Horses’ Use of Lying Halls and Time Budget in Relation to Available Lying Area

Animals

卷:11

Jenny Yngvesson¹  Hanna Sassner²  Linda Kjellberg³  Karin Morgan³ 

[1]Department of Animal Environment & Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 234, SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden

[2]|Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 190, SE-234 22 Lomma, Sweden

[3]|Swedish National Equestrian Center Ridskolan Strömsholm, Stallbacken 6, SE-734 94 Strömsholm, Sweden

关键词: lying time;    recumbency;    group housing;    lying behavior;    shelter;    open barn system;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ani11113214

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Sleep is crucial to horses’ wellbeing, and their lying time can vary according to such factors as climate, exercise, bedding, and housing. This study aimed to analyze behavior and time spent in lying halls of various sizes. We examined the influence of housing systems on total lying time and behavior, and how changes to available lying area can affect lying time. Two open barns were used in this study, with lying areas of 8, 15, and 18 m²/horse available in the lying halls. The horses’ behavior was video recorded and logged using scan sampling and interval observations. Individual boxes were used as a control. The horses were found to spend longer time in sternal and lateral recumbency in the hall with a lying area of 18 m²/horse than the hall with a lying area of 8 m²/horse. Increasing the area of the lying hall also increased overall time spent there. Consequently, the hypothesis that increasing lying area will increase the horses’ use of the lying hall, as well as their total lying time, was accepted.

【 授权许可】

Unknown