- Email: [email protected]
Effects of breaking, starting and training sessions on adrenocortical responses of Arab horses
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Abstracts / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) e1ee25
a brain region central to learning and memory. In this experiment, we aimed to investigate the link between the basal level of stress hormones, measured as faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM), and performance and heart rate (HR) in a learning test, performed under either calm (home environment) or stressful (novel environment) conditions. Twenty-five geldings (2 or 3 years old) pastured in one group were included in the study. The horses were relatively unhandled prior to the study and were initially habituated to leading and being stroked with a whip on the body. Faeces was collected twice on control days where the horses had been undisturbed at pasture for 48h. The learning test was based on negative reinforcement and performed by a professional trainer. The test included five predefined stages during which the horses were gradually trained to move sideways by crossing their front and hind legs on signal from the trainer (whip tapping). The first test was performed in the home environment and lasted 3 days; 7 minutes/horse/day. One month later, the same training stages were applied to the horses in a novel, outdoor environment. Performance, measured as final stage in the training programme, and HR were recorded. As expected, HR was significantly higher in the novel compared to the home environment (e.g. mean HR (bpm): One-way RM ANOVA; Home 53 1.1 vs. Novel 65 2.9; F ¼ 14.6; P < 0.001) and performance was significantly lower (Final stage: Home: 3.1 0.2 vs. Novel 2.2 0.2; F ¼ 7.5; P ¼ 0.012). There was a significant, negative correlation between performance and HR in the novel environment (rS ¼ 0.66; P < 0.001), whereas there was no such correlation in the home environment. Performance and HR did not correlate in the two environments. FCM levels were low (1st collection: 4.1 0.5 and 2nd collection: 4.4 0.7 ng/g) and did not correlate with performance nor HR in the learning tests. The experiments are part of a larger study, investigating the link between fearfulness, learning, basal stress levels and social rank in horses. Riders and trainers should be aware that stressed horses are likely to have a reduced learning capacity. Horses that perform well in the home environment may not necessarily perform at the same level under stressful conditions due to interference by external stimuli. Horses’ heart rate in stressful conditions can be used to predict performance. 8 The impact of maternal equine appeasing pheromone on cardiac parameters during a cognitive test in saddle horses after transport A. COZZI*, C. LAFONT LECUELLE, P. MONNERET, F. ARTICLAUX, L. BOUGRAT, C. BIENBOIRE FROSINI, P. PAGEAT IRSEA - Institut de Recherche en Semiochimie et Ethologie Appliquée, Le Rieu Neuf, 84 490 Saint Saturnin Les Apt, France *Corresponding author: [email protected] Stress is known to affect cognitive processes in most species. Transport is one of the most common stressing events in horses and impairs their performances. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a semiochemical, released by lactating mares, EAP (Equine Maternal Pheromone), to control this stress and maintain cognitive capabilities during a standardized test. 23 horses from different breeds, between 2 and 20 years old, were divided in two homogeneous groups; by sex, age and transport experience; horses were included in a double
blinded, randomized, two parallel groups study (EAP vs placebo). The treatment was applied 20 minutes before each transport. Every horse was transported on a standardized 60-km roundtrip. The cognitive assessment was divided into three sessions: learning and memorization (during these sessions, horses were trained to differentiate two geometric figures: a yellow circle and a blue triangle, to get carrots) before transport and reversal (if horses learned to receive carrots in the yellow circle, in the reversal session they obtained the reward only if they touched the blue triangle) after transport. Emotional variations were evaluated thanks to cardiac parameters during the reversal session: cardiac parameters were measured through Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The placebo and EAP groups were compared using the two-sample Student t test. We found significant differences between the two groups with regard to Heart Rate: (EAP: 56.36 7.63 bpm; placebo: 64.48 9.37 bpm; t21 ¼ 2.27; P ¼ 0.03). We found no significant differences between the two groups for the mean square root for differences in successive RR intervals (RMSSD) (RMSSD: EAP: 66.71 32.66 ms; placebo: 55.42 46.82 ms; t21 ¼ 0.66; P ¼ 0.51) and also for Low Frequency/High Frequency even if the ratio is higher in the placebo group (LF/HF: EAP: 6.21 8.48%; placebo: 7.18 8.81%; t21 ¼ 0.27; P ¼ 0.79). Results show the impact of EAP on cardiac parameters during a cognitive test after a stressful situation (transport). The present study highlights the interest in using and investigating the semiochemical approach to facilitate horses’ adaptation process during a cognitive effort. It is interesting to assess physiological changes in horses during a standardized test such as this one: it is crucial to consider this change during cognitive processes in order to manage and to better understand the emotional state of an animal. 