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.
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...
Harrison GD, Duncan ID, Clayton MK.The age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy has not been ascertained, although the clinical condition of left laryngeal hemiplegia ("roaring") has been recognized for centuries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the laryngeal muscles of draft horse foals for the presence of fiber-type grouping, indicating denervation and reinnervation, and to determine if histological evidence of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy was present. Abductor and adductor laryngeal muscles from the left and right sides were collected immediately after euthanasia from male draft horse foals, six less...
Perez R, Recabarren SE, Valdes P, Hetz E.A study was undertaken in five draught horses of 648 +/- 33 kg body weight to find the effects of continuously pulling loads on their cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic responses. A cart equipped with an odometer, for measuring distance, and a hydraulic dynamometer, for measuring draught force, was used. Heart and respiration rates and rectal temperatures were recorded. Blood samples for measuring arterial and venous pH and blood gases, haemoglobin, glucose and lactic acid concentrations and the serum activity of the enzymes creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate ...
King TC, Priehs DR, Gum GG, Miller TR.The records of 50 horses with ocular squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) presented to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital over an 11 year period were reviewed to determine the influence of therapy on the outcome of the case. Follow-up information was obtained for 43 of the 50 cases. The disease was more prevalent in the light horse breeds; however, the draft breeds also were at risk. There was no sex predisposition and the average age was 11.8 years. Tumour recurrence was significant when surgery alone was performed. The eyelid and nictitating membrane were the primary si...
Geiser DR.Chemical restraint in the standing horse is used for a variety of procedures in veterinary medicine. The choice of agent depends on the physical status, temperament, and size of the patient; the procedure to be performed; and safety for the patient, veterinarian, and owner. The combination of certain agents may provide more desirable restraint and analgesia than does the use of individual agents. The use of analgesics in the horse is not without side effects, some of which may be detrimental to the patient's condition. Analgesics should be chosen with these untoward effects in mind. Draft bree...
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...
Doreau M, Boulot S, Barlet JP, Patureau-Mirand P.The yields and composition of milk from nursing mares were studied during the first two months of lactation in 11 mares of heavy breeds (784 kg). Daily yield increased from 21.7 to 24.6 kg between weeks 1 and 8 of lactation. Fat, protein, gross energy and Ca concentrations significantly decreased when lactose content increased during this period. Individual variations were higher for yield than for composition. Casein, whey protein and non-protein N (56, 34 and 10% of crude protein, respectively) and amino acid composition did not vary between weeks 1 and 8 of lactation.
Gottlieb M.Muscle fibre recruitment was investigated during draught loaded exercise by studying glycogen depletion patterns from histochemical stains of muscle biopsies from the gluteus and semitendinosus muscles. Three Standardbred trotters performed several intervals of draught loaded exercise on a treadmill with 34 kp at a trot (7 m/sec) and with 34 and 80 kp, respectively at a walk (2m/sec). Exercise was continued until the horses were unwilling to continue. Glycogen depletion was seen in all three fibre types when trotting with 34 kp for 5 or 10 mins. When an equal weight resistance was pulled at a ...
Gottlieb M, Essén-Gustavsson B, Lindholm A, Persson SG.Circulatory and muscle metabolic responses were studied in 10 horses which all performed incremental draught work at a low trotting speed on a treadmill (D-test) and also exercise with gradually increasing velocities (S-test). Exercise was continued until the horses could no longer maintain the weights above the floor or maintain speed trotting without changing gait to a gallop. Muscle biopsies were taken from the gluteus and the semitendinosus muscles before, and immediately after, exercise. The heart rate (HR) increased linearly with both increasing draught resistance and velocity and reache...
Miller A, Woods GL.Reproductive Physiology 1. Twin pregnancies result in high rates of abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality. 2. Twins develop subsequent to multiple ovulations. Multiple ovulations are related to breed, parity, and mare history. Multiple ovulations are most frequently seen in Thoroughbred and Draft mares. Multiple ovulations are more common in barren and perhaps maiden mares than in lactating mares, and they are more common in certain individual mares. 3. Equine embryos are motile in the uterus from the time of first detection (Days 9 to 10) until fixation (Day 16). They are frequently lo...
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.
Schwink K.A retrospective review of 41 cases of equine ocular squamous cell carcinoma with follow up information for 33 horses is presented. An apparent prevalence in heavy horse breeds was identified. Age and sex distribution were similar to those previously reported. High recurrence (42.4 per cent) and low metastasis (6 per cent) rates were seen. Initial tumour location, primary treatment used, or patient case history had no apparent influence on final outcome. The willingness of owners to pursue with continuous treatment correlated with a high degree of success.
Ríha J, Minár J, Skaloud J, Janes K, Králík O.Dipterous blood-sucking insects (horseflies, black flies, gnats, midges) have negative impacts on the performance of draught horses in forest enterprises. For the protection of these animals, the following preparations were applied at the interval of 24 hours: diethyltoluamide, Oxamat (N,N-diethyloxamine acid, USSR) and Stomoxin (synthetic pyrethroid, product of the firm Wellcome, England). In the course of 66 working days, the performance of test animals treated with 10% water emulsion of diethyltoluamide increased by 49.25 cu. m. of skidded wood, i.e. by 0.74 cu. m. wood per horse/day (21.65...
