Analyze Diet

Topic:Veterinary Science

Veterinary science and horses encompass the study and application of medical, surgical, and therapeutic practices to maintain and improve the health and welfare of equines. This field addresses a wide range of topics, including disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as nutrition, reproduction, and behavior. Research in veterinary science for horses often involves understanding the pathophysiology of equine-specific diseases, developing advanced diagnostic techniques, and improving treatment protocols. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into the latest advancements and methodologies in equine healthcare.
Characterization of bovine ruminal and equine cecal microbial populations enriched for enhanced nitro-toxin metabolizing activity.
Anaerobe    December 27, 2013   Volume 26 7-13 doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2013.12.001
Zhang Y, Long R, Warzecha CM, Coverdale JA, Latham EA, Hume ME, Callaway TR, O'Neil MR, Beier RC, Anderson RC, Nisbet DJ.The nitrotoxins 3-nitro-1-propionic acid (NPA) and 3-nitro-1-propanol (NPOH) are produced by a wide variety of leguminous plants, including over 150 different species and varieties of Astragalus potentially grazed by livestock. These toxins are known to be detoxified by at least one ruminal bacterium but detoxification by bacteria from other gut habitats is not known. In the present study, mixed populations of bovine ruminal and equine cecal microbes were enriched for NPA-metabolizing bacteria via consecutive 24-72 h culture in a basal minimal rumen fluid-based medium supplemented with 4.2 mM ...
Empirical Percentile Growth Curves with Z-scores Considering Seasonal Compensatory Growths for Japanese Thoroughbred Horses.
Journal of equine science    December 27, 2013   Volume 24, Issue 4 63-69 doi: 10.1294/jes.24.63
Onoda T, Yamamoto R, Sawamura K, Murase H, Nambo Y, Inoue Y, Matsui A, Miyake T, Hirai N.Percentile growth curves are often used as a clinical indicator to evaluate variations of children's growth status. In this study, we propose empirical percentile growth curves using Z-scores adapted for Japanese Thoroughbred horses, with considerations of the seasonal compensatory growth that is a typical characteristic of seasonal breeding animals. We previously developed new growth curve equations for Japanese Thoroughbreds adjusting for compensatory growth. Individual horses and residual effects were included as random effects in the growth curve equation model and their variance component...
Case-Study Investigation of Equine Maternity via PCR-RFLP: A Biochemistry Laboratory Experiment.
Journal of chemical education    December 24, 2013   Volume 90, Issue 11 doi: 10.1021/ed300740r
Millard JT, Chuang E, Lucas JS, Nagy EE, Davis GT.A simple and robust biochemistry laboratory experiment is described that uses restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products to verify the identity of a potentially valuable horse. During the first laboratory period, students purify DNA from equine samples and amplify two loci of mitochondrial DNA. During the second laboratory period, students digest PCR products with restriction enzymes and analyze the fragment sizes through agarose gel electrophoresis. An optional step of validating DNA extracts through realtime PCR can expand the experiment to th...
Carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutritional value of horsemeat: a review.
Meat science    December 22, 2013   Volume 96, Issue 4 1478-1488 doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.12.006
Lorenzo JM, Sarriés MV, Tateo A, Polidori P, Franco D, Lanza M.Meat has exerted a crucial role in human evolution and is an important component of a healthy and well balanced diet due to its nutritional richness. The aim of the present review was to shed light on the nutritional composition of horsemeat and their benefits for human health. One of the reasons for such interest was the occurrence, in Europe several years ago, of dioxin, Bovine Encephalopathy and foot-and-mouth disease problems in farm animals. Therefore, consumers began to look for alternative red meats from other non-traditional species. There is no carcass classification system on horses ...
The future of helminth control in horses.
Equine veterinary journal    December 18, 2013   Volume 46, Issue 1 10-11 doi: 10.1111/evj.12200
Matthews JB.No abstract available
Equine Veterinary Journal: Recent and future directions.
Equine veterinary journal    December 18, 2013   Volume 46, Issue 1 1-3 doi: 10.1111/evj.12218
Marr CM.No abstract available
Hard Tick Species of Livestock and their Bioecology in Golestan Province, North of Iran.
