Environmental stressors encompass a range of external factors that can impact the health and well-being of horses. These stressors include temperature extremes, humidity, air quality, noise, and changes in habitat or management practices. Horses may exhibit physiological and behavioral responses to these stressors, which can affect their overall health, performance, and welfare. Research in this area focuses on understanding how environmental variables influence equine physiology and behavior, as well as identifying management strategies to mitigate negative effects. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the effects of environmental stressors on horses, examining their impact on health, performance, and welfare.
Adams RJ, Mathys DA, Mollenkopf DF, Whittle A, Daniels JB, Wittum TE.The emergence of bacterial resistance to carbapenem antibiotics is an urgent public health threat. Carbapenem drugs are a last resort treatment option for life-threatening infections. The frequent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat hospitalized patients provides significant selection pressure favoring the emergence and dissemination of resistant organisms, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). CREs have been reported in animal populations, but only rarely in horses. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of CRE in the environment of a referral equine specialty...
Zavoshti FR, Andrews FM.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is an umbrella term used to describe ulcers in the nonglandular squamous and glandular mucosa, terminal esophagus, and proximal duodenum. Gastric ulcers in the squamous and glandular regions occur more often than esophageal or duodenal ulcers and likely have a different pathogenesis. At present, omeprazole is accepted globally as the best pharmacologic therapy for both regions of the stomach; however, the addition of coating agents and synthetic prostaglandins could add to its effectiveness in treatment of EGUS. Dietary and environmental management are nece...
D'Ambrosia AR, Clyde WC, Fricke HC, Gingerich PD, Abels HA.Abrupt perturbations of the global carbon cycle during the early Eocene are associated with rapid global warming events, which are analogous in many ways to present greenhouse warming. Mammal dwarfing has been observed, along with other changes in community structure, during the largest of these ancient global warming events, known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum [PETM; ~56 million years ago (Ma)]. We show that mammalian dwarfing accompanied the subsequent, smaller-magnitude warming event known as Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 [ETM2 (~53 Ma)]. Statistically significant decrease in body size...
Science (New York, N.Y.)February 12, 2017
Volume 355, Issue 6325 627-630 doi: 10.1126/science.aag1772
Cantalapiedra JL, Prado JL, Hernández Fernández M, Alberdi MT.Evolutionary theory has long proposed a connection between trait evolution and diversification rates. In this work, we used phylogenetic methods to evaluate the relationship of lineage-specific speciation rates and the mode of evolution of body size and tooth morphology in the Neogene and Quaternary radiation of horses (7 living and 131 extinct species). We show that diversification pulses are a recurrent feature of equid evolution but that these pulses are not correlated with rapid bursts in phenotypic evolution. Instead, rapid cladogenesis seems repeatedly associated with extrinsic factors t...
Choubisa SL.India is one of the fluoride-endemic countries where the maximum numbers of ground or drinking water sources are naturally fluoridated. In India, a total of 23, out of 36 states and union territories have drinking water contaminated with fluoride in varying concentration. In the present scenario, especially in rural India, besides the surface waters (perennial ponds, dams, rivers, etc.), bore wells and hand pumps are the principal drinking water sources for domestic animals such as cattle (Bos taurus), water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), sheep (Ovis aries), goats (Capra hircus), horses (Equus c...
Rocheleau JP, Arsenault J, Ogden NH, Lindsay LR, Drebot M, Michel P.Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe emerging vector-borne disease affecting human and animal populations in the northeastern United States where it is endemic. Key knowledge gaps remain about the epidemiology of EEE virus (EEEV) in areas where its emergence has more recently been reported. In Eastern Canada, viral activity has been recorded in mosquitoes and horses throughout the 2000s but cases of EEEV in humans have not been reported so far. This study was designed to provide an assessment of possible EEEV human exposure by modelling environmental risk factors for EEEV in ...
