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.
Sykes BW, Kathawala K, Song Y, Garg S, Page SW, Underwood C, Mills PC.Pilot investigations have suggested that a novel, long-acting, injectable i.m. formulation of omeprazole (LA-OMEP) can induce acid suppression for up to 7 days following a single injection. Objective: To investigate the pharmacodynamics and assess the clinical efficacy of the LA-OMEP formulation. Methods: Part A comprised a pharmacodynamic study. Part B consisted of a pilot clinical trial. Methods: Part A enrolled six adult Thoroughbred horses with percutaneous gastrotomy tubes. Intragastric pH was measured for continuous 23-h periods (08.00-07.00 h) for eight consecutive days (days 0-7). A si...
Baragli P, Demuru E, Scopa C, Palagi E.Mirror Self-Recognition (MSR) unveils complex cognitive, social and emotional skills and it has been found only in humans and few other species, such as great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. In this pilot study, we tested if horses show the capacity of MSR. Four subjects living socially under naturalistic conditions were selected for the experiment. We adopted the classical mark test, which consists in placing a coloured mark on an out-of-view body part, visible only through mirror inspection. If the animal considers the image as its own, it will use its reflection to detect the mark an...
Maly IP, Eppler E, Müller-Gerbl M.Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) is playing a key role in bone calcification, as has been demonstrated in different mammalian species including human and rodents. However, to investigate age-related changes during life history, histochemical demonstration of TNAP is severely hampered, particularly in the elderly, by technical difficulties associated with sectioning calcified tissue. Sufficient fixation must precede decalcification since poorly fixed bone tissue is exposed to the deleterious effects of decalcification reagents. In order to find a method that would allow cryosectio...
Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Lawrence C, Petäjistö K, Johansson MK, Wiklund M, Olsson C, Andersson L, Andersson LS, Røed KH, Ihler CF, Strand E....The Swedish-Norwegian Coldblooded trotter (CBT) is a local breed in Sweden and Norway mainly used for harness racing. Previous studies have shown that a mutation from cytosine (C) to adenine (A) in the doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 3 (DMRT3) gene has a major impact on harness racing performance of different breeds. An association of the DMRT3 mutation with early career performance has also been suggested. The aim of the current study was to investigate this proposed association in a randomly selected group of CBTs. 769 CBTs (485 raced, 284 unraced) were genotyped for the DMR...
Mani RJ, Thachil AJ, Ramachandran A.Accurate and timely identification of infectious etiologies is of great significance in veterinary microbiology, especially for critical diseases such as strangles, a highly contagious disease of horses caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. We evaluated a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) platform for use in species- and subspecies-level identification of S. equi isolates from horses and compared it with an automated biochemical system. We used 25 clinical isolates each of S. equi subsp. equi and S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. Using ...
The Journal of heredityApril 30, 2017
Volume 108, Issue 5 505-514 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esx039
Druml T, Grilz-Seger G, Neuditschko M, Neuhauser B, Brem G.Genetic analyses of coat colors are frequently restricted to subjectively categorized phenotype information. The aim of this study was to develop a method to numerically quantify the variability of leopard complex (LP) spotting phenotypes introducing tools from image analysis. Generalized Procrustes analysis eliminates systematic errors due to imaging process. The binarization of normalized images and the application of principal component analysis (PCA) on the derived pixel matrices, transform pixel information into numerical data space. We applied these methods on 90 images to ascertain the ...
Jones ARE, Ragle CA, Anderson D, Scott C.To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes after laparoscopic evaluation of the small intestines via laparoscopy. Methods: Prospective pilot study. Methods: Healthy adult horses (n = 5). Methods: Horses were restrained in standing stocks and received an infusion of detomidine. One port was placed in the left last intercostal space and 3 ports were placed in the right paralumbar fossa. The small intestine was run with atraumatic laparoscopic grasping forceps, from the duodenocolic plica to the ileocecal plica. Postoperative pain was scored every 4 hours for the first 48 hours. Horses...
Coultous RM, Raftery AG, Shiels BR, Sutton DGM, Weir W.Sarcocystis fayeri is a canine protozoan parasite with an equine intermediate host. Historically classified as an incidental pathogen, recent literature has described the toxic effects of Sarcocystis fayeri in human food poisoning, and highlighted potential involvement in equine neuromuscular disease. Until now, horses were believed to be the exclusive intermediate host. This study reports the first molecular confirmation of S. fayeri in a donkey, and gives rise to the consideration of donkeys being a potential reservoir for the parasite. This finding is of particular importance in understandi...
