Topic:Adaptation
Adaptation in horses encompasses the genetic, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms that enable them to adjust to diverse environmental and management challenges. These adaptations support survival and performance under varying climates, nutritional regimes, and physical demands. By examining how horses respond to stress, exercise, and changes in their surroundings, researchers gain valuable insights into equine health and resilience. This page compiles peer-reviewed studies and scholarly articles that explore the molecular, clinical, and practical aspects of adaptation in horses, emphasizing its importance in veterinary care and equine management.
Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus: High molecular diversity of Argentinian strains isolated from mares with endometritis. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a mucosal commensal of the lower genital tract in horses and is the most isolated bacterium causing endometritis in mares. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular diversity of S. zooepidemicus obtained from endometritis in mares in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Thirty isolates obtained from the uterus of mares in 2005 and 2017 were studied. The MLST scheme was applied to identify the Argentinian genotypes and the clonal relationships and patterns of evolutionary descent were identified using the eBURST algorithm - g...
Population structure and genomic diversity of the Einsiedler horse. The breeding history of the Einsiedler horse is closely connected with the Benedictine cloister Einsiedeln. In the mid-nineteenth century, it was decided to use European Warmblood stallions for cross-breeding and to abandon the selection of stallions. Since that time, it has only been possible to trace back the origin of Einsiedler horses using maternal ancestry information. Here, we collected high-density genotype data for European Warmblood horses (Selle Français, Swiss Warmblood and Einsiedler) and Franches-Montagnes horses, the last native Swiss horse breed, to unravel the current populat...
Phenotypic characterisation and production system of the Nordestino horse from a multivariate perspective. Zootechnical data is a big challenge in the extensive rearing system of Brazilian locally adapted breeds once smallholdings with limited resources and funds rear them. So, information on Brazil's breeding system of locally adapted breeds is still scarce; this situation is more challenging for equine breeds. The present study aimed to describe the local rearing systems and the phenotypic profile of the Nordestino horse breed in Paraíba state and contribute to breed conservation. Data from males (entire and castrated) and females from 50 municipalities in Paraíba state were used. Two hundred s...
Equine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture. Groundbreaking work by Takahashi and Yamanaka in 2006 demonstrated that non-embryonic cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) by forcing the expression of a defined set of transcription factors in culture, thus overcoming ethical concerns linked to embryonic stem cells. Induced PSCs have since revolutionized biomedical research, holding tremendous potential also in other areas such as livestock production and wildlife conservation. iPSCs exhibit broad accessibility, having been derived from a multitude of cell types and species. Apart from humans, iPSCs hold particular med...
Comparative Assessment of Oxidative and Antioxidant Parameters in Mule and Horse Neonates during Their First Month of Extrauterine Adaptation. After parturition, a rapid transition occurs from the intrauterine to the extrauterine milieu, exposing neonates to physiological circumstances characterized by oxidative conditions that instigate the generation of reactive oxygen species. These free radicals play pivotal roles in physiological processes; however, an imbalance between their production and the removal of antioxidants can result in severe cellular damage. The main objective of this study was to compare the oxidative and antioxidant profiles in mule and horse neonates immediately post-parturition, as well as at subsequent time po...
Genome-wide copy number variation detection in a large cohort of diverse horse breeds by whole-genome sequencing. Understanding how genetic variants alter phenotypes is an essential aspect of genetic research. Copy number variations (CNVs), a type of prevalent genetic variation in the genome, have been the subject of extensive study for decades. Numerous CNVs have been identified and linked to specific phenotypes and diseases in horses. However, few studies utilizing whole-genome sequencing to detect CNVs in large horse populations have been conducted. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing on a large cohort of 97 horses from 16 horse populations using Illumina Hiseq panels to detect common and breed-...
Genome-wide epigenetic modifications in sports horses during training as an adaptation phenomenon. With his bicentennial breeding history based on athletic performance, the Thoroughbred horse can be considered the equine sport breed. Although genomic and transcriptomic tools and knowledge are at the state of the art in equine species, the epigenome and its modifications in response to environmental stimuli, such as training, are less studied. One of the major epigenetic modifications is cytosine methylation at 5' of DNA molecules. This crucial biochemical modification directly mediates biological processes and, to some extent, determines the organisms' phenotypic plasticity. Exercise indeed...
