Topic:Animal Studies
Animal studies involving horses encompass a range of research focused on understanding equine biology, behavior, and health. These studies often investigate various aspects of horse physiology, genetics, nutrition, and disease pathology. Researchers utilize animal studies to explore the effects of different treatments, management practices, and environmental factors on horse welfare and performance. The findings from such studies contribute to the development of improved care strategies and health interventions. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, findings, and implications of animal studies conducted on horses, providing insights into their application in advancing equine science.
Contrasting Volatilomes of Livestock Dung Drive Preference of the Dung Beetle Bubas bison (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Volatile cues can play a significant role in the location and discrimination of food resources by insects. Dung beetles have been reported to discriminate among dung types produced by different species, thereby exhibiting behavioral preferences. However, the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dung localization and preference remains largely unexplored in dung beetles. Here we performed several studies: firstly, cage olfactometer bioassays were performed to evaluate the behavioral responses of (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to VOCs emanating from fresh horse, sheep, and cattle dung; seco...
Control of ticks on horses using abamectin-impregnated ear tags. A pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study. Several different tick species are known to infest horses. Aside from causing serious health and welfare issues, including anaemia, ill thrift, and immunosuppression, ticks can transmit a variety of important, sometimes zoonotic, pathogens. The successful prevention and treatment of tick infestations have been described, but the information is scarce and, in many instances, anecdotal. Here we describe a practical and affordable prevention of tick infestation by using abamectin-impregnated cattle ear tags affixed to a safety collar. We have assessed the radial distribution of abamectin by analy...
Site- and Zone-Dependent Changes in Proteoglycan Content and Biomechanical Properties of Bluntly and Sharply Grooved Equine Articular Cartilage. In this study, we mapped and quantified changes of proteoglycan (PG) content and biomechanical properties in articular cartilage in which either blunt or sharp grooves had been made, both close to the groove and more remote of it, and at the opposing joint surface (kissing site) in equine carpal joints. In nine adult Shetland ponies, standardized blunt and sharp grooves were surgically made in the radiocarpal and middle carpal joints of a randomly chosen front limb. The contralateral control limb was sham-operated. At 39 weeks after surgery, ponies were euthanized. In 10 regions of interest (...
Effects of Selection on Breed Contribution in the Caballo de Deporte Español. The equine breeding industry for sport's performance has evolved into a fairly profitable economic activity. In particular, the Caballo de Deporte Español (CDE) is bred for different disciplines with a special focus on Show Jumping. The main aim of this study was to determine the effects of 15 years of selection and to find out whether it has been effective and adequate regarding the CDE main breeding objectives. The whole pedigree of 19,045 horses registered as CDE was used, comprising 47,884 animals (18,799 males and 29,085 females). An analysis performed to check for the pedigree completen...
Severe Skin Lesions Caused by Persistent Bites of the Stable Fly Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) in a Donkey Sanctuary of Western Spain. Animal sanctuaries are important organisations that promote animal welfare and health as well as social awareness. Following the appearance of several donkeys with severe and distinctive skin lesions in a sanctuary from western Spain in 2021, a multicomponent study was performed to rule out the possible causes. The lesions were mainly concentrated on the extremities and, to a lesser extent, on the face and/or chest. The use of cotton leggings on their extremities as an external barrier to prevent them from bites and treatments with antiparasitic, antiseptic washes and dermatitis lotion showed ...
Short communication: Utilisation of n-alkanes to estimate feed intake in horses fed known amounts of a labelled concentrate supplement. The assessment of feed intake in stabled horses is a difficult task to accomplish. Faecal markers, namely n-alkanes, have been used successfully for the estimation of this important nutritional parameter. This usually involves the dosing of synthetic n-alkanes via different matrices, a laborious task that may also influence the animal normal foraging behaviour. An experiment was conducted to evaluate a relative simple methodology to quantify feed intake in horses, based on the provision of measured amounts of a concentrate supplement labelled with beeswax and the utilisation of n-alkanes as fa...