Yarnell K, Le Bon M, Turton N, Savova M, McGlennon A, Forsythe S.To compare the rate of growth of four microbial strains that cause disease in the horse, on four commonly used types of bedding. The moisture-holding capacity of each bedding type was also tested. Results: Microbial strains included Streptococcus equi, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Dichelobacter nodosus and Dermatophilus congolensis. The bedding types tested were Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine shavings), Pinus nigra (Corsican pine shavings), Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce shavings), Cannabis sativa (hemp) and chopped wheat straw. A suspension of each microbial strain wa...
Hall SE, Nixon B, Aitken RJ.Feral horses are a significant pest species in many parts of the world, contributing to land erosion, weed dispersal and the loss of native flora and fauna. There is an urgent need to modify feral horse management strategies to achieve public acceptance and long-term population control. One way to achieve this is by using non-surgical methods of sterilisation, which are suitable in the context of this mobile and long-lived species. In this review we consider the benefits of implementing novel mechanisms designed to elicit a state of permanent sterility (including redox cycling to generate oxid...
Marck A, Berthelot G, Foulonneau V, Marc A, Antero-Jacquemin J, Noirez P, Bronikowski AM, Morgan TJ, Garland T, Carter PA, Hersen P, Di Meglio JM....Locomotion is one of the major physiological functions for most animals. Previous studies have described aging mechanisms linked to locomotor performance among different species. However, the precise dynamics of these age-related changes, and their interactions with development and senescence, are largely unknown. Here, we use the same conceptual framework to describe locomotor performances in Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus domesticus, Canis familiaris, Equus caballus, and Homo sapiens. We show that locomotion is a consistent biomarker of age-related changes, with an asymmetrical pattern througho...
Rinnovati R, Romagnoli N, Gentilini F, Lambertini C, Spadari A.Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) commonly refers to blood products which contain a higher platelet (PLT) concentration as compared to normal plasma. Autologous PRP has been shown to be safe and effective in promoting the natural processes of soft tissue healing or reconstruction in humans and horses. Variability in PLT concentration has been observed in practice between PRP preparations from different patients or from the same individual under different conditions. A change in PLT concentration could modify PRP efficacy in routine applications. The aim of this study was to test the influence of envi...
Brownlow MA, Dart AJ, Jeffcott LB.Metabolic heat produced by Thoroughbred racehorses during racing can rapidly elevate core body temperature (1°C/min). When environmental conditions are hot and humid, the normal physiological cooling mechanisms become ineffective. The heat accumulated may exceed a critical thermal maximum (estimated to be 42°C), which may trigger a complex pathophysiological cascade with potentially lethal consequences. This syndrome has been labelled exertional heat illness (EHI). EHI is described in humans, but has not been well documented in Thoroughbred racehorses. The clinical signs described in racehor...
Walencik-Łata A, Kozłowska B, Mietelski JW, Szufa K, Freire FD, Souza SO.This study aimed at assessing the incorporation of radionuclides in animals in the proximity of the uranium mine in Caetité, Brazil. In 2014, samples of bovine and equine teeth and skull bones were collected and their contents of natural and artificial isotopes were assessed using nuclear spectrometry techniques. Gamma ray emission from Ra and K isotopes was determined using high-purity germanium (HPGe) spectrometry, Sr radioactivity was measured with liquid scintillation, and U, Th, Po and Pu radioactivity was assessed with alpha-spectrometry. Prior to the measurements, sample dissolutions a...
Lubow BC, Ransom JI.Reliably estimating wildlife abundance is fundamental to effective management. Aerial surveys are one of the only spatially robust tools for estimating large mammal populations, but statistical sampling methods are required to address detection biases that affect accuracy and precision of the estimates. Although various methods for correcting aerial survey bias are employed on large mammal species around the world, these have rarely been rigorously validated. Several populations of feral horses (Equus caballus) in the western United States have been intensively studied, resulting in identifica...
Younes M, Robert C, Barrey E, Cottin F.Although cardiac recovery is an important criterion for ranking horses in endurance competitions, heart rate variability (HRV) has hardly ever been studied in the context of this equestrian discipline. In the present study, we sought to determine whether HRV is affected by parameters such as age, exercise duration and test site. Accordingly, HRV might be used to select endurance horses with the fastest cardiac recovery. The main objective of the present study was to determine the effects of age, exercise duration, and test site on HRV variables at rest and during exercise and recovery in young...
