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.
de Rezende MPG, de Souza JC, Carneiro PLS, Bozzi R, Jardim RJD, Malhado CHM.Evaluating phenotypic diversity makes it possible to identify discrepancies in aptitudes among animals of different genetic bases, which is an indicator of adaptive or selective differences between populations. The objective of this work was to evaluate the morphofunctional diversity of 452 male and female adult equines (Arabian, Quarter Mile, Pantaneiro, and Criollo breeds, and undefined crossbreeds of horses and mules) raised in the Pantanal biome (Brazil). Linear measurements were performed to estimate conformation indexes. Initially, a discriminant analysis was performed, regardless of the...
Pritchard J, Upjohn M, Hirson T.Brooke is a non-government organisation with working equine welfare programmes across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In 2014, staff from ten country programmes were asked to identify 'no-win' situations (subsequently reframed as 'hard-wins')-where improving equine welfare is proving difficult, expensive and/or marginal-in order to inform strategic decisions on how to approach, manage and mitigate for such situations. The Delphi-type consultation process had three phases. Round 1 posed five questions in the form of a workshop, survey and semi-structured interviews. Round 2 re-presented key the...
Negro S, Bartolomé E, Molina A, Solé M, Gómez MD, Valera M.The stress level is suggested to have a negative effect on horses during equestrian competitions, specifically in trotter racing. The main objectives of this study were to measure stress levels in Spanish Trotter Horse races with a reliable non-invasive method, and determining the threshold level of stress that leads to the best performance results and also shows when the stress perceived by the horse becomes distress. One hundred and thirty individuals were evaluated, measuring their performance (based on racing time per kilometre (TPK)) and their stress (based on eye temperature, assessed wi...
Souza CRS, Farnsworth KD, Ragle CA.The objective of this study was to assess and compare the bursting pressure and mode of failure of a 2-strand continuous crossing suture pattern and a simple continuous suture pattern for closure of the equine linea alba. No difference in bursting strength or mode of failure was found between the 2 suture patterns. Comparaison de la force d’éclatement des incisions des sutures simples continues et des sutures croisées continues à deux fils pour la fermeture de la linea alba des équidés. Cette étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer et de comparer la pression d’éclatement et le mode d...
Spiesz EM, Thorpe CT, Thurner PJ, Screen HRC.Structure-function relationships in tendons are directly influenced by the arrangement of collagen fibres. However, the details of such arrangements in functionally distinct tendons remain obscure. This study demonstrates the use of quantitative polarised light microscopy (qPLM) to identify structural differences in two major tendon compartments at the mesoscale: fascicles and interfascicular matrix (IFM). It contrasts functionally distinct positional and energy storing tendons, and considers changes with age. Of particular note, the technique facilitates the analysis of crimp parameters, in w...
Głażewska I, Gralak B, Naczk AM, Prusak B.Polish Arabian horses are one of the most important populations of this breed in the world. Their post-war history can be divided into two periods, with the dominant role of state studs until 1989, and the increasing significance of private breeding in the next years. The goal of the study was to evaluate genetic diversity and structure of the population under a new breeding policy. The analyses of breeding and microsatellite data from 1996 to 2012 provide a coherent picture of the population with constant flow of horses only in one direction from state to private studs. An increase in the num...
Csizmár N, Mihók S, Jávor A, Kusza S.The Hungarian draft is a horse breed with a recent mixed ancestry created in the 1920s by crossing local mares with draught horses imported from France and Belgium. The interest in its conservation and characterization has increased over the last few years. The aim of this work is to contribute to the characterization of the endangered Hungarian heavy draft horse populations in order to obtain useful information to implement conservation strategies for these genetic stocks. Methods: To genetically characterize the breed and to set up the basis for a conservation program, in the present study a...
Macedo S, Bliebernicht M, Carvalheira J, Costa A, Ribeiro F, Rocha A.Glycerol-based extenders are widely utilized for freezing equine semen, but media combining methylformamide may better preserve sperm motility and mitochondrial function. Semen is cryopreserved utilizing either a Styrofoam box filled with liquid nitrogen or an automatic freezer. The objective of this experiment was to compare the post-thaw characteristics of the same ejaculates cryopreserved in a Styrofoam box or in an automatic freezer, utilizing a glycerol-based extender (Gent) and an extender that combines methylformamide and glycerol (BotuCrio ). For that, one ejaculate from 30 stallions c...