Schoonover MJ, Moser DK, Young JM, Payton ME, Holbrook TC.To determine the influence of a dual tourniquet technique and limb exsanguination on amikacin concentrations in the synovial fluid of the radiocarpal joint (RCJ) and distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) after low volume, cephalic intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Methods: Randomized cross-over design. Methods: Six healthy adult horses. Methods: One gram of amikacin in 6 mL of 0.9% NaCl was infused via cephalic IVRLP in 6 standing, sedated horses using 4 techniques: proximal pneumatic tourniquet (P), proximal pneumatic tourniquet with exsanguination (PE), proximal pneumatic and distal...
The Journal of heredityApril 27, 2017
Volume 108, Issue 4 361-368 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esx025
Al Abri MA, König von Borstel U, Strecker V, Brooks SA.Horse breeders rely heavily on pedigrees for identification of ancestry in breeding stock. Inaccurate pedigrees may erroneously assign individuals to false lineages or breed memberships resulting in wrong estimates of inbreeding and coancestry. Moreover, discrepancies in pedigree records can lead breeders seeking to limit inbreeding into making misguided breeding decisions. Genome-wide SNPs provide a quantitative tool to aid in the resolution of lineage assignments and the calculation of genomic measures of relatedness. The aim of this project was to pilot a comparison between pedigree and gen...
Dürig N, Jude R, Holl H, Brooks SA, Lafayette C, Jagannathan V, Leeb T.White spotting phenotypes in horses can range in severity from the common white markings up to completely white horses. EDNRB, KIT, MITF, PAX3 and TRPM1 represent known candidate genes for such phenotypes in horses. For the present study, we re-investigated a large horse family segregating a variable white spotting phenotype, for which conventional Sanger sequencing of the candidate genes' individual exons had failed to reveal the causative variant. We obtained whole genome sequence data from an affected horse and specifically searched for structural variants in the known candidate genes. This...
Rhodin M, Egenvall A, Haubro Andersen P, Pfau T.Recent studies evaluating horses in training and considered free from lameness by their owners have identified a large proportion of horses with motion asymmetries. However the prevalence, type and magnitude of asymmetries when trotting in a straight line or on the lunge have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate the presence of motion asymmetries in riding horses in training by identifying the side and quantifying the degree and type (impact, pushoff) of forelimb and hind limb asymmetries found during straight line trot and on the lunge. In a cross-sectio...
Gizaw Y, Megersa M, Fayera T.Dourine is a venereal transmitted trypanosomosis causing a major health problem threatening equines worldwide. The origin and identification of Trypanosoma equiperdum within the subgenus Trypanozoon is still a subject of debate. Unlike other trypanosomal infections, dourine is transmitted almost exclusively by coitus. Diagnosis of dourine has continued to be a challenge, due to limited knowledge about the parasite and host-parasite interaction following infection. The pathological lesions caused by the diseases are poorly described and are observed mainly in the reproductive organs, in the ner...
Gastal GDA, Aguiar FLN, Alves BG, Alves KA, de Tarso SGS, Ishak GM, Cavinder CA, Feugang JM, Gastal EL.Ovarian tissue cryopreservation allows the preservation of the female fertility potential for an undetermined period. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficiency of cryoprotective agents (CPAs; dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO; ethylene glycol, EG; and propylene glycol, PROH) using slow-freezing and vitrification methods, and evaluate the viability of cryopreserved equine ovarian tissue after 7 days of culture. Fresh and cryopreserved ovarian fragments were evaluated for preantral follicle morphology, stromal cell density, EGFR, Ki-67, Bax, and Bcl-2 protein expression, and DNA fragmen...
Khairuddin NH, Sullivan M, Pollock PJ.In horses, the extracranial and intracranial pathway of the internal carotid artery has been described. The extracranial pathway of the internal carotid artery begins at the carotid termination and runs on the dorsal surface of the medial compartment of the guttural pouch. Thereafter the internal carotid artery passes through the foramen lacerum to continue intracranially, forming part of the rostrolateral quadrants of the cerebral arterial circle (Circle of Willis). The objectives of this study were to define and record the anatomy of the carotid arterial tree and the internal carotid artery ...
