Draft horses are a type of horse bred primarily for heavy work, such as plowing and hauling, due to their large size and strength. They are characterized by their muscular build, calm temperament, and considerable pulling power. Common breeds of draft horses include the Belgian, Clydesdale, Percheron, and Shire. These horses have historically been used in agriculture, logging, and transportation before the advent of mechanized vehicles. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the breeding, physiology, and historical roles of draft horses, as well as their modern applications in various industries and recreational activities.
Glatzel PS, Kangasniemi A, Belz JP, Lange A.The investigations were done on 108 mares (78 warm-blooded horses, 25 cold-blooded horses and 5 trotters). To pursue the question in the title, progesterone and estradiol values in jugular vein-blood were examined starting from 30 days before the calculated date of parturition until 30 days after that event. In parallel to that Ca/Mg ratio was measured by means of a semiquantitative test-strip in the milk. Clinical signs of the birth, parturition itself and the post partum period were recorded. In respect to the P4 and E2 values it was that the P4:E2 ratio changed towards parturition in favour...
Toews AR, Bailey JV, Townsend HG, Barber SM.To examine the amount of heat generated in equine cortical bone by a 6.2-mm drill, using low- and high-speed and controlled feed rate drilling. Methods: 10 metacarpal bones harvested from five 2-year-old draft-type horses. Methods: Drilling on metacarpal bones was done using a machine shop mill with which the feed rate and drill speed could be precisely controlled. Bones were drilled, using 6 combinations of feed rate (1, 2, and 3 mm advance/s) and drill speed (317 and 1,242 revolutions/min [rpm], with maximal temperatures recorded by thermocouples placed 1, 1.5, and 2 mm from the drill. Maxim...
Muylle S, Simoens P, Verbeeck R, Ysebaert MT, Lauwers H.The microhardness of enamel, primary dentine and secondary dentine was determined in the incisor teeth of 39 horses of three different breeds, trotter horses, Belgian draft horses and Arab horses. Using a microhardness tester fitted with a Knoop diamond indenter, the overall Knoop Hardness Number was determined for each tissue, and the influence of breed and age on the hardness were evaluated. Enamel and secondary dentine were significantly harder in Arab horses than in trotters and Belgian draft horses, but there were no significant differences between draft horses and trotter horses in the h...
Brandstetter J, Stanek C, Hinterhofer C.The use of handmade particulate reinforced alloy horseshoes (MMC metal matrix composites) was tested in a field study on 15 riding and draught horses. All horseshoes have been tempered after having been manually forged and tested concerning their surface imperfection. Forging temperature ranged between 350 degrees and 420 degrees C. Horseshoes in series A consisted of particulate reinforced wrought alloy (22% Al2O3 in alloy matrix). 11 shoeing periods with a duration of mean = 49.7 days (sd = 13.6) were evaluated. Horseshoes in series B consisted of particulate reinforced foundry alloy (20% Si...
Gabriel A, Jolly S, Detilleux J, Dessy-Doize C, Collin B, Reginster JY.Navicular bones from the 4 limbs of 95 horses, classified in 9 categories, were studied. The anatomical bases were established for the morphometry of the navicular bone and its variations according to the category of horse, after corrections were made for front or rear limb, sex, weight, size and age. In ponies, navicular bone measurements were smallest for light ponies and regularly increased with body size, but in horses, navicular bone dimensions were smallest for the athletic halfbred, intermediate for draft horse, thoroughbreds and sedentary halfbreds and largest for heavy halfbreds. The ...
Lepage OM, Hartmann DJ, Eicher R, Uebelhart B, Tschudi P, Uebelhart D.Concentrations of the cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and osteocalcin (OC) have been determined in the serum of one hundred clinically healthy adult Draught or Warmblood horses. The correlation between these two markers has been evaluated and the influence of gender, age and type of horse described. No significant variations were observed between animals of different sex, but a significant inverse correlation (P < 0.0001) with age was observed for both measured parameters. After correction for age, serum levels of OC were found to be lower in Draught [adjuste...
