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Topic:Animal Science
Animal Science and horses encompass the study of equine biology, physiology, and management practices aimed at understanding and improving horse health, welfare, and performance. This field integrates various scientific disciplines, including genetics, nutrition, reproduction, and behavior, to address the needs of horses in diverse contexts such as sports, work, and companionship. Research in this area often focuses on optimizing feeding strategies, enhancing breeding programs, and developing effective health management protocols. Additionally, studies explore the genetic factors influencing traits such as athleticism and disease resistance, as well as the impact of environmental and management conditions on horse behavior and welfare. This page gathers peer-reviewed research and scholarly articles that investigate the scientific principles underpinning equine science and their practical applications in horse care and management.
Equine Activities Influence Horses’ Responses to Different Stimuli: Could This Have an Impact on Equine Welfare? The learning and cognitive challenges that horses may face differ according to the activities in which they are involved. The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of equine activities on the behavioral responses and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity of adult horses. Forty-one horses were divided into four groups: dressage (9), jumping (10), eventing (13) and equine-assisted activity/therapy (9). A test was created to compare the horses' behavioral and physiological responses to different stimuli. The goal was always to obtain a treat. To study the ANS activity, heart rate...
Culex torrentium: A Potent Vector for the Transmission of West Nile Virus in Central Europe. The continuous circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) in Central, South and East Europe and its recent detection in several dead birds and two horses in Germany highlights the need for information on WNV vector competence of mosquitoes from Central Europe. Therefore, three common Culex species (Culex pipiens biotype pipiens, Culex pipiens biotype molestus and Culex torrentium) from Germany were orally infected with WNV and kept at 18 °C, 21 °C, 24 °C or 27 °C for 14 or 21 days post infection (dpi). Thereafter viable WNV was present in the saliva in all tested taxa, but only at incubation tem...
The Evolution of a Single Toe in Horses: Causes, Consequences, and the Way Forward. Horses are a classic example of macroevolution in three major traits-large body size, tall-crowned teeth (hypsodonty), and a single toe (monodactyly)-but how and why monodactyly evolved is still poorly understood. Existing hypotheses usually connect digit reduction in horses to the spread and eventual dominance of open-habitat grasslands, which took over from forests during the Cenozoic; digit reduction has been argued to be an adaptation for speed, locomotor economy, stability, and/or increased body size. In this review, we assess the evidence for these (not necessarily mutually exclusive) hy...
Identification and validation of genetic variants predictive of gait in standardbred horses. Several horse breeds have been specifically selected for the ability to exhibit alternative patterns of locomotion, or gaits. A premature stop codon in the gene DMRT3 is permissive for "gaitedness" across breeds. However, this mutation is nearly fixed in both American Standardbred trotters and pacers, which perform a diagonal and lateral gait, respectively, during harness racing. This suggests that modifying alleles must influence the preferred gait at racing speeds in these populations. A genome-wide association analysis for the ability to pace was performed in 542 Standardbred horses (n = 17...
Feral horses’ (Equus ferus caballus) behavior toward dying and dead conspecifics. In the rapidly expanding field of comparative thanatology, reports from a wide range of taxa suggest that some aspects of a concept of death may be shared by many non-human species. In horses, there are only a few anecdotal reports on behaviors toward dead conspecifics, mostly concerning domestic individuals. Here, we describe the case of a 2-month-old, free-ranging male foal that died around 12 h after being found severely injured due to a presumed wolf attack, focusing on other individuals' reactions to the dying foal. We also placed camera traps near horse carcasses to investigate reaction...
Genomic measures of inbreeding in the Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotter and their associations with known QTL for reproduction and health traits. Since the 1950s, the Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded trotter (NSCT) has been intensively selected for harness racing performance. As a result, the racing performance of the NSCT has improved remarkably; however, this improved racing performance has also been accompanied by a gradual increase in inbreeding level. Inbreeding in NSCT has historically been monitored by using traditional methods that are based on pedigree analysis, but with recent advancements in genomics, the NSCT industry has shown interest in adopting molecular approaches for the selection and maintenance of this breed. Consequent...
