马刻板行为调查及咽气马的行为生理学评价

为了解马刻板行为的现状,对新疆2个集约化马场和1个俱乐部的马的刻板行为进行问卷调查,并视频监测8匹咽气马和8匹正常马,区分咽气行为、警觉行为及躺卧行为,测定了血液生理生化指标。结果从马刻板行为问卷调查发现:调查的176 264匹马,主要有咽气癖、啃癖、摇头、转圈和咬癖等5种刻板行为,其发生率分别为3.44%、4.10%、0.7%、1.03%和0.34%。咽气行为监测发现,咽气癖平均发生频次为(181±3.49)次,每次耗时约(2.33±0.02)s。采食期间(10:00—12:00)咽气行为显著高于其他时间点(P0.05)。与正常马相比咽气马的警觉行为发生频率显著降低,且白天降低程度显著高于夜晚(P0.05)。在8:00—23:00之间正常马和咽气马的心跳、体温、呼吸无显著性差异(P0.05)。咽气马的血液尿素氮(UREA)含量极显著低于正常马(P0.01),其他指标均无差异。咽气马的β-内啡肽(β-EP)水平极显著低于正常马(P0.01),而其余激素指标均差异不显著。结论:咽气马的警觉性降低,进食期间咽气行为多发,β-内啡肽降低。     

手术治愈咽气癖病五例

患有咽气癖的病畜常伴发肠臌气、腹痛及消瘦等病症,用药物疗法很难治愈。据资料报道手术治愈率达80%左右,而我们手术五例均治愈,介绍如下。     

蛋鸡啄癖发生的原因及控制措施

啄癖是蛋鸡的一种异常行为。常见的啄癖有啄肛、啄趾癖、啄羽癖、食蛋癖和异食癖。高密度大群饲养的鸡最容易发生啄癖。在我区养鸡生产中每年因啄癖造成大量鸡致残、致死,损失十分严重。     

防三黄鸡啄羽癖的体会

鸡啄癖也称异食癖、恶食癖、互啄癖，是集约化养鸡场中常见的病症。该病在各年龄段、各品种的鸡群中均可发生。鸡群发生该病以后，导致鸡伤残甚至死亡，往往引起鸡群受惊、生产和生长水平降低，给鸡场造成较大的经济损失。鸡常见异食癖的类型有啄羽癖、啄趾癖、啄蛋癖、啄肛癖等。其中啄羽癖是鸡最常见的一种病症，也是最常见的互啄类型。啄羽癖是指鸡啄食其它鸡的羽毛，     

鸡啄癖的治疗

目前,在养鸡生产中,鸡啄癖的诱因很多,鸡啄癖已成为养鸡生产中常见的病态行为,严重地影响养鸡业的发展。所以,对鸡啄癖的综合防治要引起高度重视。笔者认为,鸡病重在预防,但鸡啄癖症一旦发生,应有针对性地从预防和治疗两个方面采取综合防治措施,并及时治疗病鸡。     

断奶仔猪咬尾癖的病因和防治对策

猪的咬尾症是仔猪饲养管理中一种较为常见的异食癖.本文就断奶仔猪咬尾癖的症状,该病发生的原因,对养猪生产带来的危害,以及咬尾癖的防治对策等技术要点进行叙述,以期为养猪生产提供一些帮助.     

浅析猪咬癖症发生原因及防制

猪咬癖症是指猪群相互啃咬为特征的一种恶癖。随着农村养猪业向规模化、集约化发展，猪群发生咬癖现象较为多见，特别是50千克以下猪群发生较为严重。     

鸡啄癖的原因及防治措施

啄癖又称异食癖 ,是鸡的一种不良嗜好 ,是一种变相的啄地行为。各品种、各年龄的鸡均可发生 ,特别是在某些营养成分缺乏或管理不善的情况下 ,这种行为就更加严重。啄癖一旦发生 ,很快蔓延全群 ,且难以控制。啄癖使肉品质降低、生长发育缓慢、鸡的应激强度提高、甚至造成死亡 ,给养鸡业带来严重的经济损失。为此 ,笔者总结实践经验和参考有关文献 ,将啄癖发生的原因和防治措施介绍如下。1　啄癖的类型啄癖类型很多 ,根据引起啄癖的原因和啄食的部位 ,其临床表现有以下几种。1 1　啄羽啄羽是最常见的一种啄癖行为 ,据报道圈养鸡中有 70 %的鸡…     

