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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.
Discrimination of Human Urine from Animal Urine Using 1H-NMR. Urine was most commonly used biological sample in drug test. To create a false-negative test result, some drug abusers were reported to submit animal urine instead of their own. So, the purpose of this study was to compare and differentiate human from animal urine (Rat 370, Pig 12, Horse 10, Cat 8, Dog 13, Cow 10, Monkey 10) samples through the uses of quantitative 1H-NMR and to find biomarkers that can be used for the discrimination of human urine from animal urine. The 1H-NMR spectroscopy was employed and metabolomic analysis with multivariate statistics was carried out. Human urine samples ...
Limitations of a chromogenic agar plate for the identifying bacteria isolated from equine endometritis samples. The use of commercial chromogenic agar plates for the rapid, easy and correct identification of equine endometritis-causing bacteria has been proposed. Preliminary tests in our lab revealed undescribed limitations. Therefore, we tested the ability of the Brilliance UTI agar, a commercially available chromogenic agar, to accurately identify bacteria causing equine endometritis. Objective: To 1) investigate whether bacteria present in the equine uterus are able to grow on this chromogenic agar plate, 2) determine whether these bacteria belong to the genera for which these agar plates were origin...
Avian influenza A virus adaptation to the equine host and identification of host-specific markers. Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) are able to overcome the interspecies barrier and adapt to the new non-avian host. The process of adaptation requires the adaptive changes of IAV genome resulting in amino acid substitutions. The aim of this work was the description of amino acid substitutions in avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) occurring during their adaptation to equine host. Today, viruses of the equine influenza H3N8 subtype, first isolated in 1963, represent a single genetic lineage of IAV causing a respiratory disease in horses. We compared the amino acid sequences of the conserve...
Sagittal plane fore hoof unevenness is associated with fore and hindlimb asymmetrical force vectors in the sagittal and frontal planes. Asymmetry in forelimb dorsal hoof wall angles, termed unevenness, is associated with forelimb gait asymmetries, but compensatory mechanisms and out of plane ground reaction forces (GRFs) due to unevenness have yet to be documented. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of fore hoof unevenness on contralateral fore and hind limb force vectors patterns, in both sagittal and frontal planes. A group of n = 34 riding horses were classified into four groups: hoof angle difference of more than 1.5 degrees (UNEVEN; n = 27), including higher left fore (HIGH-LF; n = 12), higher ...
Domestic horses (Equus caballus) discriminate between negative and positive human nonverbal vocalisations. The ability to discriminate between emotion in vocal signals is highly adaptive in social species. It may also be adaptive for domestic species to distinguish such signals in humans. Here we present a playback study investigating whether horses spontaneously respond in a functionally relevant way towards positive and negative emotion in human nonverbal vocalisations. We presented horses with positively- and negatively-valenced human vocalisations (laughter and growling, respectively) in the absence of all other emotional cues. Horses were found to adopt a freeze posture for significantly longe...
Hepacivirus A Infection in Horses Defines Distinct Envelope Hypervariable Regions and Elucidates Potential Roles of Viral Strain and Adaptive Immune Status in Determining Envelope Diversity and Infection Outcome. Hepacivirus A (also known as nonprimate hepacivirus and equine hepacivirus) is a hepatotropic virus that can cause both transient and persistent infections in horses. The evolution of intrahost viral populations (quasispecies) has not been studied in detail for hepacivirus A, and its roles in immune evasion and persistence are unknown. To address these knowledge gaps, we first evaluated the envelope gene (E1 and E2) diversity of two different hepacivirus A strains (WSU and CU) in longitudinal blood samples from experimentally infected adult horses, juvenile horses (foals), and foals with sever...
Repeatability, reproducibility and consistency of horse shape data and its association with linearly described conformation traits in Franches-Montagnes stallions. Linear description (LD) of conformation traits was introduced in horse breeding to minimise subjectivity in scoring. However, recent studies have shown that LD traits show essentially the same problems as traditionally scored traits, such as data converging around the mean value with very small standard deviations. To improve the assessment of conformation traits of horses, we investigated the application of the recently described horse shape space model based upon 403 digitised photographs of 243 Franches-Montagnes (FM) stallions and extracted joint angles based on specific landmark triplets....
