PATTERN OF NEONATAL BEHAVIOUR OF MARWARI HORSE

Marwari breed is at the watch list of endangered equine species in India, more and more studies required. It is essential to know the normal behaviour of mare and foal to enhance the production and reproduction efficiency of Marwari horses. Marwari breed is mainly a riding horse and pregnant mare kept for breeding needs to require adequate understanding of maternal behaviour for good health and management which directly affect its mothering ability and results in good mare-foal bonding and proper foal health and development. The strength of mare-foal bonding can be measured through quantification of behaviours such as the frequency and duration of nursing bouts, foal nuzzling, normal maternal aggression and avoidance and the prevalence of activities maintaining the proximity between mare and foal. Six mares along with their foal were selected from ICAR-NRCE Bikaner and private stud farm for study. Behaviour parameters were recorded through night vision infrared CCTV camera daily for 10 days period after foaling. Foal behaviour were divided into two different categories as (1)State behaviour i.e. walking, sleeping, standing etc. and were found to be statistically significant different (p<0.05) in Post partum period show graphically increasing pattern of mean plot at foaling time and (2) Frequent behaviour i.e. Duration of nursing, number of nursing, foal nuzzling, investigatory were found to be statistically significant different (p<0.05) in Post partum period show gradually increasing pattern of mean plot etc. and each specific behaviour pattern for classification was individually described in 6 hour phase wise and day wise. Further attempts were also made to observe the different foaling stages and foal behaviours i.e birth to first successful standing (min) was 77.12± 3.80, birth to successful nursing(min) was 119.18±4.17, Standing and nursing attempts(n) was 13.5±1.20 and 8.16±0.65 respectively, weight of placenta was 3.88 kg, eliminate meconium (min) was 171.1±10.65 etc