一起鸡啄肉癖的诊治

啄癖是鸡的一种异常行为,不仅对鸡群的正常生长发育产生较大影响,也能使死亡、淘汰数量大幅度增加,给养鸡生产带来严重损失。常见的啄癖类型很多,如啄肉癖、啄肛癖、啄趾癖、吸蛋癖、啄尾癖、异食癖等,其中以啄肉癖、啄肛癖、啄羽癖常见,笔者根据多年的经验,对鸡啄肉癖进行了诊     

鸡啄癖的原因及防治措施

啄癖又称异食癖 ,各品种、各年龄的鸡均可发生 ,特别是在某些营养成分缺乏或饲养管理不善的情况下 ,这种行为就更加严重。啄癖一旦发生 ,很快蔓延全群 ,且难以控制。笔者结合实践经验和有关资料 ,把啄癖发生的原因和防治措施总结如下。1　啄癖的类型啄癖类型很多 ,根据引起啄癖的原因和啄食的部位 ,其临床表现有以下几种。啄羽 :啄羽是最常见的一种啄癖行为。据报道圈养鸡中有70 %的鸡有轻微的啄羽恶习 ,其中较严重的约占 3 0 %～ 40 %。在圈养条件下 ,饲养密集、饲料供应充足 ,鸡的啄击情绪一直很高昂。啄羽有自啄和互啄之分 ,有些是几只鸡…     

Case control study to identify risk factors for simple colonic obstruction and distension colic in horses

A case control study was performed to identify risk factors for colic caused by simple colonic obstruction and distension (SCOD) in the horse. Case horses were recruited from 2 veterinary school clinics. Control horses were population based and matched by time of year. A number of risk factors were considered in the following areas: general carer and premises information; exercise information; husbandry information (housing- and pasture-related); feeding information; breeding information; behavioural information; travel information; preventive medicine information and previous medical information. All variables with a P value of <0.2 in the univariable analysis were considered for possible inclusion in a multivariable model. A final model, produced by a forward stepwise method, identified crib-biting or windsucking, an increasing number of hours spent in a stable, a recent change in a regular exercise programme, the absence of administration of an ivermectin or moxidectin anthelmintic in the previous 12 months and a history of travel in the previous 24 h as associated with a significantly increased risk of SCOD. An alternative final model, produced by a backwards elimination method, identified the same variables as the forward model with, in addition, a history of residing on the current establishment for less than 6 months, a history of a previous colic episode and the fewer times per year the teeth were checked/treated as associated with a significantly increased risk of SCOD. Three of the risk factors in this model were associated with a large increase in risk: stabling for 24 h/day, crib-biting/windsucking and travel in the previous 24 h.     

Risk factors for epiploic foramen entrapment colic in a UK horse population: a prospective case-control study

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) is a common cause of small intestinal strangulation in the horse and its epidemiology requires further investigation. OBJECTIVES: To identify horse- and management-level risk factors for EFE and to explore reasons for the apparent seasonality of this condition. HYPOTHESIS: Horses exhibiting certain behaviours and those exposed to particular management practices that vary seasonally are at increased risk of EFE. METHODS: A prospective unmatched, multicentre case-control study was conducted over 24 months in the UK. Data on 77 cases and 216 control horses were obtained from 9 collaborating clinics and logistic regression was used to identify associations between horse and management variables and the likelihood of EFE. RESULTS: In a final multivariable model crib-biting/windsucking behaviour was associated with the largest increase in likelihood of EFE. A history of colic in the previous 12 months, increased stabling in the previous 28 days and height of the horse also increased the likelihood of EFE. Horses with access to a mineral/salt lick, those easily frightened and horses not fed at the same time as others were at reduced risk of EFE. CONCLUSIONS: Horses exhibiting certain behaviours, those with a previous history of colic and horses of greater height appear to be at inherently greater risk of EFE. The increase in likelihood of EFE with increased duration of stabling may explain the apparent seasonality of this condition.     