Walther B, Klein KS, Barton AK, Semmler T, Huber C, Wolf SA, Tedin K, Merle R, Mitrach F, Guenther S, Lübke-Becker A, Gehlen H.Pathogens frequently associated with multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotypes, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from horses admitted to horse clinics, pose a risk for animal patients and personnel in horse clinics. To estimate current rates of colonization, a total of 341 equine patients were screened for carriage of zoonotic indicator pathogens at hospital admission. Horses showing clinical signs associated with colic (n = 233) or open wounds (n = 108) were selected for microbiological examination of nost...
Bartolomé E, Menéndez-Buxadera A, Molina A, Valera M.To obtain a sport horse that excels in the highest levels of competition, breeders must take into account certain genetic and environmental factors that could influence the sport horse's performance, such as the rider-horse interaction (RHI). The main aim of this study was to describe this interaction in a genetic model by modelling it in relation to the horse's age. A total of 31,129 sport results from Spanish Sport Horses were used from a total of 1,101 animals evaluated, and these were grouped in three age levels and had been ridden by 606 different riders. Only riders who had ridden more t...
Del Prete C, Tafuri S, Ciani F, Pasolini MP, Ciotola F, Albarella S, Carotenuto D, Peretti V, Cocchia N.Stallion semen is damaged by oxidative stress during cooling and transport. Semen processing and extenders have been tested to improve the fertilizing capacity of semen and to preserve semen during transport. Dietary supplementation with natural antioxidants has been proposed to prevent oxidative damages. In this study, for the first time, the effect of dietary supplementation with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the characteristics of fresh and chilled stallion semen was evaluated. Maca is a traditional Andean crop used as a nutraceutical for the fertility-enhancing properties that are linked with...
Viklund Å, Eriksson S.A linear profiling protocol was introduced in 2013 at tests for 3-year-old Swedish Warmblood horses. In this protocol, traits are subjectively described on a nine-point linear scale from one biological extreme to the other. This complements the traditional scoring where horses are evaluated in relation to the breeding objective. This study aimed to investigate the suitability of the linear information for genetic evaluation. Data on 22 conformation traits, 17 movement traits, 14 jumping traits and one temperament trait from 3,410 horses tested between 2013 and 2016 were analysed using an anima...
Putnová L, Štohl R, Vrtková I.We propose the first comprehensive in-depth study monitoring horses in the Czech Republic. We scanned 9,289 animals from 44 populations for 17 equine STRs. Other equids analysed involved Equus przewalskii and Equus asinus. The total of 228 different alleles were detected, with the mean number of 13.4 per locus. The highest allelic richness (AR) was found in the Welsh Part Bred (6.01), followed by the Camargue (5.93) and Czech Sport Pony (5.91), whereas the Friesian exhibited the lowest AR (3.06). Interpopulation differences explained approximately nine per cent of the total genetic diversity. ...
Lempereur L, Sohier C, Smeets F, Maréchal F, Berkvens D, Madder M, Francis F, Losson B.The dispersion potential of mechanical vectors is an important factor in the dissemination of pathogens. A mark-release-recapture experiment was implemented using two groups (unfed and partially fed) of the Tabanidae (Diptera) (Haematopota spp.) and biting Muscidae (Diptera) (Stomoxys calcitrans) most frequently collected in Belgium in order to evaluate their dispersion potential. In total, 2104 specimens of Haematopota spp. were collected directly from horses and 5396 S. calcitrans were collected in a cattle farm using hand-nets. Some of these insects were partially fed in vitro and all were ...
Martin G, Yanez-Arenas C, Plowright RK, Chen C, Roberts B, Skerratt LF.Understanding environmental factors driving spatiotemporal patterns of disease can improve risk mitigation strategies. Hendra virus (HeV), discovered in Australia in 1994, spills over from bats (Pteropus sp.) to horses and thence to humans. Below latitude - 22°, almost all spillover events to horses occur during winter, and above this latitude spillover is aseasonal. We generated a statistical model of environmental drivers of HeV spillover per month. The model reproduced the spatiotemporal pattern of spillover risk between 1994 and 2015. The model was generated with an ensemble of methods f...
