Analyze Diet

PeerJ.

Biology
Environmental Health
Medicine
Biological Phenomena
Publisher:
PeerJ Inc.
Country: United States
Language: English
Start Year:2013 -
Identifiers
ISSN:2167-8359 (Electronic)
2167-8359 (Linking)
NLM ID:101603425
(OCoLC):793828439
LCCN:2012202862
Global distribution of cattle, horses, goats, sheep and buffaloes at 1 km resolution for 2000-2022 based on subnational census data and spatiotemporal machine learning.
PeerJ    July 17, 2026   Volume 14 e21494 doi: 10.7717/peerj.21494
Parente L, Ehrmann S, Hengl T, Fritz S, Bonannella C, Malek Ž, Gonzalez Fischer C, Perez K, Stanimirova R, Meyer C, Wisser D, Cinardi G, Sloat L.The article describes the production and evaluation of annual livestock densities and headcounts of cattle, horses, sheep, goats and buffaloes (including 95% probability prediction intervals) at 1 km spatial resolution for the 2000-2022 period using spatiotemporal machine learning. A compilation of subnational livestock census data has been imported, harmonized and used as reference data (55,336 census polygons and 939,257 individual data entries; covering 147 countries) to build predictive models. A large stack of multi-source harmonized raster data sets (128 individual layers) were used as f...
Is the walk and trot efficiency a hereditary trait in primitive Konik Polski horses?
PeerJ    May 27, 2026   Volume 14 e21369 doi: 10.7717/peerj.21369
Siemieniuch-Tartanus M, Tomczyk-Wrona I, Tobolski D.Performance testing is a critical tool for achieving genetic progress, yet its long-term effectiveness in primitive breeds under conservation programs is poorly documented. The Konik Polski horse breeding program aims to improve utility while preserving primitive characteristics. Unassigned: This retrospective study analyzed a 25-year longitudinal dataset ( = 1,608) from the official Field Performance Test to quantify genetic trends in gait efficiency, using nonparametric methods to assess the effects of test type, year, and age on stride length and speed at the walk and trot. To estimate he...
Electromyographic activity of equine abdominal muscles during single and double riding in hippotherapy.
PeerJ    May 22, 2026   Volume 14 e21317 doi: 10.7717/peerj.21317
de Lima LRS, Amorim CF, Vieira MF, Arnhold E, Scoz RD, Brandstetter LRG, Costa LCS, Barcelos KMC.Background: Hippotherapy is a therapeutic intervention that uses the horse as a biomechanical and sensorimotor agent to promote rehabilitation in individuals with physical and neurological disabilities. Depending on patient needs, riding may be performed with a single rider or with double riding, in which a therapist accompanies the practitioner on the horse. However, the effects of these riding configurations on equine trunk muscle activity remain poorly understood, despite their relevance for both horse welfare and the quality of therapeutic stimuli delivered to the patient.Methods: Nine cli...
The petrosal and bony labyrinth of extinct horses (Perissodactyla, Equidae) and their implications for perissodactyl evolution.
PeerJ    January 5, 2026   Volume 14 e20484 doi: 10.7717/peerj.20484
Goodchild OA, Rosen SN, Mennecart B, Meng J, Tissier J.Perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulates, are represented today by 16 species of rhinoceroses, tapirs, and horses. Perissodactyls were much more diverse in the past, having a rich fossil record spanning from the earliest Eocene (~56 Ma) to recent, including a myriad of extinct lineages. Despite over a century of study, the inter-relationships of some extinct perissodactyl families remain poorly resolved. New morphological characters are needed to help solve this issue. Recent studies suggest that the ear region, ., the petrosal and the bony labyrinth of the inner ear, is a valuable source of morp...
Shoe configuration effects on equine forelimb gait kinetics at a walk.
PeerJ    February 26, 2025   Volume 13 e18940 doi: 10.7717/peerj.18940
Aoun R, Ogunmola Z, Musso A, Taguchi T, Takawira C, Lopez MJ.The shift in vertical forces on the equine hoof surface by heart-bar, egg-bar, and wooden clog shoes can significantly impact gait kinetics. Hypotheses tested in this study were that vertical, braking, and propulsion peak force (PF) and impulse (IMP) are different while shod with heart-bar, egg-bar, open-heel, and wooden clog shoes, or while unshod, and the resultant ground reaction force vector (GRF YZ ) has the longest duration of cranial angulation with open-heel shoes followed by unshod, then egg-bar and heart-bar shoes, and the shortest with wooden clog shoes. Forelimb GRFs were recorded ...
