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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Horse Welfare During Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) Pro...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(12); 1053; doi: 10.3390/ani9121053

Horse Welfare During Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) Production.

Abstract: Collection of blood from pregnant mares for extraction of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a critical but relatively unknown and poorly regulated practice in the countries in which it occurs. Equine chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that is widely used to enhance reproductive performance and management of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs kept under intensive housing systems. eCG is extracted from the blood of brood mares between days 40-120 of gestation. Although alternatives have been sought, there is currently no efficacious replacement, natural or synthetic, for eCG. Recently, several animal welfare organizations have voiced concerns over the condition and treatment of pregnant mares kept for eCG production in some countries. Animal welfare issues may arise if mares are bled too frequently or if too much blood is collected at any time. In addition, these mares tend to be managed extensively on pastures with minimal veterinary oversight and they may be poorly desensitized and habituated to handling and other practices. This can lead to serious injuries and even death when mares are brought in for bleeding. This paper reviews the process of blood collection for eCG extraction and provides recommendations for ensuring mare welfare.
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Publication Date: 2019-12-01 PubMed ID: 31805698PubMed Central: PMC6940776DOI: 10.3390/ani9121053Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article discusses the process of eCG extraction from the blood of pregnant horses and the welfare concerns this practice often entails, offering recommendations to improve the conditions and treatment of these horses.

Objective of the Research

  • The main objective of this research is to examine the process of Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) extraction from the blood of pregnant horses and to scrutinize the related issues pertaining to animal welfare. The article aims to raise awareness about the mistreatment of pregnant mares involved in this process and provide recommendations to ensure their proper care and welfare.

eCG: Its Importance and Source

  • The study explains that eCG is a crucial hormone, used widely to improve the reproductive performance and management of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, of pigs kept under intensive housing systems.
  • It also tells us that there are no known natural or synthetic substitutes for eCG, and it is typically extracted from the blood of brood mares, female horses used for producing foals, between 40-120 days of their pregnancy.

eCG Production and Animal Welfare

  • The research article highlights the serious concerns raised by several animal welfare organizations in relation to the current practices of eCG extraction, particularly in countries where these practices aren’t well-regulated.
  • Particularly, it details the issues which can arise if the horses are bled too frequently or if excessive blood is extracted in a single instance. These include serious injuries, stress, and even death in some severe cases.

Recommendations to Improve Horse Welfare

  • The study concludes by providing certain recommendations to improve the welfare of the horses used in eCG extraction. While it does not provide specific solutions, it stresses the need for better management of these horses, with adequate veterinary oversight, proper handling, and less extreme methods of blood collection to prevent unnecessary suffering.

Cite This Article

APA
Manteca Vilanova X, De Briyne N, Beaver B, Turner PV. (2019). Horse Welfare During Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) Production. Animals (Basel), 9(12), 1053. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121053

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
PII: 1053

Researcher Affiliations

Manteca Vilanova, Xavier
  • School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
De Briyne, Nancy
  • Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, 12B-1040 Brussels, Belgium.
Beaver, Bonnie
  • Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Turner, Patricia V
  • Charles River, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA.
  • Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 11 times.
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