Allowing domesticated horses free access to roughage aligns with their natural feeding behaviour, representing a potentially optimal approach for horse health and welfare.
However, there are instances where restricting their food intake becomes necessary for management or health reasons. Nevertheless, such restrictions may impact their welfare and behaviour.
Implementing tools like hay-nets/bags and slow-feeders may prove helpful in decreasing food waste, extending the time horses spend consuming roughage, and potentially reducing undesirable behaviours.
The introduction of automatic hay boxes, providing scheduled feeding times throughout the day, contributes to minimising food waste. Despite this advantage, timed feeding through these devices may lead to abnormal behaviours in horses due to limited access to roughage.
A recent study evaluated the impact of three different hay feeders and the availability of roughage on horse behaviours in dry feed lots. The goal was to identify improved feeding techniques that could optimize feeding management, diminish abnormal behaviours, and improve the overall welfare conditions of horses in equine establishments.
Fifteen healthy thoroughbred cross horses from the Polo Club at Colorado State University participated in the research, employing a 3x3 Latin square design. The study comprised three groups, each consisting of five horses, with each group undergoing 15 days of one of the three treatments: free choice hay, slow feeder, or box feeder. At the conclusion of each treatment period, the horses underwent weighing, and blood samples were collected to monitor cortisol levels. Behaviour was monitored throughout the final day of each treatment session.
The research, funded by Morris Animal Foundation, is published in Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.
Lead author, Jéssica Carvalho Seabra, said “Taking care of horses means more than just giving them a place to stay, food and water. It means giving them an environment where they can do things that are part of their natural behaviour like grazing.”
The researchers found that horses using automatic boxes and slow feeders consumed less and exhibited slower weight gain, indicating effective regulation of food intake.
Horses with the freedom to choose when to eat had the highest hay utilization and weight gain rates, suggesting that this approach might not be optimal for overweight horses.
Horses with access to free choice feeding or a slow feeder spent more than half their day doing natural activities such as foraging.
In contrast, horses using box feeders spent only about a quarter of their day eating, leading to increased time spent standing, sniffing the ground, and consuming their own faeces.
Furthermore, horses using the box feeder displayed more signs of aggression. During the study, the researchers noticed that horses became more aggressive as the feeders' size decreased and access to the food became more difficult. To address this issue, researchers recommend ensuring adequate space for each horse to eat without feeling crowded, especially when providing a limited amount of food.
"Selecting the right feeding technique can extend the time horses engage in natural behaviours, reducing the incidence of chronic stress and potentially curbing the emergence of abnormal and stereotypic behaviours in the long run," Carvalho Seabra said.
For more details, see:
Jéssica Carvalho Seabra, Tanja Hess, Marcos Martinez do Vale, Katherinne Maria Spercoski, Ryan Brooks, João Ricardo Dittrich,
Effects of Different Hay Feeders, Availability of Roughage on Abnormal Behaviors and Cortisol Circadian Rhythm in Horses Kept in Dry Lots,
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2023) Vol 130, 104911,
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