Effects of age and diet on the development of mechanical strength by the third metacarpal and metatarsal bones of young horses.
Abstract: The application of transmission ultrasonics to the equine cannon holds promise as a method of monitoring metacarpal and metatarsal development, quality and integrity under a variety of experimental and field conditions. The validity of relating the velocities of sound pulses transmitted through the cannon to the mechanical breaking strengths of these bones was tested in two studies. Breaking strengths calculated from the sound velocities through sections of the metacarpal bones from 14 yearling ponies and 12 yearling horses were highly correlated with the mechanical breaking strengths of those sections (r = .907 and .927, respectively; P less than .01). Sound velocities through the cannons of the horses before sacrifice ranged from 2,453 to 3,130 m/s and were correlated with their mechanically determined breaking strengths (193 to 262 X 10(6) N/M2; r = .673; P less than .01). The correlation coefficient increased to .912 when the sound velocities were adjusted for the sound-delaying effects of the overlying soft tissues. In a third study, 13 horses were weaned at 2 to 4 mo of age and were fed diets providing either 100 or 130% of National Research Council (NRC) energy and protein recommendations. Metacarpal and metatarsal development was monitored monthly for 15 mo via transmission ultrasonics. Sound velocities, breaking strengths calculated from velocities adjusted for estimated soft tissue cover, measured bone mediolateral diameters and cannon diameters minus estimated soft tissue increased as quadratic functions of chronologic age (r greater than .840; P less than .0001). None of these variables was significantly affected by diet, leg or sex. These studies have demonstrated that the use of transmission ultrasonics to estimate and monitor metacarpal and metatarsal breaking strengths in the live horse is reliable, reproducible, simple, accurate and valid. They also suggest that NRC energy and protein recommendations meet the requirements for maximum bone growth and development in well-managed young equines.
Publication Date: 1986-11-01 PubMed ID: 3793649DOI: 10.2527/jas1986.6351432xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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The research article investigates the role of age and diet in the mechanical strength development of the third metacarpal and metatarsal bones in young horses. The use of transmission ultrasonics is investigated as a mechanism for monitoring equine bone development and integrity.
Transmission Ultrasonics for Bone Development Monitoring
- The study worked on the premise of applying transmission ultrasonics as a potential method for tracking the development, quality, and integrity of the metacarpal and metatarsal bones under various conditions.
- Two studies tested the validity of this method by relating the velocities of sound pulses transmitted through the ‘cannon’ (a term collectively referring to the metacarpal/metatarsal bones) to the mechanical breaking strengths of these bones.
- The results had a high correlation, confirming that the velocities of sound pulses could estimate the mechanical breaking strengths of the bones accurately, thereby validating the method.
Study on Age and Other Variables
- A third study on 13 young horses monitored their bone development for 15 months. The factors observed included age, diet, leg type, and sex.
- Sound velocities, breaking strengths (calculated from velocities adjusted for estimated soft tissue cover), measured bone mediolateral diameters, and cannon diameters minus estimated soft tissue increased quadratically with age.
- No significant effect was seen from the variables diet, leg, or sex on the development of the metacarpal and metatarsal bones.
Importance of Diet in Bone Development
- The horses in the third study were provided diets either meeting or slightly exceeding the National Research Council (NRC) energy and protein recommendations.
- The study found that these energy and protein levels did not significantly affect the variables related to bone development, suggesting that these dietary recommendations are adequate for maximum growth and development of bones in well-managed young horses.
Conclusion
- The research concludes that transmission ultrasonics is a reliable, reproducible, simple, accurate, and valid method for estimating and monitoring metacarpal and metatarsal breaking strengths in live horses.
- The study also indicates that the NRC’s energy and protein recommendations meet the dietary requirements for optimal bone growth and development in young horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Glade MJ, Luba NK, Schryver HF.
(1986).
Effects of age and diet on the development of mechanical strength by the third metacarpal and metatarsal bones of young horses.
J Anim Sci, 63(5), 1432-1444.
https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1986.6351432x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animals
- Diet
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Metacarpal Bones / physiology
- Metatarsus / physiology
- Tensile Strength
- Ultrasonics
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Brandenburger GH. Clinical determination of bone quality: is ultrasound an answer?. Calcif Tissue Int 1993;53 Suppl 1:S151-6.
- Buckingham SH, Jeffcott LB, Anderson GA, McCartney RN. In vivo measurement of bone quality in the horse: estimates of precision for ultrasound velocity measurement and single photon absorptiometry.. Med Biol Eng Comput 1992 Jan;30(1):41-5.
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