Pearson RA, Vall E.Use of animal power generally enables farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to increase agricultural production and improve the quality of life. Effective use of working animals depends on an understanding of the capabilities of the animals for work, their husbandry requirements and the factors which can influence their performance. These issues are reviewed in this paper in the context of the use of animal power in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. The type of animal used for work determines power available to the farmer. The performance of donkeys, horses and cattle have been compared in work tests...
Riley CB, Scott WM, Caron JP, Fretz PB, Bailey JV, Barber SM.The clinical features, radiographic findings, treatment, and outcome in 51 draft horses with osteochondritis dessicans (OCD) or subchondral cystic lesions (SC) are reported. Clydesdale and Percheron were the most commonly affected breeds, and affected animals represented only 5% of the hospital population of draft horses. Horses were most frequently affected in the tibiotarsal joints and 73% (24 of 33 cases) of the horses with tibiotarsal effusion were affected bilaterally. Osteochondritis dessicans of the distal intermediate ridge was the most common lesion found in the tibiotarsal joint. The...
Sprayberry KA, Madigan J, LeCouteur RA, Valentine BA.A Thoroughbred-Percheron crossbred gelding developed a fulminant cascade of sequelae following a severe episode of rhabdomyolysis. Complications may occur with rhabdomyolysis of any etiology. In warmblood horses with Percheron bloodlines, rhabdomyolysis may be secondary to polysaccharide storage disease, and aggressive therapy should be undertaken promptly to avoid the complications.
Muylle S, Simoens P, Lauwers H, Van Loon G.The dentition of 170 Arab horses of known ages was examined and compared with the dental characteristics of trotter horses and Belgian draft horses of the same ages. The results indicated that inaccuracies in the determination of the age of horses by their dentition may result, at least partly, from differences between the breeds of horse involved because there were some major differences between the three breeds examined. These differences increased as the horses' true age increased. In general, the rate of dental wear was slower in the Arab horses than in trotter horses and Belgian draft hor...
Potard US, Leith DE, Fedde MR.Thoroughbred (TB) and draft horses (DH) have long been selected for tasks of very different intensities and force-speed relationships. To study their adaptations, we measured O2 consumption and related variables in three TB and four DH during progressive exercise tests on a level treadmill. The horses exerted a draft force of 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% of their body weight at speeds that increased by 2 m/s every 3 min until they could not maintain that speed. We found that TB could exert the same draft forces as DH and, at each force, TB achieved about twice the speed, twice the external power, and ...
Muylle S, Simoens P, Lauwers H, Van Loon G.The accuracy of ageing horses by their dentition was assessed by comparing the dental features with the known dates of birth of 212 trotter horses and 189 Belgian draft horses. The horses ranged in age from two to 25 years. In both breeds it was observed that the shedding of the incisors and the appearance of the dental stars were the most reliable features for age determination. In young animals, the dental configuration was similar in both breeds. With increasing age the incisor teeth of draft horses were more liable to abrasion than those of trotter horses. The sequential changes in appeara...
Lepage OM, Eicher R, Uebelhart B, Tschudi P.To evaluate applicability of a human osteocalcin (OC) immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for use with equine serum and compare it with a bovine radioimmunoassay (RIA) previously proven valid for such samples, and to describe the effect of type and breed of horses on serum OC concentration. Methods: 100 healthy horses of either sex, classified as type I or II (draught or warmblood, respectively). Each type was represented by 2 breed groups, each comprising 25 horses. Methods: Blood samples were collected in the morning, and the serum was separated. Osteocalcin was measured, using commercially avail...
Valentine BA, Credille KM, Lavoie JP, Fatone S, Guard C, Cummings JF, Cooper BJ.A severe myopathy leading to death or euthanasia was identified in 4 Belgian and 4 Percheron draught horses age 2-21 years. Clinical signs ranged from overt weakness and muscle atrophy in 2 horses age 2 and 3 years, to recumbency with inability to rise in 6 horses age 4-21 years. In 5 horses there was mild to severe increases in muscle enzyme levels. Clinical diagnoses included equine motor neuron disease (2 horses), post anaesthetic myopathy (2 horses), exertional myopathy (2 horses), myopathy due to unknown (one horse), and equine protozoal myelitis (one horse). Characteristic histopathology...