Changes in bacterial viability after preparation and storage of fecal microbiota transplantation solution using equine feces.
PeerJ    February 20, 2025   Volume 13 e18860 doi: 10.7717/peerj.18860
Arantes JA, Di Pietro R, Ratté M, Arroyo LG, Leclère M, Costa MC.Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been used as a treatment option for horses (Equus caballus) with gastrointestinal diseases. Several preparation and conservation protocols to improve bacterial survival have been studied in other species. Unassigned: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of oxygen exposure and different protectant solutions on bacterial viability before and after freezing using horse feces. Fecal samples from 10 healthy horses were aliquoted and diluted in cryoprotectant solutions containing antioxidants (n = 40) or 10% glycerol (n = 40). Half of the aliquots from e...
Enhancement of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with guanidine hydrochloride for the detection of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (Strangles).
PeerJ    October 8, 2024   Volume 12 e17955 doi: 10.7717/peerj.17955
Knox A, Beddoe T. subspecies , commonly referred to as "strangles", poses a significant biosecurity challenge across equine farms worldwide. The continuous prevalence and highly transmissibility of strangles necessitates a rapid and accurate diagnostic procedure. However, current "gold-standard" techniques, such as cultures and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), are unreliable or inaccessible, and require lengthy periods between sample collection and results. Moreover, the lack of a standardized detection protocol can lead to variations in results. This study aimed to develop a reproducible and fie...
Natural grazing by horses and cattle promotes bird diversity in a restored European alluvial grassland.
PeerJ    July 19, 2024   Volume 12 e17777 doi: 10.7717/peerj.17777
Lovász L, Korner-Nievergelt F, Amrhein V.A challenge in grassland conservation is to maintain both the openness and the heterogeneity of the habitat to support the diversity of their animal communities, including birds-a taxon that is known to be sensitive to disturbance. An increasingly used management tool in European grassland conservation, especially in rewilding projects, is grazing by large herbivores such as horses and cattle. These grazers are believed to create and maintain patchy landscapes that promote diversity and richness of other species, but their influence on birds is often debated by conservationists, who raise conc...
Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome reveal the genetic structure of the native Polish Konik horse population.
PeerJ    June 20, 2024   Volume 12 e17549 doi: 10.7717/peerj.17549
Musiał AD, Radović L, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Bieniek A, Wallner B, Ropka-Molik K.Polish Konik remains one of the most important horse breeds in Poland. The primitive, native horses with a stocky body and mouse-like coat color are protected by a conservation program, while their Polish population consists of about 3,480 individuals, representing 16 dam and six sire lines. To define the population's genetic structure, mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome sequence variables were identified. The mtDNA whole hypervariable region analysis was carried out using the Sanger sequencing method on 233 Polish Koniks belonging to all dam lines, while the Y chromosome analysis was performe...
Immortalization of American miniature horse-derived fibroblast by cell cycle regulator with normal karyotype.
PeerJ    January 26, 2024   Volume 12 e16832 doi: 10.7717/peerj.16832
Tani T.Immortalized cells serve as a crucial research tool that capitalizes on their robust proliferative properties for functional investigations of an organism. Establishing an immortalized American miniature horse cell line could yield valuable insights into these animals' genetic and physiological characteristics and susceptibility to health issues. To date, immortalized small horse cells with normal karyotypes have not been established. In this study, we successfully established primary and immortalized fibroblast cell lines through the combined expression of human-derived mutant cyclin-dependen...
Pilot study of locomotor asymmetry in horses walking in circles with and without a rider.
PeerJ    November 2, 2023   Volume 11 e16373 doi: 10.7717/peerj.16373
Egenvall A, Clayton HM, Byström A.Horses commonly show asymmetries that manifest as left (L)-right (R) differences in vertical excursion of axial body segments. Moving on a circle confounds inherent individual asymmetries. Our goals were to evaluate individual and group asymmetry patterns and compare objective data with subjective impressions of side preference/laterality in horses walking on L and R circles. Unassigned: Fifteen horses walked on L and R circles unridden and ridden on long and short reins. Optical motion capture (150 Hz) tracked skin-fixed markers. Variables were trunk horizontal angle; neck-to-trunk angle; ver...
The bony cap and its distinction from the distal phalanx in humans, cats, and horses.
PeerJ    January 10, 2023   Volume 11 e14352 doi: 10.7717/peerj.14352
Smith S, Yohe LR, Solounias N.It has been recognized as early as the Victorian era that the apex of the distal phalanx has a distinct embryological development from the main shaft of the distal phalanx. Recent studies in regenerative medicine have placed an emphasis on the role of the apex of the distal phalanx in bone regrowth. Despite knowledge about the unique aspects of the distal phalanx, all phalanges are often treated as equivalent. Our morphological study reiterates and highlights the special anatomical and embryological properties of the apex of the distal phalanx, and names the apex "the bony cap" to distinguish ...