Nanda S, Dalai AK, Gökalp I, Kozinski JA.The organic wastes such as lignocellulosic biomass, municipal solid waste, sewage sludge and livestock manure have attracted attention as alternative sources of energy. Cattle manure, a waste generated in surplus amounts from the feedlot, has always been a chief environmental concern. This study is focused on identifying the candidacy of horse manure as a next generation feedstock for biofuel production through supercritical water gasification. The horse manure was gasified in supercritical water to examine the effects of temperature (400-600°C), biomass-to-water ratio (1:5 and 1:10) and reac...
Bullone M, Murcia RY, Lavoie JP.Clinical exacerbations of severe equine asthma (formerly recurrent airway obstruction [RAO]) are more frequently reported during winter when horses are exposed to airborne dusts during stabling. However, we have also observed a worsening of clinical signs on days during a heatwave. Objective: To investigate the association between environmental temperature and humidity and clinical signs of asthma in horses during clinical exacerbation of the disease. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal study. Methods: Historical data on 14 severe asthmatic horses exposed to a dusty environment and evaluated u...
Lühe T, Mielenz N, Schulz J, Dreyer-Rendelsmann C, Kemper N.Environmental factors contribute to respiratory diseases in horses and man. During exercise, equine ventilation is increased, potentially increasing exposure of the airways to inhaled particulates. Currently, there is very little information on the quality of air in riding arenas. Objective: To evaluate air quality and dust particle concentrations in indoor riding arenas before and after use for riding. Methods: Longitudinal study. Methods: Air quality was assessed in 4 indoor riding arenas in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany on a monthly basis for 1 year. Concentrations of particles in 6 particle fract...
Research in microbiologyJanuary 14, 2016
Volume 167, Issue 4 313-324 doi: 10.1016/j.resmic.2016.01.001
Deredjian A, Alliot N, Blanchard L, Brothier E, Anane M, Cambier P, Jolivet C, Khelil MN, Nazaret S, Saby N, Thioulouse J, Favre-Bonté S.The occurrence of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was monitored in organic amendments and agricultural soils from various sites in France and Tunisia. S. maltophilia was detected in horse and bovine manures, and its abundance ranged from 0.294 (±0.509) × 10(3) to 880 (±33.4) × 10(3) CFU (g drywt)(-1) of sample. S. maltophilia was recovered from most tested soil samples (104/124). Its abundance varied from 0.33 (±0.52) to 414 (±50) × 10(3) CFU (g drywt)(-1) of soil and was not related to soil characteristics. Antibiotic resistance properties of a set of environmental strains were ...
Ahmadnejad F, Otarod V, Fathnia A, Ahmadabadi A, Fallah MH, Zavareh A, Miandehi N, Durand B, Sabatier P.Geographic distribution of West Nile virus (WNV) is heterogeneous in Iran by a high circulation in the southern-western areas. The objective of our study was to determine environmental and climatic factors associated with the risk of WNV equine seropositivity in Iran. Methods: Serological data were obtained from a serosurvey conducted in equine population in 260 districts in Iran. The climate and environmental parameters included in the models were distance to the nearest wetland area, type of stable, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), annual mean temperature, humidity and precipit...
Conte A, Candeloro L, Ippoliti C, Monaco F, De Massis F, Bruno R, Di Sabatino D, Danzetta ML, Benjelloun A, Belkadi B, El Harrak M, Declich S....West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the Flaviviridae family. Its spread in the Mediterranean basin and the Balkans poses a significant risk to human health and forces public health officials to constantly monitor the virus transmission to ensure prompt application of preventive measures. In this context, predictive tools indicating the areas and periods at major risk of WNV transmission are of paramount importance. Spatial analysis approaches, which use environmental and climatic variables to find suitable habit...
