ADAPTATION AND VALIDATION OF AN ETHOGRAM FOR ACUTE STRESS IN FOALS: FROM EARLY WEANING TO CLINICAL APPLICATION

• Grant number: 25/11280-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 31, 2025
• End date: November 29, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Adroaldo Jose Zanella
• Grantee: Natassja Brediks Cavalca
• Supervisor: Jitka Bartosova
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institute Of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/17161-1 - Maternal Immune Activation influences the development of stereotypies in abruptly weaned foals, BP.IC

Abstract

Acute stress in foals, particularly in the context of early weaning, is a major concern for animal welfare and health. Behavioral and physiological responses to weaning, including the release of cortisol, performance of stereotypies, and sleep disturbances, may compromise the foal's immune system and increase susceptibility to disease. Hospitalization of neonates and young foals is common due to their inherent fragility. However, validated tools for objectively identifying stress in foals, especially ethograms tailored to their developmental stage, remain scarce. This internship project abroad aims to complement and validate an ethogram of acute stress behaviors in foals subjected to early weaning, with potential clinical application in hospital settings. The proposal will be conducted at the Institute of Animal Science (VÚ¿V), in the Czech Republic, under the supervision of Dr. Jitka Barto¿ová, an internationally recognized expert in ethology and animal welfare. The international collaboration will allow for a more in-depth technical and methodological foundation for the ongoing Fapesp sponsored undergraduate project in Brazil, integrating the fields of behavior, physiology, clinical practice and equine welfare. (AU)