Pöschke A, Krähling B, Failing K, Staszyk C.The equine periodontal ligament (PDL) is a fibrous connective tissue that covers the intra-alveolar parts of the tooth and anchors it to the alveolar bone-it, therefore, provides a similar function to a tendinous structure. While several studies have considered the formation and structure of tendons, there is insufficient information particularly on the molecular composition of the PDL. Especially for the equine PDL, there is limited knowledge concerning the expression of genes commonly regarded as typical for tendon tissue. In this study, the gene expression of, e.g., (, and fibrocartilage m...
Catecholamines are among the most frequently investigated parameters for studying sympathoadrenal activity in response to stress conditions. Objective: To evaluate basal plasma concentrations of catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) in healthy donkeys. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Catecholamine concentrations from 440 Martina Franca donkeys were determined: 269 females and 171 entire males, aged from 4 months to 24 years. Animals were subdivided into four age categories: under 12 months old (64 males and 54 females), from 13 to 36 months (56 males and 75 females),...
Hanot P, Herrel A, Guintard C, Cornette R.The relationships between the different component parts of organisms, such as the sharing of common development or function, produce a coordinated variation between the different traits. This morphological integration contributes to drive or constrain morphological variation and thus impacts phenotypic diversification. Artificial selection is known to contribute significantly to phenotypic diversification of domestic species. However, little attention has been paid to its potential impact on integration patterns. This study explores the patterns of integration in the limb bones of different ho...
Czycholl I, Büttner K, Klingbeil P, Krieter J.To enhance feasibility, the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) assessment protocol for horses consists of two levels: the first is a visual inspection of a sample of horses performed from a distance, the second a close-up inspection of all horses. The aim was to analyse whether information would be lost if only the first level were performed. In this study, 112 first and 112 second level assessments carried out on a subsequent day by one observer were compared by calculating the Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient (RS), Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC), Smallest Detectable Changes (...
Warzecha CM, Coverdale JA, Janecka JE, Leatherwood JL, Pinchak WE, Wickersham TA, McCann JC.The objective of this study was to determine bacterial community profiles of the equine cecum in response to abrupt inclusion of varying levels of dietary starch. Seven cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings (497 to 580 kg) were used in a crossover design with two 28-d periods and a 28-d washout between each. Horses were randomly assigned to dietary treatments consisting of a commercial concentrate offered as fed at either 0.6 (low starch [LS]) or 1.2% BW (high starch [HS]) daily that was divided into 2 meals at 12-h intervals. Prior to the start of each period, horses were allowed ad libit...
Schneberger D, Sethi RS, Singh B.Endothelium plays an important role in maintaining the vascular barrier and physiological homeostasis. Endothelium also is fundamental to the initiation and regulation of inflammation. Endothelium demonstrates phenotypic and functional heterogeneity not only among various organs but also within an organ. One of the striking examples would be the pulmonary endothelium that participates in creating blood-air barrier. Endothelium in large pulmonary blood vessels is distinct in structure and function from that lining of the pulmonary capillaries. This chapter focuses on the comparative aspects of ...
Guillaume D, Moussu C, de Geoffroy F, Chesneau D, Keller M.Stallions show decreased sexual responses and activities during short days in winter. To evaluate the importance of sexual olfactory communication in horses, we tested whether sexual responses could be stimulated through various sexual olfactory stimulations in winter. To this end, we presented stallions with various olfactory stimulations (urine from mares at different stages of the reproductive cycle, urine from stallions or geldings, or chemically defined synthetic odorant) during the non-breeding season and measured their behavioral responses through (1) a test of olfactory investigation (...
Smith AV, Wilson C, McComb K, Proops L.In the original publication, data availability text was incorrectly published. The correct text should read as below.
