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Effect of age, exercise and growth rate on bone mineral density (BMD) in third carpal bone and distal radius of Dutch Warmblood foals with osteochondrosis.
Abstract: This study aimed a the determining bone mineral density (BMD) in the 3rd carpal bone and distal radius of foals age 5 and 11 months that had been subjected to different exercise regimens from birth until age 5 months. It was hypothesised that BMD would be greater in older animals, and that differences in exercise regimens before age 5 months would be associated with differences in BMD at both age 5 and 11 months. Epiphyseal bone tissue was available from 5 and 11 month old Warmblood foals bred from sires known to have radiographic evidence of osteochondrosis (OC). The foals were in a clinical trial which assessed the effect of exercise up to age 5 months on osteochondrosis (OC). Until age 5 months, foals were either box confined, box confined and sprint trained daily, or kept at pasture. Half the horses in each group were then confined together in a large stall, with access to pasture for 2 h daily, from age 6 to 11 months. BMD was assessed by dual x-ray absorptiometry in 4 areas of interest (AOIs) of excised third carpal bone (C3) and 5 in the distal radius. Volumetric BMD was determined in C3, only surface BMD was analysed in the radius. Across age groups, exercise had an effect on BMD in the mediodorsal and mediopalmar areas of C3. In the 5-month-old animals, the training exercise had similar effect to constant pasture exercise. In all AOIs, BMD was significantly greater in 11-month than in 5-month-old animals. Between age groups there was a difference in effect of exercise regimen before 5 months, in mediodorsal C3 and medial aspect of the radius, and the difference observed between exercise groups at age 5 months was no longer present in horses age 11 months, indicating no residual effect of early exercise. BMD was lower in the group with high OC scores. In the group of horses with the most severe OC, monthly growth rate did not fall uniformly with age over the first 5 months, as it did in groups with lower OC scores. It was concluded that exercise influenced significantly BMD at 5 months, suggesting that carefully designed training programmes to increase bone mineral could be employed in young animals. There was no residual effect at 11 months.
Publication Date: 2000-09-22 PubMed ID: 10999664DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05317.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research aimed to assess the impact of age, exercise, and growth rate on bone mineral density (BMD) in the third carpal bone and distal radius of Dutch Warmblood foals that were diagnosed with osteochondrosis. The study found that exercise influenced bone density significantly at 5 months but had no residual effect at 11 months.
Objective and Hypothesis of the Study
- The study’s purpose was to determine the bone mineral density (BMD) in the third carpal bone and distal radius of Dutch Warmblood foals aged 5 and 11 months.
- The hypothesis was that BMD would be higher in older animals, and that BMD differences at 5 and 11 months would be associated with the differing exercise regimens they were subjected to before reaching 5 months of age.
Study Procedures and Methods
- The study sampled from Warmblood foals aged 5 and 11 months, all sired from stallions having radiographically confirmed osteochondrosis.
- Until the age of 5 months, the foals were either confined in a box, kept box-confined and subject to daily sprint training, or left freely at the pasture. Post 5 months, half of the foals from each group were confined together in a large box, allowed pasture access for 2 hours daily till they reached 11 months.
- BMD was evaluated using dual x-ray absorptiometry at selected areas of interest (AOIs) in the extracted third carpal bone and the distal radius.
Findings of the Study
- Exercise showed an influence on BMD in the mediodorsal and mediopalmar areas of the third carpal bone across all age groups.
- In 5-month-old subjects, the sprint training exhibited an impact comparable to constant pasture exercise on BMD.
- BMD was significantly higher in 11-month-old animals in all chosen areas.
- The effect of exercise regimen differed between the age groups for mediodorsal third carpal bone and the medial aspect of the radius. This difference was not observed among 11-month-old horses, indicating that the early exercise had no lasting impact.
- BMD was found lower in the group with high osteochondrosis scores.
- In animals with the most severe osteochondrosis, the monthly growth rate did not consistently decrease with age over the first 5 months, contrasting with the trend in animals with lower osteochondrosis scores.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that exercise significantly influenced BMD at 5 months, suggesting that well-planned training programs could be used to enhance bone mineral in young animals.
- No lasting effect of early exercise was observed on BMD at 11 months. This finding is especially relevant for developing suitable exercise plans that positively impact bone health in animals diagnosed with osteochondrosis.
Cite This Article
APA
Firth EC, van Weeren PR, Pfeiffer DU, Delahunt J, Barneveld A.
(2000).
Effect of age, exercise and growth rate on bone mineral density (BMD) in third carpal bone and distal radius of Dutch Warmblood foals with osteochondrosis.
Equine Vet J Suppl(31), 74-78.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05317.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
MeSH Terms
- Absorptiometry, Photon / veterinary
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Bone Density
- Breeding
- Carpal Bones / diagnostic imaging
- Carpal Bones / growth & development
- Carpal Bones / pathology
- Female
- Growth Plate / diagnostic imaging
- Growth Plate / growth & development
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases / genetics
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Joint Diseases / pathology
- Joint Diseases / veterinary
- Male
- Osteochondritis / pathology
- Osteochondritis / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Radius / diagnostic imaging
- Radius / growth & development
- Radius / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Martinez-Saez L, Marín-García PJ, Llobat ML. Osteochondrosis in horses: An overview of genetic and other factors. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):6-19.
- Hoey S, O'Sullivan J, Byrne J, Devine S, Toomey W, McAllister H, Skelly C. Ultrasound screening protocol for osteochondrosis at selected predilection sites in thoroughbred yearlings. Ir Vet J 2022 Apr 27;75(1):8.
- Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ, Littlewood KE, McLean AN, McGreevy PD, Jones B, Wilkins C. The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human-Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 14;10(10).
- 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.
- Fürst A, Meier D, Michel S, Schmidlin A, Held L, Laib A. Effect of age on bone mineral density and micro architecture in the radius and tibia of horses: an Xtreme computed tomographic study. BMC Vet Res 2008 Jan 25;4:3.
- Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
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