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.
Carstanjen B, Amory H, Sulon J, Hars O, Remy B, Langlois P, Lepage OM.Bone responds to exercise with changes in bone (re-)modelling, which might be monitored non-invasively with biochemical bone markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of exercise on serum osteocalcin and serum carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen generated by matrix metalloproteinases (CTX-MMP) concentration in young racehorses. Seventy-one 2 to 4-year-old Thoroughbreds were included in this prospective infield study. Blood sampling was performed six times (i.e. six sampling cycles) during a 9-month period. Serum samples were analysed with commercial ...
McKinney AR, Suann CJ, Stenhouse AM.A method has been developed for the detection of modafinil and its major metabolite, modafinil acid, in equine urine by solid-phase extraction and positive ion electrospray ionisation liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The method has been applied to the analysis of equine urine samples obtained after the oral administration of modafinil. Modafinil acid was the major component in the urine, and was detected up to 4 days post-administration. Unchanged modafinil was present at substantially lower concentrations, and was detected for only 24 hours.
Davies HM.To confirm that the midshaft dorsal cortex of the third metacarpal bone experienced higher compressive strains during fast exercise than the medial or lateral cortices, and that the strain peak occurred earlier in the hoof-down phase of the stride on the dorsal cortex than the medial or lateral cortices. Methods: Observations of a single horse. Methods: Strains were collected from a single, sound, 3-year-old Thoroughbred mare during treadmill exercise from rosette strain gauges implanted onto the medial, lateral and dorsal surfaces of the midshaft of the right cannon bone, simultaneously with ...
Ott EA, Brown MP, Roberts GD, Kivipelto J.Forty-four weanling horses were used in two experiments to evaluate the effect of starch intake on growth and skeletal development. In Exp. 1, the weanlings were fed either a grain-based, high-starch (31.1%, DM basis) concentrate or a by-product-based, low-starch (0.0%) concentrate with coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay. Corn oil was used to equalize the energy concentration of the concentrates. The concentrate:hay ratio was 64:36 (as-fed basis), and intake was the same for both diets. Body weight gains were greater by the weanlings consuming the high-starch concentrate (0.81 vs. 0.6...
King SS, Campbell AG, Dille EA, Roser JF, Murphy LL, Jones KL.Dopamine (DA) agonist and antagonist treatments can affect ovarian reproductive events in the mare. To support our theory that DA produces these effects by acting directly on the ovary, we analyzed equine ovarian tissues for the presence of dopamine receptor-1 (D1r) and dopamine receptor-2 (D2r) mRNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and D1r and D2r proteins by Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). RT-PCR was performed on RNA isolated from ovarian cortex, medulla, granulosa/theca or corpus luteum (CL) tissues and from pituitary (D2r control) and renal artery (D...
Yamano S, Eto D, Kasashima Y, Hiraga A, Sugiura T, Miyata H.To determine the growth-related changes in metabolic and anatomic properties in equine muscle fiber type, including hybrid fibers identified with immunohistochemical analysis. Methods: 24 2-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month-old female Thoroughbreds. Methods: Samples were obtained from the gluteus medius muscle of all horses. Expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms MHC-I, -IIa, -IIb, and -IIx in each muscle fiber was detected by use of 4 primary monoclonal antibodies: BA-D5, SC-71, BF-F3, and BF-35, respectively. Five muscle fiber types (types I, I/IIA, IIA, IIA/IIX, and IIX) were immunohistochem...
Santamaría S, Bobbert MF, Back W, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To investigate the effects of early training for jumping by comparing the jumping technique of horses that had received early training with that of horses raised conventionally. Methods: 40 Dutch Warmblood horses. Methods: The horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping at 6 months of age. Subsequently, they were allocated into a control group that was raised conventionally and an experimental group that received 30 months of early training starting at 6 months of age. At 4 years of age, after a period of rest in pasture and a short period of training with a rider, both groups were ...
