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Physiological Correlates Associated with Cribbing Behaviour in Horses: Changes in Thermal Threshold, Heart Rate, Plasma P-Endorphin and Serotonin

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Physiological Correlates Associated with Cribbing Behaviour in Horses: Changes in Thermal Threshold, Heart Rate, Plasma P-Endorphin and Serotonin EQUINE CLINICAL BEHAVIOUR 21 Equine vet. J., Suppl. 27 (1998) 21-27 Physiological correlates associated with cribbing behaviour in horses: changes in thermal threshold, heart rate, plasma P-endorphin and serotonin D. LEBELT, A. J. ZANELLA* and J. UNSHELMt Veterinary Clinic Wahlstedt, Wiesenweg 2-8, 238 12 Wahlstedt, and tlnstitute for Animal Hygiene, Ethology and Animal Welfare, School of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversityMunich, Sch were-Reiter- Str. 9, 80797 Munich, Germany. Keywords: horse; stereotypies; cribbing; thermal threshold; heart-rate; endorphin; cortisol; serotonin Summary involving the horse grasping a fixed object with its incisor teeth and contracting the lower neck muscles to retract the larynx The aim of the present study was to obtain information on caudally. This movement is coincided with an in-rush of air the possible mechanisms underlying cribbing behaviour in through the crico-pharynx into the oesophagus producing the horses. To investigate the horse’s responsiveness to an characteristic cribbing sound. Usually air is not swallowed but external stimulus, a device for telemetric measurement of returns to the pharynx (McGreevy et al. 1995b). Since this thermal threshold, using the forelimb withdrawal reflex, was particular behaviour pattern is repetitive, relatively invariant and developed and validated. Measurements of thermal threshold has no obvious goal or function, it fulfils the criteria to be called took place in cribbing horses (n = 11) before and during a stereotypy (Mason 1991). The prevalence of cribbing in horses cribbing periods. Heart rate was monitored continuously in is 2.4-8.3% depending on breed, usage and management factors the same horses. Blood samples were collected before and (Borroni and Canali 1993; McGreevy et al. 1995a,c; Luescher et during cribbing periods as well and in age- and sex-matched al. 1998). There is no evidence that cribbing generally impairs the control horses (n = 11). P-endorphin and cortisol were health of affected horses. Only 7% of all cribbers that underwent determined in plasma using radioimmunoassay techniques, a surgical intervention were reported by their owners to have serotonin was analysed by high performance liquid suffered from health problems such as recurrent colic or weight chromatography. loss (Ritzberger-Matter and Kaegi 1998). Compared with basal values, thermal threshold was Although cribbing is a common behaviour abnormality with significantly (P = 0.003) lower during cribbing periods. The some economic significance, there is surprisingly little information mean difference was 4.9”C. Heart rate decreased concerning its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, the objective of significantly (P = 0.026) and showed a mean reduction of 2.4 the present study was to answer the following questions: 1) Are beatslmin during cribbing. Given the fact that arousal there differences between cribbers and noncribbers that could usually is associated with an increase in nociceptive threshold provide information about the causes of this stereotypy? 2) Are and in heart rate, the decrease in both during cribbing there measurable effects of cribbing sequences on horses that could provide evidence that cribbing may reduce stress. provide information about the function of this behaviour pattern? Cribbers showed 3 times higher basal P-endorphin levels than controls (mean 49.5 vs. 16.2 pmolh, P = 0.006) and there Materials and methods was a trend for lower basal serotonin levels (mean 201.5 vs. 414.3 nmolh, P = 0.07). These data indicate differences in Animals cribber’s endogenous opioid and serotonergic systems. Eleven cribbing horses (8 mares, 1 stallion, 2 geldings) of Introduction different breeds, age 8-24 years were used. The animals were single housed in conventional horse boxes in different riding Cribbing is a well recognised stereotypic behaviour pattern in the stables in the surrounding of Munich and were exercised between horse. It was mentioned in the literature as early as 1578 one and 2 h/day. All horses were long term cribbers performing (Engelhardt 1990) and, since this time, there have been a large this behaviour pattern for at least 2 years. Eleven age- and sex- number of publications dealing with this behavioural problem matched horses with no history of stereotypic behaviour, kept usually referred to as a ‘vice’. under similar housing conditions, were used as controls. Cribbing or crib-biting is the term for an oral based behaviour Study ppotocol *Present address: Department for Animal Science, Michigan State To minimise influences of circadian changes, all studies were University, Anthony Hall, East Lansin, Michigan 48824, USA. carried