Correlations between cresty neck scores and post-mortem nape fat measurements in horses, obtained after photographic image analysis.

Silva, SR
·
Payan-Carreira, R
·
Guedes, CM
·
Coelho, S
·
Santos, AS

Abstract: Obesity and emaciation in horses have major detrimental effects on health and morbidity, reproductive failure, work performance or carcass quality. Scoring is a current management tool used to assess and monitor equine body condition due to its simplicity and low cost. However, accurate assessment of obesity remains a challenge, even though a number of approaches have been tested, particularly for research purposes on adiposity. Their merit is usually validated by comparison with standard scoring methods. The overall aim of this study was to establish the correlation between post-mortem nape fat measurements obtained after photographic image analysis and cresty neck score (CNS) in horses. Data were collected from seventeen horses with a hot carcass weight of 165 ± 51 kg. Pre-slaughter CNS measurements were obtained using a six-point scale (from 0 to 5). Image capture was performed post-mortem, in the slaughter line; for each carcass, images of the dorsal and medial views were collected and afterwards transferred to a computer for analysis. After outlining the cresty neck fat, its area, major axis and thickness were determined. Correlation coefficients between nape fat measurements, CNS and carcass fatness were determined. Results: The horses in the study show similar variation for CNS and hot carcass weight [Coefficient of variation (CV) = 32 and 31 %, respectively], but a high variation for carcass fattening (CV = 41 %). The nape fat area measurement was the parameter exhibiting the greatest variation (CV = 50 %). Correlations established between CNS and the variables tested revealed the existence of moderate to strong correlations among CNS, nape fat measurements, and carcass fatness. The highest correlation coefficients were found between CNS and nape fat thickness (r = 0.882; P < 0.01). The linear regression between CNS and nape fat thickness accounted for 77 % of the recorded variation for nape fat thickness. Conclusions: The present study showed that there is a strong correlation between horse CNS and post-mortem nape fat measurements or carcass fatness.

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Publication Date: 2016-10-20 PubMed ID: 27766984PubMed Central: PMC5073977DOI: 10.1186/s13028-016-0241-4Google Scholar: Lookup

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Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper analyses the relationship between the cresty neck score (CNS) of horses, a measure of body condition, and post-mortem measurements of neck fat. It was found that there is a strong correlation between the two, which provides a more accurate method of assessing horse obesity.

Objective and Methodology

The study was conducted to gauge the correlation between cresty neck scores (CNS), a tool for assessing horse body condition, and post-mortem nape fat measurements, derived from photographic image analysis. The aim was to improve the accuracy of obesity assessments in horses.
Data for the study was collected from seventeen horses. The weight of the meat obtained after slaughtering the horses (hot carcass weight), pre-slaughter cresty neck score measurements, and post-slaughter images of the slain bodies were recorded and analyzed.
CNS was measured on a six-point scale (from 0 to 5). The images were then transferred to a computer where fat areas, thickness, and major axes were pinpointed.
The study aimed to examine the correlation coefficients between CNS, nape fat measurements, and fatness of the carcass.

Results

The horses showed similar cresty neck score (CNS) and hot carcass weight variation, but displayed significant variance in carcass fattening. The nape fat area measurements showed the most variation.
The examination of correlations revealed moderate to strong links between CNS, nape fat measurements, and carcass fatness. The strongest correlation coefficients were between CNS and nape fat thickness (r = 0.882; P < 0.01).
The linear regression between the CNS and nape fat thickness accounted for 77% of the nape fat thickness variation recorded.

Conclusions

The findings suggest a strong correlation between horse CNS and post-mortem measurements of nape fat and carcass fatness.
This correlation, once validated, might improve body condition scoring methods, particularly for assessing obesity in horses.

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APA

Silva SR, Payan-Carreira R, Guedes CM, Coelho S, Santos AS. (2016). Correlations between cresty neck scores and post-mortem nape fat measurements in horses, obtained after photographic image analysis. Acta Vet Scand, 58(Suppl 1), 60. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-016-0241-4

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147

NlmUniqueID: 0370400

Country: England

Language: English

Volume: 58

Issue: Suppl 1

Pages: 60

PII: 60

Researcher Affiliations

Silva, Severiano R

Zootecnia Department, Centro de Ciu00eancia Animal E Veterinu00e1ria, Universidade de Tru00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.

Payan-Carreira, Rita

Zootecnia Department, Centro de Ciu00eancia Animal E Veterinu00e1ria, Universidade de Tru00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal. rtpayan@gmail.com.

Guedes, Cristina M

Zootecnia Department, Centro de Ciu00eancia Animal E Veterinu00e1ria, Universidade de Tru00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.

Coelho, Simu00e3o

Zootecnia Department, Centro de Ciu00eancia Animal E Veterinu00e1ria, Universidade de Tru00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.

Santos, Ana Sofia

EUVG-Escola Universitu00e1ria Vasco da Gama, Campus Universitu00e1rio, Bloco B, Lordemu00e3o, 3020-210, Coimbra, Portugal.
CITAB, Universidade de Tru00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue / anatomy & histology
Animals
Body Composition
Body Weights and Measures / standards
Body Weights and Measures / veterinary
Horses / anatomy & histology
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Linear Models
Photography / veterinary

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