Liu SH, Hu DF, Li K.Oviposition site selection is an important aspect of the behavioural ecology of insects. A comparison of the habitats used by a species enhances our understanding of their adaptation to altered environments. We collected data on the oviposition behaviours of Gasterophilus pecorum (Diptera: Gasterophilidae) in its habitat in Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR), Xinjiang, China between March and October 2014. We found 91 quadrats were used by G. pecorum for oviposition. Examining 13 ecological factors using the t-test, chi-square test, and principal component analysis showed that G. pecorum's oviposi...
Liebenberg D, van Hamburg H, Piketh S, Burger R.Africa horse sickness (AHS) is a lethal disease of horses with a seasonal occurrence that is influenced by environmental conditions that favor the development of Culicoides midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). This study compared and evaluated the relationship of various modeled climatic variables with the distribution and abundance of AHS in South Africa and Namibia. A comprehensive literature review of the historical AHS reported data collected from the Windhoek archives as well as annual reports from the Directorate of Veterinary services in Namibia were conducted. South African AHS reported ...
Edwards S, Clode AB, Gilger BC.This retrospective case series evaluates husbandry and environmental conditions in relation to eosinophilic keratitis in horses. While no associations were found between disease and husbandry practices or specific environmental factors such as humidity or temperature, an increased prevalence of presentation in summer months was identified in this population of horses.
Wylie CE, Shaw DJ, Fordyce FM, Lilly A, Pirie RS, McGorum BC.We hypothesised that the apparent geographical distribution of equine grass sickness (EGS) is partly attributable to suboptimal levels of soil macro- and trace elements in fields where EGS occurs. If proven, altering levels of particular elements could be used to reduce the risk of EGS. Objective: To determine whether the geographical distribution of EGS cases in eastern Scotland is associated with the presence or absence of particular environmental chemical elements. Methods: Retrospective time-matched case-control study. Methods: This study used data for 455 geo-referenced EGS cases and 910 ...
Boysen C, Davis EG, Beard LA, Lubbers BV, Raghavan RK.Kansas witnessed an unprecedented outbreak in Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection among horses, a disease commonly referred to as pigeon fever during fall 2012. Bayesian geostatistical models were developed to identify key environmental and climatic risk factors associated with C. pseudotuberculosis infection in horses. Positive infection status among horses (cases) was determined by positive test results for characteristic abscess formation, positive bacterial culture on purulent material obtained from a lanced abscess (n = 82), or positive serologic evidence of exposure to organism ...
Saastamoinen M, Särkijärvi S, Hyyppä S.Stable air quality and the choice of bedding material are an important health issue both in horses and people working or visiting horse stables. Risks of impaired respiratory health are those that can especially be avoided by improving air quality in the stable. The choice of bedding material is particularly important in cold climate conditions; where horses are kept most of the day and year indoors throughout their life. This study examined the effect of two bedding materials; wood shavings and peat; on stable air quality and health of horses. Ammonia and dust levels were also measured to ass...
Jonckheer-Sheehy VS, Houpt KA.Horses and ponies are used for experimental research in a variety of fields, but there is little published scientific literature that describes current or evidence-based recommendations for keeping and managing these species for research purposes. Equine species require particular environmental conditions and allowances to accommodate their behavior and physiology. Here the authors review studies and common practices for ambient facility conditions; provision of bedding, food and water; opportunities for exercise and environmental enrichment; allocation of facility spaces and resources; and de...
Proietto LR, Plummer CE, Maxwell KM, Lamb KE, Brooks DE.The purpose of this investigation was to identify potential environmental risk factors for the diagnosis of equine deep stromal abscesses (DSA) in the subtropical climate at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center (UFVMC). Methods: Cases included were selected from the UFVMC medical record and imaging database, and included all cases of equine DSA diagnosed during the period from December 1991 to December 2013 in patients residing in north central Florida. Patient date of diagnosis and atmospheric data was obtained for north central Florida for the corresponding time period. Univar...
