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Topic:Comparative Study
Comparative studies in equine research involve the systematic analysis of different horse breeds, management practices, or physiological responses to identify variations and similarities. These studies are instrumental in understanding how different factors influence health, performance, and behavior in horses. Common areas of comparison include genetic traits, nutritional requirements, disease resistance, and response to training. By evaluating these differences, researchers can develop targeted strategies for breeding, healthcare, and training. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that focus on the methodologies, findings, and implications of comparative studies in the context of equine science.
Plasma leptin level in hyperlipidemic mares and their newborn foals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma leptin and lipid levels in breeding mares and their newborn foals. The study was conducted on 17 Polish cold-blood mares and their newborn foals. The mares were divided into two groups, according to the course of delivery. These groups were seven mares which had a normal delivery and 10 mares which had required veterinary intervention during their delivery. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of both the mares and their foals. The blood samples were taken within 30 min after delivery, as well as on four successive...
Differences in seasonal changes of fecal androgen levels between stabled and free-ranging Polish Konik stallions. Blood and feces samples were collected from Polish Konik stallions kept under conventional stable conditions and in the forest reserve during a 1-year study period. Levels of testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A(4)) were measured using radioimmunoassay. Positive correlation between fecal and plasma concentrations of androgens was observed. Fecal T concentrations increased in April and May reaching peak value mid-April in the stallions from the reserve group and 2 weeks later in the stallions from the stable group. Comparatively, concentrations of T were higher in the stable group. Levels of...
In vitro mechanical evaluation of a novel pin-sleeve system for external fixation of distal limb fractures in horses: a proof of concept study. To evaluate the efficacy of a novel pin-sleeve cast (PSC) system for external fixation of distal limb fractures in horses and to compare it with the transfixation pin cast (TPC) system. Methods: Experimental. Methods: One bone substitute each was used for the TPC and PSC systems. The PSC was tested in 4 configurations characterized by different pin preloads. Methods: Specimens were loaded in axial compression in the elastic range. Variables compared statistically were: bone substitute axial displacement and axial strain measured above implants with strain gauges. Pin preload was correlated wit...
Protein composition of seminal plasma in fractionated stallion ejaculates. Seminal plasma (SP) contains several types of compounds derived from the epididymides and accessory glands. The aim of this study was to examine the protein composition of different ejaculate fractions. Trial I: fractionated ejaculates were collected from two normal and two subfertile stallions. Samples containing pre-sperm fluid and the first sperm-rich jets (HIGH-1), the main sperm-rich portion (HIGH-2), the jets with low sperm concentrations (LOW), and a combined whole-ejaculate (WE) sample was centrifuged, and the SP was filtered and frozen. A part of each SP sample was stored (5°C, 24 h)...
The use of adrenocorticotrophic hormone as a potential biomarker of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses. Elevated concentrations of plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in horses with pituitary disturbances are often associated with dysfunction of the pituitary's pars intermedia. The majority of such animals exhibit an increased susceptibility to laminitis, particularly during the autumn. The 24h plasma ACTH profiles of horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and those of matched controls, were determined in March, June, September and December. Differences in ACTH concentrations between the groups were significant (P<0.0001), regardless of photoperiod, and persisted thr...
Detection and sequence analysis of equine gammaherpesviruses from horses with respiratory tract disease in Turkey. The equid herpesvirus 2 (EHV-2) and 5 (EHV-5), identified agents of respiratory infections and keratoconjunctivitis cases in some equids, comprise a high degree of antigenic heterogeneity. Prevalence and genetic characterization of EHV-2 and EHV-5 strains from Turkey were investigated in this study. A total of 73 nasal swabs and 54 blood specimens were sampled from horses with respiratory tract diseases characterized by mucopurulent nasal discharge and occasional coughing. Overall, EHV-2- and EHV-5-specific DNA amplicons were obtained from 19.2% (14/73) and 21.9% (16/73) of horses tested by mu...