Journal of arthropod-borne diseases    December 18, 2013   Volume 8, Issue 1 108-116 
Sofizadeh A, Telmadarraiy Z, Rahnama A, Gorganli-Davaji A, Hosseini-Chegeni A.A survey on tick species composition was carried out in Golestan Province Iran during year 2010-2011.The aim was to determine tick species parasitizing domestic ruminants and their seasonal population dynamics. Methods: A total of 124 sheep, 92 goats, 84 cattle, 74 camels and 12 horses in several villages were inspected for tick infestation. The collected ticks preserved in 70% alcohol and then were identified. Results: The overall 1059 ticks (453 female, 606 male) were collected. The ticks occur on sheep, goats, cattle, camels and horses as 72.1%, 77.3%, 75.8%, 69.3%, and 50% respectively. Th...
A genome wide study of genetic adaptation to high altitude in feral Andean Horses of the páramo.
BMC evolutionary biology    December 17, 2013   Volume 13 273 doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-273
Hendrickson SL.Life at high altitude results in physiological and metabolic challenges that put strong evolutionary pressure on performance due to oxidative stress, UV radiation and other factors dependent on the natural history of the species. To look for genes involved in altitude adaptation in a large herbivore, this study explored genome differentiation between a feral population of Andean horses introduced by the Spanish in the 1500s to the high Andes and their Iberian breed relatives. Results: Using allelic genetic models and Fst analyses of ~50 K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the horse...
Technological advances in equestrian sports: are they beneficial for both performance and welfare?
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)    December 14, 2013   Volume 199, Issue 3 313-314 doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.12.009
van Weeren PR, Back W.No abstract available
Applying Bayesian network modelling to understand the links between on-farm biosecurity practice during the 2007 equine influenza outbreak and horse managers’ perceptions of a subsequent outbreak.
Preventive veterinary medicine    December 14, 2013   Volume 116, Issue 3 243-251 doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.11.015
Firestone SM, Lewis FI, Schemann K, Ward MP, Toribio JA, Taylor MR, Dhand NK.Australia experienced its first ever outbreak of equine influenza in August 2007. Horses on 9359 premises were infected over a period of 5 months before the disease was successfully eradicated through the combination of horse movement controls, on-farm biosecurity and vaccination. In a previous premises-level case-control study of the 2007 equine influenza outbreak in Australia, the protective effect of several variables representing on-farm biosecurity practices were identified. Separately, factors associated with horse managers' perceptions of the effectiveness of biosecurity measures have b...
Effect of period, water temperature and agitation on loss of water-soluble carbohydrates and protein from grass hay: implications for equine feeding management.
The Veterinary record    December 13, 2013   Volume 174, Issue 3 68 doi: 10.1136/vr.101820
Longland AC, Barfoot C, Harris PA.The effects of different water-soaking treatments on removal of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), WSC constituents and protein from four UK hays were determined. Hays were soaked in water for up to 16 hours at mean temperatures of 8°C, 16°C, in hot tap water (initially 49°C) or agitated and rinsed in clean water at 16°C. Initial hay WSC contents ranged from 154 to 216 g/kg dry matter. Losses of WSC from hays after 16 hours soaking at 8°C, 16°C, 16°C plus agitation and 49°C averaged 28, 46, 49 and 44 per cent, respectively. Corresponding percentage losses of fructan were 16, 37, 39 and...
Detection of endogenous cortisol in equine tears and blood at rest and after simulated stress.
Veterinary ophthalmology    December 13, 2013   Volume 17 Suppl 1 53-60 doi: 10.1111/vop.12128
Monk CS, Hart KA, Berghaus RD, Norton NA, Moore PA, Myrna KE.To determine whether cortisol is present in equine tears at rest and during simulated stress and compare tear cortisol to serum free and total cortisol. Methods: Fourteen healthy adult horses were included. Paired tear total cortisol and serum total and free cortisol concentrations were measured with ELISA, chemiluminescent immunoassay, and ultrafiltration methodology, respectively, in 10 horses at rest once daily for five consecutive days. In an additional four horses, paired tear and serum samples were collected for cortisol measurement before and after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) sti...
