Increased freedom of head movement mitigates stress and bacterial load in the airways of horses during transport

Protection of horse welfare during transport is crucial. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of head and neck restraint on behavior and airway bacteria. In a randomized crossover study, six healthy Thoroughbreds were transported by road for 22 h in an individual bay with tight head res...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in veterinary science 2024-10, Vol.11, p.1477653
Main Authors: Takahashi, Yuji, Niwa, Hidekazu, Ebisuda, Yusaku, Mukai, Kazutaka, Yoshida, Toshinobu, Raidal, Sharanne, Padalino, Barbara, Ohmura, Hajime
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
colony forming unit
equine
long-distance transport
microbiota
tracheal wash
welfare
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Protection of horse welfare during transport is crucial. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of head and neck restraint on behavior and airway bacteria. In a randomized crossover study, six healthy Thoroughbreds were transported by road for 22 h in an individual bay with tight head restraint (50 cm short-rope) or loose head restraint (95 cm long-rope). Behavioral parameters relating to head position, eating, and stress were monitored during transportation. Tracheal wash samples were obtained 6 days before and immediately after transport for bacterial culture and metagenomic analysis. Compared to before transport, bacterial load (CFU/mL) after transport was significantly increased in the short-rope group (  = 0.04), whereas no changes were observed in the long-rope group. Transport significantly reduced Simpson index at phylum, class, order, and family levels in both groups (
ISSN:2297-1769
2297-1769
DOI:10.3389/fvets.2024.1477653