Diarra M, Fall M, Lancelot R, Diop A, Fall AG, Dicko A, Seck MT, Garros C, Allène X, Rakotoarivony I, Bakhoum MT, Bouyer J, Guis H.In Senegal, considerable mortality in the equine population and hence major economic losses were caused by the African horse sickness (AHS) epizootic in 2007. Culicoides oxystoma and Culicoides imicola, known or suspected of being vectors of bluetongue and AHS viruses are two predominant species in the vicinity of horses and are present all year-round in Niayes area, Senegal. The aim of this study was to better understand the environmental and climatic drivers of the dynamics of these two species. Culicoides collections were obtained using OVI (Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute) light traps a...
Stachurska A, Robovský J, Bocian K, Janczarek I.Changes in the coat cover are important for mammalian thermoregulation. This is especially true where variable environmental conditions exist throughout the seasons. Coat cover shedding is the replacement of old coat hair with new hair. The process differs in various equids. The aim of the study was to examine the changes in the coat of primitive Polish Konik horses living on a reserve in southeast Poland (50.6319° N). The reserve is located in a temperate climate. The mean temperature is below 0°C in winter (December 8 to March 9) and over 15°C in summer (June 8 to September 8). Five adult...
Ewart SL, Schott HC, Robison RL, Dwyer RM, Eberhart SW, Walker RD.To determine sources of Salmonella organisms in a veterinary teaching hospital, compare bacterial culture with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for detection of Salmonella organisms in environmental samples, and evaluate the effects of various disinfectants on detection of Salmonella organisms on surface materials. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: Fecal samples from 638 hospitalized horses and 783 environmental samples. Methods: Standard bacterial culture techniques were used; the PCR test amplified a segment of the Salmonella DNA. Five disinfectants were mixed with Salmonella suspe...
Paruch L, Paruch AM.Zoogenic faecal contamination of the environment is one of the indices included in the evaluation of ecological threats, health hazards and adverse impacts on various ecosystems. The risks and environmental concerns are associated with the fact that faeces of wild and domesticated animals constitute the largest source of environmental loading of enteropathogens associated with transmission of zoonotic diseases (enteric zoonoses). Although sick animals are more likely to transmit pathogens, healthy ones can also be the carriers and defecate them into the environment. This is of particular impor...
Kouam MK, Masuoka PM, Kantzoura V, Theodoropoulos G.Maximum entropy ecological niche modeling and spatial scan statistic were utilized to predict the geographic range and to investigate clusters of infections for equine piroplasms in Greece, using the Maxent and SaTScan programs, respectively. The eastern half of the country represented the culminating area with high probabilities (p>0.75) of presence of equine piroplasms and encompassed most regions with high concentration of equid host populations. The most important environmental factor that contributed to the ecological niche modeling was land cover followed by temperature. Significant c...
Brownlow MA, Brotherhood JR.Exertional heat illness (EHI) is a syndrome that occurs when metabolic heat production from muscular contraction exceeds the rate at which it can be dissipated. Core body temperature rises to critical levels, causing hyperthermia and central nervous system dysfunction. Best practice for the prevention of EHI centres around early detection, rapid response and aggressive cooling. Advance planning enables risk mitigation measures. The more that is known about EHI in horses, the better prepared those in the positions of responsibility can be to anticipate events in which the risk of EHI may be ele...
Madejón P, Domínguez MT, Murillo JM.Pasture established on polluted soil may pose a risk to grazing livestock creating a requirement for mechanical management which may affect biodiversity and expend energy. The risk associated with managing pasture by grazing horses (non-edible livestock) is being assessed in the Guadiamar Valley (SW Spain), where soils are polluted with trace elements following a major pollution incident. Soil pollution does not affect biomass production or floristic composition of pasture, although both variables influence trace element accumulation in herbage. Element concentrations in herbage are below maxi...
Lühe T, Mielenz N, Schulz J, Dreyer-Rendelsmann C, Kemper N.Environmental factors contribute to respiratory diseases in horses and man. During exercise, equine ventilation is increased, potentially increasing exposure of the airways to inhaled particulates. Currently, there is very little information on the quality of air in riding arenas. Objective: To evaluate air quality and dust particle concentrations in indoor riding arenas before and after use for riding. Methods: Longitudinal study. Methods: Air quality was assessed in 4 indoor riding arenas in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany on a monthly basis for 1 year. Concentrations of particles in 6 particle fract...
