Editorial: The Implications of Transport Practices for Horse Health and Welfare

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New animal-based measures to assess welfare in dromedary camels

Reliable and measurable animal-based measures (ABMs) are essential for assessing animal welfare. This study aimed at proposing ABMs for dromedary camels identifying their possible associations with management. Data were collected at a permanent camel market; a total of 76 pens and 528 camels were evaluated. ABMs were collected for each welfare principle (i.e., good feeding, good housing, good health, appropriate behavior), while resources or management-based measures were collected at three levels of investigations (animal, herd, or caretakers). Associations were calculated by generalized linear models. Body condition score and thirst index (ABMs of good feeding) resulted negatively associated with short caretaker’s experience, dirty bedding, limited shaded space, feeding and water space, and space allowance (P < 0.05). Resting behaviors and restricted movements (ABMs of good housing) were associated with short caretaker’s experience, dirty bedding and water, rationed water distribution, water points in the sun, and presence of hobbles (P < 0.05). Disease, injury, and pain induced by management procedures (ABMs of good health) were negatively associated with short caretaker’s experience, presence of hobbles, limited space allowance and shaded space, dirty bedding, and feeding and watering practices (e.g., frequency of distribution, resource quality, location of the troughs; P < 0.05). Response to approaching test and aggressivity (ABMs of Appropriate behavior) were negatively associated with limited space allowance, shaded, feeding and water space, and rationed water distribution (P < 0.05). Overall, the proposed ABMs seems to be appropriate indicators of welfare consequences in camels being able to identify factors related to housing and management practices that may impair or improve camel welfare

Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Background: Transportation has been suggested as a risk factor for gastric ulceration in horses, but limited evidence supports this assumption. Animals: Twenty-six Standardbred, Thoroughbred, and Warmblood mares from a university teaching herd. Methods: Twelve mares were confined for 12 hours, overnight, in reproductive stocks with indwelling nasogastric tubes (NGTs) to assess pH of gastric fluid (GF). Gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after confinement. Subsequently, 26 horses were transported for 12 hours, overnight, in 2 consignments. During transportation, GF was aspirated from indwelling NGT placed in the same 12 mares used in the confinement study, and gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after transportation in all horses. Results: The median pH of GF in confined horses was 1.70-2.49 at each sampling point, and there was no apparent effect on gastric squamous ulcer scores. The median pH of GF from the same 12 horses at corresponding sampling times during transportation was 6.82-7.22. Transportation was associated with increased gastric squamous ulcer scores, particularly in horses fasted for gastroscopy and NGT placement immediately before departure. Gastric emptying appeared delayed after transportation in horses fed before departure. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Transportation is associated with increased gastric squamous ulceration and with increased pH of GF. These findings may be a consequence of impaired gastric emptying and reflux of alkaline small intestinal content, with factors such as duodenal bile salts and short-chain fatty acids mediating mucosal injury

Development and validation of a test for the classification of horses as broken or unbroken

Regulation EC 1/2005 has stricter rules for transportation of unbroken (untamed) vs. broken (tamed) horses, but does not provide adequate tools for their identification. This study aimed to develop and validate such a tool. A behavioural test (Broken/Unbroken Test (BUT)) based on approaching, haltering, and leading was applied to 100 horses. Physiological and additional behavioural data were also collected, and the horses’ status (broken/unbroken) was assessed by the expert who administered the BUT. Each horse’s behaviour during the BUT was scored by four trained observers blinded to the horse’s history. The BUT score showed excellent inter-observer, intra-observer, and test–retest reliability (all intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) > 0.75). It was also negatively associated with respiratory rate, avoidance distance, and time needed to approach, halter, and lead the horse (p < 0.05 for all). The optimal BUT score cut-off for discrimination between broken and unbroken horses (gold standard: expert judgment) showed 97.8% sensitivity and 97.3% specificity. There was almost perfect agreement between BUT-based and expert classification of horses (ICC = 0.940). These findings confirm the BUT’s construct and criterion validity. The BUT could provide officials with a feasible, reliable, and valid tool to identify a horse’s broken/unbroken status and, consequently, direct stakeholders towards correct transport procedures

