ArticleFrontiers in veterinary science2022
Which animal-to-feeding-place ratio at time-controlled hay racks is animal appropriate? Preliminary analysis of stress responses of horses.
Article in Frontiers in veterinary science, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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4 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluating a novel automatic feeding device for hay provision in horses: behavioral outcomes in group and individual housing.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Article
- Fecal Cortisol Metabolites Indicate Increased Stress Levels in Horses During Breaking-In: A Pilot Study.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Impact of feeding strategies on the welfare and behaviour of horses in groups: An experimental study.PloS one · 2025Article
- Living the good life? A systematic review of behavioural signs of affective state in the domestic horse (Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Automated feeding systems offer numerous advantages for animals and humans, but the associated benefits and risks can often only be seen under practical conditions. The space allowance (~80 cm per horse) at time-controlled hay racks for horses in group housing, unlike at partitioned feeding stands or transponder-controlled feed stations, currently falls below the required individual distance between the horses, which can result in a high level of aggression between the horses due to the lack of partitions between them. Hence, a feed-through at a time-controlled hay rack cannot be equated with a feeding place. In this preliminary study, we therefore aimed to determine the minimum animal-to-feeding-place ratio (AFR) at time-controlled hay racks that would provide adequate individual distances between the horses. Methods: To do so, we assessed behavioral and physiological parameters (via video behavioral observations and salivary cortisol measurements) of up to 28 horses in a loose housing system. Over 2 observation days per treatment, four AFRs were investigated in a balanced sequence: 1:1.2, 1:2, 1:3, and C (single feeding in familiar surroundings as a control). Results: We found that the horses expressed less aggressive behavior, especially those behaviors with a high risk of injury such as biting and kicking, when there were three times as many openings as there were horses at time-controlled hay racks, as compared with only 20% more openings or twice as many openings as there were horses [lineal mixed model: Discussion: The results of this preliminary study indicate that the investigated time-controlled hay racks must provide at least three times as many feeding places as there are horses to ensure that neighboring horses can keep their individual distance and stress-free feeding is possible. Further studies on more farms and different types as well as arrangement of hay racks are proposed.
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