Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
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.
Improved insulin sensitivity in hyperinsulinaemic ponies through physical conditioning and controlled feed intake. Ten hyperinsulinaemic ponies divided into conditioned (N = 5) and rested (N = 5) groups were evaluated for their insulin and glucose response following oral glucose administration at Weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6. All ponies received a controlled intake of a pelleted ration during the study. In both groups body weight had decreased from baseline by Week 4 and remained low. After 2 weeks of exercise, ponies in the conditioned group had significantly decreased insulin and glucose indices, including peak insulin response, area under the insulin curve from 0 to 210 min (TIS), and the TIS value: area under ...
A five year (1985-1989) retrospective study of equine neurological diseases with special reference to rabies. A retrospective study of horses necropsied between 1985 and 1989 at a diagnostic laboratory of a veterinary school in North America is documented. In this investigation over 20 per cent of the horses had clinical neurological signs. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (caused by Sarcocystis neurona) and cervical stenotic myelopathy (wobbler syndrome) were the most common of these disorders. The veterinary school is located in the midst of a raccoon rabies enzootic area. However, only four cases of equine rabies were diagnosed during the 5-year study. The gross microscopical and immunohistochemi...
Plasma potassium and lactate concentrations in thoroughbred horses during exercise of varying intensity. To investigate the effect of moderate to high intensity exercise of up to 6 min duration on plasma potassium and lactate concentrations, 6 Thoroughbred horses were studied using a treadmill at a 5 degree incline. Each test consisted of an 8-min standardised warm-up followed by an exercise bout at 8, 9, 10 or 12 m/sec. The horses were galloped at each speed for up to a maximum of 6 min or until signs of fatigue were present. The horses were then walked at 0 degree incline. Carotid arterial blood samples were taken during and after the exercise. At 8, 9 and 10 m/sec there was a general pattern o...
Detection of diuretics in horse urine by GC/MS. The use of diuretics in horses subject to doping control is prohibited. Thus, a sensitive screening procedure is required to identify the chemically different diuretics. We communicate here a method to detect three commonly employed acidic diuretics: bumetanide, ethacrynic acid, and furosemide. A liquid-liquid extraction on Extrelut 3 was performed at weak acidic and basic conditions using ethyl acetate as organic solvent. For analysis by GC, the diuretics were methylated on-column in the presence of MSTFA/TMAH, avoiding the commonly employed highly toxic derivatizing agent methyl iodide. For ...
Skeletal muscle fiber size in untrained and endurance-trained horses. The mean area and minimal diameter of 3 histochemically determined myofiber types (1, 2A, and 2B; myosin ATPase in acid buffer) were calculated in middle gluteal muscle biopsy specimens from 62 stallions, 47 Andalusians and 15 Arabians, ranging in age from 6 to 12 years. Fourteen Andalusians and 7 Arabians were untrained, and the remainder were actively endurance-trained. The 6-month training schedules involved walking, slow trotting, and cantering. Fourteen Andalusians were moderately endurance-trained, whereas the other 19 Andalusians and 8 Arabians were strongly endurance-trained. Significa...
Prevalence of benzimidazole-resistance in equine cyathostome populations in south east England. In order to study the prevalence of benzimidazole-resistance in equine cyathostomes, 30 stables in south east England were selected according to strict criteria but with minimum bias to provide three matched groups of 100 horses. One group was treated with fenbendazole, one with pyrantel embonate and the third was left untreated. The overall efficacies of fenbendazole and pyrantel embonate, as judged by the faecal egg-count reduction test, were 56.3 and 95.8 per cent, respectively. The numbers of horses at individual stables were too small to draw conclusions at each stable, but whereas effica...
Growth hormone in mares and stallions: pulsatile secretion, response to growth hormone-releasing hormone, and effects of exercise, sexual stimulation, and pharmacological agents. Short-term patterns of growth hormone (GH) secretion and factors affecting it were studied in mares and stallions. In Exp. 1, hourly blood samples were collected from three mares and three stallions in summer and winter. Although GH concentrations varied in a pulsatile manner in all horses, there was no effect of sex or season (P greater than .1) on plasma GH concentrations and no indication of a diurnal pattern of GH secretion. In Exp. 2, 10-min blood samples were drawn for 8 h from 12 mares; after 6 h, porcine GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) was administered i.v. at 0, 45, 90, or 180 micrograms/...