Entrapment of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen in horses: a retrospective analysis of 71 cases recorded between 1991 and 2001

The clinical features of 71 cases in 70 horses in which part of the small intestine became entrapped in the epiploic foramen are described. The horses' sex, age and breed, the month during which they were affected, and whether they exhibited stereotypic behaviour were compared with the same variables in 1279 horses which suffered other types of surgical colic during the same period. Thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross horses were over-represented among the 70 affected horses. There was no age or sex predilection. Fifty-five (77.5 per cent) of the cases occurred between October and March and 15 (21.1 per cent) occurred in January. The cases were significantly more likely to have a history of crib-biting/windsucking than the control group (odds ratio 7.9, 95 per cent confidence interval 4.1 to 15.3). The condition had recurred in two of the horses. Fifty-eight (81.7 per cent) recovered from surgery and 49 (69 per cent) survived until they were discharged from hospital. The median survival time of 31 of the affected horses discharged from the hospital was 700 days, whereas 417 horses with other types of surgical colic had a median survival time in excess of 1931 days.     

Circadian variation in ghrelin and certain stress hormones in crib-biting horses

Crib-biting is classified as an oral stereotypy, which may be initiated by stress susceptibility, management factors, genetic factors and gastrointestinal irritation. Ghrelin has been identified in the gastric mucosa and is involved in the control of food intake and reward, but its relationship to crib-biting is not yet known. The aim of this study was to examine the concentration and circadian variation of plasma ghrelin, cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and β-endorphin in crib-biting horses and non-crib-biting controls. Plasma samples were collected every second hour for 24h in the daily environment of eight horses with stereotypic crib-biting and eight non-crib-biting controls. The crib-biting horses had significantly higher mean plasma ghrelin concentrations than the control horses. The circadian rhythm of cortisol was evident, indicating that the sampling protocol did not inhibit the circadian regulation in these horses. Crib-biting had no statistically significant effect on cortisol, ACTH or β-endorphin concentrations. The inter-individual variations in β-endorphin and ACTH were higher than the intra-individual differences, which made inter-individual comparisons difficult and complicated the interpretation of results. Further research is therefore needed to determine the relationship between crib-biting and ghrelin concentration.     

Exploring lay perceptions of the causes of crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour in horses

Reasons for performing study: Crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour has important consequences for equine health and welfare. Lay perceptions of health and illness are of interest to medical sociologists, providing important information to medical practitioners, but have infrequently been applied in veterinary research. Objectives: To demonstrate how lay epidemiology can be applied within veterinary research by exploring the lay perceptions regarding the causes of crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour in horses. Methods: Informants were recruited from professional and amateur horse owners who had or had not owned/cared for a horse that exhibited crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour. In‐depth interviews were used to examine perceptions about the development of this behaviour within each group until a ‘saturation’ of themes emerged. Results: The main themes that emerged as causes of crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour were ‘boredom’, ‘stress’ and ‘habit/addiction’. In the group of owners/carers who did not have direct experience of this type of behaviour, ‘copying’ from other horses emerged as a strong theme and they stated that they would not wish to own a crib‐biting/windsucking horse. In contrast, those who had direct experience of horses demonstrating this behaviour did not believe copying was a cause based on their own observations and would not be put off purchasing or caring for another horse displaying this behaviour. Conclusions: Perceptions about what causes crib‐biting/windsucking was influenced by whether or not informants had personal experience of horses demonstrating this behaviour. The three main themes that emerged have some justification based on current research and highlight the need for further investigation into the underlying pathophysiology of crib‐biting/windsucking behaviour. Potential relevance: Qualitative approaches to health, disease and behaviour have an important role in the medical field and are applicable to veterinary research.     

Study of crib-biting and gastric inflammation and ulceration in young horses

Nineteen young horses that had recently started to perform the stereotypy of crib-biting were compared with 16 non-stereotypic horses for 14 weeks. After initial observations of their behaviour and an endoscopic examination of the condition of their stomachs, the horses were randomly allocated to a control or an antacid diet At the start of the trial, the stomachs of the crib-biting foals were significantly more ulcerated and inflamed than the stomachs of the normal foals. In addition, the faecal pH of the crib-biting foals (6.05) was significantly lower than that of the normal foals (6.58). The antacid diet resulted in a significant improvement in the condition of the horses' stomachs. The crib-biting behaviour declined in most of the foals, regardless of their diet, but tended to decline to a greater extent in the foals on the antacid diet.     

