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Frequency of Abnormal and Stereotypic Behaviors in Urban Police Patrolling Horses: a Continuous 48-Hour Study** Revista Colombiana De Ciencias Pecuarias, Vol

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Frequency of Abnormal and Stereotypic Behaviors in Urban Police Patrolling Horses: a Continuous 48-Hour Study** Revista Colombiana De Ciencias Pecuarias, Vol Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias ISSN: 0120-0690 ISSN: 2265-2958 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia Zuluaga, Angélica M; Mira, Alejandro; Sánchez, José L; Martínez A, José R Frequency of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in urban police patrolling horses: A continuous 48-hour study** Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias, vol. 31, no. 1, January-March, 2018, pp. 17-25 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia DOI: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v31n1a03 Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=295057537004 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System Redalyc More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Project academic non-profit, developed under the open access initiative 17 Original articles Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias Frequency of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in urban police patrolling horses: A continuous 48-hour study¤ Frecuencia de comportamientos anormales y estereotipados en caballos de patrullaje policial urbano: Estudio de 48 horas continuas Frequência de comportamentos anormais e estereotipados em cavalos de patrulhamento policial urbano: Estudo de 48 horas contínuas Angélica M Zuluaga1*, MV, MS; Alejandro Mira2, Est MV; José L Sánchez2, Est. MV; José R Martínez A2, MVZ, MS, PhD. 1Grupo de Investigación Ricerca, Corporación de Altos Estudios Equinos de Colombia (CAEQUINOS), Sabaneta, Colombia. 2Línea de Investigación en Medicina y Cirugía Equina (LIMCE), Grupo de Investigación Centauro, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. (Received: December 12, 2016; accepted: May 11, 2017) doi: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v31n1a03 Abstract Background: Abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in horses have been widely studied around the world and different epidemiological situations have been described for behavioral disturbances. Objective: To determine the frequency of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in a population of police patrolling horses. Additionally, to establish chronic stress levels in the population of interest. Methods: Twenty police horses were evaluated. The animals went through 48 hours of continuous observation to record the frequency of normal, abnormal, and stereotypic behaviors. Cortisol index (CI) was calculated for all the subjects. Results: A 65% of the horses expressed behavioral disturbances, with 55% corresponding to stereotypies. The abnormal behaviors consisted on wood chewing, pawing, and bed eating. Stereotypic behaviors were weaving, stall walking, and aerophagia (crib-biting or wind sucking). According to the CI, 13 horses were under chronic stress (CI<0.30). Conclusion: High level of chronic stress, expressed as abnormal and stereotypic behaviors, was observed in the horses. Keywords: cortisol, equine, ethogram, stress, welfare. ¤ To cite this article: Zuluaga AM, Mira A, Sánchez JL, Martínez AJR. Frequency of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in urban police patrolling horses: A continuous 48-hour study. Rev Colomb Cienc Pecu 2017; 31(1):17-25. * Corresponding author: Angélica M Zuluaga, Corporación de Altos Estudios Equinos de Colombia (CAEQUINOS), Calle 75 Sur #34-120 Sector La Doctora, Sabaneta, Antioquia, E-mail: [email protected] Rev Colomb Cienc Pecu 2018; 31(1):17-25 18 Zuluaga AM et al. Behavior of police horses Resumen Antecedentes: Los comportamientos anormales y estereotipados en caballos han sido ampliamente estudiados en el mundo, así como también diversas situaciones epidemiológicas relacionadas con estos disturbios. Objetivo: Determinar la frecuencia de los comportamientos anormales y estereotipados en una población de caballos de patrullaje de la policía y establecer su nivel de estrés crónico. Métodos: Se evaluaron 20 caballos. Los animales fueron observados durante 48 horas continuas para recopilar los comportamientos anormales y estereotipados. El índice del cortisol (CI) fue calculado para todos los animales. Resultados: El 65% de la población estudiada expresó disturbios del comportamiento, y el 55% de dichos disturbios se clasificó como estereotipias. Los comportamientos anormales observados consistieron en lignofagia, patear y comer cama. Los comportamientos estereotipados fueron balanceo, caminar en círculos y aerofagia. El CI mostró presencia de estrés crónico en 13 caballos (CI<0.30). Conclusión: Se encontró un alto porcentaje de estrés crónico en los caballos de la policía, expresado como comportamientos