Effects of Transport and Feeding Strategies Before Transportation on Redox Homeostasis and Gastric Ulceration in Horses

Transportation may lead to oxidative stress (OS) and gastric ulceration in horses, and optimal feed man-agement before, or during, transportation is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of trans-portation after three different feeding strategies on OS and to explore possible associations between OS and equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). Twenty-six mares were transported by truck for 12 hours without food or water. Horses were randomly divided into 3 groups; (1) fed 1 hour before departure (BD), (2) fed 6 hours BD, (3) fed 12 hours BD. Clinical examinations and blood collections were per-formed at approximately 4 hours BD (T0), at unloading (T1), 8 hours (T2) and 60 hours (T3) after un-loading. Gastroscopy was conducted prior to departure, and at T1 and T3. Although OS parameters re-mained in the normal range, transportation was associated with increased reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMS) at unloading (P = 0.004), with differences between horses fed 1 hour and 12 hours BD ( P < .05). The level of total antioxidant (PTAS) was affected by both transportation and feeding strategy ( P = 0.019), with horses fed 1 hour BD demonstrating greater PTAS at T = 0, and a different response in comparison with the other groups and the literature. Nine horses demonstrated clinically significant ulceration of the squamous mucosa at T1 but, although weak correlations were evident between OS parameters and ulcer scores, univariate logistic regression showed no associations. This study suggests that feed management prior to a long journey (12 hours) may affect oxidative balance. Further studies are needed to understand the nexus between feed management before and during transport, transport-related OS and EGUS.(c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Effects of reduced space allowance and heat stress on behavior and eye temperature in unweaned lambs: A pilot study

Current European animal transportation law contains only a few and vague indications concerning how to move lambs of less than 26 kg. Moreover, little information is available in the literature about factors affecting these lambs’ welfare. We investigated the effect of space allowance and ambient temperature on the welfare of unweaned Lacaune lambs during a simulation of long-distance transportation (19 h). Three groups of lambs (N = 130) were housed in equally sized pens for 19 h, Control (C; n = 39; 0.27 m2 per head), Low Space Allowance (LSA; n = 52; 0.20 m2 per head), and Heat Stress (HS; n = 39; 0.27 m2 per head) groups. LSA lambs had lower space allowance than C but were tested at the same temperature, within their Thermoneutral zone (range = 12–18◦ C). The HS lambs were, instead, subjected to higher temperatures (range = 19–30◦ C). Scan sampling of behavior was conducted, eye temperature and body weight were also recorded. LSA and HS lambs showed more discomfort behaviors (p < 0.05) and higher eye temperatures (p < 0.001) compared to C lambs, while HS lambs additionally showed a decrease in body weight over the experimental period (p < 0.001). This study indicates that lower space allowances and higher temperatures impact negatively the welfare of lambs transported for slaughter suggesting that the regulation should be implemented taking these factors into account

Comparison of nonlinear growth models and factors affecting body weight at different ages in Toy Poodles

Limited information is available to evaluate optimal growth in Toy Poodles. This work aimed at comparing three growth curves, proposing centile charts and developing a model to estimate the adult body weight (BW) in Toy Poodles. A total of 65 puppies (male = 30, female = 35) born in the same breeding centre were used. BW at birth and, weekly BW, for 53 weeks, BW of parents, litter size, type of management, daily activity and neutering were recorded. Forty-six puppies were sold, and their data were reported by the new owners. Three growth curves (i.e. Hawthorne, Brody and Gompertz) were constructed and compared; Linear Mixed Models including demographic characteristics and management habits were built. The BW at birth was 154 \ub1 35 g and adult BW was 3208 \ub1 860 g. Based on the goodness-of-fit and accuracy indices, Gompertz was the best growth model and was selected to plot centile curves based on sex. Toy Poodles achieved 50% of their adult weight at 11\u201312 weeks, with an overall growth rate of 11.8%. Adult BW was affected by birth BW (p <.01), sex (p <.05) and mother\u2019s BW (p <.01) and their effects varied depending on the age. Extrinsic factors, including litter size, type of management and daily activity were less significant, probably due to the standardised and high-level management of these Toy Poodles. These new and applicable tools for monitoring the growth and predicting adult BW could be useful for veterinarians, breeders and owners for early diagnosis of poor health and welfare. Subject classification codes: companion animals sectionsHighlights Performance of three logistic models for describing the growth curve in Italian Toy Poodles were compared Based on the goodness of fit and accuracy indices, Gompertz was the best growth model The centile growth curves were constructed for males and females using the Gompertz Adult body weight (BW) was mainly affected by the sex and birth BW, and less by BW of the parents and litter size Monitoring BW of puppies may be useful to enhance their health and welfare