Distribution of MLH1 foci in horse male synaptonemal complex.
Cytogenetic and genome research    December 12, 2013   Volume 142, Issue 2 87-94 doi: 10.1159/000357152
Al-Jaru A, Goodwin W, Skidmore J, Khazanehdari K.Advances in molecular cytogenetics have provided the opportunity to study events during prophase I of meiosis. Immunofluorescent localization of different meiotic protein components were used to characterize the early stages of the first meiotic division in horse spermatocytes. The frequency and distribution of recombination events during prophase I were investigated using the mutL homolog 1 (MLH1) protein that is known to be associated with these events. The frequency and distribution of MLH1 foci were investigated in pachytene nuclei of 6 fertile stallions, and the average relative synaptone...
Equine seroprevalence rates as an additional indicator for a more accurate risk assessment of the West Nile virus transmission.
Collegium antropologicum    December 7, 2013   Volume 37, Issue 3 949-956 
Vignjević G, Vrućina I, Sestak I, Turić N, Bogojević MS, Merdić E.The West Nile Virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus that has recently been causing outbreaks in many countries in southern and Central Europe. In 2012, for the first time, it caused an outbreak in eastern Croatia with total of 7 human clinical cases. With an aim of assisting public health personnel in order to improve survey protocols and vector control, the high risk areas of the WNV transmission were estimated and mapped. The study area included cities of Osijek and Slavonski Brod and 8 municipalities in Vukovarsko-Srijemska County. Risk estimation was based on seroprevalence of WNV infections...
Little evidence of human infection with equine influenza during the 2007 epizootic, Queensland, Australia.
Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology    December 6, 2013   Volume 59, Issue 2 100-103 doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2013.11.011
Burnell FJ, Holmes MA, Roiko AH, Lowe JB, Heil GL, White SK, Gray GC.Equine influenza virus (EIV) is considered enzootic in Europe (except Iceland), Asia, North Africa, and North and South America. When EIV outbreaks occur they may severely impact the equine and tourist industries. Australia faced its first EIV outbreak beginning in August of 2007. The outbreak was concentrated in New South Wales and Queensland, with more than 1400 confirmed EIV infections in horses during the first month. Rapid response from the equine industry and the federal government was successful and Australia was declared free from EIV by the end of 2007. Objective: This cross-sectional...
Comparison of two sampling and culture systems for detection of Salmonella enterica in the environment of a large animal hospital.
Equine veterinary journal    December 5, 2013   Volume 46, Issue 4 499-502 doi: 10.1111/evj.12193
Ruple-Czerniak A, Bolte DS, Burgess BA, Morley PS.Nosocomial salmonellosis is an important problem in veterinary hospitals that treat horses and other large animals. Detection and mitigation of outbreaks and prevention of healthcare-associated infections often require detection of Salmonella enterica in the hospital environment. Objective: To compare 2 previously published methods for detecting environmental contamination with S. enterica in a large animal veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Hospital-based comparison of environmental sampling techniques. Methods: A total of 100 pairs of environmental samples were collected from stalls us...
Motion camouflage induced by zebra stripes.
Zoology (Jena, Germany)    December 4, 2013   Volume 117, Issue 3 163-170 doi: 10.1016/j.zool.2013.10.004
How MJ, Zanker JM.The functional significance of the zebra coat stripe pattern is one of the oldest questions in evolutionary biology, having troubled scientists ever since Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace first disagreed on the subject. While different theories have been put forward to address this question, the idea that the stripes act to confuse or 'dazzle' observers remains one of the most plausible. However, the specific mechanisms by which this may operate have not been investigated in detail. In this paper, we investigate how motion of the zebra's high contrast stripes creates visual effects tha...
The brain of the horse: weight and cephalization quotients.
