Portable data acquisition cart for equine transportation stress study

A remote data sampling cart has been designed and built for studying environmental factors that produce stress in horses during transportation. This dedicated sampling cart uses an XT-compatible mother board powered by a 12 V battery, with customized BIOS and ROM program. Sampling is performed using two digital and eight A/D (bipolar, differential) channels in burst mode at a frequency of 1 kHz. Digitized data are stored on magnetic tape for retrieval after the experiment. Configuration of sampling parameters is accomplished via a serial communications link to a host computer, and is stored in battery backed-up RAM, so that the cart can be self initializing. The digitized data consist of samples from transducers that measure 3-axis accelerations, air flow, sound intensity, environmental temperatures, and heart rates of two horses. Twenty four digital output lines control external sampling devices to collect gas samples for quantification and identification of airborne particles, noxious gas concentrations, and airborne microbes. The sampling cart has been used in an initial study of the effects of tethering position (head forward vs. head backward) on heart rates in horses being trailered, and in continuing studies designed to modify the transport environment to minimize stress imposed on animals during transit.