Semi-extensive management system drives lower prevalence of equine orodental disorders.

Overview

• This study investigates how different horse management systems—extensive, semi-extensive, and intensive—affect the prevalence of orodental (mouth and teeth) disorders in horses.
• The key finding is that horses kept in a semi-extensive management system showed fewer and less severe orodental problems compared to those in extensive or intensive systems.

Introduction and Study Purpose

• Orodental disorders are significant for horse health and welfare, but there is limited data on how common these problems are under various horse management practices.
• The study’s goal was to fill this knowledge gap by comparing the rates of orodental issues in horses raised, kept, and fed under three types of management systems: extensive, semi-extensive, and intensive.

Management Systems Defined

• Extensive system: Likely involves horses living in natural or semi-natural conditions with less human intervention in feeding and care.
• Semi-extensive system: A mix of natural grazing and controlled feeding or management, providing a balance between freedom and human oversight.
• Intensive system: Horses are kept in more controlled environments with significant human intervention, often involving stabling and managed feeding regimens.

Methodology

• Sixty-nine clinically healthy adult crossbred horses were selected for the study, divided equally into three groups of 23 horses each, corresponding to the three management systems.
• None of the horses had a history of dental treatment, ensuring that prior interventions did not confound results.
• A clinical evaluation combined with orodental examinations was performed on all horses under standing sedation for accurate assessment without distress.

Key Findings—Differences in Orodental Disorders

• Extensive system horses:
  • More frequent issues with incisors (p-value = 0.013).
  • Higher incidence of premolar and molar diastemata (gaps between teeth) with strong significance (p < 0.001).
  • More irregular incisors (p = 0.001), indicating uneven tooth shape or alignment.
• Intensive system horses:
  • Increased prevalence of oral mucosal ulcers (p = 0.001), likely from harder feeding surfaces or dental wear.
  • More frequent excessive transverse ridges on premolars and molars (p = 0.016), which can interfere with correct chewing.
• Semi-extensive system horses:
  • Only the dorsal curvature malocclusion (abnormal upper surface curvature of teeth) was more common in this group (p = 0.018).
• Overall number of dental alterations: No significant differences were observed between the groups, indicating the types of abnormalities vary by system rather than total count.

Interpretation and Conclusion

• The type of management system influences not just the presence but the specific types of dental disorders that horses develop, suggesting management practices have a direct impact on oral health.
• The semi-extensive management system was associated with fewer and less severe dental problems overall compared to extensive and intensive systems.
• This implies that a balanced management approach that combines natural grazing with some degree of controlled feeding and care may promote better dental health in horses.
• Understanding these associations helps inform better therapeutic and preventive dental care tailored to the management style, improving equine health and welfare.