Brain, behavior and evolution    December 4, 2013   Volume 83, Issue 1 9-16 doi: 10.1159/000356527
Cozzi B, Povinelli M, Ballarin C, Granato A.The horse is a common domestic animal whose anatomy has been studied since the XVI century. However, a modern neuroanatomy of this species does not exist and most of the data utilized in textbooks and reviews derive from single specimens or relatively old literature. Here, we report information on the brain of Equus caballus obtained by sampling 131 horses, including brain weight (as a whole and subdivided into its constituents), encephalization quotient (EQ), and cerebellar quotient (CQ), and comparisons with what is known about other relevant species. The mean weight of the fresh brains in o...
Horse head count: Kentucky survey helps state gauge impact of equine industry.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association    December 3, 2013   Volume 243, Issue 9 1228-1229 
Larkin M.No abstract available
Novel vaccination approaches against equine alphavirus encephalitides.
Vaccine    December 2, 2013   Volume 32, Issue 3 311-319 doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.11.071
Carossino M, Thiry E, de la Grandière A, Barrandeguy ME.The current production of inactivated vaccines for the prevention of equine alphavirus encephalitides caused by Eastern, Western and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses (EEEV, WEEV, VEEV) involves the manipulation of large quantities of infectious viral particles under biosafety level 3 containment laboratories with the potential risk of transmission to the operators. Moreover, these vaccines are not capable of inducing a long-lasting immunity. Modified live vaccines, which were also attempted, maintain residual virulence and neurotropism, causing disease in both horses and humans. Therefor...
AAEP/EVJ supplement 2013.
Equine veterinary journal. Supplement    December 1, 2013   Issue 45 1 doi: 10.1111/evj.12183
Ball BA, Pease A, Sellon DC, White NA.No abstract available
Comparative kinematic analysis of the leading and trailing forelimbs of horses cantering on a turf and a synthetic surface.
Equine veterinary journal. Supplement    December 1, 2013   Issue 45 54-61 doi: 10.1111/evj.12160
Crevier-Denoix N, Falala S, Holden-Douilly L, Camus M, Martino J, Ravary-Plumioen B, Vergari C, Desquilbet L, Denoix JM, Chateau H, Pourcelot P.The relationship between track surface properties and limb kinematics is poorly understood. Hoof orientation within the track surface has never been quantified under training conditions. Previously described kinematic and dynamic differences between leading and trailing forelimbs at the canter poorly correlate with epidemiological data regarding injuries. Objective: To compare joint kinematics and hoof orientation in the leading and trailing forelimbs of horses cantering on turf and on a synthetic surface. Methods: Noninvasive experimental study. Methods: The right forelimb of 5 horses was equ...
The effect of environmental factors on sister chromatid exchange incidence in domestic horse (Equus caballus) chromosomes.
Folia biologica    November 28, 2013   Volume 61, Issue 3-4 199-204 doi: 10.3409/fb61_3-4.199
Wójcik E, Smalec E.The SCE test is often used as a sensitive and reliable technique in the biomonitoring of genotoxicity of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents. This study analysed the frequency of sister chromatid exchange in domestic horse chromosomes depending on the habitat and age of the analysed horses. The chromosome preparations were obtained from an in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes stained using the FPG technique. Both the habitat and the age significantly influence SCE frequency. A higher SCE incidence was observed in horses that lived in a large urban agglomeration than in those from the...
Identification and characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from Austrian companion animals and horses.
Veterinary microbiology    November 28, 2013   Volume 168, Issue 2-4 381-387 doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.11.022
Loncaric I, Künzel F, Licka T, Simhofer H, Spergser J, Rosengarten R.The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance, resistance gene patterns and genetic relatedness of a collection of Austrian methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from companion animals and horses. A total of 89 non-repetitive MRSA isolates collected during routine veterinary microbiological examinations from April 2004 to the end of 2012, and one isolate from 2013 were used for this study. The presence of mecA and other resistance genes was confirmed by PCR. Isolates were genotyped by spa typing, two multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat ana...
Design and validation of a computer-aided learning program to enhance students’ ability to recognize lameness in the horse.
