. A Comparative Neuro-Histological Assessment of Gluteal Skin Thickness and Cutaneous Nociceptor Distribution in Horses and Humans. Animals. 2020; 10 (11):2094.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLydia Tong; Melinda Stewart; Ian Johnson; Richard Appleyard; Bethany Wilson; Olivia James; Craig Johnson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "A Comparative Neuro-Histological Assessment of Gluteal Skin Thickness and Cutaneous Nociceptor Distribution in Horses and Humans." Animals 10, no. 11: 2094.
The idea that whip use is critical to thoroughbred racing integrity is culturally entrenched but lacks empirical support. To test the longstanding beliefs that whip use aids steering, reduces interference, increases safety and improves finishing times, we conducted a mixed-method analysis of 126 race reports produced by official stewards of the British Horseracing Authority, representing 1178 jockeys and their horses. We compared reports from 67 “Hands and Heels” races, where whips are held but not used (whipping-free, WF), with 59 reports from case-matched races where whipping was permitted (whipping permitted, WP). Qualitative coding was used to identify and categorise units of analysis for statistical testing via logistic regression and linear mixed model regression. For both types of race, we explored stewards having anything to report at all, movement on course, interference on course, incidents related to jockey behaviour and finishing times. There were no statistically significant differences between WF and WP races for anything to report (OR: 3.06; CI: 0.74–14.73), movement on course (OR: 0.90; CI: 0.37–2.17), interference (OR: 0.90; CI: 0.37–2.17), jockey-related incidents (OR: 1.24; CI: 0.32–5.07), and race times (0.512 s, t = 1.459, p = 0.150). That is, we found no evidence that whip use improves steering, reduces interference, increases safety or improves finishing times. These findings suggest that the WF races do not compromise racing integrity. They also highlight the need for more effective ways to improve the steering of horses.
Kirrilly Thompson; Phil McManus; Dene Stansall; Bethany J. Wilson; Paul D. McGreevy. Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards’ Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses. Animals 2020, 10, 1985 .
AMA StyleKirrilly Thompson, Phil McManus, Dene Stansall, Bethany J. Wilson, Paul D. McGreevy. Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards’ Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses. Animals. 2020; 10 (11):1985.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKirrilly Thompson; Phil McManus; Dene Stansall; Bethany J. Wilson; Paul D. McGreevy. 2020. "Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards’ Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses." Animals 10, no. 11: 1985.
The Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) was developed to obtain quantitative data on the domestic equine triad: training, management and behaviour. It can be taken repeatedly, thus collecting longitudinal data to enable evaluation of how changes in a horse’s training and management are reflected in that horse’s behaviour over time and how these changes can impact horse welfare in the longer term. Questionnaire validation and reliability were tested by determining (a) whether an owner’s subjective ratings of their horse’s problematic behaviours or undesirable temperament traits were reflected in the questionnaire scores obtained for that horse (construct validity), (b) whether two respondents, equally familiar with a particular horse, reported comparable scores for that horse through the questionnaire (inter-rater reliability), and (c) whether the same respondent, scoring the same horse after a known interval of time, recorded similar responses (intra-rater reliability). Construct validity testing of 1923 responses showed significant alignment between owners’ reported experience of focal horses’ behaviour and those horses’ E-BARQ scores, with scores varying from 1.13 to 1.34 for ridden horse behaviour (all p < 0.001) and from 1.06 to 1.43 for non-ridden horse behaviour (all p < 0.001). Inter-rater reliability testing of ten horse–rider pairs revealed that 203 of the 215 question items were significantly aligned (p < 0.001) when tested by two independent raters. Of the remaining 19 items, four had fair alignment (ĸ = 0.174–0.316; p = 0.281) and ten items, largely related to whether the horse shows behavioural signs related to anxiety when taken away from home, did not align (ĸ = 0; p = 1). Intra-rater reliability tests showed that the responses significantly aligned on all 215 question items tested (p < 0.001). The results of these tests confirmed the construct validity and reliability of E-BARQ as a standardised behavioural assessment tool for horses.