Serial evaluation of resting and exercising overground endoscopic examination results in young Thoroughbreds with no treatment intervention. We hypothesised that grade/appearance for upper respiratory tract (URT) disorders identified at the first overground endoscopy (OGE) examination would vary at subsequent examinations. Objective: To compare OGE examinations from horses evaluated on at least two occasions under similar exercise conditions without treatment intervention. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: Pre-exercise and exercising OGE recordings from Thoroughbred horses undergoing multiple examinations under similar exercise conditions were reviewed, with the first two recordings for each horse statistically evaluated. Pai...
A comparison of methanogens of different regions of the equine hindgut. The diversity of the methanogenic archaea associated with the six segments of the horse and donkey hindgut (caecum, right ventral colon, left ventral colon, left dorsal colon, right dorsal colon, and rectum) was analyzed using 16S rDNA gene clone library. A total of 641 positive clones, 321 from the horse and 320 from the donkey hindgut, were examined by the RFLP, revealing 9 different ribotypes, 8 in the horse and 5 in the donkey hindgut. In both the animals Methanobacteriales (Methanobrevibacter-like sequences) and Methanomicrobiales (Methanocorpusculum-like sequences) were detected as the d...
Effect of bandaging techniques on sub-bandage pressures in the equine distal limb, carpus, and tarsus. To determine the influence of 3 types of bandages on sub-bandage pressures over the distal limb, carpus, and tarsus. Methods: Observational study. Methods: Eight healthy horses. Methods: Each of the 6 following bandages was applied on each horse in randomized order: (1) distal limb compression bandage (DLC), (2) double layer bandage (DL), (3) inner sanctum bandage (IS), (4) carpal compression bandage (CC), (5) tarsal compression bandage (TC), and (6) adhesive elastic carpal bandage (C-ELA). Sub-bandage pressures were measured with the Picopress compression measuring system (Microlab Electonica...
Genetic diversity of common Gasterophilus spp. from distinct habitats in China. Gasterophilus species are widely distributed around the world. The larvae of these flies parasitize the digestive tract of equids and cause damage, hindering horse breeding and protection of endangered species. However, study of the genetic structure of geographically distinct Gasterophilus populations is lacking. Here, we analyzed the genetic diversity of Gasterophilus pecorum, G. intestinalis, G. nasalis and G. nigricornis from three typical grasslands (meadow, desert and alpine steppes) in China as compared to published sequences from Italy, Poland and China (Daqing and Yili), based on the ...
High field magnetic resonance imaging is comparable with gross anatomy for description of the normal appearance of soft tissues in the equine stifle. High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for horses with suspected stifle disease, however there is limited available information on normal imaging anatomy and potential incidental findings. The aim of this prospective, anatomic study was to develop an optimized high field MRI protocol for evaluation of the equine stifle and provide detailed descriptions of the normal MRI appearance of the stifle soft tissues, using ultrasound and gross pathological examination as comparison tests. Nine cadaver limbs were acquired from clinically normal horses. Stifles were evaluated ul...
Proportion of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescription in equine practice. There is little knowledge of the prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and whether their prescription varies between countries. Objective: To describe prescription practices of NSAIDs in equids in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and Canada. Methods: Descriptive observational study. Methods: Free-text electronic medical records from 141,543 equids from 10 equine practices in the UK, 255,777 equids from 7 equine practices with 20 branches from the USA and 2 practices with 7 branches from Canada were evaluated. A validated text-mining technique was ...
Comparison of the methods for platelet rich plasma preparation in horses. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is popularly used in the horse industry to enhance regeneration of tissue injury that has limitation of blood supply. This study aimed to compare the methods for platelet rich plasma preparation since they has not been established yet. Blood was collected from six horses and platelets were concentrated by three different methods (2-step centrifugation, separated centrifugation and separated centrifugation using histopaque). Concentrated blood was analyzed using Advia hematology systems. In the result, separated centrifugation with histopaque showed the significantly ...
