Strongyle egg counts in Standardbred trotters: are they associated with race performance?

The research explores the relationship between high levels of strongyle worm eggs in the feces of Standardbred trotter racehorses and their race performance. The study concludes that high strongyle egg counts do not negatively impact the performance of these horses, suggesting that routine de-worming treatments may be unnecessary.

Research Objective and Methods

The scientists aimed to verify the assumption that strongyle worms, a common equine parasite, affect the racing performance of Standardbred trotters in a significant manner. They accomplished this by:

• Analyzing fecal samples of 213 racing Standardbred trotters aged 2 years or older.
• These horses were trained at 21 different facilities in Denmark, all of which had professional trainers authorized on Denmark’s racecourses.
• Strongyle egg counts were compiled using a technique named the McMaster technique.
• Race performance outcomes were recorded in terms of final placement (anywhere between 1 and 3 versus lower positions) and the winnings they earned.
• The effect of strongyle egg counts on performance was evaluated by conducting regression analyses.

Research Results

Research findings revealed:

• The number of strongyle eggs calculated varied between 0 and 3500, with a mean count of 319 and a median of 150 eggs per gram.
• A significant correlation was found between higher egg counts and finishing in the top three positions, contradicting the original assumption.

Research Conclusions

This study concluded that:

• Race performance of professionally trained Danish Standardbred trotters is not negatively impacted by higher strongyle egg counts.
• Common practices of rigorous and frequent de-worming treatments might be excessive and unnecessary as it does not impact the horse’s performance.