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Home / Equine Research Bank / BMC Vet Res / The effect of consignment to broodmare sales on physiologica...
BMC veterinary research2014; 10; 25; doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-10-25

The effect of consignment to broodmare sales on physiological stress measured by faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in pregnant Thoroughbred mares.

Abstract: Validation of a method for the minimally-invasive measurement of physiological stress will help understanding of risk factors that may contribute to stress-associated events including recrudescence of Equid herpesvirus (EHV), which is anecdotally associated with sales consignment of pregnant Thoroughbred mares. In this study we compared two similar groups of late-gestation Thoroughbred broodmares on the same farm: a consigned Sales group (N = 8) and a non-consigned Control group (N = 6). The Sales mares were separated from their paddock companions and grouped prior to their preparation for, transport to, and return from the sales venue. Both groups were monitored by sampling at regular intervals from 5 days prior to until 14 days after the sales date (D0) to measure physiological stress in terms of changes in faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations, and for event-related viral recrudescence via daily body temperature measurements and periodic nasal swabs for PCR analysis for EHV-1 and -4 DNA. Results: In both groups, FGM levels increased post-sales before returning to pre-sales levels. Specifically, FGM concentrations in the Sales mares were significantly higher on D + 3 and D + 10 than on D-4 and D-3 (F = 12.03, P < 0.0001, Post hoc: P = 0.0003-0.0008) and in the Control group FGM concentrations were higher on D + 10 than D-4 (F = 5.52, P = 0.004, Post hoc: P = 0.005). Interestingly, mean FGM levels in Control mares were significantly higher at 4 of the 5 sampling points (t = 5.64-2.25, p = 0.0001-0.044). Only one (Sales) mare showed PCR evidence of EHV-1 shedding. Conclusions: Using FGM to measure physiological stress was supported by the increases observed in all mares after Sales consignment, including those not consigned to the sale. Monitoring FGM levels therefore represents an appropriate, minimally-invasive method for future studies to assess the contribution of physiological stress to EHV recrudescence in horses transported to sales or equestrian events.
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Publication Date: 2014-01-17 PubMed ID: 24433380PubMed Central: PMC3898249DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-10-25Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 examines the effect of sales consignment on stress levels in pregnant Thoroughbred mares, using measurements of a biomarker in fecal matter. The study also explores the correlation between stress and the reemergence of Equid herpesvirus (EHV).

Study Design and Methods

  • The researchers selected two groups of late-gestation Thoroughbred broodmares from the same farm. One group, named the Sales group, consisted of 8 mares set to be prepared for transportation to a sales event. The second group, the Control group, included 6 mares that would not be consigned for sale.
  • The Sales group mares underwent several stress-inducing changes: they were separated from their companions and grouped for preparation, transportation, and return from the sales venue.
  • Both groups were monitored for a set period before and after the sales event. The researchers took regular samples between 5 days before to 14 days after the event. The objective was to measure physiological stress through changes in the concentration of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), a stress hormone.
  • The study also monitored the mares for any signs of EHV-1 and -4 reemergence. They tracked daily body temperature changes and took nasal swabs at periodic intervals for DNA analysis.

Results

  • The results showed that FGM levels increased in both groups post-sale and then returned to their pre-sales levels. Specifically, the Sales mares experienced a significant rise in FGM concentrations on specific days after the sale.
  • In the Control group, the FGM levels were higher on day 10 post-sale.
  • The study interestingly found that the Control mares displayed significantly higher FGM levels at 4 of the 5 tracking points.
  • Only one mare (from the Sales group) showed evidence of EHV-1 shedding in PCR analysis.

Conclusions

  • The study finds validity in using FGM to measure physiological stress levels in mares, especially after they are consigned for sales. Even mares that weren’t sold also revealed increased FGM levels.
  • The research concludes that monitoring FGM levels is an appropriate and minimally invasive method to study the link between physiological stress and EHV reemergence. This finding could have considerable implications for the welfare and management of horses transported to sales or equestrian events.

Cite This Article

APA
Schulman M, Becker A, Ganswindt S, Guthrie A, Stout T, Ganswindt A. (2014). The effect of consignment to broodmare sales on physiological stress measured by faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in pregnant Thoroughbred mares. BMC Vet Res, 10, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-10-25

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 25

Researcher Affiliations

Schulman, Martin
  • Section of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag XO4, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa. martin.schulman@up.ac.za.
Becker, Annet
    Ganswindt, Stefanie
      Guthrie, Alan
        Stout, Tom
          Ganswindt, Andre

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Body Temperature
            • Case-Control Studies
            • Commerce
            • Feces / chemistry
            • Female
            • Glucocorticoids / chemistry
            • Glucocorticoids / metabolism
            • Horses / physiology
            • Pregnancy
            • Stress, Physiological / physiology

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 3 times.
            1. Brown LJ, Brown G, Kydd J, Stout TAE, Schulman ML. Failure to detect equid herpesvirus types 1 and 4 DNA in placentae and healthy new-born Thoroughbred foals.. J S Afr Vet Assoc 2019 May 30;90(0):e1-e5.
              doi: 10.4102/jsava.v90i0.1736pubmed: 31170779google scholar: lookup
            2. Page P, Ganswindt A, Schoeman J, Venter G, Guthrie A. The effect of alphacypermethrin-treated mesh protection against African horse sickness virus vectors on jet stall microclimate, clinical variables and faecal glucocorticoid metabolites of horses.. BMC Vet Res 2017 Sep 9;13(1):283.
              doi: 10.1186/s12917-017-1198-xpubmed: 28886712google scholar: lookup
            3. Badenhorst M, Page P, Ganswindt A, Laver P, Guthrie A, Schulman M. Detection of equine herpesvirus-4 and physiological stress patterns in young Thoroughbreds consigned to a South African auction sale.. BMC Vet Res 2015 Jun 2;11:126.
              doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0443-4pubmed: 26033323google scholar: lookup
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