Kinetic, genomic, and physiological analysis reveals diversity in the ecological adaptation and metabolic potential of Brachybacterium equifaecis sp. nov. isolated from horse feces. Brachybacterium species have been identified in various ecological niches and belong to the family within the phylum . In this study, we isolated a novel JHP9 strain from horse feces and compared its kinetic, biochemical, and genomic features with those of other strains. Moreover, comparative genomic analysis using publicly available genomes was performed to determine the properties involved in their ecological adaptation and metabolic potential. Novel species delineation was determined phylogenetically through 16S rRNA gene similarity (up to 97.9%), average nucleotide identity (79.5-82.5%...
Analysis of the Usage Context of an mHealth Application for Equestrians. One possibility to support veterinarians in times of a vet shortage is by providing animal owners with a technical decision support for deciding whether their animal needs to be seen by a vet. As the first step in the user-centered development of such an mHealth application for equestrians, an analysis of the context of use was done. Methods: The analysis was carried out by reviewing existing literature and conducting an online survey with 100 participants. Results: Characteristics of the user group and the usage context are presented using an adaptation of the four layers of diversity. Many e...
Effects of pregnancy on electrocardiographic, vasovagal tonus index, and echocardiographic variables in horses. Pregnancy affects maternal hemodynamics. The changes in autonomic nervous system activity for hemodynamics adaptation in pregnant horses are still unclear. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effect of pregnancy on electrocardiographic, vasovagal tonus index, and echocardiographic variables in horses. Unassigned: A total of 23 Thai native crossbred mares without any cardiac abnormalities were included in this study. The animals were assigned into two groups, a non-pregnant mare group (n =12) and a pregnant mare group (n = 11). Electrocardiogram recordings (paper speed = 25 mm/s and calibrati...
Circadian Variation of Peripheral Blood Cells in Horses Maintained in Different Environmental and Management Conditions. The aim of our study was to analyze circadian rhythm of the hematological profile of horses housed in a loose box and paddock during the different seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). Blood samples were performed every 4 h for 48 consecutive hours. Red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), white blood cells (WBCs), platelets (PLTs), and leukocyte subpopulations (neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes) were analyzed, and, at the same time, environmental conditions were recorded. A statistically significant effect of housing conditions ( < 0...
Cardiac Changes after Lactate-Guided Conditioning in Young Purebred Arabian Horses. Cardiac adaptation to conditioning in horses was evaluated after empirical training based on trainers' experience. Twelve purebred Arabian horses, aged (mean ± SD) 28.42 ± 3.75 months, which did not perform any type of exercise prior to the research, were submitted to treadmill conditioning for six weeks. The conditioning program was based on the velocity run by the horse at which the blood lactate concentration, determined in an incremental exercise test (IET), reached 2 mmol/L (V). The velocity at which the blood lactate concentration reached 4 mmol/L (V) was also determined. The echocardi...
The Amelioration of Grazing through Physiological Integration by a Clonal Dune Plant. Rhizomatous growth and associated physiological integration can allow a clonal dune species to potentially compensate for the selective removal of leaves associated with herbivory. is a rhizomatous clonal plant species that is abundant in the coastal dune environments of the southeastern United States that are inhabited by large feral horse populations. has been shown to integrate resources among ramets within extensive clones as an adaptation to resource heterogeneity in sandy soils. In this study, we hypothesized that clonal integration is a mechanism that promotes persistence in these co...
Comparison of gut microflora of donkeys in high and low altitude areas. Donkeys' gut microbe is critical for their health and adaptation to the environment. Little research has been conducted on the donkey gut microbiome compared with other domestic animals. The Tibetan Plateau is an extreme environment. In this study, 6 Qinghai donkeys (QH) from the Tibetan Plateau and 6 Dezhou donkeys (DZ) were investigated, and the contents of 4 parts-stomach, small intestine, cecum, and rectum-were collected. 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomic sequencing were used to analyze the composition and diversity of gut microbial communities in donkeys. The results showed that the flo...