Ginther OJ, Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Beg MA.The functional and temporal relationships between circulating gonadotropins and ovarian hormones in mares during Days 7-27 (ovulation = Day 0) was studied using control, follicle ablation, and ovariectomy groups (n = 6 mares/group). In the follicle-ablation group, all follicles > or = 6 mm were ablated on Day 7, and every 2 days thereafter, newly emerging follicles were also ablated. Estradiol concentrations decreased (P < 0.01) similarly in the controls and the follicle-ablation group between Days 7 and 11 and by Day 15 began to increase in the controls and continued to decrease in the ...
Jose-Cunilleras E, Hayes KA, Toribio RE, Mathes LE, Hinchcliff KW.To clone and sequence cDNA for equine insulin-responsive glucose transporter (glucose transporter type 4 [GLUT-4]) and determine effects of glycogen-depleting exercise and meal type after exercise on GLUT-4 gene expression in skeletal muscle of horses. Methods: Muscle biopsy specimens from 7 healthy adult horses. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from specimens, and GLUT-4 cDNA was synthesized and sequenced. Horses were exercised on 3 consecutive days. On the third day of exercise, for 8 hours after exercise, horses were either not fed, fed half of daily energy requirements as hay, or fed an is...
Horteloup MP, Threlfall WR, Funk JA.The horse early conception factor (ECF) test is designed for qualitative determination of the ECF glycoprotein in the mare that has conceived. The objectives of this study were to determine the performance of the horse ECF test for the detection of the non-pregnant mare, and to determine the agreement among subjects or "readers" regarding the interpretation of the test. Blood samples from 60 mares were collected on Days 0, 5, 8, 11 and 18 following ovulation. Pregnancy status diagnosed with the ECF test was compared (2 x 2 table) to pregnancy status diagnosed by palpation per rectum and ultras...
Kirk ES, Squires EL, Graham JK.Assessing the fertilizing potential of a semen sample is important for effective stallion management and for rapid progress in evaluating new cryopreservation technologies. Unfortunately, sperm motility does not estimate fertility well. These experiments established assays to measure cell viability, acrosomal integrity and mitochondrial function for cryopreserved stallion spermatozoa, using flow cytometry, and determined the variability associated with these assays. Correlations between results for these laboratory assays and stallion fertility were also determined. The inter-assay variability...
Nixon C, Chambers G, Ellsmore V, Campo MS, Burr P, Argyle DJ, Reid SW, Nasir L.Equine sarcoids are benign fibroblastic skin tumours affecting equids worldwide. Whilst the pathogenesis is not entirely understood, infection with Bovine Papillomavirus (BPV) types 1 and 2 has been implicated as a major factor in the disease process, however the mechanism by which BPV infection contributes to sarcoid pathology is not clear. In this study, we show that the majority of sarcoids express the BPV-1 major transforming gene E6. Further, we demonstrate that sarcoid lesions are not associated with high levels of cellular proliferation as assessed by Ki67 expression or with expression ...
Aziz DM, Ahlswede L, Enbergs H.The assay of MTT reduction depends on the ability of metabolically active cells to reduce the tetrazolium salt (3[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) to formazan. This study was conducted to examine and validate of a simple and less costly MTT test in determining equine sperm viability and compare the efficiency of this test with a flow cytometer. Fresh ejaculates from 11 stallions (warm blood) were included in this study. Semen was diluted to 100 million cells/ml in a Hepes 0.1% BSA. The rates of MTT reduction were measured in microtiter plates after incubation for 1 an...
Vervuert I, Coenen M, Watermülder E.This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of oral tryptophan (Trp) supplementation on exercise capacity and metabolic responses in horses. Three horses had to perform an exercise test: a 15-min warm-up followed by a 60-min walk (1.7 m/s, W1), a 10-min trot (3.1 m/s, T1), a second 60-min walk (1.7 m/s, W2), a second 10-min trot (3.1 m/s, T2) and a final 30-min walk (1.7 m/s, W3) until the horses were unwilling to continue. The horses exercised on a treadmill at a 6% incline and with a constant draught load of 40 kg (0.44 kN). Two hours before exercise horses were given 50 g Trp (9.8-10.7...
