Effect of mares’ dominance rank on suckling behaviour in the loose housed domestic horses
Suckling is a main part of maternal investment in equids. The suckling period is crucial for adequate physical as well as psychical development of the foal. The rank of the mother and her aggressiveness could be factors responsible for later reproductive or social success of the foal. We hypothesised that under conditions characterized by balanced […]
A functional approach to the body condition assessment of lactating donkeys as a tool for welfare evaluation
Background. The breeding of lactating donkeys is increasing in Western Europe; with it the evaluation of body condition is growing in importance since it is considered a key principle for their welfare. However, assessment of body condition is a complex task, since several factors are involved. The aim of the present study is to investigate […]