Adverse effects of prolonged handling of new born foals
| Adverse effects of prolonged handling of new born foals Research suggests that prolonged handling of newborn foals may have lasting detrimental effects on their behaviour. Dr Séverine Henry and colleagues at EthoS - Ethologie animale et humaine, Université de Rennes 1, examined the short- and long-term effects of prolonged handling of foals just after birth. They compared two groups of newborn foals. Foals in the experimental group were separated from their mothers (although the mare stayed nearby) and were handled for an hour. The handling procedure consisted of handling the foals before they stood up. Foals were restrained and kept lying down, while the experimenter stroked them all over their body. They were also exposed to stimuli such as a white towel, a plastic bag and a spray of water. Each stimulus was repeated until the foal remained immobile during the procedure. Foals struggled when being handled, before lying still but with tense muscles. |  |
Foals that were separated from their mothers and handled for an hour shortly after birth showed short and long-term effects on attachment and social behaviour.
Obviously handling significantly delayed the foal standing and sucking. But experimental foals also showed short-term disturbances that were not seen in the controls - namely trembling, fast breathing and abnormal sucking activities.
The time taken from standing to sucking was similar in both groups.
The researchers noticed behavioural differences between the two groups, which were still apparent even up to the 12-month stage.
The handled foals appeared more dependent on their mothers. They tended to stay closer to, and spend more time interacting with, their mothers than with other foals. They also tended to be more aggressive towards other foals than were the unhandled foals. These signs of insecure attachment to their mothers and impaired social competences were present at all ages - at least up to weaning.
"To our knowledge this is the first demonstration showing that interference during the neonatal stage has lasting and profound effects" they conclude. "This finding opens new research directions for both human and animal studies."
For more details see:
Henry S, Richard-Yris M-A, Tordjman S, Hausberger M.
Neonatal handling affects durably bonding and social development.
PLoSONE (2009) 4, e5216
Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005216
Reproduced with kind permission of Mark Andrews BVM&S CertEP MRCVS
© Copyright Mark Andrews - Equine Science Update 2009
Added on: 07/08/09.
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