Behaviour of thoroughbred foals during nursing

Area of Science:

• Equine Science
• Animal Behavior
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Nursing behavior in Thoroughbred foals is crucial for growth and development.
• Understanding foal-nursing patterns provides insights into dam-foal interactions and potential health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the temporal patterns of nursing activity in Thoroughbred foals.
• To investigate changes in nursing behavior from birth to weaning.
• To explore dam influences on foal nursing and potential maternal discomfort.

Main Methods:

• Observational study of Thoroughbred foals and their dams.
• Recording of nursing bout durations and non-nursing intervals.
• Analysis of nursing frequency and success rates over 24 weeks.

Main Results:

• Foals nursed in distinct bouts separated by intervals of at least 27 seconds.
• Nursing frequency averaged seven bouts per hour in the first week, decreasing to one bout per hour by 24 weeks.
• Mean nursing bout duration decreased from 147 seconds in the first week to 74 seconds by 24 weeks.
• Dams interfered with nursing in weeks 2-3, suggesting potential pain.

Conclusions:

• Thoroughbred foal nursing behavior changes significantly with age, declining towards weaning.
• Dam interference during early postpartum weeks indicates potential nursing pain, warranting further investigation.