| Title: |
Evaluation of the feasibility, reliability, and repeatability of welfare indicators in free-roaming horses: A pilot study |
| Authors: |
Harley, JJ; Stack, JD; Braid, H; McLennan, KM; Stanley, CR |
| Publisher Information: |
MDPI AG |
| Publication Year: |
2021 |
| Collection: |
The University of Liverpool Repository |
| Description: |
Validated assessment protocols have been developed to quantify welfare states for intensively managed sport, pleasure, and working horses. There are few protocols for extensively managed or free-roaming populations. Here, we trialed welfare indicators to ascertain their feasibility, reliability, and repeatability using free-roaming Carneddau Mountain ponies as an example population. The project involved (1) the identification of animal and resource-based measures of welfare from both the literature and discussion with an expert group; (2) testing the feasibility and repeatability of a modified body condition score and mobility score on 34 free-roaming and conservation grazing Carneddau Mountain ponies; and (3) testing a prototype welfare assessment template comprising 12 animal-based and 6 resource-based welfare indicators, with a total of 20 questions, on 35 free-roaming Carneddau Mountain ponies to quantify inter-assessor reliability and repeatability. This pilot study revealed that many of the indicators were successfully repeatable and had good levels of inter-assessor reliability. Some of the indicators could not be verified for reliability due to low/absent occurrence. The results indicated that many animal and resource-based indicators commonly used in intensively managed equine settings could be measured in-range with minor modifications. This study is an initial step toward validating a much-needed tool for the welfare assessment of free-roaming and conservation grazing ponies. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
text |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
2076-2615 |
| Relation: |
https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3128571/1/animals-11-01981.pdf; Harley, JJ, Stack, JD orcid:0000-0003-0064-7923 , Braid, H orcid:0000-0003-2582-7584 , McLennan, KM and Stanley, CR (2021) Evaluation of the feasibility, reliability, and repeatability of welfare indicators in free-roaming horses: A pilot study Animals, 11 (7). 1981-. ISSN 2076-2615, 2076-2615 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/ani11071981 |
| Availability: |
https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3128571/; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071981 |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.171D7CEB |
| Database: |
BASE |