Tracking the Impact of Weather on Equine Activity While Pastured. Keeping horses outdoors on pasture full-time with free access to shelter holds numerous advantages over housing in stalls, promoting both better mental and physical health. One reason for these benefits is the potential for increased physical activity in horses outdoors on pasture versus those confined to stalls. However, it is not guaranteed the horse will take advantage of this opportunity for greater movement. For this reason, it is important to understand the various reasons why horse activity patterns change. The objective of this study was to investigate how various weather factors - inc...
Binding and structural basis of equine ACE2 to RBDs from SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses. The origin and host range of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are important scientific questions as they might provide insight into understanding of the potential future spillover to infect humans. Here, we tested the binding between equine angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (eqACE2) and the receptor binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variant of concerns (VOCs), as well as their close relatives bat-origin coronavirus (CoV) RaTG13 and pangolin-origin CoVs GX/P2V/2017 and GD/1/2019. We also determined the crystal structures of eq...
Cultured dissociated primary dorsal root ganglion neurons from adult horses enable study of axonal transport. Neurological disorders are prevalent in horses, but their study is challenging due to anatomic constraints and the large body size; very few host-specific in vitro models have been established to study these types of diseases, particularly from adult donor tissue. Here we report the generation of primary neuronal dorsal root ganglia (DRG) cultures from adult horses: the mixed, dissociated cultures, containing neurons and glial cells, remained viable for at least 90 days. Similar to DRG neurons in vivo, cultured neurons varied in size, and they developed long neurites. The mitochondrial movem...
Early castration in foals: Consequences on physical and behavioural development. The impact of very early castration of foals has not yet been studied despite the many positive effects observed in dogs and cats. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare castration at 3 days and 18 months and assess their subsequent morphological and behavioural development. Methods: This was a randomised, blinded clinical study. Methods: Twenty-two Welsh ponies underwent either early (3-day old, EC group, n = 11) or traditional (18-month old, TC group, n = 11) castration. Animals were followed up to 3 years of age. All ponies were castrated using a primary closure techn...
Application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques in the mid-IR (MIR) and near-IR (NIR) spectroscopy to determine n-alkane and long-chain alcohol contents in plant species and faecal samples. n-Alkanes and long-chain alcohols (LCOH) have been used as faecal markers to assess the feeding behaviour of both wild and domestic herbivore species. However, their chemical analysis is time-consuming and expensive, making it necessary to develop more expeditious methodologies to evaluate concentrations of these markers. This work aimed to evaluate the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technology in the near infrared (NIR) and mid infrared (MIR) intervals, for the determination of n-alkane and LCOH concentrations of different plant species and faecal samples of domestic he...
Expert visual assessment strategies for equine lameness examinations in a straight line and circle: A mixed methods study using eye tracking. A large number of lameness indicators have been suggested for the visual equine lameness assessment. However, it remains unknown which of these are commonly used by experts. Twenty-four expert lameness assessors from 10 leading UK institutions viewed 28 video clips of sound and mildly lame horses (median score 2/10). Horses were shown at trot in a straight line (rear and front view) and circle (side view, left and right rein). Eye tracking data were collected at 60 Hz while participants evaluated each clip. A questionnaire captured contextual information. During assessment on the straight lin...
Withaferin A Inhibits Neutrophil Adhesion, Migration, and Respiratory Burst and Promotes Timely Neutrophil Apoptosis. Neutrophils play a major role in many equine conditions, including equine asthma, laminitis, and intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury, and therefore represent an attractive target for innovative therapeutic approaches. Novel strategies for reducing neutrophilic inflammation include modulation of neutrophil functions and lifespan. Withaferin A (WFA) is a phytochemical with well-established and anti-inflammatory properties, but its direct effects on neutrophils are largely unknown. We hypothesized that WFA would inhibit adhesion, migration, and respiratory burst by equine neutrophils and...
Characterization of Partial Sequence of Myostatin Gene Exon 2 along with SNP detection in Indian Horse Breeds (Equus caballus). India has well documented horse and pony breeds; however, the population is well diversified in different geographical regions. The Myostatin gene is one of the most profoundly studied genetic components for the detection of SNP's for the performance analysis in horses. In the present study, the MSTN exon 2 partial cds were amplified, sequenced and characterized in about 60 samples of eight different breeds of Indian horses. The results indicated the transition of Thymine to Cytosine (T>C) as single nucleotide polymorphisms in the partial sequence of exon 2 of the MSTN gene at two different...