Díaz S, Giovambattista G, Peral-García P.Sequence information was obtained on the variation of the ELA-DRB upstream regulatory region (URR) after polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) cloning and sequencing of approximately 220 bp upstream of the first exon of horse DRB genes. The sequence of the proximal URR of equine DRB is composed of highly conserved sequence motifs, showing the presence of the W, X, Y, CAAT and TATA conserved boxes of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II promoters. Five different polymorphic horse DRB promoter sequences were detected in five horse breeds. The res...
The Journal of physiologyMarch 24, 2005
Volume 565, Issue Pt 3 1019-1030 doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.078469
Giussani DA, Forhead AJ, Fowden AL.In mammals, the mechanisms regulating an increase in fetal arterial blood pressure with advancing gestational age remain unidentified. In all species studied to date, the prepartum increase in fetal plasma cortisol has an important role in the maturation of physiological systems essential for neonatal survival. In the horse, the prepartum elevation in fetal cortisol and arterial blood pressure are delayed relative to other species. Hence, the mechanisms governing the ontogenic increase in arterial blood pressure in the horse fetus may mature much closer to term than in other fetal animals. In ...
Dixon PM, Dacre I, Dacre K, Tremaine WH, McCann J, Barakzai S.Extraction of cheek teeth (CT) by the conventional repulsion technique requires general anaesthesia and carries a high rate of post operative complications. Consequently, an alternative method of extraction, i.e. orally in standing horses, was evaluated. Objective: The need for and risks of general anaesthesia could be avoided and post extraction sequelae reduced by performing extractions orally in standing horses. Methods: One hundred mainly younger horses (median age 8, range 2-18 years) with firmly attached CT that required extraction because of apical infections, displacements, diastemata,...
Brommer H, Brama PA, Laasanen MS, Helminen HJ, van Weeren PR, Jurvelin JS.The concept of functional adapatation of articular cartilage during maturation has emerged from earlier biochemical research. However, articular cartilage has principally a biomechanical function governed by joint loading. Objective: To verify whether the concept of functional adaptation can be confirmed by direct measurement of biomechanical properties of cartilage. Objective: Fetuses have homogeneous (i.e. site-independent) cartilage with regard to biomechanical properties. During growth and development to maturity, the biomechanical characteristics adapt according to functional (loading) de...
Sandersen CF, Detilleux J, Delguste C, Pierard L, van Loon G, Amory H.High-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography has been shown to be cardiotoxic and arrhythmogenic in horses. However, the test may have benefit in practice as a pharmacological challenge of exercise without the treadmill being required. Objective: To investigate the effect of low-dose dobutamine on cardiac performance in ponies previously treated with atropine, in order to develop a pharmacological protocol that allows examination of the equine heart under stimulation. Methods: In 13 healthy Shetland ponies, heart rate (HR), stroke index (SI) and cardiac index (CI) were calculated from pulsed-w...
Stover KK, Williams SH.In mammals, chewing cycle duration (CCD) increases with various measures of size, scaling with body mass(0.13-0.28) and jaw length(0.55). Proposed explanations for these scaling relationships include the allometry of body size, basal metabolic rate and tooth size, on the one hand, and pendular mechanics treating the jaw as a gravity-driven pendulum, on the other. Little is known, however, about the relationship between CCD and size within species. Recent research in dogs demonstrates altogether different scaling exponents and weaker correlations. This research suggests that breed-specific grow...
Hochi S.Factors affecting sensitivity of preimplantation embryos and follicular oocytes to cryopreservation were analyzed in the equine and bovine species. (1) Survival of equine blastocysts after two-step freezing in the presence of glycerol as the cryoprotective agent (CPA) was influenced by development of the embryonic capsule. The use of ethylene glycol (EG) with sucrose as CPAs improved the post-thaw survival of blastocysts and made it possible to transfer the embryos into recipient mares without removing the CPAs. In addition, early blastocysts cryopreserved by vitrification could develop both i...