Cymbaluk NF, Bristol FM, Christensen DA.Plasma ceruloplasmin activities and plasma Cu and Zn concentrations were determined in 215 clinically normal equids of various ages and breeds. Newborn foals, regardless of breed, were hypocupremic, compared with adolescent and mature horses. The mean plasma Cu concentration of newborn Standardbred-Thoroughbred (STD-TB) foals was 2.9 mumol/L, which was about one-sixth of plasma Cu concentrations of mature horses. Newborn draft-cross foals had higher (4.6 mumol/L) plasma Cu concentrations than did newborn STD-TB foals, but plasma Cu content was only one-fifth of the dams' concentrations. Draft-...
Doreau M, Boulot S, Martin-Rosset W, Robelin J.The milk and nutrient intakes of 21 nursing foals of heavy breeds (adult weight: 800 kg) were determined at 1, 4 and 8 weeks of age. Lactose intake increased (P is less than 0.01) from 1 300 g/day at 1 week of age to 1 800 g/d at 8 weeks; fat decreased (P is less than 0.01) from 400 g/d to 300 g/d and protein did not vary (600 g/d). Energy and nitrogen intakes did not depend on the source of energy in the mother's diet. Milk, energy and nitrogen intakes were well related (r = 0.74 to 0.81) with foal growth between 1 and 4 weeks, but not between 4 and 8 weeks. The composition of weight gain sho...
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...
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...
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...
McDonald GK.A six year old Percheron mare was presented with a history of spontaneous unilateral epistaxis of 24 hours duration. The blood one stage prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times were markedly prolonged. A diagnosis of moldy sweetclover poisoning was made on the basis of the history and clinical and laboratory findings. A single whole blood transfusion and four daily intravenous injections of vitamin K(3) proved to be a successful treatment.
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.
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.
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
Geburek F, Deegen E, Hewicker-Trautwein M, Ohnesorge B.Verrucous pastern dermatitis is a chronic hyperplastic dermatopathy of the feet of horses which is characterized by a greasy, odorous coating of the skin and, in advanced stages, by clearly demarcated calluses and wart-like proliferations. The disease occurs almost exclusively in cold-blooded and other heavy horses, with certain breeds affected most frequently. It is considered a distinct disease entity within the framework of pastern dermatitis syndrome. There is no consensus in the literature about relationship of the disease to the sex and age of the horse. Horses with a high cannon circumf...
Kakoi H, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Hirosawa Y, Tanaka S, Nagata SI.To confirm the positive conversion of antibodies against erythrocyte antigens in horses, possible blood transfusion donor horses selected from draft horse populations were periodically monitored with an indirect antiglobulin (Coombs) test for approximately 3 years. In this study, 19 horses (16 females and 3 males) were investigated, and five mares showed alloantibodies during the monitoring period. Four mares were typically pregnant when positive conversion was detected, whereas no particular cause of conversion could be observed for one mare based on its clinical records. In the analyzed hors...
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...
Niikura T, Tsogtgerel M, Niikura C, Wada H, Kanzawa S, Fujiwara T, Nambo Y.The objective of this study was to examine the effect of prostaglandin F2α (dinoprost) and oxytocin administration on uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts in the Japanese heavy draft mare. To compare polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) counts in the endometrium, a total of 162 samples were collected from 54 estruses of 47 mares (before ovulation, day 0, and day 2) using a double-guarded cytology brush. Dinoprost (PG; 5 mg) was administered intramuscularly (i.m.) only once, on day 0, whereas oxytocin (OT; 20 U i.m.) was administered three times at 12-hr intervals starting on day 0. The p...
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...
Schneider N, Heimann M, Lejeune JP, Verwilghen DR, Deby-Dupont GP, Serteyn DA.In the human and equine species, different kinds of free floating intra-articular particles are related to certain disorders. Osteochondral fragments formed during osteochondrosis dissecans are the most common finding in the equine species, whereas in humans rice bodies due to rheumatoid arthritis are more frequent. Herein we report a third type of floating body inside the stifle of an adult draught horse stallion, in macroscopic appearance similar to articular rice bodies known in humans. As revealed by histologic examination, the two particles consist of polypoid degenerated structures deriv...
Senderska-Płonowska M, Siwińska N, Zak-Bochenek A, Rykała M, Słowikowska M, Madej JP, Kaleta-Kuratewicz K, Niedźwiedź A.Obesity is a common problem in horses. The associations between obesity and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and between EMS and laminitis are known. However, there is a lack of data on whether obesity itself can affect hoof lamellae. Forelimbs and blood from 12 draft horses (six obese and six lean) from a slaughterhouse were acquired. To exclude laminitis and EMS horses, insulin concentration was measured, and hooves were radiographed. Histological evaluation was performed. The shape of the primary and secondary epidermal lamellae (PEL and SEL) was evaluated, and the length of the keratinized ...
Kander A, Warde P.This article explores the proposition that a reason for high agricultural productivity in the early nineteenth century was relatively high energy availability from draught animals. The article is based on the collection of extensive new data indicating different trends in draught power availability and the efficiency of its use in different countries of Europe. This article shows that the proposition does not hold, and demonstrates that, although towards the end of the nineteenth century England had relatively high numbers of draught animals per agricultural worker, it also had low number of w...