DuBois C, Hambly-Odame H, Haley DB, Merkies K.As part of a larger Delphi survey project, equine professionals ( = 14) were presented with twelve short scenarios in which a horse's welfare could be compromised. They were asked to rank each scenario (with 0 indicating no welfare concerns and 5 indicating a situation where immediate intervention was necessary), provide justification for their ranking, and give examples of what might have been the motivation behind the scenario. The wide range within vignette scores demonstrated the diversity of opinion even among a relatively small group of equine professionals. Qualitative analysis of respo...
Dini P, Bartels T, Revah I, Claes AN, Stout TAE, Daels P.A high degree of inbreeding has been reported to negatively impact semen quality in Friesian horses and Shetland ponies. Both breeds are characterized by a closed studbook, small population size, and high incidence of inbreeding. The Dutch Warmblood studbook (KWPN: Koninklijk Warmblood Paardenstamboek Nederland) is a much larger studbook with two distinct populations: the KWPN-Riding horses, managed as an 'open' studbook, and the KWPN-Harness horses, representing a much smaller subpopulation within the KWPN breed and managed as an 'almost closed' studbook. It was recently reported that the deg...
Easton S, Bartley DJ, Hotchkiss E, Hodgkinson JE, Pinchbeck GL, Matthews JB.Grazing livestock and equines are at risk of infection from a variety of helminths, for which the primary method of control has long been the use of anthelmintics. Anthelmintic resistance is now widespread in a number of helminth species across the globe so it is imperative that best practice control principles be adopted to delay the further spread of resistance. It is the responsibility of all who prescribe anthelmintics (in the UK, this being veterinarians, suitably qualified persons (SQPs) and pharmacists) to provide adequate information on best practice approaches to parasite control at t...
Vander Kelen PT, Downs JA, Stark LM, Loraamm RW, Anderson JH, Unnasch TR.Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses GIS to examine spatial patterns of documented horse cases during 2005-2010 in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Methods: Cumulative incidence rates of EEE in horses were calculated for each county. Two cluster analyses wer...
Max MC, Bizarro-Silva C, Búfalo I, González SM, Lindquist AG, Gomes RG, Barreiros TRR, Lisboa LA, Morotti F, Seneda MM.Folliculogenesis is a process of development and maturation of the ovarian follicles, being essential for the maintenance of fertility. In in vivo conditions, 99.9% of the follicles of an ovary do not ovulate and undergo atresia. In order to minimize this loss and to clarify the existing mechanisms, a technique was developed that allows for the in vitro follicular development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations on the in vitro culturing of equine preantral follicles. Ovaries (n = 10) were collected from a local ...
Misdorp W.The literature on congenital tumours and tumour-like lesions in horses was reviewed. Included were embryonic tumours and teratomas. Special attention was paid to the ubiquitous adenomatous hyperplasia of the placenta. It appears that temporal teratomas, interstitial hamartomas and placental adenomatous hyperplasia are unique in the horse. Benign teratoma of the undescended testis is far more frequent in the horse than in other species. In horses, as in calves and pigs, congenital skin tumours were of papillomatous, vascular and melanocytic types. The sporadic occurrence of congenital tumours i...
Lopes MS, Mendonça D, Rojer H, Cabral V, Bettencourt SX, da Câmara Machado A.The Terceira Pony is a horse indigenous to Terceira Island in the Azores. These horses were very important during the colonization of the island. Due to their very balanced proportions and correct gaits, and with an average withers height of 1.28 m, the Terceira Pony is often confused with a miniature pure-bred Lusitano. This population was officially recognized as the fourth Portuguese equine breed by the national authorities in January, 2014. The aim of this study was to analyze the morphology and the genetic diversity by means of microsatellite markers of this emerging horse breed. The biom...
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...
Johnson AL.Studies were conducted to characterize circulating concentrations of prolactin, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) relative to season and the estrous cycle, and to evaluate the ability of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to induce prolactin secretion in the horse mare. The increase in serum prolactin following the iv injection of 0, 5, 50 and 500 micrograms TRH was dose-related, while all three doses of TRH induced a significant and comparable increase in serum T4. Seasonal variations in serum prolactin were directly correlated (P less than .001) with changes in photoperiod (r = .80) ...