Fetal development and blood hematological-biochemical parameters in Campeiro and Pantaneiro foals. For a long time, Pantaneiro and Campeiro breeds were raised only within their places of origin. Consequently, there are few of these horses; therefore, establishing reproductive and clinical standards for these animals is necessary to implant new biotechnologies for reproduction to preserve their genetics. This study aimed to perform a descriptive evaluation of fetal age determination by fetus ocular orbit measurement in mares of the Campeiro and Pantaneiro breeds. We also evaluated sequential changes in hematology and biochemistry for foals from birth to six months of life by counting red blo...
Genome-wide association mapping and examination of possible maternal effect for the pace trait of horses. Previously, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) related to gait type was identified at position 22 999 655 of chromosome 23 in the coding region of DMRT3 (DMRT3:Ser301Ter) by showing that a cytosine (C) to adenine (A) mutation of this SNP induced pace in the Icelandic horse. We investigated the effect of DMRT3:Ser301Ter on the gait of Hokkaido Native Horses, a Japanese native breed, and examined genetic factors other than DMRT3 by exploring genome-wide SNPs related to gait determination. All animals exhibiting pace were AA for DMRT3:Ser301Ter, confirming the association of DMRT3:Ser301Ter...
Determination of the activity and relative abundance of mRNA for antioxidant enzymes in stallion testicular and epididymal tissues: A comparison between two breeding seasons. The key prerequisite for successful insemination is sperm characterized to have positive values for morphological and biological variables which are determined by, among others, effective antioxidant protection during the lifespan of sperm cells. This study evaluated the activity and relative abundance of mRNA for antioxidant enzymes in stallion testicular and epididymal tissues during breeding (n = 5) and non-breeding (n = 5) seasons. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was greater (P < 0.05) during the breeding season, in particular in the testes and the caput epididymis, ...
Genome-wide analyses of the Jeju, Thoroughbred, and Jeju crossbred horse populations using the high density SNP array. The Jeju horse is an indigenous Korean horse breed that is currently registered with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, there is severe lack of genomic studies on Jeju horse. This study was conducted to investigate genetic characteristics of horses including Jeju horse, Thoroughbred and Jeju crossbred (Jeju × Thoroughbred) populations. We compared the genomes of three horse populations using the Equine SNP70 Beadchip array. Short-range Linkage disequilibrium was the highest in Thoroughbred, whereas r values were lowest in Jeju horse. Expected heterozygos...
Advanced mare age impairs the ability of in vitro-matured oocytes to correctly align chromosomes on the metaphase plate. Advanced mare age is associated with declining fertility and an increased risk of early pregnancy loss. Compromised oocyte quality is probably the primary reason for reduced fertility, but the defects predisposing to embryonic death are unknown. In women, advanced age predisposes to chromosome segregation errors during meiosis, which lead to embryonic aneuploidy and a heightened risk of miscarriage. Objective: To evaluate the effect of advanced mare age on chromosome alignment and meiotic spindle morphology in in vitro-matured (IVM) oocytes. Methods: Morphometric and morphological analysis. M...
Blink patterns and kinematics of eyelid motion in ophthalmologically normal horses. OBJECTIVE To describe qualitative blinking patterns and determine quantitative kinematic variables of eyelid motion in ophthalmologically normal horses. ANIMALS 10 adult mares. PROCEDURES High-resolution videography was used to film blinking behavior. Videotapes were analyzed for mean blink rate, number of complete versus incomplete blinks, number of unilateral versus bilateral blinks, and subjective descriptions of blinking patterns. One complete blink for each horse was analyzed with image-analysis software to determine the area of corneal coverage as a function of time during the blink and ...
Meta-analysis evaluating resting laryngeal endoscopy as a diagnostic tool for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in the equine athlete. Resting endoscopy has commonly been used as a method to predict laryngeal function at exercise. Objective: To perform a meta-analysis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of resting laryngeal endoscopy to predict clinical recurrent laryngeal neuropathy at exercise. Methods: Meta-analysis. Methods: Manuscripts were included if data were available for both resting and exercising airway function on all or a subset of horses. Normal resting endoscopy was defined as laryngeal grades 1 or 2 on a 4-/7-point scale or 1, 2 or 3 on a 5-point scale and normal dynamic endoscopy as a dynamic laryng...
