Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-g4j75 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-24T03:46:46.623Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The response of untamed (unbroken) ponies to conditions of road transport

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

TG Knowles ,
SN Brown ,
SJ Pope ,
CJ Nicol ,
PD Warriss  and
CA Weeks
TG Knowles*
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
SN Brown
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
SJ Pope
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
CJ Nicol
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
PD Warriss
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
CA Weeks
Affiliation:
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The response to a one-hour road journey was observed in 145 semi-feral ponies unused to handling. Ponies were transported singly or in groups of four or eight at a typical commercial ‘high’ stocking density or at a slightly reduced ‘low’ density (range 139 to 316 kg m−2). Blood samples were obtained for plasma biochemistry post transport. Behaviour during the journey of 40.2 miles was recorded using overhead video cameras. Analysis of these revealed that levels of aggression were lower in groups of four, as were the number of slips, falls, stumbles and collisions (SFSC). Within groups of four or eight, reduced stocking density was associated with lower levels of plasma cortisol and creatine kinase, reduced aggression and fewer SFSC. Levels of aggression pre-transit (observed over one hour the day before travel) were not predictive of aggression on the lorry. Single ponies were constrained to align at right angles to the direction of transport, whereas ponies transported in groups could also align forwards or backwards and were able to re-align themselves during transport especially at reduced stocking density. Of those transported singly, younger ponies showed separation anxiety, with highly-significantly greater levels of pawing and sniffing at the ground and increased packed cell volume. Thus, transporting young, untamed ponies singly is not recommended. A suitable maximum stocking density for ponies transported in groups would be approximately 200 kg m−2. However, minimum stocking density for grouped and single untamed ponies transported by road requires future investigation. Whilst stocking density was correlated with many of the variables measured during transport, stocking rate (animals per unit floor area) was not.

Keywords

animal welfaregroup sizeponiesstocking densitytransportunbroken
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 1 - 15
Copyright
© 2010 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blanchard, RJ, Wall, PM and Blanchard, DL 2003 Problems in the study of rodent aggression. Hormones and Behavior 44: 161–170Google Scholar
Centre for Multilevel Modelling 2008 University of Bristol. http://www.cmm.bristol.ac.uk/Google Scholar
Clark, DK, Friend, TH and Delmeier, G 1993 The effect of orientation during trailer transport on heart-rate, cortisol and balance in horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 38: 179–189Google Scholar
Collins, MN, Friend, TH, Jousan, FD and Chen, SC 1999 Effects of density on displacement, falls, injuries and orientation during horse transportation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 67: 169–179CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doherty, O, Booth, ME, Waran, N, Salthouse, C and Cuddeford, D 1997 Study of the heart rate and energy expenditure of ponies during transport. Veterinary Record 141: 589Google ScholarPubMed
Gibbs, AE and Friend, TH 1999 Horse preference for orientation during transport and the effect of orientation on balancing ability. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 63: 1–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giovagnoli, G, Marinucci, MT, Bolla, A and Borghese, A 2002 Transport stress in horses; an electromyographic study on balance preservation. Livestock production Science 73: 247–254CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grandin, T, McGee, K and Lanier, JL 1999 Prevalence of severe welfare problems in horses that arrive at slaughter plants. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 214: 1531–1533Google ScholarPubMed
Hutson, GD 2007 Behavioural principles of sheep-handling. In: Grandin, T (ed) Livestock Handling and Transport, Third Edition pp 155–174. CAB International: Oxford, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iacono, C, Friend, T, Keen, H, Martin, T and Krawczel, P 2007 Effects of density and water availability on the behavior, physiology and weight loss of slaughter horses during transport. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 27: 355–361CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knowles, TG 1999 A review of road transport of cattle. Veterinary Record 144: 197–201CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, BL, Jones, JH, Carlson, GP and Pascoe, JR 1994 Body position and direction preferences in Horses during road transport. Equine Veterinary Journal 26: 374–377CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stull, CL 1999 Responses of horses to trailer design, duration and floor area during commercial transportation to slaughter. Journal of Animal Science 77: 2925–2933CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Toscano, MJ and Friend, TH 2001 A note on the effects of forward and rear-facing orientations on movement of horses during transport. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 73: 281–287CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Visser, EK, Ellis, AD and Van Reenen, CG 2008 The effect of two different housing conditions on the welfare of young horses stabled for the first time. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 114: 521–533Google Scholar
Waran, NK and Cuddeford, D 1995 Effects of loading and transport on the heart-rate and behaviour of horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 43: 71–81CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waran, NK, Robertson, V, Cuddeford, D, Kokoszko, A and Marlin, DJ 1996 Effects of transporting horses facing either forwards or backwards on their behaviour and heart rate. Veterinary Record 139: 7–11CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warriss, PD, Brown, SN, Edwards, JE and Knowles, TG 1998 Effect of lairage time on levels of stress and meat quality in pigs. Animal Science 66: 255–261CrossRefGoogle Scholar