Effects of saddle tilt and stirrup length on the kinetics of horseback riders.
PeerJ    December 5, 2022   Volume 10 e14438 doi: 10.7717/peerj.14438
Elmeua González M, Šarabon N.How the modification of saddle fitting parameters in horse riding affects rider's kinetics is very uncertain. The aim of this study is to describe how manipulating the two main adjustments that an end-user is likely to perform (saddle tilt and stirrup length) affects the biomechanics of a horse rider on a living horse. Eleven showjumpers volunteered to take part in this study. Each participant performed a 120-strides standardization trial at trot and canter, with 0° saddle tilt and stirrup length that would position the rider's knee at 90°. Following the standardization trial, four intervent...
Antimicrobial resistance among Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus and Rhodococcus equi isolated from equine specimens submitted to a diagnostic laboratory in Kentucky, USA.
PeerJ    September 21, 2022   Volume 10 e13682 doi: 10.7717/peerj.13682
Lord J, Carter C, Smith J, Locke S, Phillips E, Odoi A.Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among veterinary pathogens is necessary to identify clinically relevant patterns of AMR and to inform antimicrobial use practices. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus and Rhodococcus equi are bacterial pathogens of major clinical importance in horses and are frequently implicated in respiratory tract infections. The objectives of this study were to describe antimicrobial resistance patterns and identify predictors of AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) (resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes) among equine S. zooepidemicus and R. equi...
Metagenomic investigation of the equine faecal microbiome reveals extensive taxonomic diversity.
PeerJ    March 23, 2022   Volume 10 e13084 doi: 10.7717/peerj.13084
Gilroy R, Leng J, Ravi A, Adriaenssens EM, Oren A, Baker D, La Ragione RM, Proudman C, Pallen MJ.The horse plays crucial roles across the globe, including in horseracing, as a working and companion animal and as a food animal. The horse hindgut microbiome makes a key contribution in turning a high fibre diet into body mass and horsepower. However, despite its importance, the horse hindgut microbiome remains largely undefined. Here, we applied culture-independent shotgun metagenomics to thoroughbred equine faecal samples to deliver novel insights into this complex microbial community. We performed metagenomic sequencing on five equine faecal samples to construct 123 high- or medium-quality...
Ciprofloxacin reduces tenocyte viability and proteoglycan synthesis in short-term explant cultures of equine tendon.
PeerJ    August 30, 2021   Volume 9 e12003 doi: 10.7717/peerj.12003
James S, Schuijers J, Daffy J, Cook J, Samiric T.Fluoroquinolones are an effective, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat an array of bacterial infections. However, they are associated with an increased risk of tendinopathy and tendon rupture even after discontinuation of treatment. This condition is known as fluoroquinolone-associated tendinopathy, the underlying mechanisms of which are poorly understood. While many factors may be involved in the pathophysiology of tendinopathies in general, changes in tenocyte metabolism and viability, as well as alteration of proteoglycan metabolism are prominent findings in the scientific literature. T...
Long-term storage of feces at -80 °C versus -20 °C is negligible for 16S rRNA amplicon profiling of the equine bacterial microbiome.
PeerJ    March 9, 2021   Volume 9 e10837 doi: 10.7717/peerj.10837
Gavriliuc S, Stothart MR, Henry A, Poissant J.The development of next-generation sequencing technologies has spurred a surge of research on bacterial microbiome diversity and function. But despite the rapid growth of the field, many uncertainties remain regarding the impact of differing methodologies on downstream results. Sample storage temperature is conventionally thought to be among the most important factors for ensuring reproducibility across marker gene studies, but to date much of the research on this topic has focused on short-term storage in the context of clinical applications. Consequently, it has remained unclear if storage a...
Evaluation of key miRNAs during early pregnancy in Kazakh horse using RNA sequencing.
PeerJ    February 23, 2021   Volume 9 e10796 doi: 10.7717/peerj.10796
Liu L, Fang C, Sun Y, Liu W.miRNA has an important role in cell differentiation, biological development, and physiology. Milk production is an important quantitative trait in livestock and miRNA plays a role in the amount of milk produced. Methods: The role of regulatory miRNAs involved in equine milk production is not fully understood. We constructed two miRNA libraries for Kazakh horse milk production from higher-producing (H group) and lower-producing (L group) individuals, and used RNA-Seq technology to identify the differentially expressed miRNAs between the two milk phenotypes of Kazakh horses. Results: A total of ...
