Daily access to pasture turnout prevents loss of mineral in the third metacarpus of Arabian weanlings.
Abstract: Seventeen Arabian weanlings were used to determine the influence of housing on third metacarpal bone mass. Animals were separated into three treatment groups: Pasture (n = 6), Stall (n = 5), and Partial-Pasture (n = 6). Radiographs of the left third metacarpus were taken every 28 d to determine radiographic bone aluminum equivalence (RBAE). Serum was collected every 14 d and analyzed for osteocalcin, carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), and keratan sulfate. Hip and wither height, BW, and cannon circumference were measured every 28 d. Lateral RBAE in the pastured group increased linearly from d 0 to d 56 (P = 0.001). In the Pasture group, total RBAE increased from d 0 to 56 (P = 0.05) and medial RBAE tended to increase from d 0 to d 28 (P = 0.06). The Partial Pasture group increased from d 0 to 56 in medial (P = 0.02) and tended to increase in total RBAE (P = 0.08). Although the Stall group demonstrated an increase in total RBAE from d 0 to 56 (P = 0.04), the Partial Pasture group tended to have greater total RBAE than the Stall group at d 28 (P = 0.08), and the Pasture group had greater lateral RBAE at d 28 (P = 0.005) and 56 (P = 0.007) than did the Stall group. At d 28, medial RBAE was greater in the Pasture (P = 0.003) and Partial Pasture (P = 0.05) groups than in the Stall group. Pasture and Stall groups tended to decrease in osteocalcin (P = 0.06), whereas Partial Pasture weanlings decreased (P = 0.01) from d 0 to 56. All treatment groups decreased from d 0 to 56 in ICTP (P < 0.01). Pastured weanlings decreased from d 0 to 42 in serum keratin sulfate (P < 0.05), whereas the Stall group decreased from d 0 to 56 (P = 0.05). All treatment groups increased in wither height (P < or = 0.01), hip height (P < or = 0.001), and BW (P < or = 0.01). Both the Pasture and Partial Pasture weanlings demonstrated greater cannon circumference than Stall weanlings on d 28 (P < or = 0.05) and 56 (P < or = 0.005). These data demonstrate that pasture rearing or 12-h daily turnout is beneficial to maintaining and increasing bone mineral content in weanling Arabian horses.
Publication Date: 2001-05-26 PubMed ID: 11374532DOI: 10.2527/2001.7951142xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates how different types of housing for Arabian weanlings (young horses) can impact the mineral content in their third metacarpal bones. The study found that letting weanlings roam in a pasture daily or for at least 12 hours helps maintain and increase bone mineral content.
Research Design and Participants
- The research involved 17 Arabian weanlings or young horses.
- For the purpose of the experiment, the weanlings were divided into three groups. Six were in a Pasture group, five in a Stall group, and the remaining six in a Partial-Pasture group.
Procedure and Parameters
- Radiographs of the left third metacarpus or bone in the hoof region of the horses were taken every 28 days to determine radiographic bone aluminum equivalence (RBAE).
- Every 14 days, serum was collected from the weanlings and tested for osteocalcin, carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), and keratan sulfate. These substances are related to bone metabolism and can provide an indication of bone health and growth.
- The weanlings’ hip and wither height, body weight, and cannon circumference (the circumference of the horse’s lower leg or cannon bone) were measured every 28 days.
Results
- The pasture-reared weanlings showed a linear increase in lateral RBAE between day 0 to day 56. The total RBAE also increased between these periods.
- The Partial Pasture group demonstrated an increase from day 0 to 56 in medial and total RBAE values.
- Although the Stall group also showed an increase in total RBAE from day 0 to 56, the increase was less significant compared to the Pasture group and the Partial Pasture group.
- All treatment groups showed a decrease in the level of ICTP, a marker of bone resorption, which indicates that bone loss might have reduced in all groups.
- Changes in serum keratin sulfate, another bone metabolism marker, differed between groups over the study period, with the Pasture group showing a decrease from day 0 to 42, and the Stall group from day 0 to 56.
- All groups showed increases in wither height, hip height, and body weight.
- The cannon circumferences of the Pasture and Partial Pasture weanlings were greater than those of the Stall weanlings on days 28 and 56.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that the practice of pasture rearing or 12-hour daily turnout is beneficial for maintaining and increasing bone mineral content in weanling Arabian horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Bell RA, Nielsen BD, Waite K, Rosenstein D, Orth M.
(2001).
Daily access to pasture turnout prevents loss of mineral in the third metacarpus of Arabian weanlings.
J Anim Sci, 79(5), 1142-1150.
https://doi.org/10.2527/2001.7951142x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Animals
- Bone Density
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Housing, Animal
- Male
- Metacarpus / anatomy & histology
- Minerals
- Osteocalcin / physiology
- Random Allocation
- Weaning
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Nielsen BD. A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger: Implications for Horses and Humans. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 22;13(5).
- Logan AA, Nielsen BD. Training Young Horses: The Science behind the Benefits. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 9;11(2).
- 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).
- Robles M, Gautier C, Mendoza L, Peugnet P, Dubois C, Dahirel M, Lejeune JP, Caudron I, Guenon I, Camous S, Tarrade A, Wimel L, Serteyn D, Bouraima-Lelong H, Chavatte-Palmer P. Maternal Nutrition during Pregnancy Affects Testicular and Bone Development, Glucose Metabolism and Response to Overnutrition in Weaned Horses Up to Two Years. PLoS One 2017;12(1):e0169295.
- Yamada K, Sato F, Higuchi T, Nishihara K, Kayano M, Sasaki N, Nambo Y. Experimental investigation of bone mineral density in Thoroughbreds using quantitative computed tomography. J Equine Sci 2015;26(3):81-7.
- Jonckheer-Sheehy VS, Houpt KA. Management methods to improve the welfare of horses used in research. Lab Anim (NY) 2015 Sep;44(9):350-8.
- Turek B, Pawlikowski M, Jankowski K, Borowska M, Skierbiszewska K, Jasiński T, Domino M. Selection of density standard and X-ray tube settings for computed digital absorptiometry in horses using the k-means clustering algorithm. BMC Vet Res 2025 Mar 13;21(1):165.
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