Janczarek I, Wilk I.Horses intended for leisure riding do not undergo any selection and most often retired sports horses or defective horses are chosen, as a low selling price determines their purchase by a leisure riding center. Unfortunately, horses bought at low prices usually have low utility value, are difficult to handle, require a special or individual approach and do not provide satisfaction in riding. However, neither modern horse breeding nor scientific research address the need to breed horses for leisure activities. There is no clear definition of a model leisure horse and criteria or information for ...
Ono A, Matsuura A, Yamazaki Y, Sakai W, Watanabe K, Nakanowatari T, Kobayashi H, Irimajiri M, Hodate K.The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of rider's skill on the plasma cortisol levels of trekking horses on two courses, walking on field and forest courses (about 4.5 to 5.1Â km each). Three riders of different skills did horse trekking (HT) in a tandem line under a fixed order: advanced-leading, beginner-second and intermediate-last. A total of six horses were used and they experienced all positions in both courses; a total of 12 experiments were done. Blood samples were obtained before HT, immediately after and 2Â h after HT. As a control, additional blood samples were obtained...
Herholz C, Zink N, Laska H, Gumpendobler M, Trolliet C, Probst S.Horse feed material of Swiss and foreign production available on the Swiss market was tested with regard to possible contamination with 7 different alkaloids, atropine and colchicine. Twenty-eight feed samples as well as 2 poppy seed samples were analyzed. Out of 28 feed samples 18 were positive for prohibited substances in Equestrian sports. The concentration of prohibited substances was in none of the samples high enough to cause an effect on the body of the horse. The poppy seed sample, which was obtained by conventional harvesting and cleaning methods, contained a very high Morphine concen...
Hartmann E, Bøe KE, Jørgensen GH, Mejdell CM, Dahlborn K.Limited information is available on the extent to which blankets are used on horses and the owners' reasoning behind clipping the horse's coat. Research on the effects of those practices on horse welfare is scarce but results indicate that blanketing and clipping may not be necessary from the horse's perspective and can interfere with the horse's thermoregulatory capacities. Therefore, this survey collected robust, quantitative data on the housing routines and management of horses with focus on blanketing and clipping practices as reported by members of the Swedish and Norwegian equestrian com...
Stauffer S, Cordner B, Dixon J, Witte T.The aim of this preliminary proof-of-concept study was to evaluate and compare the success and complication rate of infiltration of the maxillary nerve of cadaver heads using previously described surface landmarks, standard ultrasound and a novel needle guidance positioning ultrasound system (SonixGPS). Methods: Prospective, anatomical, method-comparison study. Methods: Thirty-eight equine cadaver heads. Methods: Twenty-six veterinary students performed the three methods consecutively on cadaver heads using an 18 gauge, 8.9 cm spinal needle and 0.5Â mL iodinated contrast medium. Computed tomog...
Islam MZ, Espinosa-Gongora C, Damborg P, Sieber RN, Munk R, Husted L, Moodley A, Skov R, Larsen J, Guardabassi L.Denmark is a country with high prevalence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clonal complex (CC) 398 in pigs. Even though pig farming is regarded as the main source of human infection or colonization with MRSA CC398, 10-15% of the human cases appear not to be linked to pigs. Following the recent reports of MRSA CC398 in horses in other European countries and the lack of knowledge on S. aureus carriage in this animal species, we carried out a study to investigate whether horses constitute a reservoir of MRSA CC398 in Denmark, and to gain knowledge on the ...
Allen WRT, Stansfield F, Wilsher S.The placenta and fetal gonads of 12 pregnant plains zebra (Equus quagga), estimated to be between 81 and 239 days of gestation, were examined. The diffuse, microcotyledonary zebra placenta appeared, developmentally, to be 3-4 weeks behind its counterpart in horse pregnancy and this, together with the presence of small and long-lived endometrial cups, low levels of zebra chorionic gonadotrophin in maternal serum and few accessory corpora lutea in the maternal ovaries during the first half of gestation, made zebra pregnancy more similar to donkey than horse pregnancy. Zebra fetal gonads enlarged...
