scholarly journals The Contribution of Mutual Grooming to Affiliative Relationships in a Feral Misaki Horse Herd

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1564
Author(s):  
Masaki Shimada ◽  
Nae Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Structure Stability ◽  
Social Grooming ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Partial Correlations

Although herd size, structure, stability, and social rank among Misaki feral horses have been reported, no studies have been conducted on the affiliative relationships and interactions among members in a Misaki horse herd. The validity of three hypotheses regarding the function of social grooming, the affiliative relationship strengthening hypothesis, the worsened relationship restoring hypothesis, and the grooming parasite removal hypothesis, were tested in a Misaki feral horse (Equus caballus) herd in Cape Toi, Japan. All the nine horses in the “6m” herd were investigated in terms of kinship, grooming, aggression, proximity, social rank, and social network. Mutual grooming occurred only in pairs and was almost perfectly symmetrical. For each member, there was a significant negative correlation between total grooming received from other individuals and self-grooming. Controlling for kinship, there were significant positive partial correlations between mutual grooming and proximity and between aggression and proximity. No correlation was observed between aggression and mutual grooming. The results suggest that mutual grooming symmetry may contribute that both participants simultaneously benefit from parasite removal and strengthen affiliative relationships between seasonally changing herd members; however, mutual grooming did not foster restoring the worsened relationship following aggression promoted by physical proximity. The findings of this study may elucidate the mechanisms by which interactions between herd members are maintained or strengthened.

scholarly journals Rumen fluke (Calicophoron daubneyi) on Welsh farms: prevalence, risk factors and observations on co-infection withFasciola hepatica

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
RHYS ALED JONES ◽  
PETER M. BROPHY ◽  
E. SIAN MITCHELL ◽  
HEFIN WYN WILLIAMS
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Fasciola Hepatica ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Sunshine Hours ◽  
Calicophoron Daubneyi ◽  
Cattle Herds ◽  
Associated Risk Factors ◽  
The Uk

SUMMARYReports ofCalicophoron daubneyiinfecting livestock in Europe have increased substantially over the past decade; however, there has not been an estimate of its farm level prevalence and associated risk factors in the UK. Here, the prevalence ofC. daubneyiacross 100 participating Welsh farms was recorded, with climate, environmental and management factors attained for each farm and used to create logistic regression models explaining its prevalence. Sixty-one per cent of farms studied were positive forC. daubneyi, with herd-level prevalence for cattle (59%) significantly higher compared with flock-level prevalence for sheep (42%,P= 0·029). Co-infection betweenC. daubneyiandFasciola hepaticawas observed on 46% of farms; however, a significant negative correlation was recorded in the intensity of infection between each parasite within cattle herds (rho = −0·358,P= 0·007). Final models showed sunshine hours, herd size, treatment regularity againstF. hepatica, the presence of streams and bog habitats, and Ollerenshaw index values as significant positive predictors forC. daubneyi(P< 0·05). The results raise intriguing questions regardingC. daubneyiepidemiology, potential competition withF. hepaticaand the role of climate change inC. daubneyiestablishment and its future within the UK.

Feral horse demography and population growth in the Kaimanawa Ranges, New Zealand

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne L. Linklater ◽  
Elissa Z. Cameron ◽  
Ed O. Minot ◽  
Kevin J. Stafford
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Management Problem ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Sex Structure ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Adult Sex Ratio ◽  
Female Bias

Although feral horses are a common management problem in numerous countries, detailed and long-term demographic studies are rare. We measured the age and sex structure, and pregnancy, birth and death rates in a population of 413 feral horses in New Zealand during 1994–98 and used them to construct a model simulating population growth. Survivorship increased with age (0–1 years old = 86.8%, 1–2 = 92.3%, 2–4 = 92.4%, ≥�4 years old = females 94%, males 97% per annum). Birth sex ratio parity, a slight female bias in the adult sex ratio (92 males per 100 females) and higher adult male survivorship indicated lower average survivorship for young males than females that was not detectable in mortality statistics. Pregnancy and foaling rates for mares ≥�2 years old averaged 79 and 49%, respectively. Foaling rates increased as mares matured (2–3-year-old mares = 1.9%, 3–4 = 20.0%, 4–5 = 42.1%, ≥�5 = 61.5% per annum). Young mares had higher rates of foetal and neonatal mortality (95% of pregnancies failed and/or were lost as neonatal foals in 2–3-year-old mares, 70.6% in 3–4, 43.2% in 4–5, and 31% in mares ≥�5 years old). Population growth was 9.6% per annum (9.5–9.8, 95% CI) without human-induced mortalities (i.e. r = 0.092). Our model, standardised aerial counts, and historical estimates of annual reproduction suggest that the historical sequence of counts since 1979 has overestimated growth by ~50% probably because of improvements in count effort and technique.

