Shelter seeking behaviour of healthy donkeys and mules in a hot climate
Shelter seeking behaviour of healthy donkeys and mules in a hot climate
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DOI：
10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104898
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发表时间：
2020-01-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Proops, Leanne
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Haddy, Emily;Burden, Faith;Proops, Leanne
暴露于环境因素，如高温和太阳辐射水平目前的福利问题，许多国内马。了解这些因素如何影响健康马的庇护所使用可以告知福利指导方针。虽然有研究评估马对炎热干燥气候的反应，但健康的半自由放养的驴和骡子使用庇护所的情况尚未得到评估。我们观察到的庇护所寻求行为（SSB）的109头驴和21头骡子，免费进入建造的庇护所，在西班牙南部的两个地点在夏季。观察每只马的位置，无论是利用建造的庇护所，外部无保护或使用自然保护。这与环境条件的测量一起记录，包括温度，勒克斯，风速和昆虫骚扰水平。在39%的观测中，使用某种形式的保护措施观察到了等效物。温度和勒克斯水平的增加预测增加住房的使用，而温度和风速是外部保护使用的关键预测因素。与驴相比，骡子寻求庇护对一些环境因素的变化更敏感，包括光照、温度和昆虫骚扰水平。结果表明，在这些条件下，保护使用率相当高，并且在特定的环境条件下使用庇护所：高温，高勒克斯水平和风速增加，这表明它们可能会带来显着的福利优势。
Exposure to environmental factors such as high temperatures and solar radiation levels present a welfare concern for many domestic equids. Understanding how these factors influence the shelter use of healthy equids can inform welfare guidelines. While there is research assessing horses' responses to hot, dry climates, the use of shelter by healthy, semi-free ranging donkeys and mules has not been assessed. We observed the shelter seeking behaviour (SSB) of 109 donkeys and 21 mules, with free access to constructed shelters, across two locations during summer in Southern Spain. The location of each equid, either utilising a constructed shelter, outside unprotected or using natural protection, was observed. This was recorded alongside measures of environmental conditions including temperature, lux, wind speed and level of insect harassment. Equids were observed using some form of protection from the elements in 39 % of observations. Increasing temperatures and lux levels predicted increased shelter use whereas temperature and wind speed were key predictors of outside protection use. Compared to donkeys, shelter seeking by mules was more sensitive to changes in a number of environmental factors including lux, temperature and level of insect harassment. Results indicate that rates of protection use are quite high in these conditions and that shelters are utilised under particular environmental conditions: high temperatures, high lux levels and increased wind speeds, indicating they are likely to confer a significant welfare advantage.