Determining the source of equine bloodstains by dinucleotide repeats. A novel multiplex of independent dinucleotide tandem repeat (DTR) loci was previously described that is capable of not only discriminating human and equine DNA, but of identifying a single equine source. We report a case in which a bloodstained syringe and two needles were found during inspection of a barn by inspectors of the Pennsylvania Racing Commissions. Using the multiplex and single-locus detection, all 21 equine DTR markers were detected in a suspect horse and two evidence samples, indicating the evidence samples came from the suspect animal. Only six markers were detected in the third...
Comparison of subjective scoring systems used to evaluate equine laminitis. This study compared three subjective scoring systems used to assess lameness associated with equine laminitis: (1) visual analogue scale, (2) Obel score and (3) clinical grading system (CGS). Two groups of 12 observers, consisting of equine veterinarians and final-year veterinary students, scored lameness severity after watching video footage of 14 horses on two occasions. Generalizability theory was used to investigate the reliability of the three systems and the effects of observer experience. Overall reliability across all times and observers was high. Intra-observer reliability was higher ...
Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars. The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Methods: A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tr...
A study of the correlation between objective and subjective indices of recovery quality after inhalation anaesthesia in equids. To examine the association between objective and subjective descriptors used for assessing recovery quality in horses after anaesthesia. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-six equids (110 mares, 85 entire males and 81 geldings), ASA 1-5, weighing 50-850 kg and aged 1 month - 25 years. Methods: Recoveries after general anaesthesia were assisted with head and tail ropes by two anaesthetists. One scored dichotomous objective descriptors (DOD) of recovery. Two dichotomous objective scales (DOS) were then generated from those descriptors. The same individual also ...
A morphological and quantitative immunohistochemical study of the interstitial cells of Cajal in the normal equine intestinal tracts. The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) play a key role in the control of intestinal motility and have been implicated in several human gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes, in equine grass sickness and in other intestinal disorders where a significant reduction in ICC density was observed. Objective: To investigate the density of ICC in clinically normal horses, ICC c-Kit expression was evaluated by image analysis in order to obtain numerical data. Methods: Intestinal samples from the jejunum to small colon from 5 clinically normal horses were studied. Immunohistochemical labelling of ICC was...
Efficacy of oral prednisolone and dexamethasone in horses with recurrent airway obstruction in the presence of continuous antigen exposure. Orally administered prednisolone and dexamethasone are used commonly in the treatment of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in horses. However, the efficacy of prednisolone in improving pulmonary function during continuous antigen exposure has not been evaluated critically and there is little evidence supporting the efficacy of low-dose oral dexamethasone in the same conditions. Objective: Oral prednisolone and dexamethasone improve pulmonary function in RAO under conditions of continuous antigen exposure, and dexamethasone is more effective than prednisolone at commonly used dosages. Methods:...
Effects of semen storage and separation techniques on sperm DNA fragmentation. To determine the effect of semen storage and separation techniques on sperm DNA fragmentation. Methods: Controlled clinical study. Methods: An assisted reproductive technology laboratory. Methods: Thirty normoozospermic semen samples obtained from patients undergoing infertility evaluation. Methods: One aliquot from each sample was immediately prepared (control) for the sperm chromatin dispersion assay (SCD). Aliquots used to assess storage techniques were treated in the following ways: snap frozen by liquid nitrogen immersion, slow frozen with Tris-yolk buffer and glycerol, kept on ice for 24...
Ultrasonographic morphometric measurements of digital flexor tendons and ligaments of the palmar metacarpal region in Haflinger horses. The aim of the study was to determine morphometric values of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendon, the inferior check ligament and the suspensory ligament in the palmar metacarpal region of sound Haflinger horses using ultrasonography and to assess the influence of different factors on them. The findings were compared with the literature. A total of 30 sound Haflinger mares aged 4-20 years were used. Transverse ultrasound images were obtained with an 8-10 linear MHz transducer and the cross-sectional area, the circumference and the dorsopalmar and lateromedial width were determined f...