Zuccaro A, Bordonaro S, Criscione A, Guastella AM, Perrotta G, Blasi M, D'Urso G, Marletta D.Sanfratellano is a native Sicilian horse breed, mainly reared in the north east of the Island, developed in the 19th century from local dams and sires with a restricted introgression of Oriental, African and, more recently, Maremmano stallions. In this study, the genetic relationships and admixture among Sanfratellano, the other two Sicilian autochthonous breeds and Maremmano breed were assessed using a set of microsatellites. The main goals were to infer the impact of Maremmano breed in the current Sanfratellano horse and to provide genetic information useful to improve the selection strategi...
Wen X, Luo S, Lv D, Jia C, Zhou X, Zhai Q, Xi L, Yang C.The horse gut is colonized by a rich and complex microbial community that has important roles in horse physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune functions. Fewer across-breed variations in horse gut microbial diversity have been illustrated. In this article, the gut microbiota of Thoroughbred, Mongolian, and Hybrid horses [first filial generation (F1) of Mongolian (maternal) and Thoroughbred (paternal)] were studied by second-generation high-throughput sequencing technology. Differences in gut microbiota composition and function between breeds were determined using diversity and functional...
Eaton MD, Evans DL, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.Thoroughbred horses have a high aerobic capacity, approximately twice that of elite human athletes. Whereas the aerobic capacity of horses can be accurately measured, there have been no measurements of anaerobic capacity. The aim of this study was to determine whether maximal accumulated O2 deficit (MAOD) could be measured in horses and used as an estimate of anaerobic capacity, as in human athletes. Six fit Thoroughbred horses were used with the exercise protocol utilizing a treadmill set at a 10% incline. O2 uptake VO2 was measured via an open-flow system for seven submaximal speeds (3-9 m/s...
Prieto D, Benedito S, Rodrigo J, Martínez-Murillo R, García-Sacristán A.The distribution and density of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunoreactive nerve fibres and cells were determined in the urinary bladder of the horse by using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) immunohistochemical method. Numerous undulating NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibres were found throughout the vesical wall, sometimes forming nerve bundles which ramified repeatedly as they coursed through the connective tissue septa to give rise to smaller bundles or single fibres which projected into the muscle fascicles forming muscular nerve plexuses, mainly in the bladder base. In the submucosa of this regio...
Gramkow HL, Evans DL.Running ability of Thoroughbred racehorses is correlated with maximal oxygen uptake, and the velocity at maximal oxygen uptake is highly correlated with the velocity at maximal heart rate (VHRmax). Objective: To investigate the relationship between VHRmax and racing performance, expressed as 'peak dollars earned per race start'. Methods: Heart rate (HR) and velocity were recorded in 25 Thoroughbred racehorses during trotting and subsequent fast gallops in the field at velocities of 15-16 m/sec. Velocity was recorded by a global positioning system (GPS). Maximal HR (HRmax) and maximal velocity ...
Eriksson H, Augustinsson KB.A plausible mechanism of action of horse serum butyrylcholinesterase is proposed. It includes substrate activation at the level of deacylation. The rate constant for the acylation of the enzyme appears to be much greater than the rate constant for the deacylation, at low substate concentrations. At higher substrate concentrations the rate constants become more similar. No interaction between the four subunits in binding of inhibitors or in the catalysis was observed. There is one esteratic and one anionic site per subunit apparent from labelling studies with [32P]diisopropylfluorophosphate and...
Kinnison T, May SA.The Royal Veterinary College's 'Teaching Quality Survey' was completed by 261 recent graduates (six months after graduation) from 2005 to 2011 (26.8 per cent response rate). The results were used to compare veterinarians' background information with current position and career ambition, and to investigate perceptions of curriculum balance. There was a significant difference between males' and females' current positions and career ambitions with comparatively lower percentages of females in farm animal and farm and equine practices. There was also a significant difference between individuals fr...
van der Kolk JH, Thomas S, Mach N, Ramseyer A, Burger D, Gerber V, Nuoffer JM.Mitochondrial β-oxidation is essential in fat metabolism and can be monitored with blood acylcarnitine profiling, as partly degraded fatty acids accumulate as their carnitine esters. To guarantee continuous energy supply during long-distance exercise, endurance horses oxidise considerable amounts of fat in the mitochondrion. In endurance races over 80 km, glycogen depletion is evident in equine slow-twitch high oxidative muscle fibres and as a consequence, horses participating in endurance races over 80 km rely almost entirely on β-oxidation of fatty acids. This study investigated mitoch...