Assessing gastrointestinal motility in healthy horses comparing auscultation, ultrasonography and an acoustic gastrointestinal surveillance biosensor: a randomised, blinded, controlled crossover proof of principle study. Auscultation and ultrasonography are noninvasive techniques used to assess gastrointestinal motility in horses. Recently, noninvasive acoustic gastrointestinal surveillance (AGIS) biosensors evaluating intestinal motility have been validated in humans. Objective: To compare AGIS to auscultation and ultrasonography for detecting decreased motility after xylazine administration. Methods: Randomised, blinded, controlled cross-over proof of principle study. Methods: Six healthy horses were evaluated under fasted and nonfasted conditions and randomly assigned to receive treatment with 0.4 mg/kg xyl...
Characterization of trotter horses urine metabolome by means of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Metabolomics has been recognized as a powerful approach for disease screening. In order to highlight potential health issues in subjects, a key factor is the possibility to compare quantitatively the metabolome of their biofluids with reference values from healthy individuals. Such efforts towards the systematic characterization of the metabolome of biofluids in perfect health conditions, far from concluded for humans, have barely begun on horses. The present work attempts, for the first time, to give reference quantitative values for the molecules mostly represented in the urine metabolome of...
Equine MX2 is a restriction factor of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). Human myxovirus resistance protein B (hMXB) is a restriction factor of HIV-1 that also inhibits a variety of retroviruses. However, hMXB is not antiviral against equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). We show here that equine MX2 (eMX2) potently restricts EIAV in vitro. Additionally, eMX2 inhibits HIV-1 and other lentiviruses, including murine leukemia virus. Previously, it was reported that hMXB repression is reduced in hMXB Δ1-25, but not in GTP-binding mutant K131A and GTP-hydrolysis mutant T151A. In contrast to this phenomenon, our study indicates that eMX2 restriction is not diminished i...
eQTL discovery and their association with severe equine asthma in European Warmblood horses. Severe equine asthma, also known as recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), is a debilitating, performance limiting, obstructive respiratory condition in horses that is phenotypically similar to human asthma. Past genome wide association studies (GWAS) have not discovered coding variants associated with RAO, leading to the hypothesis that causative variant(s) underlying the signals are likely non-coding, regulatory variant(s). Regions of the genome containing variants that influence the number of expressed RNA molecules are expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). Variation associated with RAO ...
Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses. It is generally accepted that besides cortisol concentrations, parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) are appropriate indicators of stress in horses. The aim of this study was to determine anticipatory stress in eight Standardbred stallions participating in harness race. Cortisol and HRV responses to a mild exercise performed in training circumstances were compared to a maximal effort exercise performed in real trotting race conditions. Parameters of HRV reflecting vagal (root mean square of the successive differences, RMSSD) and sympathetic nervous system activity (ratio of the low and hi...
Characterization of the fecal microbiota of healthy horses. OBJECTIVE To characterize the fecal microbiota of horses and to investigate alterations in that microbiota on the basis of sample collection site (rectum vs stall floor), sample location within the fecal ball (center vs surface), and duration of environmental exposure (collection time). ANIMALS 6 healthy adult mixed-breed mares. PROCEDURES From each horse, feces were collected from the rectum and placed on a straw-bedded stall floor. A fecal ball was selected for analysis immediately after removal from the rectum and at 0 (immediately), 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after placement on the stall floor...
Copy number variations in Friesian horses and genetic risk factors for insect bite hypersensitivity. Many common and relevant diseases affecting equine welfare have yet to be tested regarding structural variants such as copy number variations (CNVs). CNVs make up a substantial proportion of total genetic variability in populations of many species, resulting in more sequence differences between individuals than SNPs. Associations between CNVs and disease phenotypes have been established in several species, but equine CNV studies have been limited. Aim of this study was to identify CNVs and to perform a genome-wide association (GWA) study in Friesian horses to identify genomic loci associated w...
