Do present weaning methods contribute to the onset of stereotypical Dissertation

Do present weaning methods contribute to the onset of stereotypical behaviours in horses - Dissertation Example While all animal behaviour is extremely complex in nature, the causes of stereotypic behaviour in horses have been especially elusive. One suggested cause for these behaviours has been the changes and stressors a foal undergoes at the point of weaning the foal from the mother's milk (Waran et al., 2007). There are many stressors that affect a foal surrounding the experience of weaning. It is a logical extrapolation that these stressors may continue to affect the personality and behaviour of a horse into adulthood. Therefore, reducing the presence of these unwanted behaviours could be done by reducing the stress level of the weanling. There are multiple methods of weaning, all with their positive and negative points. Current suggested methods of weaning cover procedures from the very rapid and sudden to the very long-term (Householder, 2003). A clear layout of these methods is necessary to compare them and determine the least stressful option. 1.1 Hypothesis and Study Objectives The p urpose of this study is to determine the least stressful method of horse weaning, in order to ease weaning stress on horse behaviour and so reduce certain unwanted stereotypic behaviours To achieve this purpose, there are four objectives that must be met: 1. Determination of the behaviours of concern 2. Analysis of current weaning methods 3. Determination of factors involved in weaning stress, including the environment 4. Comparison of weaning methods and determination of least stressful Due to the correlation between the start of unwanted stereotypic behaviours and the process of weaning, the initial hypothesis is that these stereotypic behaviours are related to abrupt weaning methods, and that a more gradual method will produce lower levels of this behaviour. 1.2 Study Rationale Caring for and training of horses is made much more difficult if those horses are prone to stereotypic disruptive behaviour. One known cause for unwanted repetitive behaviour in performance horses is chron ically high stress, which affects the horse's overall health and it's temperament (King, 2006). While many stressors in a horse's life are on-going and can be relatively minor, weaning only happens once but may be extremely distressing, depending on the horse and the weaning method (Householder, 2003). However, early and efficient weaning, with the minimum of stress to the mare is important in breeding, as it means that the mare will be able to produce her next foal that much sooner (Stull, 1997). If the stress levels at the time of weaning could be lowered, it would be a large step toward happier and healthier horses. But until we know what method of weaning will cause the least stress and what the long-term effects of available methods on behaviour would be, changing methods may actually be more detrimental, as that would essentially be a shot in the dark as to effectiveness and safety. Therefore, this study proposes to determine that least stressful method of weaning, which could have the end result of lowering the horse's stress levels throughout its life. 2 Effects of Stress on Horses High levels of stress in horses can trigger a series of hormonal and physical effects in the body, known as the â€Å"