9 Effects of breaking, starting and training sessions on adrenocortical responses of Arab horses C. CRAVANA*, P. MEDICA, E. FAZIO, A. FERLAZZO Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production - Unit of Veterinary Physiology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] Breaking and starting represent critical phases of humanhorse interaction. Aim of this study was to evaluate whether breaking, starting and training sessions had different effects on post-exercise circulating cortisol changes of eight healthy Arab horses (3 males, 5 females), 1-3 years old. Group I: (2 males, 2 female horses) submitted during two consecutive weeks on alternate days to breaking sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with rope on a round track (10 min walk, 10 min trot in a clockwise direction; 10 min walk, 10 min trot in an anti-clockwise direction; 10 min walk, 10 min trot in a clockwise direction). After a week, they were submitted during two consecutive weeks on alternate days to starting sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with rope and thorax belt, as described before. Group II: (1 male, 3 female saddled horses) submitted during two consecutive weeks to daily training sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with the same rider on a round track (10 min
Abstracts / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) e1ee25
warm-up with rope, 10 min walk, 10 min trot, 5 min gallop, 10 min trot and gallop and 15 min winding-down exercises). Blood samples were drawn three times a week before and 5 and 30 minutes after sessions. Circulating cortisol levels were determined in duplicate using a commercially available immunoenzymatic kit supplied by RADIM (Pomezia, Italy). Statistical analyses were carried out by 1-way RM-ANOVA and Student’s paired and unpaired t-test. Compared to basal, higher not significant cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (+7.00%) and 30 (+5.80%) min after breaking sessions; lower non significant cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (10.80%) and 30 (16.40%) min after the starting sessions; significant higher cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (+68.60%; P < .001) and 30 (+139.40%; P < .001) min after the training sessions. RM-ANOVA showed a significant effect of training on circulating cortisol changes (F ¼ 96.67; P < 0.0001). No significant differences in basal values were observed. Circulating cortisol levels were significantly lower at 5 (P < 0.001) and 30 (P < 0.005) min after the breaking and starting sessions than after the training session. No significant differences were observed according to different age and gender. Data showed that workload stress of breaking and starting sessions was the same, without significant changes on cortisol levels; the workload stress of training sessions resulted the highest, in according to daily exercise, with significant post-exercise increases of cortisol levels. The psychophysic reactivity during breaking and starting sessions was lower than during training sessions.
10 Social learning in horses: Does the demonstration of a conspecific affect the ability to solve a detour task? E. DALLA COSTA*, M. ALLEGRINI, E. CERRI, M. MINERO Università degli Studi di Milano, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, Sezione di Zootecnica Veterinaria, Milano, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] It has been difficult to find an effect of social learning in horses, perhaps more attention should be given to factors shown to affect it in other species, such as social dominance, group stability and experimental design. The aim of the present study was to investigate social learning by considering the effects of observing a trained dominant horse demonstrating a detour task. Seventeen horses (5 geldings and 12 females) of different breeds and ages took part in this study, all have been kept permanently on pasture in the same social group for the last 3 years. The dominance hierarchy order was defined through observation of dyadic interactions (focal animal sampling method): agonistic and submissive behaviors were ranked in a squared matrix. The highest rank horse was trained for detouring a U shaped fence to reach a bin with food. Horses were assigned to Control or Demonstrator Group using a randomization process stratified for gender, age and social rank. Single horses underwent to 10 detour trials divided in 3 sessions. Prior to testing, horses from Demonstrator Group were allowed to watch a conspecific detouring. We analysed the ability to solve the task and the latency to complete the detour. Mann-Whitney test was used to verify differences between groups.