Kate Fenner; Sarah Matlock; Jane Williams; Bethany Wilson; Andrew McLean; James Serpell; Paul McGreevy. Validation of the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ): A New Survey Instrument for Exploring and Monitoring the Domestic Equine Triad. Animals 2020, 10, 1982 .
AMA StyleKate Fenner, Sarah Matlock, Jane Williams, Bethany Wilson, Andrew McLean, James Serpell, Paul McGreevy. Validation of the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ): A New Survey Instrument for Exploring and Monitoring the Domestic Equine Triad. Animals. 2020; 10 (11):1982.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKate Fenner; Sarah Matlock; Jane Williams; Bethany Wilson; Andrew McLean; James Serpell; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Validation of the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ): A New Survey Instrument for Exploring and Monitoring the Domestic Equine Triad." Animals 10, no. 11: 1982.
The Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) is a questionnaire instrument developed to obtain quantitative data on the domestic equine triad of training, management, and behaviour of horses. The E-BARQ was developed to identify how changes in training and management impact behaviour over time, to define normal behaviour in horses, and to discover how to improve rider safety and horse welfare, leading to ethical equitation. During the development of the E-BARQ, we also investigated how best to motivate stakeholders to engage with this citizen science project. The pilot version of the E-BARQ collected qualitative data on respondents’ experience of the questionnaire. The pilot questionnaire was developed with the assistance of an international panel (with professional expertise in horse training, equitation science, veterinary science, equestrian coaching, welfare, animal behaviour, and elite-level riding), and was used to collect data on 1320 horses from approximately 1194 owner/caregiver respondents, with an option for respondents to provide free-text feedback. A Rotated Principal Component Analysis of the 218 behavioural, management, and training questionnaire items extracted a total of 65 rotated components. Thirty-six of the 65 rotated components demonstrated high internal reliability. Of the 218 questionnaire items, 43 items failed to reach the Rotated Principal Component Analysis criteria and were not included in the final version of the E-BARQ. Survey items that failed the Rotated Principal Component Analysis inclusion criteria were discarded if found to have a less than 85% response rate, or a variance of less than 1.3. Of those that survived the Rotated Principal Component Analysis, items were further assigned to horse temperament (17 rotated components), equitation (11 rotated components), and management and equipment (8 rotated components) groups. The feedback from respondents indicated the need for further items to be added to the questionnaire, resulting in a total of 214 items for the final E-BARQ survey. Many of these items were further grouped into question matrices, and the demographic items for horse and handler included, giving a final total of 97 questions on the E-BARQ questionnaire. These results provided content validity, showing that the questionnaire items were an acceptable representation of the entire horse training, management, and behavioural domain for the development of the final E-BARQ questionnaire.
Kate Fenner; Katherine Dashper; James Serpell; Andrew McLean; Cristina Wilkins; Mary Klinck; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. The Development of a Novel Questionnaire Approach to the Investigation of Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour. Animals 2020, 10, 1960 .
AMA StyleKate Fenner, Katherine Dashper, James Serpell, Andrew McLean, Cristina Wilkins, Mary Klinck, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. The Development of a Novel Questionnaire Approach to the Investigation of Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour. Animals. 2020; 10 (11):1960.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKate Fenner; Katherine Dashper; James Serpell; Andrew McLean; Cristina Wilkins; Mary Klinck; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "The Development of a Novel Questionnaire Approach to the Investigation of Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour." Animals 10, no. 11: 1960.