A database of animal metagenomes. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology, the amount of metagenomic data (including both 16S and whole-genome sequencing data) in public repositories is increasing exponentially. However, owing to the large and decentralized nature of the data, it is still difficult for users to mine, compare, and analyze the data. The animal metagenome database (AnimalMetagenome DB) integrates metagenomic sequencing data with host information, making it easier for users to find data of interest. The AnimalMetagenome DB is designed to contain all public metagenomic data from animals,...
Equine Oviductal Organoid Generation and Cryopreservation. Organoids are a type of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture that more closely mimic the in vivo environment and can be maintained in the long term. To date, oviductal organoids have only been reported in laboratory mice, women, and cattle. Equine oviductal organoids were generated and cultured for 42 days (including 3 passages and freeze-thawing at passage 1). Consistent with the reports in mouse and human oviductal organoids, the equine oviductal organoids revealed round cell clusters with a central lumen. Developing a 3D model of the mare oviduct may allow for an increased understanding of t...
Horses in Lithuania in the Late Roman-Medieval Period (3rd-14th C AD) Burial Sites: Updates on Size, Age and Dating. The tradition of burying horses in Lithuania lasted from the Early Roman period until the late 14th C AD. It was the longest-lasting custom in Europe, which has left about 2000 known horse burials. This paper publishes the osteometric data and age of horses found in Lithuanian cemeteries and castles of the 3rd-14th C AD, over 200 individuals in total. These are the remains of all the horses still stored in Lithuanian institutions. The paper discusses the dynamics of horse body size in order to test previously suggested hypotheses regarding the relationship between large horse body size and its...
Maternal age affects equine day 8 embryo gene expression both in trophoblast and inner cell mass. Breeding a mare until she is not fertile or even until her death is common in equine industry but the fertility decreases as the mare age increases. Embryo loss due to reduced embryo quality is partly accountable for this observation. Here, the effect of mare's age on blastocysts' gene expression was explored. Day 8 post-ovulation embryos were collected from multiparous young (YM, 6-year-old, N = 5) and older (OM, > 10-year-old, N = 6) non-nursing Saddlebred mares, inseminated with the semen of one stallion. Pure or inner cell mass (ICM) enriched trophoblast, obtained by embryo bise...
Getting rid of blinkers: the case of mirror self-recognition in horses (Equus caballus). The commentary by Gallup and Anderson (Anim Cogn https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-021-01538-9 , 2021) on the original article by Baragli, Scopa, Maglieri, and Palagi (Anim Cogn https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-021-01502-7 , 2021) raised some concerns about the methodological approach used by the authors to demonstrate Mirror Self-Recognition (MSR) in horses. The commentary does not take into account horse physiology and psychology, leading Gallup and Anderson to inappropriately discredit the findings obtained by Baragli et al. Anim Cogn 2021. In this reply, we underlined the importance of a blinke...
An exercise-inducible metabolite that suppresses feeding and obesity. Exercise confers protection against obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases1-5. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate the metabolic benefits of physical activity remain unclear6. Here we show that exercise stimulates the production of N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe), a blood-borne signalling metabolite that suppresses feeding and obesity. The biosynthesis of Lac-Phe from lactate and phenylalanine occurs in CNDP2+ cells, including macrophages, monocytes and other immune and epithelial cells localized to diverse organs. In diet-induced obese mice,...
Applicability of the auricular temperature for the assessment of body temperature in healthy large and small domestic species, in a normal metabolic state and in controlled environmental conditions. In clinical practice, an important aspect of animal health status evaluation is the body temperature recording obtained using different methods. Within them, the non-contact and non-invasive infrared thermometer can provide an accurate estimation of body temperature improving the quality of care and medical decision. To evaluate the use of the monitoring of auricular temperature to improve the quality of care and medical decision. To evaluate the use of the monitoring of auricular temperature as indices of body temperature, as well as rectal temperature in eleven clinically healthy mixed bred ...
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...