Yamanaka Y, Matsugano S, Yoshikawa Y, Orino K.Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding with zinc ions was examined using zinc ions immobilized on chelating Sepharose beads (Zn-beads). Human IgG bound to Zn-beads but not to Sepharose beads (control beads). Mouse, rat, bovine and equine IgGs also bound to Zn-beads, similar to human IgG. The human IgG F(c) fragment showed zinc ion-binding activity whereas the Fab fragment did not. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-treated Zn-beads no longer bound human IgG; however, washing the beads, followed by the addition of zinc ions, restored the binding activity towards human IgG. Zn-beads saturated ...
Tocci R, Sargentini C, Martini A, Andrenelli L, Pezzati A, Benvenuti D, Giorgetti A.Foot quality is essential to the horse's movement. The barefoot approach favours the animal's welfare. Environment and selection determine hoof characteristics. Methods: Hoof characteristics of eight Anglo-Arabian (AA) and nine Haflinger (HA) horses were studied. After a preliminary visual analysis of feet, nail samples were collected after trimming for physico-chemical analysis. The parameters were submitted to analysis of variance. A principal component analysis and a Pearson correlation were used to compare mineral contents. Results: The hooves of both breeds were healthy and solid. The hoo...
Gallivan GJ, McDonell WN, Forrest JB.Pulmonary mechanics and lung volumes were measured in horses and cows to determine if differences in breathing pattern between the two species were due to differences in the mechanical properties of the lungs. Tidal volume (VT) was larger in the horses, while the respiratory rate (fR) and minute ventilation (VE) were higher in the cows. The horses often had a double peak in airflow during inspiration and, or, expiration, while the cows had a single peak during expiration. Measured lung volumes were larger in the horses and they had a higher dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn,L), although the static...
Cieslak J, Wodas L, Borowska A, Pawlak P, Czyzak-Runowska G, Wojtowski J, Puppel K, Kuczynska B, Mackowski M.Genes encoding casein proteins are important candidates for milk composition traits in mammals. In the case of the domestic horse, our knowledge of casein genes is limited mainly to coding sequence variants. This study involved screening for polymorphism in 5'-flanking regions of four genes encoding equine caseins (CSN1S1, CSN1S2, CSN2, and CSN3) and making a preliminary assessment of their effect on the gene expression (on the mRNA and protein levels) and milk composition traits in selected horse breeds. Altogether, 23 polymorphisms (21 described previously SNPs and two novel InDels) were fou...
Hayama Y, Kobayashi S, Nishida T, Muroga N, Tsutsui T.An equine infectious anemia (EIA) transmission model was developed by constructing a network structure of horse movement patterns in a non-racehorse population. This model was then used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of several EIA surveillance strategies. Because EIA had not been detected in Japan since 1993, it was appropriate to review the current surveillance strategy, which aims to eradicate EIA by intensive testing, and to consider alternative strategies suitable for the current EIA status in Japan. The non-racehorse population was divided into four sectors based on horse u...
Ortega Ferrusola C, Anel-López L, Ortiz-Rodriguez JM, Martin Muñoz P, Alvarez M, de Paz P, Masot J, Redondo E, Balao da Silva C, Morrell JM....In order to gain insight of the modifications that freezing and thawing cause to the surviving population of spermatozoa, changes in the potential of the plasma membrane (Em) and intracellular Na content of stallion spermatozoa were investigated using flow cytometry. Moreover, caspase 3 activity was also investigated and the functionality of the Na -K ATPase pump was investigated before and after freezing and thawing. Cryopreservation caused a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the subpopulation of spermatozoa with depolarized sperm membranes, concomitantly with an increase (p < 0.0...