Estimation of Live Weight by Body Measurements in the Miranda Donkey Breed. The use of the measurement of heart girth (HG), in locations where a scale is not available, with the application of weight estimation formulas or special weight tapes, is well established as a practical and accurate way to estimate the live weight (LW). Although several studies were performed to correlate donkey body measurements and LW, none of these was done in the large frame European donkey breeds. When using smaller frame breeds formulas, the tendency was to underestimate the live weight of larger frame breeds. The sample used in this study consisted of 65 Miranda breed donkeys, with age...
Responding to Risk: Regulation or Prohibition? New Zealand Media Reporting of Thoroughbred Jumps Racing 2016-2018. Jumps racing involves a higher risk of accident and fatality than flat racing. The wide accessibility of media, combined with alternate views regarding the place of animals in society, raises the question of the acceptability of the continuation of jumps racing. Racing data and media articles from Newztext and Google news search were collected for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 jumps racing seasons, during which the fatality rate was 5.8 per 1000 starters. Jumps racing articles comprised 3.4% of all race reporting, and the volume of discussion about jumps racing was minimal (2.9% of jumps race ar...
Chemical Analysis of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) and Its Effects on Redox Status and on Reproductive Biology in Stallions †. The present study was conducted to assess the chemical composition of Yellow Maca () and its biological activity on stallions following oral administration of hypocotyl powder. Maca was subjected to methanolic extraction and the chemical analysis was carried out by LC-MS-QTOF (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry). Our results showed that Maca contains some effective antioxidants, a high percentage of glucosinolates, and other important components with a high antioxidant capacity. To evaluate the plant biological activity in stallions fed with Maca powder for 60 days, the redox status and s...
The Effect of Goldfish (Carassius auratus) on Water Quality in Horse Stock Tanks. Goldfish (Carassius auratus) have been reported as a method to keep water tanks clean; however, little information exists on this approach. The objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of goldfish on maintaining water quality in tanks and to evaluate the frequency that this method is used. The first objective was completed during June through October 2017 in St. Paul, MN, using plastic and metal 379 L stock tanks, each with and without goldfish in a drylot that housed six adult horses. The stocking rate was 5 goldfish per tank. Daily readings of total dissolved solids (TDS) and water turbidit...
Heart Rate Monitoring in Mangalarga Marchador Horses During a Field Marcha Test. Measurement of heart rate (HR) and velocity before, during, and after training exercises under field conditions indicates health and fitness level and intensity of imposed physical effort and allows rapid adjustments in training and nutritional protocols, improving welfare of athletic horses. The aim of this study was to monitor HR of Mangalarga Marchador horses during a marcha field test. Fifteen Mangalarga Marchador horses were evaluated during an aerobic exercise (marcha) for 40 minutes using a HR monitor system with GPS (Polar RS800CX-G3). Results were analyzed through Polar ProTrainer 5 ...
Vitrification of stallion sperm using 0.25 ml straws: Effect of volume, concentration and carbohydrates (sucrose/trehalose/raffinose). Sperm vitrification is a rapid freezing method in which carbohydrates are used as cryoprotectants. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal volume, concentration and type of carbohydrates for stallion sperm vitrification using 0.25 ml straws in comparison to conventional freezing. Ejaculates (n = 54) were collected from six stallions. For vitrification, straws were filled with different volumes (30, 70, 100 μl), sperm concentrations (50, 100, 200 × 10 sperm/ml) and extenders containing sucrose (20, 100, 200 mM), trehalose (50, 100, 200 mM) and raffinose (50, 100, 20...
Schwannosis in Three Foals and a Calf. Proliferation of ectopic Schwann cells within the central nervous system (CNS) parenchyma (schwannosis) in early life is most commonly associated with human neurofibromatosis type-2 and has been unrecognized in domestic animals. Three foals and a calf, 5 to 11 weeks old, with progressive neurological signs from birth were studied. Histologically, at multiple levels of the spinal cord, all animals had bilateral plaques of proliferative spindle cells, predominantly affecting the white matter adjacent to dorsal and ventral nerve roots and variably extending into the gray matter. Proliferating cel...
Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Farrier-Related Barriers to Successful Farriery Interventions for Equine Welfare in India. Farriery is a critical component of healthcare services for working equids. However, in India, an informal workforce, lack of structured training facilities and non-implementation of farriery regulations pose challenges for quality farriery. Brooke India, an equine welfare organisation, has undertaken many initiatives aiming to improve farriery services, including technical training and engagement with equid-owning communities. However, this has met with varying success. The study aimed to identify factors that prevent farriers providing quality farriery services. Focus-group discussions were ...
Tracking main environmental factors masking a minor steroidal doping effect using metabolomic analysis of horse urine by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. There is an urgent need to implement holistic and untargeted doping control protocols with improved discriminatory power, compared to conventional methods that only target doping agents. Metabolomics, which aims to characterize all metabolites present in biological matrices, could fulfill this need. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of environmental factors on the ability to obtain a metabolic signature of stanozolol administration in horse doping situation. Urine samples from 16 horses breeded in two different places were collected over a one-year period, befor...
Horse Paleogenomes and Human-Animal Interactions in Prehistory. A new analysis of paleogenomic data from 278 ancient horses (Fages et al. Cellhttp://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.049) finds that this animal - crucially important to many ancient and contemporary human societies for subsistence, transportation, conflict, and more - was domesticated in at least two different regions, but with the geographic and cultural origins of the modern domestic horse lineage remaining unknown. By tracing ancient horse population movements and inferring the spatiotemporal trajectories of phenotypic adaptations, this study provides fresh perspectives on past human group ...
Bloodmeal analysis in Culicoides midges collected near horses, donkeys and zebras in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. An upsurge in African horse sickness (AHS) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, from 2006 led to an epidemiological reassessment of the disease there. Light trapping surveys carried out near horses, donkeys and zebras in 2014-2016 collected 39 species of Culicoides midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) that are potential vectors of AHS. To establish if these midges fed on equids, DNA sequences were obtained from the gut contents of 52 female midges (35 freshly blood-fed, 13 gravid and four parous), representing 11 species collected across 11 sites. Culicoides leucostictus fed on all three equids. Cul...
Molecular identification of late and terminal Pleistocene Equus ovodovi from northeastern China. The extant diversity of horses (family Equidae) represents a small fraction of that occurring over their evolutionary history. One such lost lineage is the subgenus Sussemionus, which is thought to have become extinct during the Middle Pleistocene. However, recent molecular studies and morphological analysis have revealed that one of their representatives, E. ovodovi, did exist in Siberia during the Late Pleistocene. Fossil materials of E. ovodovi have thus far only been found in Russia. In this study, we extracted DNA from three equid fossil specimens excavated from northeastern China dated a...
Efficacy of Tea Tree Oil in the Treatment of Equine Streptothricosis. Streptothricosis is a dermatitis characterized by matted tufts of hair and coalescing, pustular crusts that affects many livestock species, including horses. It results from cutaneous infection by the actinobacterium Dermatophilus congolensis. For economic reasons, the ailment is often treated with commercially available over-the-counter (OTC) products or home remedies rather than prescribed medications. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of tea tree oil (TTO), an essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, as an OTC treatment for streptothricosis. Bacteria were isolated from presumptive ...
Stem Cells in Equine Veterinary Practice-Current Trends, Risks, and Perspectives. With this Editorial, we introduce the Special Issue "Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Their Extracellular Microvesicles (ExMVs) for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications" to the scientific community. In this issue, we focus on regenerative medicine, stem cells, and their clinical application.
Granulomatous Rhinitis in a Horse due to Mycobacterium intracellulare Infection. Mycobacterial infections in horses are uncommon, but are caused most frequently by Mycobacterium bovis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex or Mycobacterium avium of the M. avium complex. Disease caused by Mycobacterium intracellulare, the second most common species within the M. avium complex, has not been reported in horses to date. Mycobacteriosis in horses most often presents as enteric, pulmonary or, rarely, systemic disease. Here we report a case of M. intracellulare infection in a horse presenting as a granulomatous nasal mass.