Hassel DM, Aldridge BM, Drake CM, Snyder JR.Enteroliths are intestinal calculi that result in intestinal obstruction and colic in horses. Equine enterolithiasis occurs worldwide, but the disease is particularly prevalent in some geographic locations, including California. The objectives of this study were to evaluate dietary and environmental risk factors for the disease. This was accomplished through a case-control study by comparing horses with colic from enterolithiasis presenting to the University of California, Davis VMTH, to horses with colic of other causes. Data were collected on 61 horses with enterolithiasis and 75 controls vi...
Emenius G, Merritt AS, Härfast B.To protect susceptible subjects from exposure to horse allergen, a Swedish national report recommended a distance of at least 500 m between homes and stables and other areas with horses. The aim of this project was to study indoor and outdoor levels of horse allergen in relation to distance from stables and horse tracks. Methods: Indoor and outdoor samples were collected with Petri dishes at 49 sites in different housing areas and near to a track for trotting horses. In the apartments, Petri dishes were placed on a bookshelf in the living room at a height of approximately 1.5 m. Outdoors, cage...
Watts LM, Browne JA, Murphy BA.A comprehensive understanding of the equine circadian clock involves the evaluation of circadian clock gene expression. A non-invasive and effective method for detecting equine clock gene expression has yet to be established. Currently, research surrounding this area has relied on collecting tissue biopsies or blood samples that can often be costly, time consuming and uncomfortable for the animal. Methods: Five mares were individually stabled under a light-dark (LD) cycle that mimicked the external environmental photoperiod during a time of year corresponding with the vernal equinox. Hair foll...
Saklou NT, Burgess BA, Ashton LV, Morley PS, Goehring LS.Equid herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is ubiquitous in equine populations causing respiratory disease, and complications including late-term abortion and neurological disease. Eradication of EHV-1 from housing environments that typically contain unsealed wood and porous bedding materials can be challenging. However, consideration should be given to take advantage of the viral envelope's susceptibility to environmental conditions. Objective: To determine environmental persistence of EHV-1 on materials and in environmental conditions commonly found in equine facilities. We hypothesised that environme...
Barnard BJ.The entry of Culicoides species into stables was examined by comparing the numbers of midges caught with identical light-traps under different conditions. The comparison was made between collections made inside an empty stable, a regularly cleaned stable and a dirty stable and those made outside the stables in a sleeping space open on two sides. The work was first done in the presence of cattle and sheep in adjoining paddocks and then repeated in their absence. A positive correlation was found between the numbers of C. imicola females caught out of doors and inside a clean stable. Removal of t...
Jenkinson DM, Elder HY, Bovell DL.The condition of anhidrosis is described in this review, and the latest theories on the causal factors are explored. The evidence supports the hypothesis that anhidrosis is an inappropriate response to prolonged climatic stress (generally combined heat and high humidity), which can be evoked in a small (approximately 10 +/- 5%) proportion of the equine population. It is caused by gradual failure of the glandular secretory cell processes, initiated by desensitization and subsequent down-regulation of the cell receptors as a result of continued adrenaline-driven hyperactivity. It progresses thro...
Szabo EA, Pemberton JM, Gibson AM, Thomas RJ, Pascoe RR, Desmarchelier PM.PCR for the detection of botulinum neurotoxin gene types A to E was used in the investigation of a case of equine botulism. Samples from a foal diagnosed with toxicoinfectious botulism in 1985 were reanalyzed by PCR and the mouse bioassay in conjunction with an environmental survey. Neurotoxin B was detected by mouse bioassay in culture enrichments of serum, spleen, feces, and intestinal contents. PCR results compared well with mouse bioassay results, detecting type B neurotoxin genes in these samples and also in a liver sample. Other neurotoxin types were not detected by either test. Clostrid...
Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Wilk I, Wiśniewska A, Różańska-Boczula M, Kaczmarek B, Łuszczyński J, Kędzierski W.The horse's welfare and, consequently, the emotional arousal may be connected with stressful environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether horses show behavioural or physiological symptoms of thermal discomfort and if their behaviour and cardiac parameters are related to freely chosen insolated (IS), shaded (SH), or water sprayed (with a mist curtain (MC)) areas in a paddock under heat conditions (29-32 °C, 42.0 ± 1.5% humidity). Twelve adult horses freely moving in the paddock were studied during a 45 min solitary turnout. Six cardiac variables, locomotor, and non-locomoto...
Takai S, Narita K, Ando K, Tsubaki S.The ecology of Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi in soil was studied on a horse-breeding farm. R. equi was cultured from soil at a depth of 0, 10, and 20 cm on the six sites of the farm at monthly intervals for 10 months from March to December of 1983. The highest numbers of R. equi were found in the surface soil. The mean number of bacteria in soil samples at every depth increased remarkably from 0 or 10(2) to 10(4) colony-forming units (CFU) g-1 of soil in the middle of April, and later decreased gradually. R. equi inoculated into six soil exudate broths prepared from surface soils at separ...
Casteel SW.The ubiquity and stability of metals in the environment make them unique as a pollutant or an essential dietary component. Metals are neither created nor destroyed by chemical processes but are redistributed in the environment. In combination with other elements, metal compounds and alloys are essential materials of the contemporary world. Inappropriate use or distribution in the environment leads to adverse health effects on all biologic systems, including horses. Gastrointestinal upset is a common feature of acute toxicosis with metals in general. Among the metals discussed, arsenic and inor...
Finger MA, de Barros Filho IR, Leutenegger C, Estrada M, Ullmann LS, Langoni H, Kikuti M, Dornbush PT, Deconto I, Biondo AW.Cart horses are a re-emerging population employed to carry recyclable material in cities. Methods: Sixty-two horses were sampled in an endemic area of human leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed. Results: A seropositivity of 75.8% with serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae in 80.8% of the horses was observed. Blood and urine were qPCR negative. MAT showed positive correlations with rainfall (p = 0.02) and flooding (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Although horses may be constantly exposed to Leptospira spp. in the environment mostly ...
Huber L, Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Hanafi A, Ryan C.Rhodococcus equi, a soil saprophyte, is a common cause of pneumonia in foals and a frequent opportunistic pathogen in immunosuppressed people. Because it is widespread in the environment, R. equi can be detected in the feces of most horses. However, the exact timing and rate of shedding relative to infection is unknown. The objectives of this study were to quantify shedding of R. equi in mares and foals after experimental infection of foals with 2 different inocula and to determine the effect of composting on concentrations of R. equi in contaminated bedding. Foals were infected intratracheall...
Du G, Feng W, Cai H, Ma Z, Liu X, Yuan C, Shi J, Zhang B.Composting has been a rational method to dispose of horse or wildlife animal manures, especially in the developed cities with horse clubs and wildlife parks. However, few studies have focused on the mechanism and improvement methods for composting the horse or wildlife animal manures. In this study, we investigated the effect of exogenous compound enzymes on thermophilic composting, which could potentially support the management of horse and wildlife animal manures. With the presence of exogenous enzymes, the duration of high temperature (> 60 °C) was significantly prolonged (p <...
Goehring LS, van Maanen C, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.The presence of toxins or infectious agents combined with environmental factors in combination with a susceptible host can be the cause for neurological disease in groups of horses. During a 5 year observational period outbreaks of neurological diseases among horses were evaluated. Causes of occurring neurological diseases were equine botulism, lolitrem intoxications, equine herpesvirus type 1-associated myelo(encephalo)pathy, and encephalitis caused by (disseminated) Streptococcus equi subspecies equi infection. This article focuses on the first three syndromes because of their predominant in...
Weideman H, Schoeman SJ, Jordaan GF, Kidd M.This study investigated if environmental factors had an effect on the incidence of epistaxis related to exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) among racehorses in southern Africa. Data covering the period 1986-2001 and involving 778 532 race runs were analysed. This included the following information: date of race, age, sex, name of breeder, trainer, distance, jockey, state of going, weight carried, racing centre and altitude. Veterinarians employed by the Jockey Club suspended officially entered horses that presented with epistaxis (frank bleeding from the nostrils) after racing. On-co...