Graham-Thiers PM, Kronfeld DS, Kline KA.Dietary protein during conditioning and exercise must support additional needs while avoiding adverse metabolic effects. Ten Arabian horses were assigned randomly to 2 diets formulated to contain 7.5 or 14.5% crude protein and 12% fat. The low-protein diet (LP) was supplemented with lysine and threonine to match the levels of these amino acids in the high-protein diet (HP). Feed intake averaged 8.1 kg/day. Dietary cation-anion difference was 181.6 and 260.4 mmol/kg for high and low protein, respectively. Following 9 weeks conditioning, horses performed a repeated sprint test: 3 min walk at 1.5...
Meyer ND, Bayly WM, Sides RH, Wardrop KJ, Slinker BK.Prolonged equine exercise can cause hypochloraemic alkalosis and hypokalaemia secondary to the loss of hypertonic sweat. Movement of ions in and out of erythrocytes during exercise may help regulate acid-base balance and changes in plasma ion concentrations. The extent to which this happens during prolonged equine exercise has not been reported. Objective: To measure changes in blood gases and major plasma and intraerythrocytic (iRBC) ion concentrations of horses undergoing prolonged submaximal exercise. Methods: Six horses were trotted at ∼ 30% VO2max on a treadmill for 105 min. Arterial ((...
O'Callaghan MW.There is increasing demand on equine practitioners to provide confirmation of their diagnoses. For obscure lameness and for many of the more difficult locomotory problems presented in referral hospitals, the question to be answered is not only how to make the most accurate diagnosis but also how to document the findings so that there is less doubt in the mind of the client. This article describes a quasi algorithmic approach to choosing the best combinations of the increasingly sophisticated imaging methods available for evaluation of orthopedic disease.
Nagata S, Kurosawa M, Kuwajima M.A new enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the measurement of furosemide in horse plasma is described. The lower limit of detection of this EIA method was 7.8 ng/ml. The intra-and inter-assay coefficients of variation ranged from 2.5% to 4.9% and 7.5% to 9.8%, respectively. Cross-reactivity with other compounds was not observed. There was a high correlation (r2=0.987) between the high-performance liquid chromatography and EIA results obtained for furosemide concentrations in horse plasma. These results indicate that the newly developed EIA method is useful for the quantitative analysis of furosemide i...
You Y, Proctor RM, Guo K, Li X, Xue E, Guan F, Robinson MA.High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is a very powerful technology for equine doping control analysis. The more recently developed hybrid type of Orbitrap-based HRMS instrument allows for both targeted and non-targeted screening analyses in a single liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) run. In the present study, an LC-HRMS/MS method was developed and validated to detect prohibited substances in equine sports. The substances were recovered from equine plasma by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using methyl tert-butyl ether and were separated on a C18 rev...
Ayala-Valdovinos MA, Galindo-García J, Sánchez-Chiprés D, Duifhuis-Rivera T, Anguiano-Estrella R.The 'Gait keeper' mutation in the DMRT3 gene alters locomotion and gait patterns in horses. This mutation (C>A) has been found in all gaited breeds of horses analyzed but is absent in most non-gaited breeds. We developed a new mutagenically separated polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR) based method for simple detection of horse DMRT3 genotype. Our method was applied in a preliminary study to determine DMRT3 allele frequencies in 78 Azteca horses (AZ) and 53 Costa Rican Saddle Horses (CRSH). We found a wild-type C allele frequency of 100% in the AZ horses. For the CRSH, the wild-type C freque...
Bergh A, Nyman G, Lundeberg T, Drevemo S.Treatment with defocused CO2 laser can have a therapeutic effect on equine injuries, but the mechanisms involved are unclear. A recent study has shown that laser causes an increase in equine superficial tissue temperature, which may result in an increase in blood perfusion and a stimulating effect on tissue regeneration. However, no studies have described the effects on equine tissue perfusion. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of defocused CO2 laser on blood perfusion and to correlate it with temperature in skin and underlying muscle in anaesthetized horses. Differenc...
