Post by Garry on Dec 28, 2009 14:47:33 GMT 1
Could Work Be a Source of Behavioural Disorders? A Study in HorsesMartine Hausberger,* Emmanuel Gautier, Véronique Biquand, Christophe Lunel, and Patrick Jégo
(Full paper can be seen here www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763287/?tool=pmcentrez )
In the present study, it was investigated whether the type of work the horses are used for may have an impact on their tendency to show stereotypic behaviour (and its type) outside work. Observations performed on a large number of horses that differed only by the type of work (same living conditions, breed, sex) in their box showed that both the prevalence and types of stereotypies performed were related to the type of work the horses were used for. This is to our knowledge the first evidence in animals that work may be a source of chronic abnormal behaviour and raises new and general questions about the extra work consequences of stress at work.
(Full paper can be seen here www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763287/?tool=pmcentrez )
In the present study, it was investigated whether the type of work the horses are used for may have an impact on their tendency to show stereotypic behaviour (and its type) outside work. Observations performed on a large number of horses that differed only by the type of work (same living conditions, breed, sex) in their box showed that both the prevalence and types of stereotypies performed were related to the type of work the horses were used for. This is to our knowledge the first evidence in animals that work may be a source of chronic abnormal behaviour and raises new and general questions about the extra work consequences of stress at work.