Normal and abnormal sexual behavior. This article includes a brief description of the reproductive patterns and specific behaviors comprising courtship and copulation in equids. The author then focuses on breeding behavior of the domestic stallion. Descriptions of normal breeding behavior under a variety of domestic management systems, comments on sexual behavior of donkeys and exotic equids, and the most common types and treatments of sexual behavior dysfunction are included.
Training the novice stallion for natural breeding. There are myriad problems that can arise when training the novice stallion for natural service. Many problems can be avoided by proper early training of the novice stallion. In the final analysis, common sense should prevail. The major ally of common sense is patience. One should keep in mind that the goal is to have a stallion behave in a disciplined manner, allowing for his expression of libido and effective mounting, intromission, and ejaculation. This is accomplished through judicious training and, as with any training process, takes some time and work. Proper training will help circumvent...
Mediators of maternal recognition of pregnancy in mammals. No abstract available
Venereal disease. Equine venereal infections of concern in the United States include EHV-3, T. equigenitalis, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. Stallions may also harbor EAV in the genital tract and transmit the virus to mares during coitus. With the exception of EHV-3, the stallion generally remains asymptomatic while transmitting infections to mares during breeding. Methods for diagnosis, treatment, and control of these infections are discussed.
Semen collection techniques. Semen collection techniques in the stallion have evolved considerably over the last 70 to 80 years and are used today primarily for artificial insemination. Semen can be collected from stallions that are otherwise unable to breed, allowing continued use of valuable animals. There are many options for collection of semen from stallions that present with ejaculatory dysfunction (see the article by McDonnell elsewhere in this issue.) Although there are many advantages to the use of artificial breeding, the collector must understand each step of the collection procedure as well as stallion prefere...
Use of oral tolerance tests to investigate disaccharide digestion in neonatal foals. Oral tolerance tests were performed on 13 neonatal foals to determine their ability to digest disaccharides on d 1, 3 and 5 postpartum. Foals were assigned randomly to treatments consisting of 20% (wt/vol) solutions of either maltose, lactose, or sucrose, dosed at 1 g/kg of BW, or glucose, dosed at .5 g/kg of BW. After a 2-h fast, an initial blood sample was collected via jugular catheter. Foals were administered the appropriate solution orally, and blood was collected every 15 min for 1 h and then every 30 min for 3 h. Plasma glucose increased after dosing with lactose or glucose but not with...
[Genetic differentiation between breeds of horses by polymorphic blood protein loci]. The estimation of genetic differentiation between 27 horses breeds originated in USSR, based on serum proteins polymorphism (loci Tf, Al, Es) is shown. Genetical variability among aborigine breeds is higher then among cultural ones. The erosion of gene pool of Przewalski's Horse is explained by special history of this population and a few horses in analyzing group. Genetic distances reflect the directions and intensity of breeding. High genetical distances between Przewalski's Horse, Shetland Pony and other horses obtained could be explained by overcoming the "bottle neck" of selections in bre...
Ejaculation. Physiology and dysfunction. In summary, important events of ejaculation include emission of sperm and the accessory gland fluids into the urethra, simultaneous closure of the bladder neck, and forceful ejaculation of the combined semen through the urethra. Emission and bladder neck closure are primarily alpha-adrenergically mediated thoracolumbar sympathetic reflex events with supraspinal modulation. Ejaculation is a sacralspinal reflex mediated by the pudendal nerve. In stallions, the most common ejaculation disorders are emission and ejaculation failure, and urine contamination of semen. Rare disorders are azoospermia ...
Voluntary intake, milk production and plasma metabolites in nursing mares fed two different diets. Voluntary food intake, milk yield and composition, and blood metabolites were measured during the first 2 mo of lactation in draft broodmares fed diets containing either 95% hay and 5% concentrates (Diet F) or 50% hay and 50% concentrates (Diet C). Voluntary food intake was higher for mares fed Diet C than for those fed Diet F (22.9 vs. 21.4 kg dry matter in wk 4). Both diets, especially Diet C, were eaten in amounts exceeding the energy requirements. Daily milk yield in wk 4 was 26.4 kg and 23.4 kg for mares fed Diets C and F, respectively. Milk fat and protein concentrations were higher (P l...
Endocrine and testicular changes associated with season, artificial photoperiod, and the peri-pubertal period in stallions. The seasonal reproductive cycle of stallions is characterized by an annual regression and recrudescence in testicular function and concentrations of LH, FSH, and testosterone in serum. Maximum reproductive capacity occurs during the increasing day lengths of spring and summer. The annual cycle in LH secretion may reflect a seasonally associated and photosensitive reduction and replenishment in pituitary content of LH. Similar to other seasonal breeders, it appears that stallions may possess an endogenous circannual rhythm in reproductive function that is subject to manipulation by altering the...
