Evaluation of microchip migration in horses, donkeys, and mules.
Abstract: To determine whether microchips used for identification migrate after implantation in horses, donkeys, and mules. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 53 horses, donkeys, and mules. Methods: Twenty horses that had had microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament at a veterinary teaching hospital from 1996 through early 2000 were included (group 1), and the poll-to-withers distance and location of the microchip were determined, measured, and recorded. Additionally, the poll-to-withers distance was measured in 16 horses, 12 donkeys, and 5 mules (group 2), and microchips were implanted in the nuchal ligament on the left side of the neck. Forty-two to 67 days after implantation, the location of the microchip was determined, measured, and recorded. Results: Microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament < or = 4 years previously did not migrate. All microchips were detected with a multimode identification tag reader from the left side of the neck in the midcervical region, and microchips were located at the midpoint between the poll and withers for all 53 horses, donkeys, and mules. Conclusions: Microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament < or = 4 years earlier did not migrate in horses. Microchips may be useful for identification in horses.
Publication Date: 2003-11-19 PubMed ID: 14621220DOI: 10.2460/javma.2003.223.1316Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research article investigates whether microchips used for identification purposes in horses, donkeys, and mules tend to migrate after implantation. The study found that these implants did not migrate if they had been placed in the nuchal ligament for up to four years, implying that they can be reliable for animal identification.
Methodology
- The study was conducted on 53 equines, including horses, donkeys, and mules. The equines were divided into two groups.
- Group 1 comprised 20 horses that had already had microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament at a veterinary teaching hospital between 1996 and 2000. The distance from the poll (top of the head) to the withers (between the shoulder blades), as well as the location of the microchip, were measured and recorded.
- Group 2 included 16 horses, 12 donkeys, and 5 mules. The poll-to-withers distance was measured for each of these animals, and then a microchip was implanted in the nuchal ligament on the left side of the neck.
- The location of microchip implantation for Group 2 animals was determined and recorded between 42 and 67 days after the procedure.
Findings
- The microchips that had been implanted in the nuchal ligament for up to four years did not show any signs of migration.
- Each microchip was detectable with a multimode identification tag reader from the left side of the neck in the mid-cervical region.
- The location of every microchip was found at the midpoint between the poll and the withers in all 53 equines.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that microchips implanted in the nuchal ligament for up to four years have no likelihood of migrating in horses, suggesting they can be a reliable method for identification.
- Further studies may be needed to confirm these findings for a longer period or in different implantation locations.
Cite This Article
APA
Stein FJ, Geller SC, Carter JC.
(2003).
Evaluation of microchip migration in horses, donkeys, and mules.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 223(9), 1316-1319.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2003.223.1316 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Identification Systems / instrumentation
- Animal Identification Systems / methods
- Animal Identification Systems / veterinary
- Animals
- Equidae
- Foreign-Body Migration / epidemiology
- Foreign-Body Migration / veterinary
- Horses
- Prospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Skinner JE, Gaughan JB, Mellor VA, Sole-Guitart A. The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips to Measure Body Temperature in Horses during and after Exercise Using Three Different Cool-Down Methods. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 14;12(10).
- Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Woldeyohannes SM, Gaughan JB, Sole Guitart A. The Use of Percutaneous Thermal Sensing Microchips for Body Temperature Measurements in Horses Prior to, during and after Treadmill Exercise. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 2;10(12).
- Caja G, Díaz-Medina E, Salama AA, Salama OA, El-Shafie MH, El-Metwaly HA, Ayadi M, Aljumaah RS, Alshaikh MA, Yahyahoui MH, Seddik MM, Hammadi M, Khorchani T, Amann O, Cabrera S. Comparison of visual and electronic devices for individual identification of dromedary camels under different farming conditions. J Anim Sci 2016 Aug;94(8):3561-3571.
- Walter WD, Anderson CW, Vercauteren KC. Evaluation of remote delivery of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) technology to mark large mammals. PLoS One 2012;7(9):e44838.
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