Journal of veterinary medical education    November 28, 2013   Volume 41, Issue 1 1-8 doi: 10.3138/jvme.0213-040R1
Barstow A, Pfau T, Bolt DM, Smith RK, Weller R.The ability to recognize lameness in the horse is an important skill for veterinary graduates; however, opportunities to develop this skill at the undergraduate level are limited. Computer-aided learning programs (CALs) have been successful in supplementing practical skills teaching. The aim of this study was to design and validate a CAL for the teaching of equine lameness recognition (CAL1). A control CAL was designed to simulate learning by experience (CAL2). Student volunteers were randomly assigned to either CAL and tested to establish their current ability to recognize lameness. Retesting...
Recrudescent infection supports Hendra virus persistence in Australian flying-fox populations.
PloS one    November 28, 2013   Volume 8, Issue 11 e80430 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080430
Wang HH, Kung NY, Grant WE, Scanlan JC, Field HE.Zoonoses from wildlife threaten global public health. Hendra virus is one of several zoonotic viral diseases that have recently emerged from Pteropus species fruit-bats (flying-foxes). Most hypotheses regarding persistence of Hendra virus within flying-fox populations emphasize horizontal transmission within local populations (colonies) via urine and other secretions, and transmission among colonies via migration. As an alternative hypothesis, we explore the role of recrudescence in persistence of Hendra virus in flying-fox populations via computer simulation using a model that integrates publ...
Horse-rider interaction in dressage riding.
Human movement science    November 26, 2013   Volume 33 227-237 doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2013.09.003
Münz A, Eckardt F, Witte K.In dressage riding the pelvis of the rider interacts with the horse physically. However, there is little information about the influence of riding skill on the interaction of the human pelvis with the horse. Therefore this paper aims to study the interaction between horse and rider in professional riders (PRO) and beginners (BEG). Twenty riders rode in walk, trot, and canter in an indoor riding hall with inertial sensors attached to their pelvis and to the horses' trunk. Statistical analysis of waveform parameters, qualitative interpretation of angle-angle plots, and cross-correlation of horse...
MICs of 32 antimicrobial agents for Rhodococcus equi isolates of animal origin.
The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy    November 24, 2013   Volume 69, Issue 4 1045-1049 doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt460
Riesenberg A, Feßler AT, Erol E, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Stamm I, Böse R, Heusinger A, Klarmann D, Werckenthin C, Schwarz S.The aim of this study was to determine the MICs of 32 antimicrobial agents for 200 isolates of Rhodococcus equi of animal origin by applying a recently described broth microdilution protocol, and to investigate isolates with distinctly elevated rifampicin MICs for the genetic basis of rifampicin resistance. Methods: The study included 200 R. equi isolates, including 160 isolates from horses and 40 isolates from other animal sources, from the USA and Europe. MIC testing of 32 antimicrobial agents or combinations thereof followed a recently published protocol. A novel PCR protocol for the joint ...
Linking social environment and stress physiology in feral mares (Equus caballus): group transfers elevate fecal cortisol levels.
General and comparative endocrinology    November 22, 2013   Volume 196 26-33 doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.11.012
Nuñez CM, Adelman JS, Smith J, Gesquiere LR, Rubenstein DI.Feral horses (Equus caballus) have a complex social structure, the stability of which is important to their overall health. Behavioral and demographic research has shown that decreases in group (or band) stability reduce female fitness, but the potential effects on the physiological stress response have not been demonstrated. To fully understand how band stability affects group-member fitness, we need to understand not only behavioral and demographic, but also physiological consequences of decreases to that stability. We studied group changes in feral mares (an activity that induces instabilit...
Changes in salivary and plasma cortisol levels in Purebred Arabian horses during race training session.
Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho    November 21, 2013   Volume 85, Issue 3 313-317 doi: 10.1111/asj.12146
Kędzierski W, Cywińska A, Strzelec K, Kowalik S.Physical activity and stress both cause an increase in cortisol release ratio. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of saliva samples for the determination of cortisol concentrations indicating the work-load level in horses during race training. Twelve Purebred Arabian horses aged 3-5 years were studied during the routine training session. After the warm-up, the horses galloped on the 800 m sand track at a speed of 12.8 m/s. Three saliva samples, and three blood samples were collected from each horse. Both types of samples were taken at rest, immediately after return from the trac...