Taylor Daisy E F, Lancaster Bryony E, Ellis Andrea D
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
UNEQUI Ltd., Research|Education|Innovation, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 8RT, UK.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Aug 4;15(15):2273. doi: 10.3390/ani15152273.
Visual observation to record grass intake is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Technological methods, such as activity monitors, have been used but only record head position. This study aimed to evaluate sound recorders attached to headcollars to acoustically measure grass intake behaviour in horses as a low-cost alternative method. Pilot Study 1 assessed 6 × 11 min periods comparing bites/min and chews/min between video footage (VD) and sound recorders (SR). Grazing was identified audibly (SR) and visually through soundwave pattern software (SR). Chew rates (SR: 47 ± 5 chews/min, VD: 43 ± 4 chews/min) were similar between methods. Pilot Study 2 compared hourly grass intake times between SR and visual observation (VO) for two horses during a 3 h period. Results showed significant correlation between methods ( = 0.99, < 0.01, Spearman). The main study measured intake behaviour using SR and VO methods for three free-ranging horses during 3 h observation periods over multiple days, adding up to 3 × 24 h in winter and in spring ( = 48). Mean differences per period between SR and VO were 1.8% ± 3 s.d. Foraging duration per period measured with SR closely matched VO ( = 0.99, < 0.001). Sound recorders accurately recorded grass intake time and chews in grazing horses during moderate weather conditions.
通过视觉观察来记录马匹的草料摄入量既耗时又费力。虽然已经使用了诸如活动监测器等技术方法，但这些方法只能记录头部位置。本研究旨在评估安装在马颈圈上的录音机，将其作为一种低成本的替代方法，通过声学手段测量马匹的草料摄入行为。预试验1评估了6个11分钟的时间段，比较了视频记录（VD）和录音机（SR）之间每分钟的啃咬次数和咀嚼次数。通过声波模式软件（SR）从听觉上（SR）和视觉上识别放牧行为。两种方法的咀嚼率相似（SR：47±5次/分钟，VD：43±4次/分钟）。预试验2比较了两匹马在3小时内录音机记录（SR）和视觉观察（VO）的每小时草料摄入时间。结果显示两种方法之间存在显著相关性（=0.99，<0.01，Spearman）。主要研究在多天的3小时观察期内，使用SR和VO方法测量了三匹自由放养马匹的摄入行为，冬季和春季总计3×24小时（=48）。SR和VO在每个时间段的平均差异为1.8%±3标准差。用SR测量的每个时间段的觅食持续时间与VO密切匹配（=0.99，<0.001）。在中等天气条件下，录音机能够准确记录放牧马匹的草料摄入时间和咀嚼次数。