Cymbaluk NF, Laarveld B.The effects of dam parity, age at weaning, and preweaning diet were examined in the ontogeny of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in foals. Foals born to 13 primiparous and 19 multiparous draft-cross mares were weighed and bled near birth. About one-half of the foals in each group were weaned early (about 13 wk old); the remaining foals were weaned late (about 16 wk of age). Pooled values for serum IGF-I concentrations between birth and 17 wk of age were higher (P < 0.065) for foals born to multiparous (386 ng/ml) than to primiparous mares (237.5 ng/ml). Colts (378 n...
Pearson RA, Lawrence PR, Smith AJ.Draught animal research carried out by scientists at the Centre for Topical Veterinary Medicine (CTVM) in Edinburgh and overseas is reviewed and the major findings are reported. The remit for the work has been to provide basic information on draught animals which can be applied by researchers and extension workers to their own geographic situations. Instrumentation is described which has been designed and manufactured to assist in the measurement of draught animal performance, particularly work output and energy consumption. Energy requirements of cattle, buffaloes and equids for work and ways...
Ozawa A, Inokuma H, Johke T.The relationship between plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) level and body weight was studied in six breeds of horse. The correlation coefficients between plasma IGF-I and body weight in males and females of 1 year old heavy horses (Percheron and Breton breeds) were 0.62 and 0.12 respectively. The mean plasma IGF-I of males was higher than that of females (p < 0.01). However, the plasma IGF-I levels of heavy horses did not exceed those of light horses (Thoroughbred) or ponies (Shetland and Falabella). These data suggest that IGF-I is at least related to the difference of body weights ...
Braun J, Hochi S, Oguri N, Sato K, Torres-Boggino F.Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different macromolecule components (egg yolk, skim milk, and BSA) in a widely employed extender for cryopreservation of horse semen. Spermatozoal motility (MOT) and the percentage of spermatozoa with an intact plasma membrane (IPM) were evaluated in frozen-thawed samples. In the first experiment (four Draft Horse stallions, four ejaculates each) a standard freezing extender containing 20% whole egg yolk was modified by replacing extender components (glucose-EDTA solution, 11% lactose solution) with an increasing volume of a skim milk d...
Torres-Boggino F, Sato K, Oka A, Kanno Y, Hochi S, Oguri N, Braun J.Seminal characteristics, fertility and the response to semen preservation (liquid storage and cryopreservation) were evaluated in 4 Draft stallions (Percheron 2, Breton 2). Seminal characteristics (gel-free volume, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, percentage of motile spermatozoa) were assessed in 5 ejaculates from each of the 4 stallions. The fertility of the stallions was calculated retrospectively as the accumulated pregnancy rate over 3 breeding seasons. Five ejaculates from each of the stallions were subjected to liquid storage at 5 degrees C. The percentage of motile spermatozoa (P...
Smith RK, Jones R, Webbon PM.Fifty-two animals, comprising 22 Irish Draught crosses (Group A), 15 Thoroughbreds (Group B) and 15 ponies (Group C) were examined ultrasonographically using a 7.5 mHz linear array probe and stand-off pad. All animals were free of tendon disease as determined from clinical and ultrasonographical examination. The superficial (SDFT) and deep (DDFT) digital flexor tendons were scanned at 7 transverse (axial) levels between the carpus and metacarpophalangeal joint. Each transverse image was digitised using a commercially available frame grabber and the cross-sectional areas of each tendon at each ...
Mueller PJ, Jones MT, Rawson RE, van Soest PJ, Hintz HF.Oxygen consumption (VO2) and concentration of venous blood metabolites were measured in donkeys trained to run and to pull loads on a treadmill. VO2 in two donkeys running at maximal speed on a 9.8% slope was 110 +/- 2 ml.min-1.kg-1, approximately 22 times preexercise VO2. Average heart rate at maximal VO2 (VO2max) was 223 +/- 2 beats/min, five times the preexercise heart rate. Blood lactate increased 14-fold, and blood glucose did not change (P > 0.05). Animals running up a 4% incline and incremental draft loading of five donkeys walking on the level were also studied. The total energy cost o...