Seasonal mountain lion predation on a feral horse population

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 929-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Turner Jr. ◽  
Michael L. Wolfe ◽  
Jay F. Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
First Year ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Mountain Lions ◽  
Mountain Lion ◽  
Felis Concolor ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Annual Cohort ◽  
Demographic Impact

A population of feral horses (Equus caballus) was studied from 1986 to 1991 to determine the demographic impact of predation by the mountain lion (Felis concolor). The population, inhabiting a 600-km2 area on the central California – Nevada border comprised approximately 162 individuals > 1 year old, with an average of 9 yearlings, 8 two-year-olds, and 144 adults. Numbers of horses varied by only 4–8% and showed no consistent trend. The parturition peak spanned May and June, when 80% of foaling occurred. One-third of the average annual cohort of 33 foals was missing by July and only half of the cohort remained by October. The mean first-year survival rate estimated from the differential incidence of foals and yearlings in successive years was 0.27, which was less than one-third of the foal survival rate reported for other feral horse populations. A minimum of four adult mountain lions used the study area each year between May and October. Of 28 foal carcasses located from May to mid-July, at least 82% were the result of mountain lion kills. No evidence of predation on older horses was observed, but mountain lions preyed on mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during winter. We conclude that the growth of this horse population is limited by predation.

scholarly journals Feral Horse Distribution, Habitat Use and Population Dynamics in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

1990 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 123-125
Author(s):  
Clayton Marlow ◽  
Leonard Gagnon ◽  
Elena Hovland ◽  
Lynn Irby
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Theodore Roosevelt ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Theodore Roosevelt National Park ◽  
Reproductive Rates

Description of the ecological niche feral horses fill in Theodore Roosevelt National Park requires information on reproductive rates, home range size, individual and band affinity to home ranges, food and shelter requirements and seasonal diets. Therefore, the initial objectives will be to: 1. identify the number, size and location of home ranges for harem and bachelor stallion bands; 2. describe daily and seasonal movements of bands within identified home ranges; 3. describe the vegetation habitat types and landform types used by horses for mating, foaling, foraging, and resting cover; 4. describe seasonal horse diets; and 5. collect data on sex, age and social hierarchy within respective bands to facilitate estimation of horse population growth rates. Ultimately, this information will be used to accomplish the project goal; integrate horse requirements with those of elk, bison and the Park's vegetation communities to determine the large ungulate carrying capacity of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

scholarly journals Parameters for the Analysis of Social Bonds in Horses

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccarda Wolter ◽  
Volker Stefanski ◽  
Konstanze Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Social Bonds ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Social Bond ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Body Contact ◽  
Proactive Behaviour ◽  
The Social ◽  
Close Spatial Proximity

Social bond analysis is of major importance for the evaluation of social relationships in group housed horses. However, in equine behaviour literature, studies on social bond analysis are inconsistent. Mutual grooming (horses standing side by side and gently nipping, nuzzling, or rubbing each other), affiliative approaches (horses approaching each other and staying within one body length), and measurements of spatial proximity (horses standing with body contact or within two horse-lengths) are commonly used. In the present study, we assessed which of the three parameters is most suitable for social bond analysis in horses, and whether social bonds are affected by individual and group factors. We observed social behaviour and spatial proximity in 145 feral horses, five groups of Przewalski’s horses (N = 36), and six groups of feral horses (N = 109) for 15 h per group, on three days within one week. We found grooming, friendly approaches, and spatial proximity to be robust parameters, as their correlation was affected only by the animals’ sex (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.001, t = −2.7, p = 0.008) and the group size (GLMM: N = 145, SE < 0.001, t = 4.255, p < 0.001), but not by the horse breed, the aggression ratio, the social rank, the group, the group composition, and the individuals themselves. Our results show a trend for a correspondence between all three parameters (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.004, t = 1.95, p = 0.053), a strong correspondence between mutual grooming and friendly approaches (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.021, t = 3.922, p < 0.001), and a weak correspondence between mutual grooming and spatial proximity (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.04, t = 1.15, p = 0.25). We therefore suggest either using a combination of the proactive behaviour counts mutual grooming and friendly approaches, or using measurements of close spatial proximity, for the analysis of social bonds in horses within a limited time frame.

scholarly journals A Scheme for Evaluating Feral Horse Management Strategies

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
L. L. Eberhardt ◽  
J. M. Breiwick
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Nonparametric Model ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Parametric Approach ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
The Public ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
Model Fits