Comparative diagnosis of parasitological, serological, and molecular tests in dourine-suspected horses. Study on comparative sensitivity of parasitological, serological, and molecular tests on 237 horses originating from two dourine-suspected districts of Arsi-Bale highlands of Ethiopia was conducted to determine the prevalence of the disease and degree of agreement of the diagnostic tests. Accordingly, the prevalence of the disease was found to be 4.6%, 36.7%, and 47.6% by parasitological Woo test, RoTat 1.2 and 18S PCR tests, respectively. The seroprevalence of the disease was 27.6% in CATT/Trypanosoma evansi test. In Ethiopia, it was for the first time that trypanosomes from dourine suspected...
Evaluation of the Limulus amebocyte lysate and recombinant factor C assays for assessment of airborne endotoxin. As a potent inflammatory agent, endotoxin is a key analyte of interest for studies of lung ailments in domestic environments and occupational settings with organic dust. A relatively unexplored advance in endotoxin exposure assessment is the use of recombinant factor C (rFC) from the Limulus pathway in a fluorometric assay. In this study, we compared airborne endotoxin concentrations in laboratory- and field-collected parallel air samples using the kinetic Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay and the rFC assay. Air sampling was performed using paired Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sa...
Pedigree estimation of the (sub) population contribution to the total gene diversity: the horse coat colour case. A method to quantify the contribution of subpopulations to genetic diversity in the whole population was assessed using pedigree information. The standardization of between- and within-subpopulation mean coancestries was developed to account for the different coat colour subpopulation sizes in the Spanish Purebred (SPB) horse population. The data included 166264 horses registered in the SPB Studbook. Animals born in the past 11 years (1996 to 2006) were selected as the 'reference population' and were grouped according to coat colour into eight subpopulations: grey (64 836 animals), bay (33 633...
Redox cycling of catechol estrogens generating apurinic/apyrimidinic sites and 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine via reactive oxygen species differentiates equine and human estrogens. Metabolic activation of estrogens to catechols and further oxidation to highly reactive o-quinones generates DNA damage including apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites. 4-Hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN) is the major catechol metabolite of equine estrogens present in estrogen replacement formulations, known to cause DNA strand breaks, oxidized bases, and stable and depurinating adducts. However, the direct formation of AP sites by 4-OHEN has not been characterized. In the present study, the induction of AP sites in vitro by 4-OHEN and the endogenous catechol estrogen metabolite, 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE), ...
Endocrine alterations around the time of abortion in mares impregnated with donkey or horse semen. The objective of this study was to monitor and compare the concentrations of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), progesterone and estrone sulphate during normal and failed pregnancies of mares impregnated with donkey or horse semen, relating their individual endocrine profiles to the time of pregnancy loss, and to the histopathologic findings in the aborted fetuses and placenta. Mares (n=54) were used, 32 of them impregnated with donkey semen and 22 impregnated with horse semen. Blood samples were taken twice a week from Day 35 to 120 of pregnancy. Ultrasonographic observations of the fetus w...
Identification of Y chromosome genetic variations in Chinese indigenous horse breeds. Y chromosome acts as a single nonrecombining unit that is male specific and in effect haploid, thus ensuring the preservation of mutational events as a single haplotype via male lines. In this study, 6 Y chromosome-specific microsatellites (SSR) were tested for the patrilineal genetic variations of 573 male samples from Chinese domestic horse (30 breeds), Przewalski's horse, and donkey. All the 6 loci appeared as a haplotype block in Przewalski's horse and the domestic donkey. There were notable differences, however, at Y chromosome markers between horse and donkey. There were 2 haplotypes of ...
Nutritional aspects of post exercise skeletal muscle glycogen synthesis in horses: a comparative review. Carbohydrate (CHO) stored in the form of skeletal muscle glycogen is the main energy source for glycolytic and oxidative ATP production during vigorous exercise in mammals. In man, horse and dog both short-term high intensity and prolonged submaximal exercise deplete muscle glycogen. In horses, however, muscle glycogen synthesis is 2-3-fold slower than in man and rat, even when a diet high in soluble CHO is fed. There appear to be significant differences in CHO and glycogen metabolism between horses and other mammals, and it is becoming increasingly clear that many conclusions drawn from human...