Hanson CM, Kline KH, Foreman JH.Heart scores (the arithmetic mean of the QRS durations of the three bipolar limb leads for 10 cycles) and heart weights were determined from five draft type horses and five racing type horses, and evaluated for relationships between heart score and heart size within and between the two different types of horses. Horses were killed using a captive bolt gun, and actual heart weights were recorded using an electronic digital scale. The linear regression equation for heart weight versus heart score had a significant (P < 0.05) negative slope for racing types. The regression coefficients for heart ...
Bowling AT.The genetic make-up of Great Basin wild (feral) horses was investigated by blood typing studies. Blood samples of 975 feral horses from seven trap sites in Nevada and Oregon were tested by serological and electrophoretic techniques for genetic markers at 19 polymorphic loci. The average number of variants for the seven feral populations [72.1 +/- 3.2 (SEM), range 62-85] was not significantly different from that of 16 domestic breeds (75.0 +/- 11.5, range 58-105). The expected average frequency of heterozygotes per locus (average heterozygosity) for the feral populations (0.402 +/- 0.009, range...
Ramaswamy NS.In fifty developing countries, which contain half of the total human population of the world, there is a heavy dependence on draught animals as an energy source. These animals are used for agriculture operations in 52% of cultivated areas of the world, as well as for hauling 25 million carts. This situation is likely to continue for at least another fifty years. The work performed annually by these draught animals would require 20 million tons of petroleum, valued at US$6 billion, if it were performed by motorized vehicles. The poor working conditions of these animals often adversely affect th...
Jahnke HD.Driving a harnessed horse team requires conformity of horses, driver and vehicle, if one of the three components is in disorder, animal welfare as well as the safety of man and animals are at the - stake. This paper deals with a first testing of a graduated draft power device in order to obtain detached performance readings of the horses.
Modransky P, Welker B, Ryan J.A fourth tarsal bone fracture was treated conservatively in an adult draft horse. Seven months after the injury, the horse had no evidence of lameness and was able to compete in athletic events. It has been suggested that conservative management of these fractures be considered for brood animals or animals used for less strenuous activities. The outcome of this case suggests that fourth tarsal bone fractures can be successfully treated in athletic animals with conservative management.
Mettenleiter E, Meier HP, Ueltschi G, Waibl H.The possibilities for imaging soft tissue structures, especially fluid-filled cavities such as articulations, bursae or tendon sheaths, have been improved markedly by sonography in recent years. Ultrasonic examinations were performed on the common tendon sheath of the musculus flexor hallucis longus and the musculus tibialis caudalis, from the medioplantar aspect of the tarsus, in 12 sound adult draft- and warm blood horses, and in 5 animals with a distended common sheath. The diagnostic precision of the sonographic examination of the tendon sheath is excellent and is superior to conventional ...
Pérez R, Recabarren SE, Mora G, Jara C, Quijada G, Hetz E.In order to establish the relationship between draught force and cardiorespiratory responses to exercise heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), arterial and venous blood gases, pH, hemoglobin concentration and temperature were measured in five draught horses during rest, immediately after exercise and 30 min post-exercise under field conditions. A wagon equipped with an odometer and a hydraulic dynamometer was used for measuring distance and draught force. The wagon was loaded with 946 kg for the low load, 1,979 kg for the medium load and 2,994 kg for the high load, and drawn for a distance o...
Lepage OM, Hartmann DJ, Eicher R, Uebelhart B, Tschudi P, Uebelhart D.Concentrations of the cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and osteocalcin (OC) have been determined in the serum of one hundred clinically healthy adult Draught or Warmblood horses. The correlation between these two markers has been evaluated and the influence of gender, age and type of horse described. No significant variations were observed between animals of different sex, but a significant inverse correlation (P < 0.0001) with age was observed for both measured parameters. After correction for age, serum levels of OC were found to be lower in Draught [adjuste...
Ozawa A, Inokuma H, Johke T.The relationship between plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) level and body weight was studied in six breeds of horse. The correlation coefficients between plasma IGF-I and body weight in males and females of 1 year old heavy horses (Percheron and Breton breeds) were 0.62 and 0.12 respectively. The mean plasma IGF-I of males was higher than that of females (p < 0.01). However, the plasma IGF-I levels of heavy horses did not exceed those of light horses (Thoroughbred) or ponies (Shetland and Falabella). These data suggest that IGF-I is at least related to the difference of body weights ...
