Working equines: Assessment of welfare and management practices in and around Debre Markos District, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Working equines play a crucial role in human livelihoods globally, yet their management is often inadequate.

Objective

To assess the welfare and management practices of working equines.

Study Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023 in and around Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

Physical examination and structured interviews were used as data collection tools. A total of 384 equines (186 donkeys, 144 horses, and 54 mules) and their owners were selected through a purposive sampling method.

Results

The results showed that 60.4% of the equines were used for transporting goods. While the majority of the respondents used both traditional and modern treatments for disease control, regular check-ups were infrequently practised. Notably, 54.2% of owners refrained from using saddles for their equines, 72.4% of individuals did not engage in hoof care for their equines, and 13% neglected enclosure cleaning. The prevalence of different lesions was 52.1%, with donkeys being more likely to develop skin, mouth, and foot lesions than horses (Adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.008, 95% CI 1.572–5.752, p = 0.001). Farmers were more likely to practise regular check-ups for their equines compared to merchants, while controlling for other factors (OR 0.441, 0.286–0.679, p < 0.001), and literate individuals were more likely to conduct regular check-ups than unschooled individuals (OR: 3.867, 2.436–6.139, p < 0.001).

Main Limitation

Seasonal variations—welfare and management practices may change depending on the season, affecting factors such as workload, feed availability, and disease prevalence. Subjectivity in welfare assessment—some welfare indicators, such as body condition scoring and behavioural observations, may involve subjective judgement, leading to potential observer bias. Reliance on owner reports – information obtained through interviews and questionnaires may be influenced by recall bias or social desirability bias, as owners may not always report poor management practices accurately.

Conclusions

Significant issues were identified in regular check-ups, harness usage, enclosure cleaning, and hoof management. Therefore, improving owners' awareness and implementation of these practices is strongly recommended to enhance equine welfare in the study area.