The effect of presenting forage in multi-layered haynets and at multiple sites on night time budgets of stabled horses

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science 2015-10, Vol.171, p.108-116
• Main Authors: Ellis, Andrea Dorothea, Redgate, Sarah, Zinchenko, Svitlana, Owen, Heather, Barfoot, Clare, Harris, Patricia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behaviour; Crib-biting; Equine; Feed intake; Haynets; Stereotypies; Time budget
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.08.012

•We presented forage in a single haynet or in 3 haynets of 1, 2 and 3 layers.•With multiple double layered haynets, foraging time may increase by up to 2h/night.•Horses distinguished between haynet types and chose easiest first.•Continuous time budgets highlighted behaviour patterns of stabled horses at night.•The contrasting behaviour of 2 crib-biting horses is important for future studies. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of multi-layered haynets and multiple presentation of haynets to increase time spent on feed intake behaviour at night (13h observation). For preliminary assessment two horses performing the oral stereotypy of crib-biting were included. Six horses received the same amount of forage during a 22-day, cross-over study where treatment consisted of either forage presentation in a single small-holed haynet (SH) or the forage was divided between 3 haynet combinations hung up simultaneously=multiple haynets (MH). The three haynets presented simultaneously consisted of (a) MH single haynet (same as SH), (b) MH double layered haynet and (c) MH triple layered haynet. Multiple haynets were presented, in random order, on three sides of the stable. Horses were filmed using a video surveillance camera with infrared light source. Behaviour was observed for at least 4 nights per treatment (one night during the acclimatisation period [nights 2–4] and three nights during the end period [nights 7–11]). The observation period commenced at 16.30–17.00h (point of haynets being presented) until 06.00h (all horses) or 9.00h (2 crib-biting horses) the next morning. Data were analysed for normal distribution and ANOVA between haynets, paired t-tests between treatments and Pearson correlation were used (SPSS. 17.00; 2012). There was a significant effect of type of haynet (p