Risk factors for transport-related problem behaviors in horses: A New Zealand survey

Transport-related problem behaviors (TRPBs) are common in horses and can cause injury to both the horses and their handlers. This study aimed to identify possible risk factors for TRPBs to inform approaches to mitigate TRPBs incidence and enhance horse welfare. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore the prevalence of TRPBs and their association with human-, training-and transport management-related factors in New Zealand. The survey generated 1124 valid responses that were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and logistic regression analyses. Having at least one horse with TRPB was reported by 249/1124 (22.2%) respondents during the two previous years. Of these, 21/249 (8.4%) occurred during pre-loading, 78/249 (31.3%) during loading, 132/249 (53.0%) while travelling, and 18/249 (7.3%) during unloading. Our findings indicate that the use of negative reinforcement and positive punishment as training methods, using a whip or food for loading, and travelling in a straight load trailer/float while offering food were associated with a higher likelihood of TRPBs. Cross-sectional studies cannot determine causality and findings should be interpreted with caution, and evaluated in further experimental studies. The authors suggest that education on appropriate training methods for transport, and vehicle selection may mitigate the risk for TRPBs in horses

Dromedary Camel Health Care Practices Reported by Caretakers Working at a Permanent Market

Traditional health care practices and ethnoveterinary medicine are still common in camels. This study aimed at describing camel health issues reported by caretakers including their management and treatment practices. Associations between the health issues and caretakers’ background, management practices, and facilities were also investigated. Camel caretakers (n=49) at a permanent market in Qatar were interviewed and data related to the camel pens (e.g. presence of shelters, water, and feeding points) collected. During the interview, questions sought to elicit the following information; i) caretaker’s background (age, level of education, experience, and how they identify when a camel is sick), ii) caretaker’s management practices (feeding, watering, and health care practices), iii) caretaker’s description of the last health problem (camel details, recalled diagnosis/clinical signs, possible cause, treatment, and outcome). The majority of the caretakers were middle-aged (31-50 years old) and they used to identify a sick camel mainly observing its behavioural modifications (p < 0.001). Treatment for endo- and ectoparasites were usually administered by caretakers, health checks routinely performed by veterinarians, while vaccinations were not conducted in most of the pens (p < 0.001). A total of 38 health problems were described and the high environmental temperature was the most reported possible cause (43.2%; p < 0.001). Among the recalled health problems, sunstrokes were the most common (11/38; p = 0.046), followed by fever (9/38). Sunstroke was more likely to affect males (OR: 5.04; CI95%: 1.87-23.38; p = 0.039), while fever younger animals (OR: 0.68, CI95%: 0.47-1.00; p = 0.050). Sunstrokes were more likely managed by non-veterinarians (OR: 4.75; CI95%: 1.05-21.34; p = 0.042). The majority of the cases were early identified and had a full recovery, but 11/38 camels died. Interestingly, drugs were the most common treatment (73.7%, p < 0.001), but often bought and administered directly by caretakers. Duty of care, infectious disease prevention, early and appropriate treatments could be recommended to guarantee the principle of good health and consequently animal welfare. Education on how to identify a sick camel and how to manage it should be also promoted

Influence of seasonality on the comfort supplied by different materials used as cubicle flooring for dairy cows

The comfort provided by four different cubicle floorings was evaluated with a preference test in relation to winter and summer seasons. The test showed that polyethylene vinyl acetate and polypropylene vinyl acetate mats were preferred during winter, while solid manure and wood shavings assured more comfort than inorganic floorings during summer period. Results obtained suggest that the resting comfort of cubicle floorings may be evaluated also in relation to environmental microclimatic patterns