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"Characterization of equine vocalization".
Rebecca Lyn Pond, Michael J. Darre, Peter M. Scheifele, Dave G.
Browning
Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 7-12
Abstract
Bioacoustics is the study of sound in animals and includes, but is not
limited to, animal communication with associated behavior, sound production
anatomy and neurophysiology, auditory capacities and auditory mechanisms, and
animal welfare. The present research investigates the vocalizations of horses
during stressful situations. Stress can be positive or negative. Distress is
anything that affects the animal in a negative way, such as in mare and foal
separation. Eustress is anything that affects the animal in a positive way, such
as morning feeding time in a horse barn. The purpose of the current research is
to find spectral differences in the recorded vocalizations of stalled horses
that indicate both distress and eustress using the Hidden Markov Model (HMM).
Greenwood Function Cepstral Coefficient values suggest that there are spectral
differences between vocalizations in a distress and eustress situation. These
consistent results indicate that further research to obtain and evaluate
vocalizations of horses may provide a productive tool in understanding equine
welfare.
David G. Browning
Univ. of Rhode Island