Guo X, Aoyama M, Sugita S.Three optic nerves (L1, R2, R3) 12-18 mm behind the eyeball of the horse (Thoroughbred) were investigated quantitatively under light and electron microscopes. Thin sections at the thickness of 0.35 microm were cut, stained by toluidine blue and observed under the light microscope. The areas of the optic nerve and the axon bundles were 20.03 +/- 1.04 and 16.59 +/- 0.79 mm2 (mean +/- SD, n=3), respectively. The axon numbers for optic nerve L1, R2 and R3, estimated from light micrographs, were about 481 x 10(3), 543 x 10(3), and 494 x 10(3), respectively. Axons of optic nerve L1 were also counted...
Zerpa H, Berhane Y, Elliott J, Bailey SR.The equine hoof displays thermoregulatory functions, and the blood vessels lying under the hoof wall are temperature sensitive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cooling on the contractile responses to α-adrenoceptor and 5-HT receptor stimulation in equine small lamellar arteries using wire myography. The role of the endothelium in the response mediated by 5-HT was also evaluated. Moderate cooling caused a reduction of the contraction induced by depolarizing Krebs solution (DKS, containing 118 mm KCl) and the maximal contraction caused by UK-14304 (α(2)-adrenoceptor agon...
Bump KD, Lawrence LM, Moser LR, Miller-Graber PA, Kurcz EV.1. Muscle samples from the M. gluteus medius were obtained from six Quarter Horses (QH), six Thoroughbreds (TB), and five Standardbreds (SB) to determine carnosine values and fiber type percentages. 2. Muscle biopsies were for fiber type percentages and carnosine concentration. 3. QH had a lower percentage of slow twitch oxidative fibers and a higher percentage of past twitch glycolytic fibers than SB or TB. 4. Fast twitch oxidative-glycolytic fibers were lowest in the QH. 5. The QH had mean carnosine values significantly greater (P less than 0.01) than the mean values for SB and TB. 6. Across...
Muñoz E, Castro M, Aguila L, Contreras MJ, Fuentes F, Arias ME, Felmer R.Sperm sexing is a technology that can generate great economic benefits in the animal production sector. Techniques such as sex-sorting promise over 90% accuracy in sperm sexing. However, for the correct standardization of the technique, some laboratory methodologies are required. The present manuscript describes in detail a standardized equine sperm sex-sorting protocol using an absolute qPCR-based methodology. Furthermore, the results of absolute qPCR were implemented and validated by generating equine/bovine heterologous embryos by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of presumably sexed ...
Dorado J, Bottrel M, Ortiz I, Díaz-Jiménez M, Pereira B, Consuegra C, Carrasco JJ, Gómez-Arrones V, Domingo A, Hidalgo M.Embryo transfer and the vitrification of embryos could be used for the conservation and recovery of endangered donkey breeds. It is important to develop techniques that optimize recovery rates and the cryotolerance of donkey embryos. This study evaluates factors affecting the recovery rate, quality, and diameter of embryos obtained from donor jennies as a starting point for the use of vitrification and embryo transfer in the conservation of the Andalusian donkey. A total of 100 embryos were recovered out of 124 estrous cycles (80.6%). The donor jenny affected the rates of positive flushings (P...
Ebisuda Y, Mukai K, Takahashi Y, Yoshida T, Kawano A, Matsuhashi T, Miyata H, Kuwahara M, Ohmura H.Heat acclimatization or acclimation training in horses is practiced to reduce physiological strain and improve exercise performance in the heat, which can involve metabolic improvement in skeletal muscle. However, there is limited information concerning the acute signaling responses of equine skeletal muscle after exercise in a hot environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that exercise in hot conditions induces greater changes in heat shock proteins and mitochondrial-related signaling in equine skeletal muscle compared with exercise in cool conditions. Fifteen t...
