Association of growth, feeding practices and exercise conditions with the severity of the osteoarticular status of limbs in French foals.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for the severity of Juvenile OsteoChondral Conditions (JOCC) in limbs of French foals. Twenty-one farms in Normandy, France, were sampled and enrolled in a cohort study including 378 foals from three breeds, followed from the 8th month of pregnancy of the mares until the foals were approximately 6months old. Data on growth, feeding practices and exercise conditions were regularly collected. The carpus, the front and hind digits, the hock and the stifle of the foals were radiographed at the end of follow-up. JOCC severity in each foal was described using a global appraisal of its osteoarticular status (OAS) depending on the number and the severity of radiographic findings. Of the 378 foals, 53% had a good OAS, 34% had an intermediate OAS and 13% had a poor OAS. The breed (Selle Français and French Trotter Standardbred vs. Thoroughbred), a high girth perimeter at early age and an irregular exercise were significantly associated with a poor OAS. This study contributes to the understanding of the development of JOCC. An increased growth and reduced or irregular physical activity during the first weeks of life would be responsible for more severe lesions. Growth and exercise conditions should be carefully monitored to reduce the prevalence of severe JOCC in foals.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-05-08 PubMed ID: 23664071DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.03.043Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research studied risk factors for a condition known as Juvenile OsteoChondral Conditions (JOCC) in foals (young horses). They found that the breed of horse, how fast they grew, and their exercise routine all influenced how severe the JOCC condition was.
Methodology
- The study was conducted on 21 farms in Normandy, France, and selected a sample of 378 foals from three breeds.
- The subjects were observed from the 8th month of the mother horse’s pregnancy until the foals were approximately 6 months old.
- Throughout this period, data regarding the foals’ growth, feeding practices, and exercise conditions was collected systematically.
- To determine the severity of any JOCC present, the foals underwent radiography at the end of the observation period. Their carpus (wrist region), front and hind digits, hock (joint on hind leg), and stifle (knee on hind leg) were examined.
- Overall, the health of each foal’s limbs was quantified using an ‘osteoarticular status’ (OAS) rating, based on the quantity and seriousness of any unusual radiographic findings.
Findings
- Out of the 378 foals included in the study, 53% were found to have a good OAS, 34% intermediate, and 13% poor.
- Several risk factors were identified for a poor OAS. The breed of the foal was significant, with Selle Français and French Trotter Standardbred foals more likely to develop JOCC than Thoroughbred foals.
- Increased growth rate in early life was also a risk factor. Foals with a larger girth measurement early in life were more likely to develop severe JOCC.
- The type of exercise the foal engaged in was another significant factor. Foals that undertook irregular exercise were more likely to have a poor OAS.
Conclusions
- The findings of this study expand our understanding of JOCC, a common condition in foals that affects their limb health.
- By identifying certain risk factors, such as breed, rapid growth, and irregular exercise, the study can help inform preventative measures to mitigate the condition.
- The authors recommend careful monitoring of young foals’ growth and exercise habits to reduce the chances of severe JOCC developing.
Cite This Article
APA
Lepeule J, Bareille N, Robert C, Valette JP, Jacquet S, Blanchard G, Denoix JM, Seegers H.
(2013).
Association of growth, feeding practices and exercise conditions with the severity of the osteoarticular status of limbs in French foals.
Vet J, 197(1), 65-71.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.03.043 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- INRA, UMR 1300 Biologie, Epidémiologie et Analyse de Risque en santé animale, BP 40706, F-44307 Nantes, France. jlepeule@hsph.harvard.edu
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Cohort Studies
- Female
- France / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
- Osteochondrosis / epidemiology
- Osteochondrosis / etiology
- Osteochondrosis / pathology
- Osteochondrosis / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Risk Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Silvers BL, Leatherwood JL, Arnold CE, Nielsen BD, Huseman CJ, Dominguez BJ, Glass KG, Martinez RE, Much ML, Bradbery AN. Effects of aquatic conditioning on cartilage and bone metabolism in young horses. J Anim Sci 2020 Aug 1;98(8).
- Raudsepp T, Finno CJ, Bellone RR, Petersen JL. Ten years of the horse reference genome: insights into equine biology, domestication and population dynamics in the post-genome era. Anim Genet 2019 Dec;50(6):569-597.
- Fradinho MJ, Mateus L, Bernardes N, Bessa RJB, Caldeira RM, Ferreira-Dias G. Growth patterns, metabolic indicators and osteoarticular status in the Lusitano horse: A longitudinal study. PLoS One 2019;14(7):e0219900.
- van Grevenhof EM, Gezelle Meerburg ARD, van Dierendonck MC, van den Belt AJM, van Schaik B, Meeus P, Back W. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of standing-up behavior and the prevalence of osteochondrosis in Warmblood foals on different farms: could there be a link?. BMC Vet Res 2017 Nov 9;13(1):324.
- McCoy AM, Beeson SK, Splan RK, Lykkjen S, Ralston SL, Mickelson JR, McCue ME. Identification and validation of risk loci for osteochondrosis in standardbreds. BMC Genomics 2016 Jan 12;17:41.
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