Palmisano M, Bender S, Johnson AL.We describe the unique clinical presentation of a central nervous system neoplasm in a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding. Based on the neurologic examination at admission, neurolocalization was most consistent with a mildly asymmetric cervical, multifocal, or diffuse myelopathy. Mild vestibular involvement also was considered, but no cranial nerve deficits were observed. The gelding was negative for Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi based on paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples analyzed, with no evidence of cervical compression based on contrast myelography. The horse w...
Modransky P, Welker B, Ryan J.A fourth tarsal bone fracture was treated conservatively in an adult draft horse. Seven months after the injury, the horse had no evidence of lameness and was able to compete in athletic events. It has been suggested that conservative management of these fractures be considered for brood animals or animals used for less strenuous activities. The outcome of this case suggests that fourth tarsal bone fractures can be successfully treated in athletic animals with conservative management.
Jaworska J, Tobolski D, Janowski T.The failure of the maternal immune system to recognize fetal antigens and vice versa due to MHC similarity between the foal and its dam might result in the lack of placental separation during parturition in mares. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of MHC similarity between a mare and a foal on the incidence of retained fetal membranes (RFM) in post-partum mares. DNA was sampled from 43 draft mares and their foals. Mares which failed to expel fetal membranes within three hours after foal expulsion were considered the RFM group (n = 14) and mares that expelled fetal membranes...
Sasaki N, Morita Y, Moriyama T, Yamada H.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system on laryngeal hemiplegia in heavy draft horses. Twenty-four heavy draft horses diagnosed with grade 4 laryngeal hemiplegia were allocated to either the prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) group (n=14) or a canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system (CCCLRS) group (n=10). Right to left angle quotients (RLQs) of abductions of the arytenoid cartilages were endoscopically evaluated before and after surgery. Post-operative RLQs in the CCCLRS group were significantly lower than those of the PL gro...
McKenzie EC, Firshman AM.Chronic exertional rhabdomyolysis represents a syndrome of recurrent exercise-associated muscle damage in horses that arises from a variety of etiologies. Major advances have been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease, and causative genetic defects have been recently identified for two conditions-polysaccharide storage myopathy of quarter horses, paints, warm bloods, and draft breeds. Dietary management in combination with a regular exercise regimen comprises the most effective means for control of clinical signs.
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Jahnke HD.Driving a harnessed horse team requires conformity of horses, driver and vehicle, if one of the three components is in disorder, animal welfare as well as the safety of man and animals are at the - stake. This paper deals with a first testing of a graduated draft power device in order to obtain detached performance readings of the horses.
Bohanon TC, Beard WL, Robertson JT.Case records of 27 draft horses with laryngeal hemiplegia were reviewed. Twenty-one horses were treated by ventriculectomy with or without prosthetic laryngoplasty, and 17 owners were contacted to determine the results. Fifteen horses improved after surgery and were able to perform to the owners' expectations. Performance improved significantly and hospitalization was shorter after ventriculectomy alone. Results of this study indicate that the clinical signs of exercise intolerance and excessive inspiratory noise associated with left laryngeal hemiplegia in draft horses can be treated successf...
Abu-Seida AM, Elemmawy YM.Desmopathy of the collateral sesamoidean ligament (CSL) is an unusual disorder in draft horses. This study records the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of chronic CSL desmopathy in eight draft horses and confirms these features by histopathology. The recorded chronic CSL desmopathy has usually affected the forelimbs (100%) and commonly bilateral (62.5%). All horses showed positive proximal digital nerve block, positive front digital flexion test, and negative interphalangeal extension test. Radiography revealed no osseous abnormalities in all feet. MRI features of chronic CSL desmopat...
Sambraus HH.Due to motorization the heavy horses, in particular draught horses and carriage horses, were deprived of their "raison d'être". At present therefore, they mostly are found in small livestocks. The past few years they regained some significance through their work in the forests, as an attraction in tourism or somewhere else. In German speaking countries approximately 15 horse breeds must be considered to be threatened in their existence. Breeding history, appearance, use and geographical distribution of 12 of them are discussed in this article.
