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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / Preliminary genetic analyses of important musculoskeletal co...
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2013; 198(3); 611-615; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.05.002

Preliminary genetic analyses of important musculoskeletal conditions of Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong.

Abstract: A retrospective cohort study of important musculoskeletal conditions of Thoroughbred racehorses was conducted using health records generated over a 15 year period (n=5062, 1296 sires). The prevalence of each condition in the study population was: fracture, 13%; osteoarthritis, 10%; suspensory ligament injury, 10%; and tendon injury, 19%. Linear and logistic sire and animal regression models were built to describe the binary occurrence of these musculoskeletal conditions, and to evaluate the significance of possible environmental risk factors. The heritability of each condition was estimated using residual maximum likelihood (REML). Bivariate mixed models were used to generate estimates of genetic correlations between each pair of conditions. Heritability estimates of fracture, osteoarthritis, suspensory ligament and tendon injury were small to moderate (range: 0.01-0.20). Fracture was found to be positively genetically correlated with both osteoarthritis and suspensory ligament injury. These results suggest that there is a significant genetic component involved in the risk of the studied conditions. Due to positive genetic correlations, a reduction in prevalence of one of the correlated conditions may effect a reduction in risk of the other condition.
Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2013-06-05 PubMed ID: 23746478PubMed Central: PMC3899015DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.05.002Google 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 focuses on the genetic analysis and correlational study of prevalent musculoskeletal conditions in Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong, investigating and quantifying the genetic risk factors, and their possible effects on these conditions.

Study Overview

  • The study was a retrospective cohort one, utilizing health records of 5062 Thoroughbreds from 1296 sires spanning over 15 years.
  • Several prevalent musculoskeletal conditions were the focus of this study including fractures, osteoarthritis, suspensory ligament injury, and tendon injury.
  • The aim was to quantify the occurrence of these ailments and evaluate the significance of possible environmental and genetic risk factors.

Methodology

  • The researchers employed linear and logistic sire and animal regression models to describe the binary occurrence (presence or absence) of these conditions.
  • The heritability of each condition was estimated using a method called residual maximum likelihood (REML).
  • Bivariate mixed models were used to generate estimates of genetic correlations between each pair of conditions.

Findings

  • The estimated heritability of fracture, osteoarthritis, suspensory ligament injury, and tendon injury varied from small to moderate, ranging from 0.01 to 0.20.
  • It was observed that the condition of fracture was positively genetically correlated with both osteoarthritis and suspensory ligament injury.

Implications

  • The findings signify that there is a substantial genetic component involved in the risk of the studied musculoskeletal conditions in Thoroughbred racehorses.
  • The positive genetic correlations could facilitate treatment and prevention strategies. A reduction in prevalence of one of the correlated conditions (for example, fracture) may effect a reduction in risk of the other condition (such as osteoarthritis or suspensory ligament injury).

Cite This Article

APA
Welsh CE, Lewis TW, Blott SC, Mellor DJ, Lam KH, Stewart BD, Parkin TD. (2013). Preliminary genetic analyses of important musculoskeletal conditions of Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong. Vet J, 198(3), 611-615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.05.002

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 198
Issue: 3
Pages: 611-615
PII: S1090-0233(13)00200-1

Researcher Affiliations

Welsh, Claire E
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, Scotland G61 1QH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.walls.1@research.gla.ac.uk.
Lewis, Thomas W
    Blott, Sarah C
      Mellor, Dominic J
        Lam, Kenneth H
          Stewart, Brian D
            Parkin, Timothy D H

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Cohort Studies
              • Female
              • Hong Kong / epidemiology
              • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
              • Horse Diseases / genetics
              • Horses
              • Likelihood Functions
              • Logistic Models
              • Male
              • Musculoskeletal Diseases / epidemiology
              • Musculoskeletal Diseases / genetics
              • Musculoskeletal Diseases / veterinary
              • Prevalence
              • Quantitative Trait, Heritable
              • Retrospective Studies
              • Risk Factors

              Grant Funding

              • BB/F016786/1 / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

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              Citations

              This article has been cited 4 times.
              1. Sharman P, Wilson AJ. Genetic improvement of speed across distance categories in thoroughbred racehorses in Great Britain.. Heredity (Edinb) 2023 Jul;131(1):79-85.
                doi: 10.1038/s41437-023-00623-8pubmed: 37244934google scholar: lookup
              2. Ripolles M, Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Perdomo-González DI, Azor P, Valera M. Survey of Risk Factors and Genetic Characterization of Ewe Neck in a World Population of Pura Raza Español Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 1;10(10).
                doi: 10.3390/ani10101789pubmed: 33019702google scholar: lookup
              3. Raudsepp T, Finno CJ, Bellone RR, Petersen JL. Ten years of the horse reference genome: insights into equine biology, domestication and population dynamics in the post-genome era.. Anim Genet 2019 Dec;50(6):569-597.
                doi: 10.1111/age.12857pubmed: 31568563google scholar: lookup
              4. Alzola R, Easter C, Riggs CM, Gardner DS, Freeman SL. Ultrasonographic-based predictive factors influencing successful return to racing after superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in flat racehorses: A retrospective cohort study in 469 Thoroughbred racehorses in Hong Kong.. Equine Vet J 2018 Sep;50(5):602-608.
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