Fenner K, Webb H, Starling MJ, Freire R, Buckley P, McGreevy PD.Rein tension is used to apply pressure to control both ridden and unridden horses. The pressure is delivered by equipment such as the bit, which may restrict voluntary movement and cause changes in behavior and physiology. Managing the effects of such pressure on arousal level and behavioral indicators will optimise horse learning outcomes. This study examined the effect of training horses to turn away from bit pressure on cardiac outcomes and behavior (including responsiveness) over the course of eight trials in a standardised learning task. The experimental procedure consisted of a resting p...
Hiraga A, Sugano S.Although the total number of horses raised in Japan dramatically decreased after World War II, because draft horses were still used for farm work in paddy fields and on farms during the period of the 1950s and 1960s, a performance test for selecting better draft horses was needed. In order to determine the most suitable size of draft horses for Japanese farm conditions, the working power of horses weighing from 185 to 622 kg was evaluated by performing an endurance test, several kinds of working power tests, and maximum pulling power tests. Oxygen consumption during draft exercise was measured...
Finger MA, de Barros Filho IR, Leutenegger C, Estrada M, Ullmann LS, Langoni H, Kikuti M, Dornbush PT, Deconto I, Biondo AW.Cart horses are a re-emerging population employed to carry recyclable material in cities. Methods: Sixty-two horses were sampled in an endemic area of human leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed. Results: A seropositivity of 75.8% with serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae in 80.8% of the horses was observed. Blood and urine were qPCR negative. MAT showed positive correlations with rainfall (p = 0.02) and flooding (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Although horses may be constantly exposed to Leptospira spp. in the environment mostly ...
Boos GS, Failing K, Colodel EM, Driemeier D, de Castro MB, Bassuino DM, Diomedes Barbosa J, Herden C.Like humans, horses are susceptible to neurotropic and neuroinvasive pathogens that are not always readily identified in histological sections. Instead, alterations in astrocytes and microglia cells can be used as pathological hallmarks of injured nervous tissue in a variety of infectious and degenerative diseases. On the other hand, equine glial cell alterations are poorly characterized in diseases. Therefore, in this study, we provide a statistically proved score system to classify astrogliosis and microgliosis in the central nervous system (CNS) of horses, based on morphological and quantit...
Xuan X, Chahan B, Huang X, Yokoyama N, Makala LH, Igarashi I, Fujisaki K, Maruyama S, Sakai T, Mikami T.The prevalence of equine piroplasmosis in Xinjiang province, China, was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). A total of 70 serum samples were taken from horses pastured on three farms in western Xinjiang, and examined for diagnosis of equine Babesia equi (B. equi) infection and B. caballi infection by ELISAs using recombinant equi merozoite antigen 1 (EMA-1) and recombinant P48 antigen, respectively. Of the 70 samples, 28 (40.0%) and 17 (24.3%) samples were positive for B. equi infection and B. caballi infection, respectively. In addition, 11 (15.7%) samples were positive f...
Woldemeskel M.A retrospective study of dermatophilosis was made in livestock (cattle, sheep, horses and goats) of Ethiopia under different situations. The disease was reported for the first time in sheep (8.5%), goats (3.14%) and horses (2.84%) from Ethiopia. The occurrence of the disease in cattle was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in wet (6%) than in dry (3.6%) season and in cross (26.9%) than local (3.2%) breeds. The highest prevalence (35%) was noted in cross breeds kept under poor management in the rainy season. The threat of dermatophilosis to animal production in Ethiopia is indicated. Environmen...
Winton CL, Plante Y, Hind P, McMahon R, Hegarty MJ, McEwan NR, Davies-Morel MC, Morgan CM, Powell W, Nash DM.Most species exist as subdivided ex situ daughter population(s) derived from a single original group of individuals. Such subdivision occurs for many reasons both natural and manmade. Traditional British and Irish pony breeds were introduced to North America (U.S.A. and Canada) within the last 150 years, and subsequently equivalent breed societies were established. We have analyzed selected U.K. and North American equivalent pony populations as a case study for understanding the relationship between putative source and derived subpopulations. Diversity was measured using mitochondrial DNA and ...