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We found that demonstration did not improve the ability of the horses in solving the task: 4 subjects of the Control Group versus only 2 subjects of the Demonstrator Group reached the goal. The mean time to complete the detour was 58s (s.d. ¼ 23) for the control group and 49s (s.d ¼ 31) for the Demonstrator Group (NS). Our results clearly did not prove social learning in horses, however some important considerations can be derived about factors affecting similar studies. Although living in a stable social group is important in social learning tests, horses managed in groups may be, as in our case, more motivated by social companionship than by food rewards. A spatial task is more likely to be transmitted than an operant task with less obvious proximate advantages to the performer but, as horses have short-term spatial recall of less than 10 s, the time between the demonstration and the trial could have been too long. Further studies should consider social reinforcements and better timing. It would be also interesting to assess the effect of the demonstration of a leader instead of the dominant one. This study failed to provide evidence of social learning in horses. The possibility of applying social learning techniques in horses would make training gentler to the horse, quicker and more effective. 11 Cortisol response to road transport stress in calm and nervous stallions E. FAZIO*, C. CRAVANA, P. MEDICA, A. FERLAZZO Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production - Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] Cortisol may be useful as marker in predicting how an animal will respond to stressful stimuli, thus providing information on animal’s temperament. To quantify the level of transport stress and the effect of temperament on the adrenocortical response, the changes of circulating cortisol levels were evaluated in eighty-four healthy experienced Thoroughbred and Crossbred stallions, 4-20 years old, after road transport in a commercial trailer (6 horses per load, stocking density: 2 m2/horse) on a distance of 200 km for about 2.30 hours. Several experienced caretakers were asked to also answer a questionnaire, which used a 5-point scale and a 3-point scale to assess impression on each horse’s temperament, on the basis of the norm and tendencies in ordinary care and daily management. Each response was given based on a scale of 1-5. They were also asked about ordinary behavioral responses. The scores were defined as follows: a score of 1 indicated that the horse had never or rarely troubled the caretaker during management, 2 occasionally, and 3 usually. On this basis the subjects were distinguished between calm (No. 64) and nervous (No. 20) stallions. Blood samples were taken at 08.00, in single box, immediately before loading, then after transport and unloading. Serum cortisol concentrations were analysed in duplicate by immunoenzymatic assay. Compared to basal, cortisol increases were observed both in calm (P < 0.001) and in nervous (P < 0.05) stallions after transport. RM-ANOVA showed significant effects of transport on cortisol changes (P < 0.001). Nervous subjects showed lower (P < 0.01) cortisol levels than calm subjects after transport; basal cortisol levels did not differ between calm and nervous subjects. No significant differences
Abstracts / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) e1ee25
a brain region central to learning and memory. In this experiment, we aimed to investigate the link between the basal level of stress hormones, measured as faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM), and performance and heart rate (HR) in a learning test, performed under either calm (home environment) or stressful (novel environment) conditions. Twenty-five geldings (2 or 3 years old) pastured in one group were included in the study. The horses were relatively unhandled prior to the study and were initially habituated to leading and being stroked with a whip on the body. Faeces was collected twice on control days where the horses had been undisturbed at pasture for 48h. The learning test was based on negative reinforcement and performed by a professional trainer. The test included five predefined stages during which the horses were gradually trained to move sideways by crossing their front and hind legs on signal from the trainer (whip tapping). The first test was performed in the home environment and lasted 3 days; 7 minutes/horse/day. One month later, the same training stages were applied to the horses in a novel, outdoor environment. Performance, measured as final stage in the training programme, and HR were recorded. As expected, HR was significantly higher in the novel compared to the home environment (e.g. mean HR (bpm): One-way RM ANOVA; Home 53 1.1 vs. Novel 65 2.9; F ¼ 14.6; P < 0.001) and performance was significantly lower (Final stage: Home: 3.1 0.2 vs. Novel 2.2 0.2; F ¼ 7.5; P ¼ 0.012). There was a significant, negative correlation between performance and HR in the novel environment (rS ¼ 0.66; P < 0.001), whereas there was no such correlation in the home environment. Performance and HR did not correlate in the two environments. FCM levels were low (1st collection: 4.1 0.5 and 2nd collection: 4.4 0.7 ng/g) and did not correlate with performance nor HR in the learning tests. The experiments are part of a larger study, investigating the link between fearfulness, learning, basal stress levels and social rank in horses. Riders and trainers should be aware that stressed horses are likely to have a reduced learning capacity. Horses that perform well in the home environment may not necessarily perform at the same level under stressful conditions due to interference by external stimuli. Horses’ heart rate in stressful conditions can be used to predict performance. 