Reed KJ, Kunz IGZ, Scare JA, Nielsen MK, Turk PJ, Coleman RJ, Coleman SJ.As hindgut fermenters, horses are especially dependent on the microbiota residing in their cecum and large intestines. Interactions between these microbial populations and the horse are critical for maintaining gut homeostasis, which supports proper digestion. The current project was motivated to determine if any features of the fecal microbiota are informative of the microbial communities from the cecum, ventral colon, or dorsal colon. Digesta from the cecum, ventral colon, dorsal colon and feces were collected from 6 yearling miniature horses. Microbial DNA was isolated and the microbiota fr...
Kareskoski AM, del Alamo MM, Güvenc K, Reilas T, Calvete JJ, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Andersson M, Katila T.Seminal plasma (SP) contains several types of compounds derived from the epididymides and accessory glands. The aim of this study was to examine the protein composition of different ejaculate fractions. Trial I: fractionated ejaculates were collected from two normal and two subfertile stallions. Samples containing pre-sperm fluid and the first sperm-rich jets (HIGH-1), the main sperm-rich portion (HIGH-2), the jets with low sperm concentrations (LOW), and a combined whole-ejaculate (WE) sample was centrifuged, and the SP was filtered and frozen. A part of each SP sample was stored (5°C, 24 h)...
Banci L, Bertini I, Reddig T, Turano P.Horse heart cytochrome c at pH 7 and low ionic strength is present as two conformers, as evidenced by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The two structures have been calculated using NOE and pseudocontact shift constraints. They have the same folding patterns and are essentially equal, within the rmsd of the families. The two average structures have rmsd values of 0.049 nm and 0.093 nm for the backbone and the heavy atoms, respectively. Such a difference has been analyzed through a detailed analysis of the NOEs. It appears that the species at low ionic strength differs from the species present at high ionic...
Naylor JM, Yadernuk LM, Pharr JW, Ashburner JS.The ability of clinicians, ie, 10 veterinary students, 10 general practitioners, and 10 board certified internists, to describe and interpret common normal and abnormal heart sounds was assessed. Recordings of heart sounds from 7 horses with a variety of normal and abnormal rhythms, heart sounds, and murmurs were analyzed by digital sonography. The perception of the presence or absence of the heart sounds S1, S2, and S4 was similar for clinicians irrespective of their level of training and was in agreement with the sonographic interpretation on 89, 82, and 78% of occasions, respectively. Howev...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Kos Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSAPanel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of essential oil, oleoresin and tincture from Roscoe when used as sensory additives in feed for all animal species. The FEEDAPPanel concludes that the additives under consideration are safe for the target species at the following use levels: (i) ginger essential oil up to the maximum proposed use level of 80 mg/kg for veal calves (milk replacer) and 20 mg/kg complete feed (or 20 mg/L water...
Kirsch K, Sandersen C.Early recognition and management of acid-base, fluid, and electrolyte disorders are crucial for the maintenance of health and performance in equine athletes. Objective: To analyze changes in acid-base and electrolyte status associated with exercise during cross-country competitions at different levels using traditional and quantitative approaches. Methods: Thirty-eight eventing horses. Methods: Prospective observational study. Jugular venous blood samples were collected before and after the cross-country test of 25 international eventing competitions ranging from 2-star (formerly 1-star) to 5-...
Weese JS.Because nosocomial and zoonotic diseases are inherent and ever-present risks in veterinary hospitals, proactive policies should be in place to reduce the risk of sporadic cases and outbreaks. Policies should ideally be put in place before disease issues arise, and policies should be effectively conveyed to all relevant personnel. Written policies are required for practical and liability reasons and should be reviewed regularly. Although no infection control program can eliminate disease concerns, proper implementation of barrier precautions and isolation can reduce the exposure of hospitalized...
Coultous RM, Leadon DP, Shiels BR, Sutton D, Weir W.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a notifiable disease in Ireland and a significant concern to domestic and international equine industries. Information regarding EP presence in Ireland is currently limited. This retrospective surveillance study describes a serological and molecular analysis of blood samples submitted to the Irish Equine Centre for EP testing between January 2013 and April 2016. Methods: Following serological testing, seropositive samples were screened using a PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. Amplicon sequences were bioinformatically analysed to identify the parasite speci...