Samy A, Elmetwally M, El-Khodery SA.The aim of the present study was to establish appropriate doses for both lidocaine hydrochloride (Hcl) and mepivacaine in intravenous regional analgesia (IVRA) and to assess their intraoperative and postoperative analgesic effects in horses with distal limb surgeries. A total of 55 draft horses were included in the present study. Six clinically healthy horses were selected randomly for establishing the doses of lidocaine Hcl and mepivacaine in IVRA in horse limbs. After selection, 32 horses suffered from various distal limb surgical affections were randomly allocated into three groups: thiopen...
Valentine BA, Hedstrom OR, Miller WH, Scott DW, Mathies S.A blue roan Percheron foal was born with poorly circumscribed patchy alopecia of the trunk and legs. Teeth and hoof development were normal. Alopecia was progressive, becoming almost complete by 1 year of age. Histopathological findings in a skin biopsy obtained at 7 months of age were consistent with severe follicular hypoplasia. Sebaceous glands, epitrichial sweat glands and arrector pilae muscles were normal. The horse is alive and otherwise well at 6 years of age, although adult stature is considered small for this breed. The clinical history and histopathological findings are most consist...
Greco-Otto P, Léguillette R.Horses competing in pulling competitions often undergo rapid weight change to enter lower weight categories. The aim of this study was to assess weight change and the associated changes of body water compartments in pulling horses. Weight change was attributed primarily to body water losses; however, losses from other sources were also indicated. . Les chevaux participant à des compétitions de trait subissent souvent des changements de poids rapides pour s’inscrire à des catégories de poids inférieurs. Le but de cette étude consistait à évaluer le changement de poids et les changemen...
Hahn K, Conze TM, Wollanke B, Distl O, Goehring LS, Witte TS.A 5-month-old draft horse filly was presented with incontinence and severe perivulvar dermatitis, which developed during the previous 2 months. Left-sided ectopic ureter entering in the caudal vaginal lumen, signs of cervix hypoplasia, and urine accumulation in the uterus were found during initial vaginal endoscopy. Therefore, a left ureter-nephrectomy was conducted under general anesthesia. Additionally, a cytogenetic examination was performed, which showed a XO monosomy with a 63,X/64,XX mosaic. This is the first case report presenting a chromosome abnormality in a draft horse filly combine...
Varewyck H, Bouquet Y, Lazary S, Guérin G, Van de Weghe A, Van Zeveren A.158 Belgian Saddlebreds, 130 Belgian Trotters, 108 Belgian Draft horses and 92 Shetland ponies have been typed for serologically defined antigens at the ELA and ELY systems. Gene frequencies were estimated in each breed for the internationally established ELA, ELY-1 and ELY-2 alleles as well as for locally assigned additional ELA markers and for subtypes of ELA-W3, W9 and W11. The distribution of ELA alleles was in agreement with the expected Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the 4 horse breeds described here. Differences in gene frequencies between these main Belgian horse populations were obser...
Barsi B, Oláh J, Posta J.The Hungarian Coldblood horse was developed in the 1920s by crossing local mares with draft horses imported from Belgium and France, and was approved as an official horse breed in 1954. The aim of the study was to analyze the quality of the pedigree, generation interval, gene origin, and inbreeding. The pedigree information was received from the Hungarian Coldblood Horse Breeding Association. The studbook data of the registered animals up to 2023 were evaluated. Two reference populations were chosen: horses having offspring in 1989 and 2023. The final database contained 21,699 horses. Pedigree...
Raś A, Rapacz-Leonard A, Raś-Noryńska M, Barański W.Although fetotomy is recommended for all mares when the fetus is dead and difficult to extract, little has been written about fetotomy and heavy draft mares. This lack includes indications for fetotomy in heavy draft mares, differences in treatment and prognosis of heavy mares kept by farmers of low socioeconomic status, and how this procedure affects the mare's further fertility. The literature on mares, in general, also differs on the survival rate of mares that undergo fetotomy, the prevalence of postpartum complications, and further fertility. To answer these questions, we reviewed the me...