8 The impact of maternal equine appeasing pheromone on cardiac parameters during a cognitive test in saddle horses after transport A. COZZI*, C. LAFONT LECUELLE, P. MONNERET, F. ARTICLAUX, L. BOUGRAT, C. BIENBOIRE FROSINI, P. PAGEAT IRSEA - Institut de Recherche en Semiochimie et Ethologie Appliquée, Le Rieu Neuf, 84 490 Saint Saturnin Les Apt, France *Corresponding author: [email protected] Stress is known to affect cognitive processes in most species. Transport is one of the most common stressing events in horses and impairs their performances. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a semiochemical, released by lactating mares, EAP (Equine Maternal Pheromone), to control this stress and maintain cognitive capabilities during a standardized test. 23 horses from different breeds, between 2 and 20 years old, were divided in two homogeneous groups; by sex, age and transport experience; horses were included in a double
blinded, randomized, two parallel groups study (EAP vs placebo). The treatment was applied 20 minutes before each transport. Every horse was transported on a standardized 60-km roundtrip. The cognitive assessment was divided into three sessions: learning and memorization (during these sessions, horses were trained to differentiate two geometric figures: a yellow circle and a blue triangle, to get carrots) before transport and reversal (if horses learned to receive carrots in the yellow circle, in the reversal session they obtained the reward only if they touched the blue triangle) after transport. Emotional variations were evaluated thanks to cardiac parameters during the reversal session: cardiac parameters were measured through Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The placebo and EAP groups were compared using the two-sample Student t test. We found significant differences between the two groups with regard to Heart Rate: (EAP: 56.36 7.63 bpm; placebo: 64.48 9.37 bpm; t21 ¼ 2.27; P ¼ 0.03). We found no significant differences between the two groups for the mean square root for differences in successive RR intervals (RMSSD) (RMSSD: EAP: 66.71 32.66 ms; placebo: 55.42 46.82 ms; t21 ¼ 0.66; P ¼ 0.51) and also for Low Frequency/High Frequency even if the ratio is higher in the placebo group (LF/HF: EAP: 6.21 8.48%; placebo: 7.18 8.81%; t21 ¼ 0.27; P ¼ 0.79). Results show the impact of EAP on cardiac parameters during a cognitive test after a stressful situation (transport). The present study highlights the interest in using and investigating the semiochemical approach to facilitate horses’ adaptation process during a cognitive effort. It is interesting to assess physiological changes in horses during a standardized test such as this one: it is crucial to consider this change during cognitive processes in order to manage and to better understand the emotional state of an animal. 9 Effects of breaking, starting and training sessions on adrenocortical responses of Arab horses C. CRAVANA*, P. MEDICA, E. FAZIO, A. FERLAZZO Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production - Unit of Veterinary Physiology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] Breaking and starting represent critical phases of humanhorse interaction. Aim of this study was to evaluate whether breaking, starting and training sessions had different effects on post-exercise circulating cortisol changes of eight healthy Arab horses (3 males, 5 females), 1-3 years old. Group I: (2 males, 2 female horses) submitted during two consecutive weeks on alternate days to breaking sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with rope on a round track (10 min walk, 10 min trot in a clockwise direction; 10 min walk, 10 min trot in an anti-clockwise direction; 10 min walk, 10 min trot in a clockwise direction). After a week, they were submitted during two consecutive weeks on alternate days to starting sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with rope and thorax belt, as described before. Group II: (1 male, 3 female saddled horses) submitted during two consecutive weeks to daily training sessions, represented by 60 min exercise performed with the same rider on a round track (10 min
Abstracts / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) e1ee25
warm-up with rope, 10 min walk, 10 min trot, 5 min gallop, 10 min trot and gallop and 15 min winding-down exercises). Blood samples were drawn three times a week before and 5 and 30 minutes after sessions. Circulating cortisol levels were determined in duplicate using a commercially available immunoenzymatic kit supplied by RADIM (Pomezia, Italy). Statistical analyses were carried out by 1-way RM-ANOVA and Student’s paired and unpaired t-test. Compared to basal, higher not significant cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (+7.00%) and 30 (+5.80%) min after breaking sessions; lower non significant cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (10.80%) and 30 (16.40%) min after the starting sessions; significant higher cortisol levels were observed both at 5 (+68.60%; P < .001) and 30 (+139.40%; P < .001) min after the training sessions. RM-ANOVA showed a significant effect of training on circulating cortisol changes (F ¼ 96.67; P < 0.0001). No significant differences in basal values were observed. Circulating cortisol levels were significantly lower at 5 (P < 0.001) and 30 (P < 0.005) min after the breaking and starting sessions than after the training session. No significant differences were observed according to different age and gender. Data showed that workload stress of breaking and starting sessions was the same, without significant changes on cortisol levels; the workload stress of training sessions resulted the highest, in according to daily exercise, with significant post-exercise increases of cortisol levels. The psychophysic reactivity during breaking and starting sessions was lower than during training sessions.