Can Humans Discriminate Horse ‘Fear’ Chemosignals from Control Chemosignals? Comment on Sabiniewicz et al. A Preliminary Investigation of Interspecific Chemosensory Communication of Emotions: Can Humans (Homo sapiens) Recognise Fear- and Non-Fear Body Odour from Horses (Equus ferus caballus). Animals 2021, 11, 3499. We illustrate the problematic nature of different assumptions guiding the examination of whether humans can detect the source of fear chemosignals (i.e., body odors) emitted by horses-a research question examined in an article recently published in . A central issue is that the formulation of the question itself contains the answer to it. In this paper, we parse the problematic assumptions on which the analysis and methodology rely, leading to conclusions that are difficult to support. These assumptions constitute examples of methodological problems that should be avoided in research with anim...
Another lesson from unmapped reads: in-depth analysis of RNA-Seq reads from various horse tissues. In recent years, a vast amount of sequencing data has been generated and large improvements have been made to reference genome sequences. Despite these advances, significant portions of reads still do not map to reference genomes and these reads have been considered as junk or artificial sequences. Recent studies have shown that these reads can be useful, e.g., for refining reference genomes or detecting contaminating microorganisms present in the analyzed biological samples. A special case of this is RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) reads that come from tissue transcriptomes. Unmapped reads from RNA-...
Fore-Aft Asymmetry Improves the Stability of Trotting in the Transverse Plane: A Modeling Study. Quadrupedal mammals have fore-aft asymmetry in their body structure, which affects their walking and running dynamics. However, the effects of asymmetry, particularly in the transverse plane, remain largely unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of fore-aft asymmetry on quadrupedal trotting in the transverse plane from a dynamic viewpoint using a simple model, which consists of two rigid bodies connected by a torsional joint with a torsional spring and four spring legs. Specifically, we introduced fore-aft asymmetry into the model by changing the physical parameters between the fore a...
An Investigation Into Different Measurement Techniques to Assess Equine Proximal Hoof Circumference. Equine hoof conformation is integral to equine performance and soundness. Consequently, it is a major area of interest within the field of equine health. Researchers have measured several hoof shape parameters to study the hoof conformation. Proximal hoof circumference (PHC) is a primary hoof shape parameter, and its assessment may help to recognize the early stages of the development of changes in hoof morphology or poor hoof shape. Previous studies have mainly used a measuring tape to measure PHC. However, some doubts still exist regarding the reliability, repeatability and accuracy of measu...
Effects of Bromocriptine on Glucose and Insulin Dynamics in Normal and Insulin Dysregulated Horses. The objectives of the study were to study the effects of the synthetic ergot alkaloid (EA), bromocriptine, on glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin dysregulated (ID, n = 7) and non-ID (n = 8) mares. Horses were individually housed and fed timothy grass hay and two daily concentrate meals so that the total diet provided 120% of daily DE requirements for maintenance. All horses were given intramuscular bromocriptine injections (0.1 mg/kg BW) every 3 days for 14 days. Before and after 14 days of treatment horses underwent a combined glucose-insulin tolerance test (CGIT) to assess insulin sensit...
Evaluation of concurrent vaccinations with recombinant canarypox equine influenza virus and inactivated equine herpesvirus vaccines. Despite vaccination, equine influenza virus (EIV) and equine herpesvirus (EHV) infections still cause highly contagious respiratory diseases in horses. Recently, concurrent vaccination with EIV and EHV was suggested as a new approach; however, there have been no reports of concurrent vaccination with recombinant canarypox EIV and inactivated EHV vaccines. In this study, we aimed to compare the EIV-specific immune responses induced by concurrent administrations of a recombinant canarypox EIV vaccine and an inactivated bivalent EHV vaccine with those induced by a single recombinant canarypox EIV...
Behavioural responses of Konik Polski horses to natural, familiar sound of thunderstorm, and unfamiliar similar-sounding sounds of volcanic eruption and sea storms. It is not clear, if modern Konik Polski horses have retained the ability to identify sounds in terms of danger. The aim of the study was to identify differences in their behaviour in response to the reproduction of volcanic eruption and sea storm sounds, assumed to be unfamiliar to these horses, as compared to their response to a thunderclap sound, considered by the horses as potentially dangerous. The study included 13 adult mares of the Konik Polski breed, kept under a free-range system. Their behavioural responses to the reproduction of the three natural sounds with an intensity of over 50...