Behavior Characteristics And Fecal Hormone Levels Of Yili Horse Of Different Age Before And After Parturition

The purpose of this experiment was to study the behavior characteristics and the changes of fecal hormone levels of Yili horse before and after parturition.Twenty-four Yili horse were selected for the study,which were in gestation period,similar fat condition,healthy condition and good gestation condition.The mares were divided into four age groups: young age group(4-6 years old),middle age group(7-10 years old)and old age group(11-18 years old),to compare the difference of behavior index and hormone level between different age groups before and after delivery.To analyze the correlation between hormone levels and behavior characteristics,so as to provide theoretical basis for improving the management system of pregnant horse and follow-up studies.The results showed that different ages had a significant effect on the exercise and feeding time of Yili horse before and after giving birth(P<0.01).The time of nibbling and rubbing before and after parturition was significantly affected by the age group(P<0.01),and the time of rubbing before and after parturition was significantly affected by the sampling time point(P<0.01),the rubbing behavior after parturition was significantly higher than that before parturition(P<0.01).The alerting and sniffing after delivery were significantly higher than those before delivery(P<0.01),the Yawning after delivery was significantly higher than those before delivery(P<0.01),and the yawn time was the highest on delivery day.The concentrations of estradiol in the feces of Yili horse in the low age group and the high age group were significantly lower on the 3rd day after birth than on the 7th day before birth(P<0.01),the concentrations of estradiol in the faeces of the middle-aged Yili horse were significantly lower than those on the day of parturition(P<0.01),and the concentrations of estradiol in the faeces of all Yili horse were significantly lower than those on the seventh day before parturition and the day of parturition(P<0.01).In the middle age group,the 15 th day before parturition was significantly lower than the 7th day,the 3rd day and the 1st day before parturition(P<0.01).The concentrations of cortisol in the feces of all Yili horse were significantly lower after parturition than one day before parturition and three days before parturition(P<0.01).The results showed that estradiol concentration was negatively correlated with rest behavior(P<0.01).Cortisol was negatively correlated with alertness,sniffing behavior and yawning behavior(P<0.05),and progesterone concentration was negatively correlated with alertness and sniffing behavior(P<0.01).There was a significant positive correlation between the concentration of cortisol and the behavior of itching(P<0.01).In the elderly group,there was a significant negative correlation between progesterone concentration and resting behavior before and after parturition(P<0.01),and a significant positive correlation between progesterone concentration and cortisol concentration,resting behavior and friendly behavior(P<0.01),there was a significant negative correlation between cortisol and exercise behavior,alert behavior and sniffing behavior(P<0.01),and between cortisol concentration and exercise behavior and yawning behavior(P<0.05).The results showed that the behavior characteristics of Yili horse before and after parturition were mainly rest behavior.Exercise time was highest on the day of delivery and lowest in the older group compared to the other two groups.During farrowing,the mares showed a certain degree of alertness and unfriendliness,and the concentrations of progesterone and cortisol in the faeces of Yili horse before farrowing increased with the approach of the farrowing day.In the study on the relationship between faecal hormone concentration and behavior characteristics,estradiol concentration in the faeces of young Yili horse before and after parturition had a significant negative correlation with rest behavior.There was a significant correlation between the fecal progesterone concentration and the vigilance behavior and the sniffing behavior in all age groups of Yili horse.