Immunocontraception decreases group fidelity in a feral horse population during the non-breeding season

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volumn 117, Issue 1-2, 2009, Pages 74-83

  Nuñez, Cassandra M V ^a   Adelman, James S ^a   Mason, Carolyn ^b   Rubenstein, Daniel I ^a  

^a PRINCETON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b Foundation for Shackleford Horses Inc   (United States)

Author keywords

Behavior; Equus caballus; Harem; Horse; Immunocontraception; Porcine zona pellucidae (PZP); Stability

Indexed keywords

BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY; BREEDING; HORSE; POPULATION SIZE; PREGNANCY; REPRODUCTION; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR;

EQUIDAE; EQUUS CABALLUS; SUS;

EID: 58949085327     PISSN: 01681591     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.001     Document Type: Article

References (47)

1. Altmann J. Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49 (1974) 227-267
2. Asa, C.S., 2002. Equid reproductive biology. In: Moehlman, P.D. (Ed.), Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses - Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, pp. 113-117.
3. Asa C.S., Goldfoot D.A., and Ginther O.J. Sociosexual behavior and the ovulatory cycle of ponies (Equus caballus) observed in harem groups. Horm. Behav. 13 (1979) 49-65
4. Asa C.S., Goldfoot D.A., Garcia M.C., and Ginther O.J. Sexual behavior in ovariectomized and seasonally anovulatory pony mares (Equus caballus). Horm. Behav. 14 (1980) 46-54
5. Asa C.S., Bauman J.E., Houston E.W., Fischer M.T., Read B., Brownfield C.M., and Roser J.F. Patterns of excretion of fecal estradiol and progesterone and urinary chorionic gonadotropin in Grevy's zebras (Equus grevyi): ovulatory cycles and pregnancy. Zoo Biol. 20 (2001) 185-195
6. Berger J. Organizational systems and dominance in feral horses in Grand Canyon. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 2 (1977) 131-146
7. Cameron E.Z., Linklater W.L., Stafford K.J., and Minot E.O. Social grouping and maternal behaviour in feral horses (Equus caballus): the influence of males on maternal protectiveness. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 53 (2003) 92-101
8. Churcher C.S. Equus grevyi. Mamm. Species 453 (1993) 1-9
9. Eberhardt L.L., Majorowicz A.K., and Wilcox J.A. Apparent rates of increase for two feral horse herds. J. Wildl. Manage. 46 (1982) 367-374
10. Feist J.D., and McCullough D.R. Behavior patterns and communication in feral horses. Z. Tierpsychol. 41 (1976) 337-371
11. Galimberti F., Boitani L., and Marzetti I. The frequency and costs of harassment in southern elephant seals. Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 12 (2000) 345-365
12. Goodloe R.B., Warren R.J., Osborn D.A., and Hall C. Population characteristics of feral horses on Cumberland Island, Georgia and their management implications. J. Wildl. Manage. 64 (2000) 114-121
13. Grubb P. Equus burchelli. Mamm. Species 157 (1981) 1-9
14. Heilmann T.J., Garrott R.A., Cadwell L.L., and Tiller B.L. Behavioral response of free-ranging elk treated with an immunocontraceptive vaccine. J. Wildl. Manage. 62 (1998) 243-250
15. Heitor F., Oom M.D., and Vicente L. Social relationships in a herd of Sorraia horses: Part 1. Correlates of social dominance and contexts of aggression. Behav. Process. 73 (2006) 170-177
16. Houpt K.A., and Wolski T.R. Stability of equine hierarchies and the prevention of dominance related aggression. Equine Vet. J. 12 (1980) 15-18
17. Kaseda Y., Khalil A.M., and Ogawa H. Harem stability and reproductive success of Misaki feral mares. Equine Vet. J. 27 (1995) 368-372
18. Kirkpatrick J.F., and Turner A. Reversibility of action and safety during pregnancy of immunization against porcine zona pellucida in wild mares (Equus caballus). Reprod. Suppl. 60 (2002) 197-202
19. Kirkpatrick J.F., Liu I.K.M., and Turner Jr. J.W. Remotely-delivered immunocontraception in feral horses. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 18 (1990) 326-330
20. Kirkpatrick J.F., Shideler S.E., Lasley B.L., and Turner J.W. Pregnancy determination in uncaptured feral horses by means of fecal steroid conjugates. Theriogenology 35 (1991) 753-760
21. Kirkpatrick J.F., Turner J.W., Liu I.K.M., and FayrerHosken R. Applications of pig zona pellucida immunocontraception to wildlife fertility control. J. Reprod. Fertil. (1996) 183-189
