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Topic:Equine Science
Equine Science encompasses the study of horses and their management, health, and performance. This field integrates various scientific disciplines such as biology, genetics, nutrition, physiology, and veterinary medicine to understand and improve the well-being and capabilities of horses. Areas of focus include equine anatomy, reproduction, behavior, and disease prevention. Research in equine science aims to enhance horse care, optimize training and performance, and address health challenges. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine science, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in the field.
Efficacy of a pectin-lecithin complex for treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers in horses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercial feed supplement containing pectin-lecithin on squamous mucosa ulceration in horses exposed to an experimental ulceration model. Five mares were treated while five mares were controls for this crossover, blinded study. The mares were fed concentrates and hay and were stabled with a two-hour turn out per day for a period of four weeks. The pectin-lecithin complex was fed for the duration of the study on the treated group. At the end of a four-week period, all mares underwent a seven-day alternating feed deprivation (week 5). ...
Epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of EHV-1 abortion epizootics in unvaccinated Thoroughbred mares in South Africa. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is one of the most common causes of infectious abortion in mares. Analysing the demography of outbreaks and detailing subsequent reproductive performance of affected mares will assist in the management of future (threatened) epizootics. Objective: To examine the epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of 2 EHV-1 abortion epizootics with very different patterns of morbidity. Methods: Epidemiological and reproductive data were analysed retrospectively following abortion epizootics associated with EHV-1, but initiated via different routes, among unvaccinated mares on 2...
Production of a mitochondrial-DNA identical cloned foal using oocytes recovered from immature follicles of selected mares. Cloned animals possess mitochondria derived from the host ooplast, which typically differ genetically from those of the donor. This is of special concern to horse breeders, as maternal lines are prized and athletic performance is a key factor in genetic value. To evaluate the feasibility of producing mitochondrial-identical cloned foals, we collected oocytes from immature follicles of two mares, BL and SM, maternally related to the donor stallion. In vitro matured, enucleated oocytes were treated with roscovitine-synchronized donor cells and blastocysts were transferred transcervically to reci...
Antioxidant Potential of the Polyherbal Formulation “ImmuPlus”: A Nutritional Supplement for Horses. In order to counteract harmful effects of oxidative stress due to pathological conditions or physical exercise, horses are often administered dietary supplements having supposed high antioxidant activities. The aim of the present study was to identify the in vitro antioxidant potential of "ImmuPlus", a polyherbal formulation (Global Herbs LTD, Chichester, West Sussex, Great Britain), containing three medicinal plants (Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, and Emblica officinalis), known in Ayurveda for their use in human disease treatment. Extracts obtained by different solvents (water, me...
Efficacy of a non-updated, Matrix-C-based equine influenza subunit-tetanus vaccine following Florida sublineage clade 2 challenge. Assessing the ability of current equine influenza vaccines to provide cross-protection against emerging strains is important. Horses not vaccinated previously and seronegative for equine influenza based on haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay were assigned at random to vaccinated (n=7) or non-vaccinated (control, n=5) groups. Vaccination was performed twice four weeks apart with a 1 ml influenza subunit (A/eq/Prague/1/56, A/eq/Newmarket/1/93, A/eq/Newmarket/2/93), tetanus toxoid vaccine with Matrix-C adjuvant (EquilisPrequenza Te). All the horses were challenged individually by aerosol wi...
An easy stereoselective synthesis of 5(10)-estrene-3β,17α-diol, a biological marker of pregnancy in the mare. 5(10)-Estrene-3β,17α-diol is an essential reference material for doping analysis in horse-racing laboratories. It is used to detect misuse, for doping purpose, of the pregnancy status in the mare. Its stereoselective synthesis from 17β-estradiol-3-methyl ether (prepared from estrone or 17β-estradiol) was performed in four steps: (1) Mitsunobu inversion of the 17β-alcohol; (2) Birch reduction of the aromatic ring; (3) stereoselective reduction of the 3-ketone via Noyori asymmetric transfer hydrogenation; (4) chemoenzymatic purification.
A new method of producing casts for anatomical studies. The objective of the present study was to verify if polyurethane foam is a suitable material to make accurate casts of vessels and viscera, and to develop a method based on its use for anatomical studies. This new technique has been tested primarily on the lungs of different animals, but also on the renal, intestinal and equine digital vessels. It consisted of three steps: specimen preparation, injection of the foam and corrosion of the cast. All structures injected with foam were properly filled. The bronchial tree and the vessels could be observed up to their finer branches. The method is in...