Context. Feral horses are an increasing problem in many countries and are popular with the public, making management difficult.Aims. To develop a scheme useful in planning management strategies.Methods. A model is developed and applied to four different feral horse herds, three of which have been quite accurately counted over the years.Key Results. The selected model has been tested on a variety of data sets, with emphasis on the four sets of feral horse data. An alternative, nonparametric model is used to check the selected parametric approach.Conclusions. A density-dependent response was observed in all 4 herds, even though only 8 observations were available in each case. Consistency in the model fits suggests that small starting herds can be used to test various management techniques.Implications. Management methods can be tested on actual, confined populations.

scholarly journals Characteristics of liposomes derived from egg yolk

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 763-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kondratowicz ◽  
Marek Weiss ◽  
Wojciech Juzwa ◽  
Łukasz Majchrzycki ◽  
Grażyna Lewandowicz
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Egg Yolk ◽  
Structure Stability ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Shell Forming

AbstractLiposomes are nanocapsules successfully applied in pharmacy and medicine. Their usage in the food industry could be increased by the development of alternative, cost-efficient lecithin materials. This work is a continuation of the previous two papers describing five different extractions of egg yolk lecithins and the preassessment of their usefulness for liposome formation. Physicochemical properties of extracts differed due to distinct composition. The aim of this research was to further characterise the extracts-based liposomes, especially in terms of nanomechanical properties and structural diversity. Five previously described extracts were used for liposomes preparation employing Bangham technique. Vesicles were analysed with the use of dynamic light scattering, flow cytometry, and atomic force microscopy. The results were tested for correlation with the composition of the extracts. It was proved that the chemical composition of the shell-forming material determined the size, structure, stability, and mechanical properties of the vesicles. The observed effects were found to result not only from differences in the content of major components, i.e. phospholipids, acylglycerols, and cholesterol, but also in the relative proportions. Minor constituents, i.e. tocopherols and carotenoids, were also found to be of significance. Strong correlations between size and Zeta potential of the vesicles with the content of carotenoids were determined.

scholarly journals Social Network Analysis of Agonistic Behaviour and Its Association with Economically Important Traits in Pigs

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2123
Author(s):  
Saif Agha ◽  
Emma Fàbrega ◽  
Raquel Quintanilla ◽  
Juan Pablo Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Growth Traits ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Behaviour Pattern ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Daily Feeding ◽  
The Social

Aggression behaviour has several negative consequences on the performance and welfare of pigs. Here, the Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach was employed to (1) identify individual traits that describe the role of each animal in the aggression; (2) investigate the association of these traits with performance and feeding behaviour traits. The study was conducted on 326 Duroc pigs reared in 29 pens. Several individual centrality traits were identified and used to calculate the Social Rank Index. The Dominant, Subordinate, and Isolated animals represented 21.1%, 57.5% and 21.4%, respectively. No significant correlations were observed between out-degree (number of initiated agonistic behaviours) and growth traits, indicating the similarity of growth patterns for dominant and non-dominant animals. Furthermore, out-degree was correlated positively with average daily occupation time (time at the feeder/day) and average daily feeding frequency (number of visits to the feeder/day) but negatively with average daily feeding rate (gr/min). This may indicate the ability of non-dominant pigs to modify their behaviour to obtain their requirements. The Hamming distances between networks showed that there is no common behaviour pattern between pens. In conclusion, SNA showed the potential for extracting behaviour traits that could be used to improve pig performance and welfare.

Multiscale analysis reveals restricted gene flow and a linear gradient in heterozygosity for an island population of feral horses

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. L. Lucas ◽  
P. D. McLoughlin ◽  
D. W. Coltman ◽  
C. Barber
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Restricted Gene Flow ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Linear Gradient ◽  
Linear Habitats ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Feral Population ◽  
Sand Bar

We studied the genetic (microsatellite) diversity of a feral population of horses ( Equus caballus L., 1758) on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada (1983–2003), at two spatial scales: (1) for the island as a whole and (2) at the level of four equally sized subdivisions along the length of Sable Island, which is a long (42 km) and narrow (1.5 km) vegetated sand bar. At the island scale (n = 264 horses), observed heterozygosity over 10 loci was 0.647 ± 0.035 (mean ± 1 SE), while expected heterozygosity was 0.696 ± 0.029; we observed significant heterozygote deficiency with all loci considered (P < 0.0001). At the subdivision scale, observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.589 to 0.694 in a gradient from west to east. We observed a corresponding gradient in effective number of alleles and allelic richness. Pairwise values of FST were significant for most subdivision pairs, ranging as high as 0.067 from west to east. Western areas showed highest levels of inbreeding (FIS = 0.113) with outbreeding indicated in the east (FIS = –0.008). Our results suggest that for a large mammal that lives in polygynous social groups, like the feral horse, gene flow along linear habitats (corridors) may be restricted (relative to the dispersal capabilities of the species), even over short distances.

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