Comparison of cardiovascular function and quality of recovery in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses administered a constant rate infusion of lidocaine or lidocaine and medetomidine during elective surgery. The effects of lidocaine combined with medetomidine or lidocaine alone on cardiovascular function during anaesthesia and their effects on recovery have not been thoroughly investigated in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses. Objective: To determine the effects of an intraoperative i.v. constant rate infusion of lidocaine combined with medetomidine (Group 1) or lidocaine (Group 2) alone on cardiovascular function and on the quality of recovery in 12 isoflurane-anaesthetised horses undergoing arthroscopy. Objective: The combination would depress cardiovascular function but improve the quality of rec...
Pack wounds of donkeys and mules in the Northern High Atlas and lowlands of Morocco. Wounds are one of the primary welfare concerns of working equids and are often related to harness or load-bearing packs. Objective: To identify and quantify factors associated with the presence of pack wounds in donkeys and mules working in the wood trade in the Midelt (Northern High Atlas) region of Morocco, and to compare wounds of these donkeys and mules to those working in other trades. Methods: The study population comprised equids working in the Midelt region involved in the wood trade. Comparison populations were comprised of equids working in other trades, in the same region and in Khe...
Comparisons of overground endoscopy and treadmill endoscopy in UK Thoroughbred racehorses. To date there is no information on the comparison of the more recently documented technique of performing endoscopy during ridden exercise in the field, with the more traditional method of endoscopy during high-speed treadmill exercise. Objective: To compare the results of upper respiratory tract endoscopy in UK Thoroughbred racehorses performed during ridden exercise in the field with those obtained during exercise on the treadmill. Methods: A direct comparison was undertaken in 4 horses whereby both procedures were performed in the same horse within 10 days of each other. An indirect compari...
Magnetic resonance imaging of the equine temporomandibular joint anatomy. In human medicine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the 'gold standard' imaging procedure to assess the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). However, there is no information regarding MRI evaluation of equine TMJ. Objective: To describe the normal sectional MRI anatomy of equine TMJ by using frozen and plastinated anatomical sections as reference; and determine the best imaging planes and sequences to visualise TMJ components. Methods: TMJs from 6 Spanish Purebred horse cadavers (4 immature and 2 mature) underwent MRI examination. Spin-echo T1-weighting (SE T1W), T2*W, fat-suppressed (...
Hyperleptinemia in mares and geldings: assessment of insulin sensitivity from glucose responses to insulin injection. Four experiments were conducted 1) to assess the use of glucose responses to insulin injections as a means of estimating insulin sensitivity in horses and 2) to compare the insulin sensitivities of normal horses vs. those displaying hyperleptinemia (HL). In Exp. 1, HL mares and geldings (n = 4 each) and 4 mares and geldings with normal leptin concentrations (NL) were injected intravenously with 20 and 100 mU/kg of BW of bovine insulin on 2 separate occasions in December 2008. In Exp. 2, the experimental protocol was repeated in late April 2009. In Exp. 1, the 20 mU/kg of BW dose of insulin cau...
Modeling variance structure of body shape traits of Lipizzan horses. Heterogeneity of variance of growth traits over age is a common issue in estimating genetic parameters and is addressed in this study by selecting appropriate variance structure models for additive genetic and environmental variances. Modeling and partitioning those variances connected with analyzing small data sets were demonstrated on Lipizzan horses. The following traits were analyzed: withers height, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference. The measurements were taken at birth, and at approximately 6, 12, 24, and 36 mo of age of 660 Lipizzan horses born in Croatia between 1948 and 2000....
A comparative stereological study of the term placenta in the donkey, pony and Thoroughbred. The aim of the study was to compare horse and donkey placentae using stereological techniques. Term placentae were collected at spontaneous foaling from seven Thoroughbred mares, seven pony mares, and six jenny donkeys. Maternal and foal weights were recorded and the mass, volume, and gross area of each allantochorion was also recorded. Ten random biopsies were recovered and processed for light microscopy from which the surface density of the microcotyledons (S(v)) and the total microscopic area of fetomaternal contact were calculated stereologically. Gestation length was longer in the donkeys...