anormales y estereotipados. Palabras clave: bienestar, cortisol, equino, estrés, etograma. Resumo Antecedentes: Comportamentos anormais e estereotipados de cavalos têm sido amplamente estudados no mundo, assim como também diversas situações epidemiológicas relacionadas com estes distúrbios. Objetivo: Determinar a frequência de comportamentos anormais e estereotipados em uma população de cavalos de patrulhamento da polícia e estabelecer seu nível de estresse crónico. Métodos: Foram avaliados 20 equinos. Os animais foram observados durante 48 horas continuas para gravar os comportamentos anormais e estereotipados. O índice do cortisol (CI) foi calculado para todos os equinos. Resultados: O 65% da população estudada expressaram distúrbios do comportamento, 55% dos distúrbios foram estereotipias. Os comportamentos anormais observados foram lignofagia, escoicear a baia e comer cama. Os comportamentos estereotipados foram movimentos laterais repetitivos, movimentos aleatórios na baia e aerofagia. O CI mostrou presença de estresse crónico em 13 cavalos ao mostrar valores menores a 0.30. Conclusão: Se determinou um alto porcentagem de estresse crónico nos cavalos da polícia, expressado na forma de comportamentos anormais e estereotipados. Palavras chave: bem-estar, cortisol, equino, estresse, etograma. Introduction natural environment (Waters et al., 2002; Hothersall and Nicol, 2009). This change of environment leads Abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in horses have horses to express behavioral patterns as adaptation been widely studied around the world and several mechanisms to reduce the impact of anxiety epidemiological situations have been described and frustration derived from spatial restriction (Sarrafchi and Blokhuis 2013; Tadich et al., (Hothersall and Casey 2012; Freymond et al., 2015). 2013). Susceptibility of stabled horses and horses subjected to stressful activities to develop behavioral Abnormal behaviors include unusual episodes disturbances is frequently reported. Therefore, the with a particular purpose. On the other hand, presence of behavioral disturbances in horses is an stereotypies are unusual, repetitive behaviors without indicator of poor welfare. Domestication and a definite purpose (Pell and McGreevy, 1999). practices derived from the process of stabling are Despite the absence of an explanatory etiology known as unnatural measures, where animals need for these disturbances, several theories have to adapt to the demands of an artificial environment sought to elucidate the mechanisms involved for (Hothersall and Casey 2012; Dezfouli et al., 2014; different breeds (Tadich et al., 2012; Tadich et al., D’Almeida et al., 2014). 2013; Dezfouli et al., 2014; Navarrate et al., 2015). Disturbances of dopaminergic, serotonergic, and When a horse is subjected to confinement, its normal endogenous opioid systems have been implicated as behaviors are interrupted, including grazing, social possible causes for these attempts of adaptation contact, exercise intensity and feeding practices, and all to chronic stress (Dodman et al., 1994; Hugo activities that were carried out for a long time in their et al., 2003; McBride and Hemmings. 2005). Rev Colomb Cienc Pecu 2018; 31(1):17-25 Zuluaga AM et al. Behavior of police horses 19 Horses used for urban patrol are susceptible six in the other. Each stall had a rectangular opening with to stress generated by activities conducted in a a 5 m2 of vertical separation that allowed contact with very different environment from their natural one neighboring animals. Additionally, each stall had one (including stall environment), which has been 4 m2 window looking outdoors. The free area of each reported in several latitudes (Leal, 2007). stall was 11 m2. There was also a paddock where horses exercised one hour daily. This study aimed to determine the frequency of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors in police horses Ethological evaluation through 48 hours of continuous observation, considering ethological and endocrinological evaluations. Animal behavior was continuously recorded during 48 h using Sony CCD dome security cameras (model UC-03, with 520 TVL resolution, 20 Materials and methods m image range and 24 PCS infrared led; Unitec-elite®, China) installed in the top of the stalls and connected Ethical considerations to a recording device (DVR). Each camera recorded two horses simultaneously in Stall 1, whereas one This study was approved by the Ethics Committee camera was used per horse in Stall 2. Additionally, the for Animal Experimentation of Universidad de animals were observed directly and individually by Antioquia, Colombia (September 30, 2014). the researchers for 60-min periods (every 5 min until the period was completed) between 2:00-3:00, 5:00- Animals and study design 6:00, 8:00-9:00, 11:00-12:00, 14:00-15:00, 17:00- 18:00, 20:00-21:00, and 23:00-24:00 h. Results are Twenty clinically healthy castrated male horses presented in Table 1,
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