Urgent need to change behaviour on how and when to wean foals
Foal weaning research highlights a need to change thinking across the equestrian industry
There is an “urgent need” to change collective thinking and behaviour on weaning foals to benefit horses in the short and long term.
This is the recommendation of a new study, published in ScienceDirect, on the effects of different methods of weaning, and at different ages.
Lead author Joanne Dwyer, who conducted the research at the University of Nottingham, told H&H the findings are key to welfare in the short- and long-term.
“‘Weaning’ traditionally means moving from milk to solid food, and that’s not what we’re talking about with foals; they start munching on the mums’ food at a few weeks old,” she said. “We’re talking physical separation of intensely bonded horses, and if you do it too soon and too abruptly, you might create lifelong behavioural issues from the emotional and psychological impact separation can have.”
Ms Dwyer had conducted a scoping review of literature on weaning for her master’s degree. She realised the professionals she had spoken to, from equine charities, were highly experienced in management and welfare of horses at every life stage, and their input was important enough to study further. Participants viewed footage of the point of weaning, assessed this using behavioural indicators and shared their own experiences.
The paper states that weaning is considered one of the most stressful periods of a young horse’s life, but there is limited consensus on how best to do it.
Foal weaning research is available
“Participants voiced frustration that despite a good enough body of research to support progressive weaning methods, lots of horses are still being admitted to their organisations with what they identify as ‘weaning-related separation anxiety’ even into their adult years,” the paper states, adding that two participants from one organisation said they had moved to progressive weaning some years ago,
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“Adult horses admitted into their care that they believe are suffering from the long-term effects of abrupt weaning display those same behaviours observed in the foals.”
Abrupt weaning means separating the mare and foal “in one go”, compared to starting with brief separation and gradually increasing the time the two are apart. Isolation of foals at weaning, rather with new equine companions, also has a negative welfare impact.
In a session on “the first year of life” during the British Equine Veterinary Association congress last month, Rebecca Mounsey of the Royal Veterinary College spoke about evidence on best weaning practice.
She pointed out that during critical growth and development phases, tissues are very sensitive to their environment, and their function can be affected in a positive or negative way that could have long-lasting impacts.
In horses, this window is the first six months of life, or before weaning if a horse is weaned before six months.
“We recognise that weaning causes abrupt cessation in the rate of average daily weight gain, so that’s probably when that period of rapid growth ceases,” she said.
Dr Mounsey said studies of naturalistic equine populations suggests that voluntary weaning usually starts between nine and 10 months old, and lasts for a few months, and neither mare nor foal tends to show a stress response.
She cited studies for which foals were weaned before, at or after six months old; those weaned later showed reduced stress, as well as enhanced growth and skeletal development. Another study showed foals weaned at nine or 10 months showed enhanced development in regions of the brain associated with social behaviour, physiological regulation and information processing, compared to those weaned at six months. She also cited studies finding progressive weaning is more beneficial than abrupt separation.
“There’s a number of studies where increased instance of stereotypical behaviours is associated with individual boxed weaning,” she added. “Separating foals and putting them in their own individual stalls seems to encourage some of these stereotypical behaviours.”
Dr Mounsey said that optimal weaning needs to be tailored to individual mares, foals and their situations, with which Ms Dwyer agrees.
“Your set-up will dictate what you can provide for the needs of mare and foal but between seven and 12 months is healthiest,” she said.
“The reality is that it’s healthier to leave them together longer than we’re traditionally used to. There has to be a cultural shift; I think strengthening the involvement with the welfare organisations will help, and if they share the results, such as a reduction in mastitis in mares.
“Then it will help to look at lifetime impacts for horses; are they more successful, and more emotionally stable? We need more breeders to experiment with these methods.”
The study concludes: “Participants were unanimous in agreeing the need to change away from abrupt and isolating methods of weaning, and this supports what is already known from the current literature.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.