Influence of weather on the behaviour of reintroduced Przewalski’s horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia): implications for conservation. Reintroduction is a common technique for re-establishing threatened species. However, the adaptation to novel habitats with distinct conditions poses a risk of failure. Weather conditions affect the behaviour of animals, and thus, their adaptation to new conditions and survival. Reintroduced Przewalski's horses living in Mongolia's continental arid climate with extreme temperature and precipitation variability, serve as an ideal model species for studying the behavioural response of selected groups to these harsh conditions. Methods: The research was conducted in The Great Gobi B Strictly Prot...
Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies: State-of-the-Art Review. The purpose of this paper is to explore what is known about equine-assisted activities and therapies based on Roy's adaptation model. Quality of life for vulnerable populations who engage with equine-assisted activities and therapies is considered the main concept here. This state-of-the-art review was conducted from four databases ranging from January 2019 to February 2020. Limited studies examined the effect of equine-assisted activities and therapies on cancer survivors, although preliminary data were promising. The rural context was not extensively examined. Thus, equine-assisted activitie...
Convergent genomic signatures of high-altitude adaptation among domestic mammals. Abundant and diverse domestic mammals living on the Tibetan Plateau provide useful materials for investigating adaptive evolution and genetic convergence. Here, we used 327 genomes from horses, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and dogs living at both high and low altitudes, including 73 genomes generated for this study, to disentangle the genetic mechanisms underlying local adaptation of domestic mammals. Although molecular convergence is comparatively rare at the DNA sequence level, we found convergent signature of positive selection at the gene level, particularly the gene in these Tibetan domest...
Heart rate variability parameters as markers of the adaptation to a sealed environment (a hypoxic normobaric chamber) in the horse. Simulated hypoxic normobaric devices have been used in human beings in order to enhance endurance capacity. These devices are sealed chambers where the athletes are supposed to stay for at least 6-8 hr daily. The current research assesses the changes in time-domain, spectral and non-geometrical heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in 6 horses subjected to progressive duration periods inside of a hermetically sealed chamber. It was pursued, firstly to evaluate the intensity of the stress experienced by the animals and secondly to elucidate whether the horses might require an acclimation per...
Effects of Overcheck Use on Stress Parameters and Welfare Implications in Driving Horses. Three sequential studies were performed to evaluate the effects of tying horses while wearing overchecks (strap from the bridle to backpad). In an observational study, horses (n = 305) wore high (HC), low (LC), or no overchecks (NC) with frequencies of 29.2%, 51.8% and 19.0% respectively. Study 1 (Latin square, n = 6) consisted of a 90-min tie test (90TT) with treatments (HC, LC, NC) x periods (1-3). Horses wearing HC had higher plasma cortisol (P < 0.01) when compared to LC and NC. Muscle soreness (MSS) and tightness (MTS) were evaluated pre and 24 hr post 90TT and were higher (P <...
Human Demonstration Does Not Facilitate the Performance of Horses (Equus caballus) in a Spatial Problem-Solving Task. Horses’ ability to adapt to new environments and to acquire new information plays an important role in handling and training. Social learning in particular would be very adaptive for horses as it enables them to flexibly adjust to new environments. In the context of horse handling, social learning from humans has been rarely investigated but could help to facilitate management practices. We assessed the impact of human demonstration on the spatial problem-solving abilities of horses during a detour task. In this task, a bucket with a food reward was placed behind a double-detour barrier ...
Mathematical modelling of bone adaptation of the metacarpal subchondral bone in racehorses. In Thoroughbred racehorses, fractures of the distal limb are commonly catastrophic. Most of these fractures occur due to the accumulation of fatigue damage from repetitive loading, as evidenced by microdamage at the predilection sites for fracture. Adaptation of the bone in response to training loads is important for fatigue resistance. In order to better understand the mechanism of subchondral bone adaptation to its loading environment, we utilised a square root function defining the relationship between bone volume fraction [Formula: see text] and specific surface [Formula: see text] of the ...