Muylle S, Simoens P, Verbeeck R, Ysebaert MT, Lauwers H.The microhardness of enamel, primary dentine and secondary dentine was determined in the incisor teeth of 39 horses of three different breeds, trotter horses, Belgian draft horses and Arab horses. Using a microhardness tester fitted with a Knoop diamond indenter, the overall Knoop Hardness Number was determined for each tissue, and the influence of breed and age on the hardness were evaluated. Enamel and secondary dentine were significantly harder in Arab horses than in trotters and Belgian draft horses, but there were no significant differences between draft horses and trotter horses in the h...
Carpio MM, Iversen JO.Leptospira interrogans serotype pomona antibody titres of 1:100 or greater were detected in 12.8% of 408 adult horses from seven of eight sampled herds in Saskatchewan. The geographical distribution of the seropositive horses was widespread throughout the agricultural area of the province. The geographical distribution and the cumulative increase in prevalence with age suggested that serotype pomona is enzootic in the equine population of Saskatchewan.
Dalla Costa E, Tranquillo V, Dai F, Minero M, Battini M, Mattiello S, Barbieri S, Ferrante V, Ferrari L, Zanella A, Canali E.Welfare of animals significantly depends on how stakeholders perceive their needs and behave in a way to favor production systems that promote better welfare outcomes. This study aimed at investigating stakeholders' perception of the welfare of equines, small ruminants, and turkeys using text mining analysis. A survey composed by open-ended questions referring to different aspects of animal welfare was carried out. Text mining analysis was performed. A total of 270 surveys were filled out (horses = 122, sheep = 81, goats = 36, turkeys = 18, donkeys = 13). The respondents (41% veterinarians) ca...
Chopineau M, Martinat N, Galet C, Guillou F, Combarnous Y.Horse LH/CG (eLH/CG) and donkey LH/CG (dkLH/CG) are strictly LH-specific in their respective homologous species. However, both bind to the FSH receptors from non-equid species, whereas the zebra hormone (zbLH/CG) does not. The FSH/LH ratio of eLH/CG and of the alphadkbetae hybrid is about tenfold higher than that of dkLH/CG and of the alphaebetadk hybrid, showing that the betae subunit contains the structural features responsible for the high FSH activity of eLH/CG. Only six amino acid positions (51, 94, 95, 102, 103 and 106) are unique to the betae subunit when compared with the betadk and be...
Houghton E, Maynard S.This chapter reviews drug and medication control in equestrian sports and addresses the rules of racing, the technological advances that have been made in drug detection and the importance of metabolism studies in the development of effective drug surveillance programmes. Typical approaches to screening and confirmatory analysis are discussed, as are the quality processes that underpin these procedures. The chapter also addresses four specific topics relevant to equestrian sports: substances controlled by threshold values, the approach adopted recently by European racing authorities to control...
Hilbe M, Guscetti F, Wunderlin S, Ehrensperger F.Equine and feline dysautonomias are characterized histopathologically by degenerating neurons with chromatolysis, pyknotic and sometimes eccentric nuclei, and loss of Nissl substance in the peripheral autonomic ganglia. Because it may be difficult to distinguish pathological from post-mortem changes in affected ganglia by histopathological examination, synaptophysin was evaluated as an immunohistochemical marker. Degenerating neurons showed strong intracytoplasmic labelling indicating abnormal accumulation of synaptophysin. It was concluded that synaptophysin immunohistochemistry is a helpful ...
Ramos RT, Silva A, Carneiro AR, Pinto AC, Soares Sde C, Santos AR, Almeida SS, Guimarães LC, Aburjaile FF, Barbosa EG, Dorella FA, Rocha FS....The bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is of major veterinary importance because it affects livestock, particularly sheep, goats, and horses, in several countries, including Australia, Brazil, the United States, and Canada, resulting in significant economic losses. In the present study, we describe the complete genome of the Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Cp316 strain, biovar equi, isolated from the abscess of a North American horse.
Bellier S, Cordonnier N.The goal of this article is to present the technical aspects and the applications of the blood cells examination and haemostasis in dogs and cats. Technical realisation of blood counts, cytology of normal and abnormal blood cells and significance of the pathologic cell counts are successively treated. Distinctive features of cytology and cell counts in herbivores, horses and cattle, are detailed in a separate chapter.Difficulties of veterinary haematology lie in qualitative and quantitative differences between blood cells of various animal species.Bone marrow cells exploration is not performed...
