FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Factors associated with long-term athletic outcome in Thorou...
Equine veterinary journal2019; 51(6); 716-719; doi: 10.1111/evj.13125

Factors associated with long-term athletic outcome in Thoroughbred neonates admitted to an intensive care unit.

Abstract: Limited information exists on the long-term outcome of foals that survive following hospitalisation for disease as a neonate. Significant financial investment is required to raise foals to racing age, therefore improved understanding of factors that affect long-term outcome and future athletic performance is important. Objective: To analyse racing performance in Thoroughbred foals hospitalised as neonates, compared with their maternal siblings and to determine factors associated with failure to race and racing performance. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Medical records of Thoroughbred foals admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit between 1982 and 2008 were reviewed. Surviving foals of registered mares were included. Data including the foal's primary and concurrent diseases were extracted from the medical record. Racing records for foals and maternal siblings were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify disorders associated with failure to race and decreased racing performance. Results: Two-hundred and sixty-nine of 454 previously hospitalised foals (59%) raced. Sixty-eight percent (269/394) of registered foals raced, compared with 79% (697/880) of registered siblings. Foals with prematurity/dysmaturity (P = 0.002) and those with orthopaedic disease (P = 0.007) were significantly less likely to race than their siblings. Premature/dysmature foals also had significantly fewer starts and wins and lower earnings than siblings. Foals with orthopaedic disorders had a lower percentage of wins, relative to their siblings. There was no significant association between racing performance and other disease categories. Conclusions: Small sample size in some disease categories and retrospective nature of study. Conclusions: Foals hospitalised due to prematurity/dysmaturity or orthopaedic disorders were less likely to race than their maternal siblings and those that did race had decreased performance.
© 2019 EVJ Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-05-15 PubMed ID: 31002183DOI: 10.1111/evj.13125Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • 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 focuses on the long-term outcomes and future athletic performances of Thoroughbred racehorse foals hospitalised as neonates (newborns), comparing them with their maternal siblings. It identifies and explores the factors that influence the foals’ inability to race and their reduced racing performance.

Research Method

  • The study is retrospective, meaning information was collected from the past. Medical records of Thoroughbred foals admitted in a neonatal intensive care unit from 1982 to 2008 were carefully reviewed.
  • The sample consisted of surviving foals of registered mares. Specific data about the foal’s primary and concurrent diseases were extracted from the medical records for further analysis.
  • Racing records for both the foals and their maternal siblings (full and half siblings) were evaluated to gauge their performance.
  • A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the disorders that were associated with the foals’ failure to race and decreased racing performance.

Observations and Findings

  • Of the 454 previously hospitalised foals, 269 (59%) managed to race. The percentage rises slightly to 68% (269 out of 394) for registered foals, while it’s 79% (697 out of 880) for registered siblings.
  • Foals that had suffered from prematurity/dysmaturity and those with orthopaedic diseases were shown to be significantly less likely to race than their siblings. This was determined using a statistical analysis (P-values), indicating a statistically significant difference when P<0.05.
  • Premature/dysmature foals also had significantly fewer starts and wins, and overall lower earnings, than their siblings. Foals with orthopaedic disorders also had a lower percentage of wins compared to their siblings.
  • There was no significant association found between reduced racing performance and other disease categories.

Conclusions

  • Despite the small sample size in some disease categories and the retrospective nature of the study, it provides significant insights.
  • The results show that foals hospitalised due to prematurity/dysmaturity or orthopaedic disorders were less likely to race than their maternal siblings. Furthermore, those that did manage to race had weaker performance levels.
  • Closer attention should be paid to foals affected by prematurity/dysmaturity or orthopaedic issues to improve their potential success in racing.

