Hopp til hovedinnholdet

Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2014

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different winter weather conditions on shelter seeking behaviour of horses and their preference for additional heat. A total of 17 horses from different breeds were habituated to an experimental paddock with a double-room shelter. In one of the rooms a 1500 W infrared heater provided radiation heat, the other room was not heated. The horses were turned out in their regular paddocks for two hours and then moved to the experimental paddock, where they could stay either in the heated room, in the non-heated room or outside in the 10x6 m paddock. Using instantaneous sampling at one-minute intervals for one hour, a present observer recorded horse’s behaviour and location. A weather station recorded data on wind (directions and speed), precipitation, temperature and sunshine. We registered the horses’ breed, exercise level, body weight, height and body condition, and samples of the horses’ coats were taken for length and quality registration. A Kruskal Wallis test was performed on the preliminary data. We observed great individual differences in the horses’ preferred location under different weather conditions. Horses increased their activity during low temperatures, combined with wind and/or rain (P<0.05). Ponies and warmblood horse breeds used the heated room to a greater extent than cold blood horse breeds (P<0.05). Horses with a low coat sample weight used the shelter more than horses with a large coat sample weight (P<0.05), and individuals with a large body condition score moved around more than individuals with a low body condition score (P<0.05). Muscle shivering was only observed during mild weather and rain. In conclusion, not only the horses breed but its body condition and coat characteristics also affect thermoregulation during winter weather. General activity also seemed to increase with wind, low temperatures and rain.

To document

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different winter weather conditions on shelter seeking behaviour of horses and their preference for additional heat. A total of 17 horses from different breeds were habituated to an experimental paddock with a double-room shelter. In one of the rooms a 1500 W infrared heater provided radiation heat, the other room was not heated. The horses were turned out in their regular paddocks for two hours and then moved to the experimental paddock, where they could stay either in the heated room, in the non-heated room or outside in the 10x6 m paddock. Using instantaneous sampling at one-minute intervals for one hour, a present observer recorded horse’s behaviour and location. A weather station recorded data on wind (directions and speed), precipitation, temperature and sunshine. We registered the horses’ breed, exercise level, body weight, height and body condition, and samples of the horses’ coats were taken for length and quality registration. A Kruskal Wallis test was performed on the preliminary data. We observed great individual differences in the horses’ preferred location under different weather conditions. Horses increased their activity during low temperatures, combined with wind and/or rain (P<0.05). Ponies and warmblood horse breeds used the heated room to a greater extent than cold blood horse breeds (P<0.05). Horses with a low coat sample weight used the shelter more than horses with a large coat sample weight (P<0.05), and individuals with a large body condition score moved around more than individuals with a low body condition score (P<0.05). Muscle shivering was only observed during mild weather and rain. In conclusion, not only the horses breed but its body condition and coat characteristics also affect thermoregulation during winter weather. General activity also seemed to increase with wind, low temperatures and rain.