Metabolic impact of weight variations in Icelandic horses.
PeerJ    January 28, 2021   Volume 9 e10764 doi: 10.7717/peerj.10764
Delarocque J, Frers F, Huber K, Jung K, Feige K, Warnken T.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is an equine endocrine disorder, which is often accompanied by obesity and various metabolic perturbations. The relationship between weight variations and fluctuations of the insulin response to oral glucose tests (OGT) as well as the metabolic impact of ID have been described previously. The present study seeks to characterize the concomitant metabolic impact of variations in the insulin response and bodyweight during repeated OGTs using a metabolomics approach. Methods: Nineteen Icelandic horses were subjected to five OGTs over one year and their bodyweight, insuli...
Kinematic effects of the circle with and without rider in walking horses.
PeerJ    November 18, 2020   Volume 8 e10354 doi: 10.7717/peerj.10354
Egenvall A, Engström H, Byström A.Biomechanical studies of walk, especially walk on the circle, are scarce, while circles or curved tracks are frequently used during equestrian activities. To study horse-rider-circle interactions on the circle, the first steps would be to investigate how the unridden, freely walking horse is influenced by circular movement, and then add a rider. The aim was to study horse vertical trunk movements, and sagittal cannon angles (protraction-retraction) during walk in straight-line and on the circle without rider, and on the circle with a rider using minimal influence. Methods: Ten horses were ridd...
Foraging efficiency, social status and body condition in group-living horses and ponies.
PeerJ    November 9, 2020   Volume 8 e10305 doi: 10.7717/peerj.10305
Giles SL, Harris P, Rands SA, Nicol CJ.Individual animals experience different costs and benefits associated with group living, which may impact on their foraging efficiency in ways not yet well specified. This study investigated associations between social dominance, body condition and interruptions to foraging behaviour in a cross-sectional study of 116 domestic horses and ponies, kept in 20 discrete herds. Social dominance was measured for each individual alongside observations of winter foraging behaviour. During bouts of foraging, the duration, frequency and category (vigilance, movement, social displacements given and receive...
Genetic variation and selection in the major histocompatibility complex Class II gene in the Guizhou pony.
PeerJ    September 18, 2020   Volume 8 e9889 doi: 10.7717/peerj.9889
Liu C, Lei H, Ran X, Wang J.The Guizhou pony (GZP) is an indigenous species of equid found in the mountains of the Guizhou province in southwest China. We selected four regions of the equine leukocyte antigen (ELA), including , , and and used them to assess the diversity of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene using direct sequencing technology. had the lowest / ratio (0.560) compared with the other three loci, indicating that was conserved and could be conserved after undergoing selective processes. Nine , five , nine and seven codons were under significant positive selection at the antigen b...
Mechanical nociceptive assessment of the equine hoof following distal interphalangeal joint intra-articular anesthesia.
PeerJ    August 11, 2020   Volume 8 e9469 doi: 10.7717/peerj.9469
Malacarne BD, Cota LO, Neto ACP, Paz CFR, Dias LA, Corrêa MG, Carvalho AM, Faleiros RR, Xavier ABS.With the hypothesis that equine dorsal lamellar tissue can be desensitized by anesthesia injection into distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ), the objective was to assess the mechanical nociceptive threshold of hoof dorsal lamellae following intra-articular (IA) administration of lidocaine into this joint. Methods: The DIPJ of the forelimbs of six adult healthy horses were injected with either 5 mL of lidocaine, or 5 mL of lactated Ringer's solution. Treatments were randomly distributed, with each forelimb undergoing a single treatment. The hooves were evaluated pre- and post-injection at pre-se...
The metabolic profile of Asinara (albino) and Sardo donkeys (pigmented) (Equus asinus L., 1758) points to unequivocal breed assignment of individuals.
PeerJ    July 8, 2020   Volume 8 e9297 doi: 10.7717/peerj.9297
Cappai MG, Dimauro C, Biggio GP, Cherchi R, Accioni F, Pudda F, Boatto G, Pinna W.This study pointed to explore if variations in circulating levels of metabolites in the blood stream of no. 25 feral donkeys occur in view of the different coat color between specimens of Asinara (albino, no. 8) vs. Sardo (dun-grey, no. 17) breed. All individuals involved in this investigation are living in the nature, at Mediterranean latitudes and roam in the same areas all over the National Park of Capo Caccia, where they feed on spontaneous vegetation sources. The study was conducted during the positive photoperiod of the boreal hemisphere (peak in the month of June, 2019) to maximize the ...