Coat colour adaptation of post-glacial horses to increasing forest vegetation. Wild horses unexpectedly survived terminal Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions until eventual European extirpation in the twentieth century. This survival is tied to either their occurrence in cryptic open habitats or their adaptation to forests. Our niche modelling inferred an increasing presence of horses in post-glacial forests, and our analysis of ancient DNA suggested significant selection for black phenotypes as indicating adaptation to forests.
D-loop haplotype diversity in Brazilian horse breeds. The first horses were brought to Brazil by the colonizers after 1534. Over the centuries, these animals evolved and adapted to local environmental conditions usually unsuitable for exotic breeds, thereby originating locally adapted Brazilian breeds. The present work represents the first description of maternal genetic diversity in these horse breeds based on D-loop sequences. A D-Loop HSV-I fragment of 252 bp, from 141 horses belonging to ten Brazilian breeds / genetic groups (locally adapted and specialized breeds) were analysed. Thirty-five different haplotypes belonging to 18 haplogroups we...
[Horse, cow and reindeer were converted into arctic domestic animals]. Domestic animal production in the arctic region is often thought to be based exclusively on reindeer herding. There are, however, regions in Northern Europe and Siberia having a long tradition in rearing breeds of cattle and horse adapted to the northers conditions also. The development of these arctic animal breeds has been largely founded on old tradition rather than on the programs of breeding organizations. As a result of the selection carried out by nature and man, the domestic animals of arctic regions express characteristics that are metabolic, structural, associated with reproductive p...
Polymorphism and preadaptation of horses (Equus) of the mountains surrounding Lake Baikal in Pleistocene. The first data on polymorphism and preadaptation of the Pleistocene horses in the mountains surrounding Lake Baikal are presented. It has been shown that disregard of intraspecific polymorphism leads to unreasonable ignoring of their diversity, phylogenetically false constructions, and incorrect interpretation of natural environment.
Skeletal muscle adaptations and muscle genomics of performance horses. Skeletal muscles in horses are characterised by specific adaptations, which are the result of the natural evolution of the horse as a grazing animal, centuries of selective breeding and the adaptability of this tissue in response to training. These adaptations include an increased muscle mass relative to body weight, a great locomotor efficiency based upon an admirable muscle-tendon architectural design and an adaptable fibre-type composition with intrinsic shortening velocities greater than would be predicted from an animal of comparable body size. Furthermore, equine skeletal muscles have a ...
Tracking the origins of Yakutian horses and the genetic basis for their fast adaptation to subarctic environments. Yakutia, Sakha Republic, in the Siberian Far East, represents one of the coldest places on Earth, with winter record temperatures dropping below -70 °C. Nevertheless, Yakutian horses survive all year round in the open air due to striking phenotypic adaptations, including compact body conformations, extremely hairy winter coats, and acute seasonal differences in metabolic activities. The evolutionary origins of Yakutian horses and the genetic basis of their adaptations remain, however, contentious. Here, we present the complete genomes of nine present-day Yakutian horses and two ancient specim...
Changes of coat cover in primitive horses living on a reserve. Changes in the coat cover are important for mammalian thermoregulation. This is especially true where variable environmental conditions exist throughout the seasons. Coat cover shedding is the replacement of old coat hair with new hair. The process differs in various equids. The aim of the study was to examine the changes in the coat of primitive Polish Konik horses living on a reserve in southeast Poland (50.6319° N). The reserve is located in a temperate climate. The mean temperature is below 0°C in winter (December 8 to March 9) and over 15°C in summer (June 8 to September 8). Five adult...
Equine and Canine Influenza H3N8 Viruses Show Minimal Biological Differences Despite Phylogenetic Divergence. The A/H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV) emerged from A/H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) around the year 2000 through the transfer of a single virus from horses to dogs. We defined and compared the biological properties of EIV and CIV by examining their genetic variation, infection, and growth in different cell cultures, receptor specificity, hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage, and infection and growth in horse and dog tracheal explant cultures. Comparison of sequences of viruses from horses and dogs revealed mutations that may be linked to host adaptation and tropism. We prepared infectious clones o...