Wilsher S, Lefranc AC, Allen WR.During embryo transfer (ET) the equine embryo can tolerate a wide degree of negative asynchrony but positive asynchrony of >2 days usually results in embryonic death. There is still confusion over whether this is due to the inability of the embryo to induce luteostasis or to an inappropriate uterine environment. Objective: To assess embryo survival and development in an advanced uterine environment. Objective: Embryo-uterine asynchrony, not the embryo's inability to induce luteostasis, is responsible for embryonic death in recipient mares with a >2 days chronologically advanced uterus. Methods...
Gnagey L, Clayton HM, Lanovaz JL.The tarsal joint is a frequent site of lameness, but little objective information is available regarding the effects of tarsal conformation on joint movements or forces. Objective: To compare tarsal kinematics and kinetics in horses with large, intermediate and small tarsal angles. Methods: Sagittal plane standing angle of the right tarsal joint was measured in 16 horses as they stood squarely with the hind hooves vertically beneath the hip joint. Tarsal angles were classified as small (< 155.5 degrees), intermediate (155.5-165.5 degrees) or large (> 165.5 degrees). Reflective markers, attache...
Mück WM, Henion JD.The performance of microbore high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis, both equipped with on-line tandem mass spectrometric detection capability, was evaluated critically for the determination of endogenous amounts of leucine enkephalin and methionine enkephalin in equine cerebrospinal fluid. Using an identical sample clean-up and enrichment procedure, capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry is limited in its concentration detection capacity owing to its much smaller injection volume. Leucine enkephalin was identified in post-mortem equine cerebrospina...
Revold T, Larsen S, Ihler CF.Less than a third of Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters (NSCTs) have started racing as three year olds since the year 2000 despite the fact that large sums are paid out as price-money in the three year season. Recruitment races are arranged by the Norwegian Trotting Association (NTA) to stimulate early training. The management of young horses varies considerably and a large majority is reared by amateurs. The aim of the present study was to identify predictors of early race starts in young NSCT horses under field conditions. Methods: Of the 801 registered NSCT horses born in 2005, 144 were...
Knill LM, Eagleton RD, Harver E.The equine eye was treated as a general lens system and calculations were done to determine image position in relation to the retina for objects at a distance of infinity, 100 m, and 1 m. The retina is 19.1 mm behind the posterior surface of the lens; therefore, the image appears 14.6 mm posterior to the retina at infinity and at 100 m, and 16.3 mm at 1-m distance on a horizontal axis. The animals studied were hyperopic. It is evident that the horse must move its head or eye, or both, for optimal visual acuity. At the same time, some objects in the total field of vision are imperceptible or in...
Villarino NF, Lopez CM, Sams RA, Bayly WM.The primary objective of this study was to assess the disposition of furosemide in Thoroughbred horses treated intravenously with 1 mg/kg of furosemide 4 and 24 h before supramaximal treadmill exercise without and with controlled access to water, respectively. Another objective was to determine whether furosemide was detectable in the plasma of horses after exposure to supramaximal treadmill exercise. Thoroughbred horses (n = 4-6) were administered single intravenous doses of 1 mg/kg of furosemide at 4 and 24 h before supramaximal exercise on a high-speed treadmill, with controlled ...
Johnson L, Amann RP, Pickett BW.Spermatozoa from four regions of the epididymis and from ejaculated semen were evaluated for their resistance to cold shock, progressive motility, and structural stability. Spermatozoa were incubated at 38 C and their percentage of eosinophilia was compared with that of spermatozoa cooled to 0 C in 2 minutes, 10 C in 12 minutes, or 4 C in 22 minutes. Spermatozoa motility was estimated visually under phase-contrast microscopy and was recorded by cinematography. Structural stability of spermatozoa incubated in 0.05 M sodium borate buffer, 0.035 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 0.002 M dithiothrei...
Schneider ST, Meemken D, Gehlen H, Merle R, Langkabel N.In Europe, equines destined for human consumption (hereafter called slaughter equines) are subject to the same restrictions of usage of veterinary drugs as other food-producing animals, with amendments regulated in the so-called 'positive list', Regulation (EC) No. 1950/2006. Due to the complex legal requirements for drug administration in slaughter equines, it might be that specific knowledge regarding the legislation of slaughter equines may be insufficient among veterinarians, equine owners, and equine keepers. To study this assumption, three target group-specific surveys were conducted in ...