out between 0830 and 1130 h. The cribbing horses were 22 Cribbing behaviour Fig I: Sensor unit ($ the device for thermal threshold measurement consisting .fa heating element, a thermocouple and a shake switch. Fig 2: Equipment for remote controlled measurement of nociceptive videotaped in their home boxes and measurements of threshold mounted on a cribbing horse. nociception and blood sampling took place under basal conditions (basal = no stereotypic behaviour for at least 30 min) sensor unit and interrupts the heating process. The cut-off and during cribbing periods (cribbing = cribbing for at least 15 temperatures of several measurements recorded by the rnin with no interruption longer than 2 min). Heart rate was thermocouple were stored in the control unit. A hand-held recorded continuously in the cribbing horses during the computer with a commercial terminal software (Windows 3.1)' complete observation period (0830-1 130 h). was used to export stored data from the control unit for further Blood samples of cribbers were collected by jugular puncture analysis and to define the maximum cut-off temperature and the under conditions described above and, additionally, in the control temperature profile. During the present study, temperature horses under basal conditions (control). Blood withdrawal took increase was 1"C/s, the maximum cut-off temperature was set place without restraining the horses and no aversive reaction to 5°C above the first measured cut-off temperature. To validate the the procedure was observed. All basal samples of cribbers and procedure repeated measurements (3 times, 10 min intervals) control horses were collected between 0845 and 0930 h, the were done in 5 mares on 2 consecutive days. cribbing samples between 0945 and 1100 h. Depending on spontaneous behaviour of the individual horses, between 1 and 3 measurements were done under basal Nociception conditions and during cribbing periods respectively. Results of these measurements were grouped to a mean basal and mean To study the horse's response to an external stimulus a device for cribbing value for each horse. Additionally, a statistical remote controlled measurement of nociceptive threshold was comparison between the first and the second individual basal developed and validated. The equipment consisted of a measurement was performed to identify potential changes of microprocessor based control unit, a sensor unit including a thermal threshold caused by repeated measurements. heating element, a thermocouple and a shake switch (Fig I), an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. The control unit Heart rate mounted on the horse's back using a common leather girth was connected with the infrared receiver and with the sensor unit Heart rate was recorded continuously using the Polar Sport placed under a bandage in the fetlock region of the left forelimb Tester2, a device developed for use in human athletes. The (Fig 2). After a measurement was released by the infrared electrodes were fixed at the left side of the thorax by means of transmitter, a steady increase in temperature was delivered to the leather girth described above. The receiver was placed in a the fetlock region. As soon as the individual thermal threshold small pocket close to the transmitting electrode unit. Mean heart was reached the animal reacted by withdrawing its limb, a rate in beatdmin (bpm) was stored in 5 s intervals. After movement that activates the shake-switch integrated in the transferring data to a PC by help of an interface it was analysed using the software package Polar heart rate analysing for TABLE 1: Repeated measurements of thermal threshold ("C) Windows Ver. 5.02. in 5 mares on 2 consecutive days Basal heart rate was compared with data obtained during cribbing periods (mean 30 min before vs. mean of first 30 min Horse No Day No 1 2 3 during, a cribbing period). Additionally, a comparison between heart rate variability calculated as coefficient of variation (V%) I 1 52.2 54.4 54.2 during the periods described before was performed. 2 59.7 58.7 58.8 II 1 54.1 53.8 56.5 /I-endorphin 2 57.1 51.5 54.5 111 1 55.1 56.7 55.6 Blood was collected in ice-cold polypropylene tubes containing 2 61.6 63.9 63.5 EDTA (1 mg/ml). Samples were kept in crushed ice until they IV 1 62.3 62.6 62.0 were centrifuged at 3,000 for 10 rnin at 4°C. Aliquots of 2 58.0 59.0 59.6 g plasma were acidified by addition of acetic acid to a final V 1 63.9 65.2 62.2 concentration of 0.1 mol/l, placed on dry ice immediately and 2 59.0 60.0 58.6 stored at -80°C until further processing. D. Lebelt et al. 23 64 80 800 =1 62 0 60 a Y .-C 60 r c0 Lo 40 U5 g 58 C G al u g 20 Lo Q -~ n 0 0 52 Control Basal Cribbing Basal Cribbing Fig 5: Plasma P-endorphin, cortisol and serotonin levels in control Fig 3: Thermal threshold rC] in dependence on behaviour of cribbing horses (n = 11) and in cribbing horses (n = 11) in dependence on their horses (n = 11). Results are presented as mean f s.e. **Indicates a highly behaviour (‘basal’and ‘cribbing’).Results are presented as mean f s.e.
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