Genome-Wide Association Studies Based on Equine Joint Angle Measurements Reveal New QTL Affecting the Conformation of Horses. The evaluation of conformation traits is an important part of selection for breeding stallions and mares. Some of these judged conformation traits involve joint angles that are associated with performance, health, and longevity. To improve our understanding of the genetic background of joint angles in horses, we have objectively measured the angles of the poll, elbow, carpal, fetlock (front and hind), hip, stifle, and hock joints based on one photograph of each of the 300 Franches-Montagnes (FM) and 224 Lipizzan (LIP) horses. After quality control, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for t...
Effects of Harvest Date, Sampling Time, and Cultivar on Total Phenolic Concentrations, Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Concentrations, and Phenolic Profiles of Selected Cool-Season Grasses in Central Kentucky. Grasses are a source of nutrients for grazing horses. However, water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) of grasses have been implicated in some equine health issues. Grasses also contain phenolic compounds, whose sensory and antimicrobial properties may affect forage intake by horses and horse health. The goals of this study were to assess factors affecting phenolic and WSC concentrations in selected cultivars of cool-season grasses and profile the phenolic compounds. Total phenolics and WSC were quantified in "Linn" and "Calibra" perennial ryegrass (PRG), "Cajun II" tall fescue (Cajun TF), "Persist...
Estimation of Actual and Ideal Bodyweight Using Morphometric Measurements of Miniature, Saddle-Type, and Thoroughbred Horses. Adding breed type, height, and neck circumference to body length and girth circumference improves bodyweight (BW) estimation in different breeds of horses; however, equations have not been developed for all breed types. The objectives were to develop BW estimation equations for Miniature, saddle-type, and Thoroughbred horses using morphometric measurements. Measurements were collected on adult (≥3 years, nonpregnant) saddle-type (n = 209), adult (n = 249) and juvenile (<3 years, n = 61) Miniatures, and adult Thoroughbreds (n = 100). Personnel determined body condition score (BCS), m...
The Equine Sarcoid: Why Are There so Many Treatment Options? This article discusses the main treatments for sarcoid and the specific difficulties of these. It explains to some extent why the frustrations of a condition for which there is no single treatment option have led to the burgeoning of an industry of irrational treatments. The factors that need to be considered before selecting an option for treatment are wider than is the case in most other disease entities as a result of the complexity of the condition, its variable phenotypes, and the individual perceptions and experiences of both veterinarians and owners.
Morphometric measurements and zootechnical indices of the Pantanal in race horses of different ages and gender. The aim of this study was to perform linear measurements and assess morphometric indices of equines of the Pantanal race of different ages in the municipality of Poconé-Mato Grosso. Fifty-seven clinically healthy male and female horses between 1 and 19 years of age were selected and divided into groups by sex: 41 animals males and 17 animals femeles, and age groups: group 1 (nine animals up to 12 months of age), group 2 (eight animals from 12 to 24 months), group 3 (15 animals from 24 to 48 months), and group 4 (27 animals older than 48 months). With the aid of a hypometer, the following...
Exercise-induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage: Is It Important and Can It Be Prevented? Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) occurs commonly in horses undergoing strenuous exercise. Reported risk factors include racing in cold temperatures and wearing of bar shoes. In horses with documented moderate to severe EIPH, increasing the interval between races and adopting a negative race pace strategy may reduce the severity of EIPH in subsequent races. EIPH seems to have an impact on performance only when moderate to severe. This occurs in a small number of starters, approximately 6%. EIPH often is erratic in severity from race to race, although across a population it is weakly...
Molecular evidence of bacteria in Melophagus ovinus sheep keds and Hippobosca equina forest flies collected from sheep and horses in northeastern Algeria. The sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus, and the forest fly, Hippobosca equina, are parasitic dipteran insects of veterinary importance. As hematophagous insects, they might be considered as potential vectors of diseases which may be transmissible to humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to present initial primary data about these two species in Algeria. To do so, we conducted a molecular survey to detect the presence of bacterial DNA in flies collected in Algeria. A total of 712 flies including, 683 Melophagus ovinus and 29 Hippobosca equina were collected from two regions in northeaster...