Zsoldos RR, Krüger B, Licka TF.In vertebrates ageing is characterized by reduced viscoelasticity of the ligamentous and tendineous structures and fibre changes in muscle. Also, some vertebral joint degeneration develops with ageing. The aim of this study was to apply dynamic time warping to compare the temporal characteristics of the surface electromyography (sEMG) data and to illustrate the differences in the pattern of muscle use during tasks of daily life in old and mature horses. kinematics (24 skin markers) and sEMG measurements of neck extensors and flexors were taken in five mature horses (age 10 ± 2 years, half of...
Du G, Feng W, Cai H, Ma Z, Liu X, Yuan C, Shi J, Zhang B.Composting has been a rational method to dispose of horse or wildlife animal manures, especially in the developed cities with horse clubs and wildlife parks. However, few studies have focused on the mechanism and improvement methods for composting the horse or wildlife animal manures. In this study, we investigated the effect of exogenous compound enzymes on thermophilic composting, which could potentially support the management of horse and wildlife animal manures. With the presence of exogenous enzymes, the duration of high temperature (> 60 °C) was significantly prolonged (p <â€...
Gudding R.DNases were demonstrated in samples of colostrum and blood serum from man and various domestic animals. The measurable DNase activity recorded was highest in samples from cat and dog and lowest in samples from goat, horse, pig and sheep. In contrast to DNases produced by certain bacteria, these enzymes were thermo-labile and the activity was maximal in the area pH 5.0–5.5. A modification of an agar medium originally described for the demonstration of bacterial DNases was found to be suitable for assays of DNases from colostrum, milk and serum. DNaser ble påvist i prøver fra kolostrum og bl...
Drevemo S, Dalin G, Fredricson I, Björne K.The reproducibility of certain gait characteristics was investigated in Standardbred trotters at a speed of 12.0 m/sec. Twenty-two horses were recorded twice on the same day and 4 of them on a third occasion 3 years later. The short-term reproducibility was shown to be very good. In the long-term study it was found that the stride length and duration of swing and stride had increased. This was interpreted as an effect of training.
Costa SCL, de Souza Freitas J, Carvalho FS, Pereira MJS, Cordeiro MD, da Fonseca AH, Gomes Jusi MM, Machado RZ, Munhoz AD.Currently, various zoonotic diseases are classified as emerging or reemerging. Because equids have a direct relationship with various vectors, they are possibly more frequently exposed to zoonotic agents than are humans. The undeniable importance of diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis, spotted fever, and leishmaniasis for both public and animal health, as well as the possibility of equids acting as sources, reservoirs, or even sentinels for these pathogens, justifies the detection of their frequency and factors associated with infection in equids from northeastern Brazil. Methods:...
Thayer JF, Hahn AW, Pearson MA, Sollers JJ, Johnson PJ, Loch WE.High heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with more efficient autonomic control, allowing more responsivity and sensitivity to changing environmental demands. Previous results from spectral analysis of interbeat intervals of equine heart rate (HR) indicated increased HRV, reflecting more effective vagal control of the heart. This study focuses on characterizing equine HR and HRV during increasing then decreasing physical demand. A non-invasive ambulatory monitoring system continuously records HR and HRV as horses exercise on a high speed equine treadmill at increasing then decreasi...
Komosa M, Frackowiak H, Purzyc H, Wojnowska M, Gramacki A, Gramacki J.The study included 249 horses belonging to 3 horse breeds. Konik horses, comprising the first group, is an example of a breed similar to the extinct Tarpan. In our study, these horses were taken to be a primitive anatomical model of the horse body. The other groups comprised the Polish Half-bred horse and Thoroughbred horse. The biometric characteristics of the horses were compared based on 24 indices. The aim of the paper was to find a reduced set of indices that can be used to determine group membership of the horses. To do this, we used statistical methods to find the most important indices...
Sieme H, Oldenhof H.In modern livestock breeding, cryopreserved semen is routinely used for artificial insemination. Sperm cryopreservation secures future reproduction, and insemination doses can be easily shipped. Processing of semen for cryopreservation can be done with minimal efforts and relatively low costs. In this chapter we describe the entire cryopreservation process for stallion and bull sperm including dilution of sperm in primary and freezing extender, cooling and packaging in straws, freezing in liquid nitrogen vapor, cryogenic storage, and thawing. Special emphasis is given on preparation of commonl...
