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Self-control, defined as the ability to forgo immediate satisfaction in favor of better pay-offs in the future, has been extensively studied, revealing enormous variation between and within species. Horses are interesting in this regard because as a grazing species they are expected to show low self-control whereas its social complexity might be linked to high self-control abilities. Additionally, self-control may be a key factor in training and/or coping with potentially stressful husbandry conditions. We assessed horses' selfcontrol abilities in a simplified delay of gratification test that can be easily implemented in a farm setting. In Experiment 1, we gave horses (N = 52) the choice between an immediately available low-quality reward and a delayed high-quality reward that could only be obtained if the horse refrained from consuming the immediate reward. Different experimenters (N = 30) that underwent prior training in the procedures, tested horses in two test phases either with their eyes visible or invisible (sunglasses). Twenty horses waited up to the maximum delay stage of 60 s while all horses performed worse in the second test phase. In Experiment 2, we improved the test procedure (i.e., one experimenter, refined criterion for success), and tested 30 additional horses in a quality and quantity condition (one reward vs. delayed bigger reward). Two horses successfully waited for 60 s (quality: N = 1, quantity: N = 1). Horses tolerated higher delays, if they were first tested in the quantity condition. Furthermore, horses that were fed hay ad libitum, instead of in a restricted manner, reached higher delays. Coping behaviors (e.g., looking away, head movements, pawing, and increasing distance to reward) facilitated waiting success and horses were able to anticipate the upcoming delay duration as indicated by non-random distributions of giving-up times. We found no correlations between owner-assessed traits (e.g., trainability and patience) and individual performance in the test. These results suggest that horses are able to exert self-control in a delay of gratification paradigm similar to other domesticated species. Our simplified paradigm could be used to gather large scale data, e.g., to investigate the role of self-control in trainability or success in equestrian sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present manuscript provides an overview of a large study, which examined the relation of laterality test results in horses obtained on the ground with laterality during riding, the interaction with human handedness and the heritability of the lateral displacement of the hindquarters. It compared 12 different laterality test methods on the ground and during riding between 5 groups of horses (N = 6.553) and examined rein tension of 110 rides (88 horses, 65 riders). Rein tension was analysed using linear mixed models. The relation of test methods was investigated using cross-tabulations, chi2-tests, phi and Cramer's V, as well as Pearson-correlations. Heritability was estimated using uniand bivariate linear animal models in DMU6. Laterality test results obtained on the ground did not agree with laterality during riding (p > 0.05). Only the rider's assessment of their horse's laterality (p = 0.02) and the lateral displacement of the horses hindquarters (p = 0.003) allowed conclusions. Heritability was high (warmbloods, n = 3.973) and low to moderate (Thoroughbreds, n = 1.822). The magnitude and symmetry of rein tension was mainly influenced by horse's laterality (p = 0.04 and p = 0.003) and rider's handedness (p = 0.0003). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horse breeders rely heavily on pedigrees for identification of ancestry in breeding stock. Inaccurate pedigrees may erroneously assign individuals to false lineages or breed memberships resulting in wrong estimates of inbreeding and coancestry. Moreover, discrepancies in pedigree records can lead breeders seeking to limit inbreeding into making misguided breeding decisions. Genome-wide SNPs provide a quantitative tool to aid in the resolution of lineage assignments and the calculation of genomic measures of relatedness. The aim of this project was to pilot a comparison between pedigree and genomic relatedness and inbreeding measures in a herd of 36 pedigreed Egyptian Arabian horses genotyped using the Equine SNP70 platform (Geneseek, Inc.). Moreover, we sought to estimate the minimum number of markers sufficient for genomic inbreeding calculations. Pedigree inbreeding values were moderately correlated with genomic inbreeding values (r = 0.406), whereas genomic relationships and pedigree relationships have a high correlation (r = 0.77). Although first degree relationships were successfully reconstructed, more distant relationships were difficult to resolve. Multi-dimensional scaling and clustering analysis agreed with within-herd pedigree information. In comparing the herd to a reference sample of United States, Polish, and Egyptian Arabian horses, the herd's historically recorded Egyptian lineage was successfully recovered. We conclude that genomic estimates of inbreeding and relationships are superior to their pedigree counterparts. They can be thus utilized in conservation of valuable lines of livestock, and in breeds at risk for loss of genomic diversity. We also postulate a minimum of 2000 markers in linkage equilibrium to be used for inbreeding estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing of unfamiliar pigs is a standard management procedure in commercial pig production and is often associated with a period of intense and physically damaging aggression. Aggression is con-sidered a problem for animal welfare and production. The objective of the present paper was to investigate the genetic background of aggressive behavior traits at mixing of unfamiliar gilts under 2 different housing conditions. Therefore, a total of 543 purebred Pietrain gilts, from 2 nucleus farms (farm A: n = 302; farm B: n = 241 ) of 1 breeding company, were tested at an aver-age age of 214 d (SD 12.2 d) for aggressive behavior by 1 observer. Observations included the frequencies of aggressive attack and reciprocal fighting during mixing with unfamiliar gilts. On farm A 41% of the gilts were purebred Pietrains, whereas 59% were purebred Land-race or Duroc gilts. On the farm B 42% of the gilts were purebred Pietrains, and 58% purebred Large White gilts. The average size of the newly mixed groups of gilts was 28 animals on farm A and 18 animals on farm B. The Pietrain gilts from the 2 herds were genetically closely linked. They were the offspring of 96 sires, with 64% of these sires having tested progeny in both farms. There were clear differences in the housing of the animals between the 2 farms. The test pen on farm A had a solid concrete floor littered with wooden shavings and was equipped with a dry feeder. On farm B there was a partly slatted floor, and the gilts were fed by an electronic sow feeder. Mean space allowance was 2.6 m²/gilt on farm A and 3.9 m²/gilt on farm B. Although large interindividual differences existed, gilts from farm B performed numer-ically more aggressive attack (mean 1.12, SD 1.42 vs. mean 0.71, SD 1.20) and reciprocal fighting (mean 0.78, SD 0.98 vs. mean 0.44, SD 0.82) when compared with gilts from farm A. The heritabilities and additive genetic variances for behavioral traits were estimated with a linear animal model and were on a low level in farm A (h² = 0.11, SE = 0.07, and σa² = 0.12 for aggressive attack and h2 = 0.04, SE = 0.07, and cy2a = 0.02 for recip-rocal fighting) and on a moderate level in farm B (h² = 0.29, SE = 0.13, and σa² = 0.44 for aggressive attack and h² = 0.33, SE = 0.12, and σa² = 0.27 for reciprocal fight-ing). For both aggressive attack and reciprocal fighting, genetic correlation of the same trait between farm A and farm B was 1.0. Therefore, aggressive behavior does not seem to be influenced by genotype x environment inter-actions. Under these circumstances aggressions in group housing can be reduced by genetic selection against aggressive behavior. Therewith, the welfare and health of sows will ultimately increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the horse sport of dressage and animal welfare. They describe the negative impact of bit pressure that does not signal deceleration on horses. They argue that judging deficits can be at the expense of horse welfare and that being ridden behind the vertical is linked to conflict behaviour. The authors also criticize the trend for hyperflexion and recommend the use of information technology for recording animal use and abuse.