Throughout its 25-year history, the Five Domains Model for animal welfare assessment has been regularly updated to include at each stage the latest authenticated developments in animal welfare science thinking. The domains of the most up-to-date Model described here are: 1 Nutrition, 2 Physical Environment, 3 Health, 4 Behavioural Interactions and 5 Mental State. The first four domains focus attention on factors that give rise to specific negative or positive subjective experiences (affects), which contribute to the animal’s mental state, as evaluated in Domain 5. More specifically, the first three domains focus mainly on factors that disturb or disrupt particular features of the body’s internal stability. Each disturbed or disrupted feature generates sensory inputs which are processed by the brain to form specific negative affects, and these affects are associated with behaviours that act to restore the body’s internal stability. As each such behaviour is essential for the survival of the animal, the affects associated with them are collectively referred to as “survival-critical affects”. In contrast, Domain 4, now named Behavioural Interactions, focusses on evidence of animals consciously seeking specific goals when interacting behaviourally with (1) the environment, (2) other non-human animals and (3) as a new feature of the Model outlined here, humans. The associated affects, evaluated via Domain 5, are mainly generated by brain processing of sensory inputs elicited by external stimuli. The success of the animals’ behavioural attempts to achieve their chosen goals is reflected in whether the associated affects are negative or positive. Collectively referred to as “situation-related affects”, these outcomes are understood to contribute to animals’ perceptions of their external circumstances. These observations reveal a key distinction between the way survival-critical and situation-related affects influence animals’ aligned behaviours. The former mainly reflect compelling motivations to engage in genetically embedded behavioural responses, whereas the latter mainly involve conscious behavioural choices which are the hallmarks of agency. Finally, numerous examples of human–animal interactions and their attendant affects are described, and the qualitative grading of interactions that generate negative or positive affect is also illustrated.
David J. Mellor; Ngaio J. Beausoleil; Katherine E. Littlewood; Andrew N. McLean; Paul D. McGreevy; Bidda Jones; Cristina Wilkins. The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human–Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare. Animals 2020, 10, 1870 .
AMA StyleDavid J. Mellor, Ngaio J. Beausoleil, Katherine E. Littlewood, Andrew N. McLean, Paul D. McGreevy, Bidda Jones, Cristina Wilkins. The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human–Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare. Animals. 2020; 10 (10):1870.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid J. Mellor; Ngaio J. Beausoleil; Katherine E. Littlewood; Andrew N. McLean; Paul D. McGreevy; Bidda Jones; Cristina Wilkins. 2020. "The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human–Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare." Animals 10, no. 10: 1870.
Owner-reported behavioural observations form an essential part of the veterinarians’ diagnosis and treatment plan. The way we train and manage horses affects their behaviour and, in turn, their health and welfare. Current horse training and management practices are largely driven by traditional techniques and longstanding methodologies. These approaches generally lack an evidence base for evaluation purposes. The absence of evidence and evaluation contributes to the persistent use of risky practices and this, in turn, increases risk of potential harms for both horse and rider, and fuels questioning of the equine industry’s current social license to operate. Objective evidence is required to make training and management decisions based on demonstrable best practice. Large-scale experimental or intervention studies using horses are generally not practical because of the associated costs and logistics of gaining ethical approval. Small studies generally lack statistical power and are subject to the effects of many forms of bias that demand caution in the interpretation of any observed effects. An alternative to collecting large amounts of empirical data is the use of owner-reported observations via online survey. Horse owners are ideally placed to report on the domestic equine triad of training, management, and behaviour. The current article highlights three sources of potential bias in a systematic review of literature on large-scale online studies of horse owners’ observational reports that met the following selection criteria: English-language, published, peer-reviewed articles reporting on studies with over 1000 respondents and open access to the survey instrument. The online surveys were evaluated for three common forms of bias: recall, confirmation, and sampling bias. This review reveals that online surveys are useful for gathering data on the triad of horse training, management, and behaviour. However, current use of online surveys to collect data on equitation science (including horse training, management, and behaviour) could be improved by using a standardised and validated tool. Such a tool would facilitate comparisons among equine and equitation science studies, thus advancing our understanding of the impacts of training and management on horse behaviour. The authors of the current review suggest the use of a standardised behavioural and management assessment tool for horses. Such a tool would help define what constitutes normal behaviour within geographically disparate populations of horses, leading to improvements in rider safety and horse welfare.
