Anuario Raza Polo Argentino Anuario2018 | Page 258

In other words they form pairs of “friends”. This
proximity also depends on the resources, time of
year and other environmental and/or physiological
parameters, although we will have no difficulty in
recognizing those pairs anyway through simple
observation. great stress and may be observed in a lessening
of the animal’s physical fitness and increase in its
liability to contract diseases. In production animals
this is not particularly taken into account. Clearly in
this case detachment and synchronized weaning is
dependent on stud-farm management.
We refer to the actual rupture of the primary
attachment link as detachment; another word
used is “weaning”, although they are not necessarily
synonyms. It is possible that the primary attachment
link may continue to exist even when weaned from
their feed in many species, including equines, in
conditions in which there is no human intervention. In the conclusions section we shall refer to
breeding conditions that occur in our country and
we will briefly analyze some of the studies carried
out to assess strategies that minimize stress. Some
of these may not be taken out of context since
yearlings and horse care bear no relation to local
conditions even though they may contribute data
that is complementary to the information available.
The role of attachment is mainly maintaining
proximity with the dam; protection; learning of
social rituals; satisfaction of primary needs; learning
to manage environmental stimuli (not reacting
inadequately, i.e. learning to show adequate
response) and above all, learning to calm down.
Foals feel calm in the presence of their mothers,
which is why it is important to take this into account
when performing maneuvers that imply certain
stress.
In social animals, rupture of the primary attachment
link makes the forming of the secondary attachment
to the group easier, even though with horses,
where precocious detachment occurs (5-6 months
old), one may observe priority mates among the
foals. Whatever the type of attachment, it becomes
an indispensable link. Without the primary
attachment link it is not possible to achieve correct
appeasement in the foal, generating a phenotype
that is vulnerable to behavioral disruptions as well
as becoming more vulnerable at break-in (above
all classic method). Stable groups are favorable
as regards diminishing social problems and
aggression. Likewise, links with positive individuals
also improve the mechanism of coping with new
situations.
Detachment
Detachment in breeding is a practice that disrupts
animal welfare; precocious and brutal, it generates
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The Nutritional Impact of Weaning;
it is Not All Psychological
At this point we bring up a second stress factor that
is rarely mentioned; certainly less than emotional
stress. At the age of 6 months, a foal consumes
about 10 liters of maternal milk. Thus, every type
of liquid feed is violently suppressed. This means
that from one day to the next it must compensate
a reduction of energy contribution of about 5000
to 6000 kcal/day, increasing its feed consumption
and digestive capacity. This is equivalent to an
important protein and energy restriction (vitamins,
minerals and, of course, water too), above all when
raised in the field, where this will be compensated
by moving reserves during the first weeks. It must
become familiar with drinking from water troughs,
which may result in a state of altered hydration.
Food transition may take about three weeks. In the
Polo Argentino breed, size helps so that impact is
not as marked as in large breeds.
Type of Detachment/Weaning
Abrupt or gradual separation?
There are two French studies in which foals are
separated at 5 to 6 months, some weeks before
detachment, for periods of 15 minutes to 6 hours
increasingly. Foals remain in a group, with visual
and olfactory contact with their mothers, in places
known to them (stabling or field). The outcome
was that when compared to the control group,