Tinkler SH, Couëtil LL, Constable PD.The stability of total CO2 concentration (ctCO2) in plasma is influenced by storage temperature and handling during sample processing. Conflicting information exists regarding the stability of ctCO2 in equine plasma over time, and the effect of centrifugation on the measured value for plasma ctCO2 is unclear. Objective: To determine plasma ctCO2 stability over 5 days when equine blood is collected into Vacutainer tubes, centrifuged within 30 min of collection, and stored at 4 degrees C; and to determine whether a delay in centrifugation increases the rate at which plasma ctCO2 decreases over t...
Collins SN, Murray RC, Kneissl S, Stanek C, Hinterhofer C.The finite element (FE) method is the most powerful modelling technique available to explicate the biomechanics of the digit. It has already proved to be of high value in human podiatry. However, accurate models of the complex anatomy of the horse and donkey digit are currently lacking. Objective: To develop FE models of the horse and donkey digit from computed tomography data, including all functionally relevant anatomy, and to perform simulations to replicate prestrain in the flexor tendons and quasistatic weightbearing. Methods: Computed tomography data of the front right digits were obtain...
Jaussaud P, Courtot D, Guyot JL, Paris J.The main metabolite of flunixin, a hydroxylated product, has been identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy in equine urine and plasma. The method also permits the qualitative monitoring of the urinary elimination of the drug and its metabolite. The two products are detected up to 175 and 54 h, respectively, after a single intravenous administration at the dose of 1 mg/kg. Simultaneous detection of the two compounds increases the reliability of anti-doping control analysis.
Gouyet C, Ringhofer M, Yamamoto S, Jardat P, Parias C, Reigner F, Calandreau L, Lansade L.Several studies have shown that horses have the ability to cross-modally recognize humans by associating their voice with their physical appearance. However, it remains unclear whether horses are able to differentiate humans according to different criteria, such as the fact that they are women or men. Horses might recognize some human characteristics, such as sex, and use these characteristics to classify them into different categories. The aim of this study was to explore whether domesticated horses are able to cross-modally recognize women and men according to visual and auditory cues, using...
Webb HJ, Weston JF, Norman EJ, Cogger N, Bolwell CF, Rogers CW.Training measures, particularly those that examine the interactions between training volume, speed, and recovery, can improve understanding of training practices that contribute to success and avoid adverse horse welfare outcomes in endurance competitions. This study describes the training of Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) 100-160 km level horses in New Zealand. A convenience sample of 16 participants and 25 horses were surveyed before commencement of training. Participants then reported daily data for an entire nine-month season of training and competition. Participants began the...
Fujiwara Y, Kusakabe KT, Baba K, Sasaki N.Currently, treatment for peripheral nerve injuries in horses primarily relies upon physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. In humans, various treatments using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being attempted. Therefore, in this study, Schwann-like cell differentiation cultures of equine MSCs were prepared using fetal bovine serum (FBS) and equine platelet lysate (ePL). ePL increased the platelet count to 1 × 10/μl, the optimal concentration for culture. In both groups, an elongated morphology at both ends, characteristic of Schwann cells, was observed under the microscope. Real-time...
Oquendo PS, Silva ESM, Oquendo FMG, Cuervo-Arango J, Beletti ME.The effect of three different hormonal protocols to prepare anestrous recipient mares on embryo survival was evaluated. The first group consisted of only progesterone administration (NE) 4 days before embryo transfer, while the recipients from the other two groups received a single administration of 2.5 mg of oestradiol benzoate (SE) 2 days earlier or 8 mg of oestradiol split in increasing doses for 5 consecutive days (LE) ending 3 days before progesterone treatment. The likelihood of recovering an embryo 2 days after transfer was 46.1% (6/13), 62.5% (5/8) and 85.7% (6/7) for recipie...