Prevalence of behavioral disorders in the Swiss horse population

In the Swiss horse population, the prevalence of conspicuous behaviours (behavioural disorders and stable vices) was recorded with a written questionnaire in a representative survey among 1861 horse yards, and the occurrence of the stereotypic behavioural disorders crib-biting, weaving and boxwalking was analysed with emphasis on their association with horse specific (breed, age, sex) and environmental factors (e.g. housing system, nutrition, management and utilisation). 622 horse yards with a total number of 2536 horses answered to the questionnaire, and conspicuous behaviours were described for 418 horses (16.5%). Thereof, the most common stereotypic behavioural disorders with a potential negative impact on animal welfare, crib-biting, weaving, and/or boxwalking were named for 89 horses (3.5%). Stable vices (e.g. shying, bucking, aggressivity against humans) were noted for 47 horses (1.9%). For 281 horses (11.1%) conspicuous behaviours such as pawing, lip-liking, head shacking, kicking stall were given; these can be categorised as behavioural disorders or as stable vices depending on their intensity and causation. Data analysis data revealed a number of statistically significant associations between genetic factors (breed), housing, management practices, utilisation and the three stereotypies. The strongest influence on the degree of behavioural disorders had the breed as well as the extent of direct social contact with other horses, free movement on pasture, feeding pattern and regular utilisation.     

Heart rate and behavioural responses of crib-biting horses to two acute stressors

The heart rate and behaviour of 14 adult saddle horses, eight crib-biters and six normal controls, were investigated. Initially, the relationship between crib-biting and heart rate was investigated while the horses were undisturbed. The horses were tested when restrained with a lip twitch, and assessed when they were exposed suddenly to the rapid inflation of a balloon. The heart rate of the crib-biters during crib-biting was lower than during other behaviours. The crib-biters had a higher overall mean heart rate (P<0.05) suggesting that they may have had a higher basal sympathetic activity. After the application of the twitch, all the horses had a transient increase in heart rate which returned to basal values more rapidly in the crib-biters. The crib-biters were less reactive to the lip twitch, five of the six investigated remaining calm, and after the release of the twitch, they spent more time nibbling (P<0.05) than the control horses. The crib-biters reacted more strongly to the inflation of the balloon (three of the six reacted), and after it had been inflated they spent more time walking in the box.     

Behavioral problems in Italian saddle horses

A survey was carried out in 25 riding centers to evaluate the prevalence of behavioral problems among saddle horses and to investigate the relationship between these and individual traits, training and management of the affected horses. Seven percent of the 650 horses examined had some kind of behavioral problems, and crib-biting was the most frequent. These behavioral problems seemed to be related to the sort of training and management. Show jumping horses tended to be affected simultaneously by more than one behavioral problem and to be more aggressive towards other horses. Although show jumpers were ridden more often, they had fewer opportunities to graze. The prevalence of behavioral problems was lower among those horses ridden Western style than among those ridden English style; the latter employs more hand to bit contact. The study also showed that horses groomed and ridden by one and the same person had more problems than horses groomed and ridden also by different people.     

Risk factors associated with behavioural disorders of crib-biting,weaving and box-walking in Swiss horses

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Studies on the prevalence of behavioural disorders in horses and on associated risk factors have revealed inconsistent results. There are many studies on the neuropharmacological, surgical or mechanical therapy of stereotypies, but little is known about their causation. OBJECTIVES: To explore risk factors associated with the occurrence of behavioural disorders in horses. METHODS: A sample of horse owners, selected randomly and representative for Switzerland, was contacted in a postal survey. Answers were provided for 622 stables (response rate 35.2%). Individual data of 2,341 horses were examined with path analysis (multivariable linear and logistic regression), and adjustment made for possible confounding effects due to age and breed. RESULTS: Out of 60 possible risk factors, 11 were associated with the outcome at the univariable level (null-hypothesis path model) and 3 factors remained after the backward logistic regression procedure. Mature Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds, assessed by the owners to be reactive, fed 4 times a day and without daily pasture, had increased odds of displaying crib-biting, weaving and box-walking. Furthermore, indirect associations of 5 factors with the outcome were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The final logistic regression model of risk factors leads to the hypotheses that causal prevention of stereotypic behaviours should be based upon housing and management conditions which allow tactile contact with other horses (e.g. mutual grooming), daily free movement (paddock or pasture), as well as the provision of high amounts of roughage but of little or no concentrates. POTENTIAL CLINICAL RELEVANCE: It is one of the aims of population medicine to prevent the development of behavioural disorders. Further research is needed to test the concluding hypotheses in experimental studies or to verify them in the context of similar observational studies.