Domestic Foal Weaning: Need for Re-Thinking Breeding Practices?

Area of Science:

• Equine Science
• Animal Welfare
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• Artificial weaning is a significant stressor for domestic foals.
• Current research primarily focuses on mitigating weaning stress, with less attention to natural processes.
• There is a need for evidence-based best practices for foal weaning that prioritize animal welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the natural weaning process in horses.
• To investigate the temporal dynamics of the mare-offspring bond during natural weaning.
• To provide insights for improving domestic weaning practices.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on natural horse weaning and mare-offspring dynamics.
• Observational study of 16 mare-foal pairs with minimal human interference.
• Analysis of weaning timing and behavioral responses.

Main Results:

• Natural weaning occurred spontaneously around 9-10 months of age, with variations linked to mare conception rates.
• No stress responses were observed in either mares or foals during natural weaning.
• Dams showed no clear signs of rejection before or after natural weaning.

Conclusions:

• Natural weaning is a low-stress event in horses, occurring gradually.
• Current domestic weaning practices may be unnecessarily stressful.
• Rethinking domestic weaning protocols is essential to align with natural processes and enhance foal welfare.