An assessment of the stress caused by different methods of weaning foals : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln University

Abstract

There are several systems of artificially weaning foals that are practical in the horse industry. Historically most suggested abrupt separation of mare and foal. More modern theories imply that gradual weaning methods result in a significantly less traumatic experience. In many conventional weaning management systems, foals are vaccinated, de-wormed and halter-broken during weaning. This multiplies already potentially stressful situations. Some management systems do not allow foals access to creep feed prior to weaning. This can result in foals not readily consuming enough feed to meet their nutritional requirements. These situations are potentially very stressful and may lead to sickness, injury and possible future behaviour problems leading to economic loss. Weaning method is often dependent on the intended use of the foal when it reaches adulthood. Foals whose future involves a racetrack are almost exclusively weaned in large groups at stud. The owner with only one sporthorse or pony foal to wean has fewer options when choosing a weaning method. Cortisol is a well accepted indicator of stress in horses (James et al. 1970). In recent years researchers have been extracting cortisol from both the blood and the faeces to obtain stress readings (Hoffman et al. 1995, 1996). There has been no work to date, of cortisol readings taken from the blood and faeces of the same animal on the same day. Assumptions have been made that the two will illustrate a similar pattern when taken from the same animal although it is known that there may be an diurnal interaction.