10 Social learning in horses: Does the demonstration of a conspecific affect the ability to solve a detour task? E. DALLA COSTA*, M. ALLEGRINI, E. CERRI, M. MINERO Università degli Studi di Milano, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, Sezione di Zootecnica Veterinaria, Milano, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] It has been difficult to find an effect of social learning in horses, perhaps more attention should be given to factors shown to affect it in other species, such as social dominance, group stability and experimental design. The aim of the present study was to investigate social learning by considering the effects of observing a trained dominant horse demonstrating a detour task. Seventeen horses (5 geldings and 12 females) of different breeds and ages took part in this study, all have been kept permanently on pasture in the same social group for the last 3 years. The dominance hierarchy order was defined through observation of dyadic interactions (focal animal sampling method): agonistic and submissive behaviors were ranked in a squared matrix. The highest rank horse was trained for detouring a U shaped fence to reach a bin with food. Horses were assigned to Control or Demonstrator Group using a randomization process stratified for gender, age and social rank. Single horses underwent to 10 detour trials divided in 3 sessions. Prior to testing, horses from Demonstrator Group were allowed to watch a conspecific detouring. We analysed the ability to solve the task and the latency to complete the detour. Mann-Whitney test was used to verify differences between groups.
e5
We found that demonstration did not improve the ability of the horses in solving the task: 4 subjects of the Control Group versus only 2 subjects of the Demonstrator Group reached the goal. The mean time to complete the detour was 58s (s.d. ¼ 23) for the control group and 49s (s.d ¼ 31) for the Demonstrator Group (NS). Our results clearly did not prove social learning in horses, however some important considerations can be derived about factors affecting similar studies. Although living in a stable social group is important in social learning tests, horses managed in groups may be, as in our case, more motivated by social companionship than by food rewards. A spatial task is more likely to be transmitted than an operant task with less obvious proximate advantages to the performer but, as horses have short-term spatial recall of less than 10 s, the time between the demonstration and the trial could have been too long. Further studies should consider social reinforcements and better timing. It would be also interesting to assess the effect of the demonstration of a leader instead of the dominant one. This study failed to provide evidence of social learning in horses. The possibility of applying social learning techniques in horses would make training gentler to the horse, quicker and more effective. 11 Cortisol response to road transport stress in calm and nervous stallions E. FAZIO*, C. CRAVANA, P. MEDICA, A. FERLAZZO Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production - Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, Italy *Corresponding author: [email protected] Cortisol may be useful as marker in predicting how an animal will respond to stressful stimuli, thus providing information on animal’s temperament. To quantify the level of transport stress and the effect of temperament on the adrenocortical response, the changes of circulating cortisol levels were evaluated in eighty-four healthy experienced Thoroughbred and Crossbred stallions, 4-20 years old, after road transport in a commercial trailer (6 horses per load, stocking density: 2 m2/horse) on a distance of 200 km for about 2.30 hours. Several experienced caretakers were asked to also answer a questionnaire, which used a 5-point scale and a 3-point scale to assess impression on each horse’s temperament, on the basis of the norm and tendencies in ordinary care and daily management. Each response was given based on a scale of 1-5. They were also asked about ordinary behavioral responses. The scores were defined as follows: a score of 1 indicated that the horse had never or rarely troubled the caretaker during management, 2 occasionally, and 3 usually. On this basis the subjects were distinguished between calm (No. 64) and nervous (No. 20) stallions. Blood samples were taken at 08.00, in single box, immediately before loading, then after transport and unloading. Serum cortisol concentrations were analysed in duplicate by immunoenzymatic assay. Compared to basal, cortisol increases were observed both in calm (P < 0.001) and in nervous (P < 0.05) stallions after transport. RM-ANOVA showed significant effects of transport on cortisol changes (P < 0.001). Nervous subjects showed lower (P < 0.01) cortisol levels than calm subjects after transport; basal cortisol levels did not differ between calm and nervous subjects. No significant differences