Management Practices and Behaviour of Mares Throughout the Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) Production Cycle in a Sample of Icelandic Farms: A Video-Based Assessment of Publicly Available Footage

Welfare implications of repeated blood collection from pregnant mares for equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) production remain debated. This study aimed to describe mare-management practices in a sample of Icelandic farms, investigating behavioural responses to blood collection and associated management conditions using publicly available video footage. The analysis was performed while the mares were kept on pasture, as well as during the pre-collection waiting period and blood collection. A Fear, Anxiety and Stress (FAS) score (from 0 = relaxed to 5 = severe signs of FAS with aggression) was also assigned to each blood collection phase. Although limited, pasture observations highlighted generally good physical condition of mares and foals, with normal social behaviour. Mares waited an average of 1 h 40 min before blood collection, and greater pen crowding was associated with increased negative interactions among mares (p = 0.031). The blood collection procedure lasted about 8 min on average (range: 5.2–15.4 min). Most mares exhibited moderate to severe FAS during blood collection, with a significant effect of the phase (LRT p < 0.001). Blood draw was the phase with the highest likelihood of showing higher FAS scores in comparison with waiting time (OR = 9.91, 95% CI: 4.08–20.5). A significant increase in a depressed-like, non-responsive demeanour was recorded during more invasive handling phases (all p < 0.05). Even if our findings are limited by the nature of the analysed videos, this study identifies potential welfare concerns, including restrictive head positioning, incomplete post-venipuncture care, and continuation of procedures despite severe behavioural signs of stress.