22. Kirkpatrick J.F., Liu I.K.M., Turner J.W., Naugle R., and Keiper R. Long-term effects of porcine zonae pellucidae immunocontraception on ovarian function in feral horses (Equus caballus). J. Reprod. Fertil. 94 (1992) 437-444
23. Kirkpatrick J.F., Turner J.W., Liu I.K.M., FayrerHosken R., and Rutberg A.T. Case studies in wildlife immunocontraception: wild and feral equids and white-tailed deer. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 9 (1997) 105-110
24. Klingel H. Social organization and reproduction in equids. J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl. 23 (1975) 7-11
25. Linklater W.L., and Cameron E.Z. Tests for cooperative behaviour between stallions. Anim. Behav. 60 (2000) 731-743
26. Linklater W.L., Cameron E.Z., Minot E.O., and Stafford K.J. Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses. Anim. Behav. 58 (1999) 295-306
27. Linklater W.L., Cameron E.Z., Stafford K.J., and Veltman C.J. Social and spatial structure and range use by Kaimanawa wild horses (Equus caballus: Equidae). N. Z. J. Ecol. 24 (2000) 139-152
28. McShea W.J., Monfort S.L., Hakim S., Kirkpatrick J., Liu I., Turner J.W., Chassy L., and Munson L. The effect of immunocontraception on the behavior and reproduction of white-tailed deer. J. Wildl. Manage. 61 (1997) 560-569
29. Monard A.M., and Duncan P. Consequences of natal dispersal in female horses. Anim. Behav. 52 (1996) 565-579
30. National Climate Data Center, 2008. (accessed September 10, 2008).
31. Nuñez C.M.V. Mother-Young Relationships in Feral Horses and Their Implications for the Function of Development in Mammals (2000), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA p. 306
32. Parker H.A. An Analysis of the Causes and Consequences of Female Social Behavior in Domestic Horses (2001), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton p. 83
33. Powell D.M. Preliminary evaluation of porcine zona pellucida (PZP) immunocontraception for behavioral effects in feral horses (Equus caballus). J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 2 (1999) 321-335
34. Powell D.M., and Monfort S.L. Assessment: effects of porcine zona pellucida immunocontraception on estrous cyclicity in feral horses. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 4 (2001) 271-284
35. Rubenstein D.I. Behavioral ecology of island feral horses. Equine Vet. J. 13 (1981) 27-34
36. Rubenstein D.I. Ecology and sociality in horses and zebras. In: Rubenstein D.I., and Wrangham R.W. (Eds). Ecological Aspects of Social Evolution, Birds and Mammals (1986), Princeton University Press, Princeton 282-302
37. Rubenstein D.I., and Nuñez C.M.V. Sociality and reproductive skew in horses and zebras. In: Hager R., and Jones C.B. (Eds). Reproductive Skew in Vertebrates: Proximate and Ultimate Causes (2008), Cambridge University Press
38. Rutberg A.T. Intergroup transfer in Assateague pony mares. Anim. Behav. 40 (1990) 945-952
39. Rutberg A.T., and Greenberg S.A. Dominance, aggression frequencies and modes of aggressive competition in feral pony mares. Anim. Behav. 40 (1990) 322-331
40. Sacco A.G. Antigenic cross-reactivity between human and pig zona pellucida. Biol. Reprod. 16 (1977) 164-173
41. Stevens E.F. Instability of harems of feral horses in relation to season and presence of subordinate stallions. Behaviour 112 (1990) 149-161
42. Sundaresan S.R., Fischhoff I.R., and Rubenstein D.I. Male harassment influences female movements and associations in Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi). Behav. Ecol. 18 (2007) 860-865
43. Turner A., and Kirkpatrick J.F. Effects of immunocontraception on population, longevity and body condition in wild mares (Equus caballus). Reprod. Suppl. 60 (2002) 187-195
44. Turner Jr. J.W., Liu I.K.M., and Kirkpatrick J.F. Remotely-delivered immunocontraception in white-tailed deer. J. Wildl. Manage. 56 (1992) 154-157
45. Turner J.W., Liu I.K.M., Flanagan D.R., and Rutberg A.T. Immunocontraception in wild horses: one inoculation provides two years of infertility. J. Wildl. Manage. 71 (2007) 662-667
46. U.S. Naval Observatory Data Services, 2008. (accessed September 10, 2008).
47. Willis P. Equine immunoconcentraception using porcine zona-pellucida: a new method for remote delivery and characterization of the immune-response. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 14 (1994) 429-1429