Komosa M, Włodarek J, Dzierzęcka M, Nienartowicz-Zdrojewska A, Tołkacz M.The problem of navicular bone lesions is better understood in warmblood horses. The aim of our research was to compare pathologic lesions of navicular bone of different types of horses divided into age groups. An extra goal was to compare radiographs with anatomical status of navicular bone dissected from the hoof capsule. The study group included 161 horses, out of which 100 individuals were warmbloods, and 61 - coldbloods. In total 280 navicular bones were analysed. The flexor surface, distal border fragments, enthesophytes and the process of obliteration of nutrient foramina were analysed. ...
Vandeplassche M, Simoens P, Bouters R, De Vos N, Verschooten F.In 214 cases of severe dystocia in mares, of which 141 (66 per cent) were Draught horses, deviation of the head and neck, with or without torticollis, malformed head and limbs were found to be the cause of dystocia. No evidence of a genetic lethal factor was found and torticollis was often combined with scoliosis of the head and, frequently, with malformation of one or more limbs. This is considered evidence of a common aetiology and pathogenesis of the syndrome of malformation. The malformations were found to be associated with an increased incidence of caudal and, particularly, transverse pr...
Endo H, Nguyen ST, Yoshida M, Kudo K.The three-dimensionally real position and movement of the scapula in the lateral side of the ribcage could not be clarified in the horse, since the body size of the horse is too large to apply the CT scanning and image analysis methods. In this study, therefore, we examined the position and the movability of scapula using a carcass of the Falabella which is one of the smallest breeds of the horse. The whole skeletal system in thoracic part of the Falabella could be three-dimensionally observed by CT scanning method. The three-dimensional images show that the scapula cranially slides and the ve...
Harada K, Akioka K, Izu I, Sasaki N.Hemorrhage syndrome in adipose tissues in the crest of the neck (HSCN), specifically in hemorrhagic adipose tissues on the longitudinally sectioned surface of the neck fat at the dorsal nuchal ligament, is prevalent in heavy horse breeds. Herein, we aimed to establish an ultrasonographic method to successfully diagnose HSCN in heavy horse breeds and assess its efficacy. Horses with homogeneous echogenicity images were included in the control group, whereas those with linear high-echogenicity images were classified as having HSCN. Horses with confirmed linear high-echogenicity images exhibited ...
The Journal of heredityNovember 25, 2009
Volume 101, Issue 2 246-250 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esp091
Mittmann EH, Lampe V, Mömke S, Zeitz A, Distl O.The availability of a high-quality draft sequence of the horse makes known the physical location of microsatellites. The aim of the present study was to establish a highly polymorphic minimal screening set of microsatellite markers for horses (MSSH) annotated on the horse genome assembly EquCab2.0. We have used the previously reported linkage and radiation hybrid maps and have extended these marker sets by filling in gaps as noted from annotation on the horse sequence. This MSSH covers all autosomes and the X chromosome with 322 evenly spaced microsatellites whose positions were determined on ...
Ríha J, Minár J, Králík O, Krupa V.The adverse effect of blood-sucking dipterous insects (gadflies, gnats, black flies, midges) was determined and checked, as exerted on the working performance of draft horses working in forests; the possibilities of protecting horses with repellents were studied at the same time. The trial was conducted under field conditions in the territory of the Broumov Forest Establishment in the Náchod and Trutnov districts. A 10% water emulsion of the repellent, diethyltoluamide, was used; the horses were treated with the emulsion in a 24-hour interval. Over the seventy working days from the 1st of Jul...
Glatzel PS, Kangasniemi A, Belz JP, Lange A.The investigations were done on 108 mares (78 warm-blooded horses, 25 cold-blooded horses and 5 trotters). To pursue the question in the title, progesterone and estradiol values in jugular vein-blood were examined starting from 30 days before the calculated date of parturition until 30 days after that event. In parallel to that Ca/Mg ratio was measured by means of a semiquantitative test-strip in the milk. Clinical signs of the birth, parturition itself and the post partum period were recorded. In respect to the P4 and E2 values it was that the P4:E2 ratio changed towards parturition in favour...