Training the novice stallion for artificial breeding. Although the act of breeding is instinctive to the stallion, the use of a phantom mare and AV represent an unnatural element to this act. The use of these devices, as well as proper breeding manners and etiquette, must be taught to the stallion. The novice stallion usually learns these techniques rapidly and is quite manageable if proper restraint is used during training. Positive reinforcement for good behavior is essential. The ultimate goal in training the novice stallion is to develop an individual that will enter the breeding area with controlled enthusiasm, develop an erection and gracef...
Management of stallions on large breeding farms. Often, there is an adversarial relationship between senior management and livestock managers. It is important that the veterinarian responsible for breeding management and health care maintain open communications with senior managers. Although the veterinarian may recognize livestock-management deficiencies that need changing, he or she must remain flexible within the constraints provided on the breeding farm. Years may be required to solidify this give-and-take relationship, and opinions on the value of many management procedures will change. The underpinnings of a successful stallion manager...
Evaluation of the stallion for breeding soundness. The breeding soundness evaluation of a stallion is a thorough investigation of a stallion's libido, mating ability, and semen quality. The evaluation should include historical data about the medical aspects of the horse's performance and breeding career, observations and breeding behavior characteristics, collection and evaluation of semen, tests to determine freedom from infectious or contagious disease, and production of foals free of genetic defects. This information should allow the examiner to anticipate the impact of the stallion on the reproductive efficiency of a group of mares. The br...
Hormonal contraception of feral mares with Silastic rods. Homogeneous Silastic rods containing ethinylestradiol (EE) (1.5 or 4 g), estradiol-17 beta (E) (4 g) or progesterone (P) (6 g) were implanted into feral mares (Equus caballus) between 4- and 10-yr-old. Six treatment groups (greater than or equal to 10 mares/group) of non-pregnant mares received 36 g P and 12 g E (P+E), 36 g P and 8 g EE (P+HEE), 1.5 g EE (LEE), 3 g EE (MEE, 8 g EE (HEE) or control-implanted mares (CI). CI received implants containing no steroid. Two groups of pregnant mares received P+HEE or HEE. Stallions were placed with the mares 15 to 26 mo after implanting. Blood was coll...
Breed differences in circulating equine relaxin. Equine relaxin has been previously determined in a small number of pregnant Thoroughbred mares. To better define the normal pregnancy pattern of relaxin, the current study reports on a much larger number of mares. It also was designed to determine if all equids have the same gestational pattern of relaxin secretion. Plasma samples were collected weekly in 24 Standardbred mares, every 7-10 days in 10 pony mares, and daily in late pregnancy from 16 burros. Standardbreds had higher concentrations of relaxin than that reported for Thoroughbreds during most of gestation and did not exhibit the midp...
The teniae of the equine intestinal tract. At several locations along the equine cecum and colon, the outer longitudinal portion of the tunica muscularis is gathered into discrete bands of smooth muscle and connective tissue called "teniae". In this study, the disposition of the teniae ceci and coli was traced along the equine intestinal tract. It was discovered that, in several instances, arrays of teniae converge toward the valves and sphincters which separate the various intestinal compartments. The teniae may also provide support for and directionality to, peristaltic contraction waves. The tissue proportions of the teniae vary in ...
Artificial insemination and preservation of semen. Artificial insemination is an effective technique for improving utilization of stallions in breeding programs. When proper semen handling and insemination procedures are used, optimal pregnancy rates are attainable. When AI techniques are employed for mares and stallions with marginal fertility, pregnancy rates may be improved in comparison with natural mating. Preservation of stallion semen in the liquid or frozen state reduces the costs and potential health hazards incurred by transporting mares and provides easier access to genetic material that may otherwise be unavailable. Acceptable preg...
Metabolic response of horses to a high soluble carbohydrate diet: effects of low-intensity submaximal exercise and sodium bicarbonate supplementation. Four mares fed a low fiber, high soluble carbohydrate diet were used in a crossover design to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation during daily low-intensity submaximal working conditions. Mares were fed the diet at 1.7 times the maintenance energy requirement for mature horses at work. The horses tolerated the diet well and had no clinical abnormalities. Resting venous blood bicarbonate (HCO3), standard HCO3, and base excess (BE) concentrations significantly (P less than 0.05) increased with NaHCO3 supplementation, but no significant changes in resting v...