Mitochondrial DNA variation in the Italian Heavy Draught Horse.
PeerJ    May 15, 2020   Volume 8 e8996 doi: 10.7717/peerj.8996
Lancioni H, Cardinali I, Giontella A, Antognoni MT, Miglio A.In the last decades, Italy as well as other developed countries have registered a decrease in the population size of many local horse breeds. The continuous crossbreeding has determined the dilution of genetic heritage of several native breeds. The Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHD) is the only autochthonous Italian coldblooded horse among these breeds; therefore, it represents a resource to be preserved. In 1927, the first generation of this breed was officially created by crossing different Heavy Draught horses with local mares and recorded in a Studbook. Methods: To provide the first compreh...
EEG based assessment of stress in horses: a pilot study.
PeerJ    May 12, 2020   Volume 8 e8629 doi: 10.7717/peerj.8629
de Camp NV, Ladwig-Wiegard M, Geitner CIE, Bergeler J, Thöne-Reineke C.As has been hypothesized more than 20 years ago, data derived from Electroencephalography (EEG) measurements can be used to distinguish between behavioral states associated with animal welfare. In our current study we found a high degree of correlation between the modulation index of phase related amplitude changes in the EEG of horses ( = 6 measurements with three different horses, mare and gelding) and their facial expression, measured by the use of the horse grimace scale. Furthermore, the pattern of phase amplitude coupling (PAC) was significantly different between a rest condition and a s...
A scoping review of determinants of performance in dressage.
PeerJ    April 24, 2020   Volume 8 e9022 doi: 10.7717/peerj.9022
Hobbs SJ, St George L, Reed J, Stockley R, Thetford C, Sinclair J, Williams J, Nankervis K, Clayton HM.As a first step in achieving an evidence-based classification system for the sport of Para Dressage, there is a clear need to define elite dressage performance. Previous studies have attempted to quantify performance with able-bodied riders using scientific methods; however, definitive measures have yet to be established for the horse and/or the rider. This may be, in part, due to the variety of movements and gaits that are found within a dressage test and also due to the complexity of the horse-rider partnership. The aim of this review is therefore to identify objective measurements of horse ...
Genetic and serologic surveillance of canine (CIV) and equine (EIV) influenza virus in Nuevo León State, México.
PeerJ    December 17, 2019   Volume 7 e8239 doi: 10.7717/peerj.8239
Plata-Hipólito CB, Cedillo-Rosales S, Obregón-Macías N, Hernández-Luna CE, Rodríguez-Padilla C, Tamez-Guerra RS, Contreras-Cordero JF.Despite the uncontrolled distribution of the Influenza A virus through wild birds, the detection of canine influenza virus and equine influenza virus in Mexico was absent until now. Recently, outbreaks of equine and canine influenza have been reported around the world; the virus spreads quickly among animals and there is potential for zoonotic transmission. Methods: Amplification of the Influenza A virus matrix gene from necropsies, nasal and conjunctival swabs from trash service horses and pets/stray dogs was performed through RT-PCR. The seroprevalence was carried out through Sandwich enzyme...
Effects of a blend of green tea and curcuma extract supplementation on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in horses and ponies.
PeerJ    November 12, 2019   Volume 7 e8053 doi: 10.7717/peerj.8053
Starzonek J, Roscher K, Blüher M, Blaue D, Schedlbauer C, Hirz M, Raila J, Vervuert I.In horses and ponies numerous medical conditions are known to be linked with inflammation in different tissues, especially in the liver. Besides affecting other metabolic pathways such as the expression of certain interleukins (IL), inflammation is associated with stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In particular, ER stress leads to adaptive stress response and can be measured by several markers of inflammatory and stress signalling pathways, like nuclear factor κB (NF-kB). Objective: To investigate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory reactions and their modulation in horses a...
Collisional mechanics of the diagonal gaits of horses over a range of speeds.
PeerJ    September 17, 2019   Volume 7 e7689 doi: 10.7717/peerj.7689
Hobbs SJ, Clayton HM.One of the goals of the neuromotor control system is to minimize the cost of locomotion by reducing mechanical energy losses. Collisional mechanics, which studies the redirection of the downwards motion of the center of mass (COM) by ground reaction forces (GRF) generated by the limbs, represents an important source of energy loss. The primary objective of this study was to compare collisional mechanics and the associated mechanical energy losses in horses performing diagonally-synchronized gaits over a range of speeds. It is to be expected that collisional energy losses will be high when the ...