Kate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Angela Crean; Paul McGreevy. Identifying Sources of Potential Bias When Using Online Survey Data to Explore Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour: A Systematic Literature Review. Veterinary Sciences 2020, 7, 140 .
AMA StyleKate Fenner, Michelle Hyde, Angela Crean, Paul McGreevy. Identifying Sources of Potential Bias When Using Online Survey Data to Explore Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour: A Systematic Literature Review. Veterinary Sciences. 2020; 7 (3):140.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKate Fenner; Michelle Hyde; Angela Crean; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Identifying Sources of Potential Bias When Using Online Survey Data to Explore Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour: A Systematic Literature Review." Veterinary Sciences 7, no. 3: 140.
Restrictive nosebands are used in equestrian sports to hold the bit in place and reduce mouth-opening, a response that can attract penalties in some sports and is thought to reduce the rider’s control of the horse. Sustained pressure from such tightly fitted (restrictive) nosebands denies normal behaviour and thus, causes frustration and distress that can jeopardise horse welfare. It also may push the cheek against the molar teeth, compress soft tissues including blood vessels and nerves, and possibly induce chronic changes to underlying bone. This study of mature cavalry horses (n = 144) was designed to explore relationships between visual and palpable damage to structures that underlie the nosebands of horses and any related bony changes in those horses as evidenced by radiography. Working independently of each other, two researchers inspected the horses for visual changes and palpable changes before the horses were radiographed. The radiographs were assessed by a separate pair of veterinary radiologists, again working independently of each other. Among the current population of horses, 37.5% had one or more radiographic changes to the nasal bones according to both radiologists, and 13.8% had one or more radiographic changes to the mandible. For nasal bones, the two radiologists reported bone deposition in 6.9% and 8.3% of the horses and bone thinning in 33.3% and 56.9% of the horses, respectively. By palpation, they found that 82% and 84% of the horses had palpable bone deposition of the nasal bones and 32% and 33.4% had palpable bone thinning. For the mandibles, the radiologists reported increased bone deposition in 18.8% and 32.6% of the horses but no bone thinning. By palpation, the two examiners reported 30.6% and 32.7% of the horses had palpable bone deposition and 10.4% and 11.1% had palpable bone thinning. This is the first report of lesions to the mandible at this site and this article presents the first confirmation of bony lesions at the site typically subjected to pressure from restrictive nosebands. These results suggest that radiographic bone thinning is more apparent in the nasal bones of riding horses than in the mandible and that both palpable and radiographic bone deposition are more likely in the mandible than in the nasal bones. That said, we note that the current study provides no evidence of a causal link between any piece of gear or its putative tightness and the lesions in these anatomical locations. Further studies are needed to identify risk factors for these clusters of lesions. The inadvertent deformation of bones in the horse’s head for competitive advantage is difficult to justify on ethical grounds.
Lucia Pérez-Manrique; Karina León-Pérez; Emmanuel Zamora-Sánchez; Sarah Davies; Christopher Ober; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. Prevalence and Distribution of Lesions in the Nasal Bones and Mandibles of a Sample of 144 Riding Horses. Animals 2020, 10, 1661 .
AMA StyleLucia Pérez-Manrique, Karina León-Pérez, Emmanuel Zamora-Sánchez, Sarah Davies, Christopher Ober, Bethany Wilson, Paul McGreevy. Prevalence and Distribution of Lesions in the Nasal Bones and Mandibles of a Sample of 144 Riding Horses. Animals. 2020; 10 (9):1661.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLucia Pérez-Manrique; Karina León-Pérez; Emmanuel Zamora-Sánchez; Sarah Davies; Christopher Ober; Bethany Wilson; Paul McGreevy. 2020. "Prevalence and Distribution of Lesions in the Nasal Bones and Mandibles of a Sample of 144 Riding Horses." Animals 10, no. 9: 1661.