Does the provision of creep feed post weaning affect the development of oral stereotypies in foals (Equus caballus)?

Description/Abstract

The treatment of stereotypies in horses (Equus caballus) commonly referred to as ‘stable vices’ has been addressed by a range of different methods. None, however, has provided a ‘cure’ for these unwanted behaviours. This deficiency highlights the need to identify the underlying mechanisms and to treat the behaviours prophylactically; i.e. to address the causative agents using a preventative approach. There appears to be a higher incidence of stereotypical behaviours in the Thoroughbred (TB) than in other breeds of horse generally. One of the proffered explanations for this has been the very different management practices involved in producing and maintaining TB racehorses in a competitive market. The aim of this study was to investigate if there is a correlation between the feeding of creep feed/hard feed after weaning and the development of oral stereotypies in TB foals. The methodology included a self-administered questionnaire distributed to twenty-five Irish stud farms in counties Kildare and Meath. Following a response rate of 88%, twenty-two responses were available, representing a cohort of six hundred and seventy three foals. With the exception of sixteen foals, all the remaining foals had access to some form of concentrated proprietary horse feed both before and after weaning. All of the foals were at least four months of age prior to weaning. All of the foals had access to grass paddocks post-weaning and they were brought in once daily for feeding and checking for a short period before returning to the field. Only three foals (0.004% of the test population) developed oral stereotypies and all three foals were on different farms. In contrast to other studies, the current study failed to provide any evidence of a correlation between the feeding of creep feed post-weaning and the development of crib-biting behaviour in TB foals.