Morphological Characteristics, Preferences, and Perceptions of the Ideal Working Mule.

Suitability and physical attributes of working mules are important features that can affect management, performance, and welfare. The aim of this study was to assess the morphology of working mules used in the Chilean army and determine if they adjust to soldier's preference and perceptions of their ideal pack mule. A total of 16 morphometric traits were measured per mule and six morphofunctional indexes calculated in 60 mules. Perception and preferences for the ideal mule in 73 soldiers was assessed through a questionnaire. The questionnaire included one closed-ended question where the ideal mule size could be selected and one open-ended question about their ideal mule, which was analyzed by text mining. The studied mules were well-balanced, with more riding and saddle type aptitude than for load work. According to responses, the ideal pack mule should be docile, medium size, resistant and suitable for load work in mountainous terrain.

Owners' Knowledge and Approaches to Colic in Working Equids in Honduras.

In Honduras, many families are reliant on working equids in their daily life. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge about, and approaches to colic used by owners of working equids in Choluteca, Honduras using a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured, verbal questionnaires were conducted with ninety-three owners from eleven different communities in the Choluteca region on equid horse owners' knowledge of colic and treatments. Additional context was gained through observations and verbal questionnaires with three veterinary practitioners and eight agricultural pharmacy (agrovet) store owners. Working equids were commonly used for firewood collection 31% (40/126), transportation 24% (30/126), and carrying crops 13% (17/126). Thirty-eight percent of owners (35/92) said they did not know what colic was, 27% (24/89) could not name any clinical signs, and 46% (42/92) could not name any causes. Most owners with previous experience of colic had treated it themselves 79% (53/67), typically using herbal remedies. Colic was a major concern for owners of working equids who had prior experience or knowledge of the condition. Knowledge and understanding of colic varied, and access to evidence-based treatments was very limited. The findings will be used to inform the development of educational resources on colic in working equids.

'All My Animals Are Equal, but None Can Survive without the Horse'. The Contribution of Working Equids to the Livelihoods of Women across Six Communities in the Chimaltenango Region of Guatemala.

It is widely assumed that working equid husbandry is carried out by men, and women are often not recognised as facilitating equid welfare. The aim of this study is to investigate how working equids contribute to women's livelihoods in six of the World Horse Welfare programme target communities in Guatemala and determine what roles women have in their care. Thirty-four face-to-face interviews were carried out and data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. This study found that working equids support women by reducing domestic drudgery, generating income, feeding livestock and saving time. Thirty-two women played a major role in the care of one or more equids, and overall, women did not feel that they knew enough about equid husbandry. Thirty-one women said they would attend training opportunities if the advertising was clear and they felt that women were able to join. This study recognises the contribution of working equids to women's livelihoods, describes the roles women play in equid husbandry and addresses the discrepancies between women's roles and their capacity to undertake these tasks. This emphasises the need for extension services to include and cater for women, improving equid welfare and their ability to continue supporting women's livelihoods.

Donkeys in transition: changing use in a changing world / Jumentos em transição: alterações do seu uso num mundo em mudança

Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.(AU)

Os jumentos têm uma longa história no desenvolvimento das sociedades humanas. Normalmente referidos como bestas de carga, seus usos tradicionais incluem o transporte de pessoas e bens, atividades agrícolas e florestais, acesso a água, assim como oferecer uma forma de rendimento para comunidades em países de rendimento baixo e médio. No entanto, o aumento da mecanização, o desenvolvimento de técnicas agrícolas modernas e maior disponibilidade de veículos motorizados fizeram com que os jumentos e os muares se tornassem desnecessários nos seus papéis tradicionais em muitas partes do mundo. Neste artigo os autores fornecem exemplos onde os jumentos fizeram a transição, com sucesso, dos papéis tradicionais para novos papéis não tradicionais, tanto na Europa como na América do Norte; e demonstramos que, embora o papel e o uso de jumentos e muares estejam mudando num mundo em rápido desenvolvimento, podemos aprender lições com o passado e aplicá-las aos desafios atuais. À medida que diminui a necessidade de equídeos de trabalho no transporte e na agricultura, eles ainda têm grande valor no que toca a fins recreativos, terapêuticos e ecológicos no uso de tração animal.(AU)

Donkeys in transition: changing use in a changing world / Jumentos em transição: alterações do seu uso num mundo em mudança

Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.(AU)

Os jumentos têm uma longa história no desenvolvimento das sociedades humanas. Normalmente referidos como bestas de carga, seus usos tradicionais incluem o transporte de pessoas e bens, atividades agrícolas e florestais, acesso a água, assim como oferecer uma forma de rendimento para comunidades em países de rendimento baixo e médio. No entanto, o aumento da mecanização, o desenvolvimento de técnicas agrícolas modernas e maior disponibilidade de veículos motorizados fizeram com que os jumentos e os muares se tornassem desnecessários nos seus papéis tradicionais em muitas partes do mundo. Neste artigo os autores fornecem exemplos onde os jumentos fizeram a transição, com sucesso, dos papéis tradicionais para novos papéis não tradicionais, tanto na Europa como na América do Norte; e demonstramos que, embora o papel e o uso de jumentos e muares estejam mudando num mundo em rápido desenvolvimento, podemos aprender lições com o passado e aplicá-las aos desafios atuais. À medida que diminui a necessidade de equídeos de trabalho no transporte e na agricultura, eles ainda têm grande valor no que toca a fins recreativos, terapêuticos e ecológicos no uso de tração animal.(AU)

Hematological and Biochemical Reference Intervals for Mules in Chile.

Hematological and biochemical reference intervals are an important tool for health assessment and treatment decision-making in veterinary medicine. Lack of information about reference intervals (RI) in mules force professionals to apply reference intervals developed for horses or donkeys, with the risk of misinterpretation. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine hematological and biochemical RI for healthy mules and compare them with those proposed in literature for horses, donkeys and mules. A total of 142 healthy mules (mixed breed mares × Baudet du Poitou) of both sex, all between 7 and 22 years of age and between 290 and 500 kg of live weight were sampled and 32 blood parameters analyzed in order to calculate reference intervals according to the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards. The values obtained for Chilean mules were within the RI in three of the 21 variables where data was available for UK donkeys and for three of 22 RI available for working horses in Pakistan; no similarities were found with those from Portuguese mules. In the case of Chilean working horses RI, mules values were within range for 11 of 25 variables. The differences found in blood biochemistry may be explained by husbandry conditions, diet, type of work and biological features. Differences between mules' reference intervals and those from donkeys and working horses highlight the importance of having specific reference values for this equid hybrid and the need to develop further research in mules under different working conditions and genetic background.

Why Should Human-Animal Interactions Be Included in Research of Working Equids' Welfare?

The livelihood of working horses' owners and their families is intimately linked to the welfare of their equids. A proper understanding of human-animal interactions, as well as the main factors that modulate them, is essential for establishing strategies oriented to improve the welfare of animals and their caretakers. To date, there is still a paucity of research dedicated to the identification and assessment of the human psychological attributes that affect the owner⁻equine interaction, and how these could affect the welfare of working equids. However, some studies have shown that empathy, attitudes towards animals, human perception of animal pain and the owner´s locus of control are some of the psychological attributes that participate in human-equine interactions and that these can result in poor welfare of working equids. A better understanding of the relationship between human attributes and equids' welfare can provide an opportunity to improve the quality of interactions between owners and their working equids and thus improve their welfare. This review aims to explain why the inclusion of human psychological attributes that modulate the human-animal interactions can benefit welfare research in working equids. The role that empathy, perception of animal pain and locus of control play in the promotion of good welfare in working equids is emphasized.