Prenatal development of the digestive system in the horse. Since the horse has a highly precocial reproductive strategy, most organs are functionally well developed at birth and thus, embryonic and fetal life is interesting. Data on the development of important organs are very limited. Here, we detailed macroscopically and histologically the equine digestive system, focusing on the first third of gestation. At 21 days, the oral cavity was an empty space, and the liver contained proliferating endodermal cells. At 25 days, a fusiform stomach and the pancreatic bud were present. At 28 days, a small tongue and the esophagus occurred. At 30 days, primary a...
Gastrulation and the establishment of the three germ layers in the early horse conceptus. Experimental studies and field surveys suggest that embryonic loss during the first 6 weeks of gestation is a common occurrence in the mare. During the first 2 weeks of development, a number of important cell differentiation events must occur to yield a viable embryo proper containing all three major germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm). Because formation of the mesoderm and primitive streak are critical to the development of the embryo proper, but have not been described extensively in the horse, we examined tissue development and differentiation in early horse conceptuses using a c...
Dense spermatozoa in stallion ejaculates contain lower concentrations of mRNAs encoding the sperm specific calcium channel 1, ornithine decarboxylase antizyme 3, aromatase, and estrogen receptor alpha than less dense spermatozoa. Stallions are unique among livestock in that, like men, they commonly receive medical treatment for subfertility. In both species, about 15% of individuals have normal semen parameters but are subfertile, indicating a need for novel analyses of spermatozoa function. One procedure for improving fertilizing capability of stallions and men is isolation of dense spermatozoa from an ejaculate for use in artificial insemination. In the current study, dense and less dense spermatozoa were purified by density gradient centrifugation from individual ejaculates from seven reproductively normal adult sta...
In vivo measurements of flexor tendon and suspensory ligament forces during trotting using the thoroughbred forelimb model. The purpose of this study was to create a lower forelimb model of the Thoroughbred horse for measuring the force in the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons (SDFT and DDFT), and the suspensory ligament (SL) during a trot. The mass, centers of gravity, and inertial moments in the metacarpus, pastern, and hoof segments were measured in 4 Thoroughbred horses. The moment arms of the SDFT, DDFT, and SL in the metacarpophalangeal (fetlock) and distal interphalangeal (coffin) joints were measured in 7 Thoroughbred horses. The relationship between the fetlock joint angle and the force in the SL...
Three-dimensional culture and transforming growth factor beta3 synergistically promote tenogenic differentiation of equine embryo-derived stem cells. The natural reparative mechanisms triggered by tendon damage often lead to the formation of biomechanically inferior scar tissue that is prone to re-injury. Before the efficient application of stem cell-based regenerative therapies, the processes regulating tenocyte differentiation should first be better understood. Three-dimensional (3D) growth environments under strain and the exogenous addition of transforming growth factor beta3 (TGF-β3) have separately been shown to promote tendon differentiation. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of both of these factors to induce tendo...
Equine grass sickness. Equine grass sickness (EGS; equine dysautonomia) is a polyneuronopathy affecting both the central and the peripheral nervous systems of horses. As the name implies, EGS almost exclusively affects grazing horses, resulting in the development of a characteristic array of clinical signs, most of which can be attributed to neuronal degeneration in the autonomic and enteric nervous systems. Varying disease severities occur, largely determined by the extent of neuronal degeneration in the myenteric and submucous plexuses of the enteric nervous system. Extensive neuronal degeneration, as seen in acut...
Effect of artificial insemination protocol and dose of frozen/thawed stallion semen on pregnancy results in mares. Deep intra-uterine insemination is commonly accepted as a routine procedure for artificial insemination in horses. The motives and principles of deep insemination are well described, but the equipment used may differ. In this trial, the efficiency of two different insemination pipettes for deep intra-uterine insemination in the mare was compared with insemination into the uterine body using commercially available frozen-thawed semen of two stallions of proven fertility. These inseminations were performed using two different doses. The semi-flexible Minitube pipette was compared with a newly de...
Hoof renewal time from birth of Thoroughbred foals. A circumferential ring in the hoof horn of foals occurs at birth and grows down to the distal border as the fetal hoof is replaced. Horn growth and complete hoof capsule renewal have not been measured in Thoroughbred foals but the determination of time of hoof renewal may allow accurate predictions of healing time to be made in cases of hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to measure the time taken for the fetal hoof of newborn foals to grow to the distal border and be replaced by hoof grown since birth. The age of the foal in days on the day that routine hoof trimming removed the hoo...
Culture of equine fibroblast-like synoviocytes on synthetic tissue scaffolds towards meniscal tissue engineering: a preliminary cell-seeding study. Introduction. Tissue engineering is a new methodology for addressing meniscal injury or loss. Synovium may be an ideal source of cells for in vitro meniscal fibrocartilage formation, however, favorable in vitro culture conditions for synovium must be established in order to achieve this goal. The objective of this study was to determine cellularity, cell distribution, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation of equine fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) cultured on synthetic scaffolds, for potential application in synovium-based meniscal tissue engineering. Scaffolds included open-cell poly-L-l...