Nanda S, Dalai AK, Gökalp I, Kozinski JA.The organic wastes such as lignocellulosic biomass, municipal solid waste, sewage sludge and livestock manure have attracted attention as alternative sources of energy. Cattle manure, a waste generated in surplus amounts from the feedlot, has always been a chief environmental concern. This study is focused on identifying the candidacy of horse manure as a next generation feedstock for biofuel production through supercritical water gasification. The horse manure was gasified in supercritical water to examine the effects of temperature (400-600°C), biomass-to-water ratio (1:5 and 1:10) and reac...
Stachurska A, Robovský J, Bocian K, Janczarek I.Changes in the coat cover are important for mammalian thermoregulation. This is especially true where variable environmental conditions exist throughout the seasons. Coat cover shedding is the replacement of old coat hair with new hair. The process differs in various equids. The aim of the study was to examine the changes in the coat of primitive Polish Konik horses living on a reserve in southeast Poland (50.6319° N). The reserve is located in a temperate climate. The mean temperature is below 0°C in winter (December 8 to March 9) and over 15°C in summer (June 8 to September 8). Five adult...
Marsella R.Allergies are common in horses. It is important to identify and correct as many factors as possible to control pruritus and make the patient comfortable. Culicoides hypersensitivity is a common component in allergic horses. The main treatment continues to be rigorous fly control and avoidance of insect bites. Environmental allergies are best addressed by early identification of the offending allergens and formulation of allergen-specific immunotherapy to decrease the need for rescue medications. Food allergy is best managed with food avoidance. Urticaria is one of the manifestations of allergi...
Nomura M, Shiose T, Ishikawa Y, Mizobe F, Sakai S, Kusano K.Despite growing recognition of post-race exertional heat illness (EHI) in the horse racing industry, reports on its prevalence are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of post-race EHI and climate conditions at racecourses in Japan. The overall prevalence of EHI from 1999 to 2018 was 0.04% (387 cases for 975,247 starters) in races operated by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). The yearly prevalence has been increasing, exceeding 0.07% in the last four years of the studied period. The overall prevalence in summer (May-September) was 0.086% (352 cases for 409,908...
Thomson JR, McPherson EA.The therapy of equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) essentially entails minimising the horse's exposure to the aetiological antigens which are predominantly thermophilic actinomycetes and moulds occurring in hay and straw. This can be achieved, for example, by keeping affected horses permanently out of doors, or when stabled, using shredded paper, wood shavings or peat moss as bedding and feeding a complete cubed diet. There should be no supplementary hay feeding apart from dust-free vacuum-packed hay. Applying such measures generally allows horses to become asymptomatic in seve...
Bernátková A, Oyunsaikhan G, Šimek J, Komárková M, Bobek M, Ceacero F.Reintroduction is a common technique for re-establishing threatened species. However, the adaptation to novel habitats with distinct conditions poses a risk of failure. Weather conditions affect the behaviour of animals, and thus, their adaptation to new conditions and survival. Reintroduced Przewalski's horses living in Mongolia's continental arid climate with extreme temperature and precipitation variability, serve as an ideal model species for studying the behavioural response of selected groups to these harsh conditions. Methods: The research was conducted in The Great Gobi B Strictly Prot...
Pradel J, Chalvet Monfray K, Molia S, Vachiéry N, Rousteau A, Imbert D, Martinez D, Sabatier P, Lefrançois T.In Guadeloupe, West Nile virus (WNV) activity was first observed in equids in 2002, and a high seroprevalence was found in 2003. The objective of our study was to determine individual and environmental factors associated with the risk of WNV seropositivity during 2002-2003. Fieldwork was conducted to retrospectively determine the location of equids at the time of virus circulation and to collect information regarding environmental and individual variables. Sera were collected from 369 equids out of an estimated total population of less than 500. Thirty-four environmental and individual variabl...