Cite This Article

APA
Chidlow H, Giguère S, Sanchez LC. (2019). Factors associated with long-term athletic outcome in Thoroughbred neonates admitted to an intensive care unit. Equine Vet J, 51(6), 716-719. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13125

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 51
Issue: 6
Pages: 716-719

Researcher Affiliations

Chidlow, H
  • Veterinary Medical Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Giguère, S
  • Veterinary Medical Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Sanchez, L C
  • Hofmann Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horses
  • Hospitals, Animal
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Running
  • Sports
  • Treatment Outcome

References

This article includes 18 references
  1. Annual North American Registered Foal Crop. In: The Jockey Club 2017 Fact Book, The Jockey Club, www.jockeyclub.com.
  2. Axon J, Palmer J, Wilkins PA. Short- and long-term athletic outcome of neonatal intensive care unit survivors. Proc. Am. Ass. Equine Practnrs 1999 45, 224-225.
  3. Ainsworth DM, Eicker SW, Yeagar AE, Sweeney CR, Viel L, Tesarowski D, Lavoie JP, Hoffman A, Paradis MR, Reed SM, Erb HN, Davidow E, Nalevanko M. Associations between physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic findings and outcome and subsequent racing performance of foals with Rhodococcus equi infection: 115 cases (1984-1992). J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass. 1998 213, 510-515.
  4. Giguere S, Weber EJ, Sanchez LC. Factors associated with outcome and gradual improvement in survival over time in 1065 equine neonates admitted to an intensive care unit. Equine Vet. J. 2017 49, 45-50.
  5. Donner A, Klar N. Design and Analysis of Cluster Randomization Trials in Health Research. 2000.
  6. Sanchez LC, Giguere S, Lester GD. Factors associated with survival of neonatal foals with bacteremia and racing performance of surviving Thoroughbreds: 423 cases (1982-2007). J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass. 2008 233, 1446-1452.
  7. Haywood L, Spike-Pierce DL, Barr B, Mathys D, Mollenkopf D. Gestation length and racing performance in 115 Thoroughbred foals with incomplete tarsal ossification. Equine Vet. J. 2018 50, 29-33.
  8. Steel CM, Hunt AR, Adams PL, Robertson ID, Chicken C, Yovich JV, Stick JA. Factors associated with prognosis for survival and athletic use in foals with septic arthritis: 93 cases (1987-1994). J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass. 1999 215, 973-977.
  9. Smith LJ, Marr CM, Payne RJ, Stoneham SJ, Reid SW. What is the likelihood that Thoroughbred foals treated for septic arthritis will race?. Equine Vet. J. 2004 36, 452-456.
  10. Sparkman, J.P. Averages for the Breed. Media Resources 1992-2001 8.
  11. Koterba AM. Equine neonatal intensive care at the University of Florida 1982-1987: an update. Proc. Am. Ass. Equine Practnrs 1987 33, 805-816.
  12. Freeman L, Paradis MR. Evaluating the effectiveness of equine neonatal care. Vet. Med. 1992 87, 921-926.
  13. Mitten LA, Bramlage LR, Embertson RM. Racing performance after hemicircumferential periosteal transection for angular limb deformities in thoroughbreds: 199 cases (1987-1989). J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass. 1995 207, 746-750.
  14. More SJ. A longitudinal study of racing thoroughbreds: performance during the first years of racing. Aust. Vet. J. 1999 77, 105-112.
  15. Cheetham J, Riordan AS, Mohammed HO, McIlwraith CW, Fortier LA. Relationships between race earnings and horse age, sex, gait, track surface and number of race starts for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses in North America. Equine Vet. J. 2010 42, 346-350.
  16. Wong DM, Scarratt WK, Maxwell V, Moon M. Incomplete ossification of the carpal, tarsal and navicular bones in a dysmature foal. Equine Vet. Educ. 2003 15, 72-81.
  17. McIlwraith CW. Incomplete ossification of carpal and tarsal bones in foals. Equine Vet. Educ. 2003 15, 79-85.
  18. Baker WT, Slone DE, Lynch TM, Johnson CR, Baker WA. Racing and sales performance after unilateral or bilateral single transphyseal screw insertion for varus angular limb deformities of the carpus in 53 thoroughbreds. Vet. Surg. 2011 40, 124-128.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,359 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.