Three-dimensional anatomy of the equine sternum. The sternum is a frequently used anatomical site to obtain bone marrow for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in equine medicine and surgery. For a safe and reproducible aspiration of sternal bone marrow, a reliable anatomical description of the sternum is mandatory. However, the anatomical literature provides very heterogeneous information concerning the structure and number of sternebrae. Isolated sterna (horses of different ages) underwent clinical computed tomography, and single sternebrae were scanned by microcomputed tomography. Data sets were analysed in detail, the dimensions of each ...
Swing phase kinematics of horses trotting over poles. Trotting over poles is used therapeutically to restore full ranges of limb joint motion. The mechanics of trotting over poles have not yet been described, hence quantitative evidence for the presumed therapeutic effects is lacking. Objective: To compare limb kinematics in horses trotting over level ground, over low poles and over high poles to determine changes in joint angulations and hoof flight arcs. Methods: Repeated measures experimental study in sound horses. Methods: Standard motion analysis procedures with skin-fixed reflective markers were used to measure swing phase kinematics from 8...
Effect of hoof orientation and ballast on acceleration and vibration in the hoof and distal forelimb following simulated impacts ex vivo. We wished to add to the existing baseline data on impact loading of the distal limb as a precursor to assessing the potential role of impact in injury and joint disease. Objective: To examine the effect of 3 hoof-strike conditions (toe first, flat and heel first) and 2 specimen masses (with and without a ballast of ∼2% body mass) on impact deceleration and vibration frequencies and energies at the hoof, first phalanx and third metacarpal. Methods: Biomechanical experiments in cadaver material. Methods: Eight cadaver limbs were subjected to randomised, repeated controlled trials, in which the...
Patch-scale effects of equine disturbance on arthropod assemblages and vegetation structure in subalpine wetlands. Assessments of vertebrate disturbance to plant and animal assemblages often contrast grazed versus ungrazed meadows or other larger areas of usage, and this approach can be powerful. Random sampling of such habitats carries the potential, however, for smaller, more intensely affected patches to be missed and for other responses that are only revealed at smaller scales to also escape detection. We instead sampled arthropod assemblages and vegetation structure at the patch scale (400-900 m(2) patches) within subalpine wet meadows of Yosemite National Park (USA), with the goal of determining if t...
Oral and injectable synthetic progestagens effectively manipulate the estrous cycle in the Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii). To date, there has been limited research on manipulation of the estrous cycle in endangered equids. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of using combinations of: (a) oral altrenogest and PGF2α, and (b) injectable altrenogest and PGF2α for manipulation of ovarian activity in Przewalski's mares. Reproductive cycles were monitored by assessing follicular changes with rectal ultrasound and changes in urinary steroid hormones. In Study 1, five cycling mares were treated with oral altrenogest (n=11 cycles) for 14 days. In Study 2, cycling mares were treated with oral altrenoge...
Protamine mRNA ratio in stallion spermatozoa correlates with mare fecundity. Highly compacted sperm DNA in protamine toroids and a minor fraction of nucleohistones are prerequisites for the efficient transmission of the paternal genome into the oocyte at fertilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether protamines might serve as a prognostic factor for stallion fertility. In situ hybridization detected specific expression of P1 mRNA in the cytoplasm of stage I to VII spermatids, whereas comparable immunohistochemical stainings showed that protein expression was delayed till elongating spermatids in differentiation stages III to VIII. No staining was de...
Exposure to stallion accelerates the onset of mares’ cyclicity. Horses (Equus caballus) belong to the group of seasonally polyestrous mammals. Estrous cycles typically start with increasing daylight length after winter, but mares can differ greatly in the timing of onset of regular estrus cycles. Here, we test whether spatial proximity to a stallion also plays a role. Twenty-two anestrous mares were either exposed to one of two stallions (without direct physical contact) or not exposed (controls) under experimental conditions during two consecutive springs (February to April). Ovarian activity was monitored via transrectal ultrasound and stallion's direct ...
Identification and characterization of microRNAs in normal equine tissues by Next Generation Sequencing. The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) as a post-transcriptional gene regulator has been elucidated in a broad range of organisms including domestic animals. Characterization of miRNAs in normal tissues is an important step to investigate the functions of miRNAs in various physiological and pathological conditions. Using Illumina Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, we identified a total of 292 known and 329 novel miRNAs in normal horse tissues including skeletal muscle, colon and liver. Distinct sets of miRNAs were differentially expressed in a tissue-specific manner. The miRNA genes were dis...
