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Home / Equine Research Bank / BMC Vet Res / The influence of hay steaming on clinical signs and airway i...
BMC veterinary research2018; 14(1); 345; doi: 10.1186/s12917-018-1636-4

The influence of hay steaming on clinical signs and airway immune response in severe asthmatic horses.

Abstract: Avoidance of antigenic stimuli was found to significantly reverse airway obstruction of horses with severe equine asthma (sEA). To date, no published study investigated the influence of steaming hay on lower airway condition of sEA-affected horses. The objectives were to determine the clinical, cytological and cytokine respiratory responses of both sEA and control (CTL) horses experimentally exposed to steamed or dry hay. Results: A cohort of 6 sEA horses and 6 CTL horses was involved in this field study. On day 0, both groups were fed with steamed hay for 5 consecutive days, followed by a wash-out period of 26 days prior to be fed with dry hay for 5 consecutive days. Investigations performed 2 days prior to and 5 days after each challenge included clinical score, tracheal mucus accumulation, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology and cytokine mRNA expression. Feeding steamed hay significantly decreased its mould content (P < 0.001). Mucus score significantly increased when feeding dry hay (P = 0.01). No significant influence of challenge type was found on clinical score. Percentages of neutrophils (P < 0.001) as well as mRNA expression of IL-1β (P = 0.024), IL-6R (P = 0.021), IL-18 (P = 0.009) and IL-23 (P = 0.036) in BALF of sEA affected horses were significantly increased after both (steamed and dry hay) challenges. Relative mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6R and IL-23 in BALF were also significantly correlated to neutrophil percentages and both clinical and tracheal mucus score. Conclusions: Steaming significantly decreased mould content but inconsistently influenced the respiratory response of sEA affected horses when fed hay. Based on BALF cytology and cytokine profiles, its relevance might be controversial as a non-medicinal therapy for sEA-affected horses.
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Publication Date: 2018-11-15 PubMed ID: 30442129PubMed Central: PMC6236910DOI: 10.1186/s12917-018-1636-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 explores the impact of steamed hay on the respiratory response of horses suffering from severe equine asthma (sEA). The study found that steamed hay substantially reduces mold content but has inconsistent effects on the respiratory conditions of the affected horses.

Objective and Methodology

  • The primary purpose of the research was to examine the clinical, cytological (study of cells), and cytokine (small proteins that are crucial in cell signaling) respiratory responses of horses diagnosed with sEA and a control group of healthy horses when exposed to steamed or dry hay.
  • A group of 12 horses, 6 with sEA and 6 healthy ones, participated in this study. Initially, all horses were fed steamed hay for 5 consecutive days. After a break period of 26 days, they were given dry hay for the next 5 days.
  • The assessment included measuring clinical score, tracheal mucus build-up, and analyzing the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for cytology and cytokine mRNA expression. This was done 2 days before and 5 days after each hay-feeding phase.

Results and Findings

  • The results showed that steaming significantly reduced the mold contents in hay.
  • The mucus score (measure of tracheal mucus accumulation) saw an increase when horses were fed dry hay.
  • No significant impact was noticed on the clinical score due to the type of feeding (steamed or dry hay).
  • Percentage of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell), along with mRNA expression of certain cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6R, IL-18, and IL-23), significantly increased in the BALF of sEA horses after both challenges.
  • The mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6R, and IL-23 in BALF had a significant correlation with the neutrophil percentages and both the clinical and tracheal mucus score.

Conclusion

  • Despite decreasing the mold content, steaming hay showed inconsistent influence on the respiratory response in sEA horses. Therefore, the relevance of steamed hay as a non-medicinal therapeutic approach for horses with sEA might be controversial, given the variable cytokine profiles and BALF cytology outcome.

Cite This Article

APA
Orard M, Hue E, Couroucé A, Bizon-Mercier C, Toquet MP, Moore-Colyer M, Couëtil L, Pronost S, Paillot R, Demoor M, Richard EA. (2018). The influence of hay steaming on clinical signs and airway immune response in severe asthmatic horses. BMC Vet Res, 14(1), 345. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-018-1636-4

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Pages: 345
PII: 345

Researcher Affiliations

Orard, Marie
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Hue, Erika
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Couroucé, Anne
  • LUNAM Université, Oniris, NP3, Nantes, France.
Bizon-Mercier, Céline
  • LUNAM Université, Oniris, NP3, Nantes, France.
Toquet, Marie-Pierre
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Moore-Colyer, Meriel
  • Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, UK.
Couëtil, Laurent
  • Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Pronost, Stéphane
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Paillot, Romain
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Demoor, Magali
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France.
Richard, Eric A
  • LABÉO Frank Duncombe, Caen, France. eric.richard@laboratoire-labeo.fr.
  • Normandie Université, UniCaen, BIOTARGEN, Caen, France. eric.richard@laboratoire-labeo.fr.

MeSH Terms

  • Air Microbiology
  • Animal Feed / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / prevention & control
  • Asthma / veterinary
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / chemistry
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
  • Horses / immunology
  • Male
  • Steam
  • Trachea / metabolism

Conflict of Interest Statement

ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE: All owners signed an informed consent, and the study was approved by the Institutional Ethic Committee for Clinical Research (Comité d’éthique en recherche clinique et épidémilogique vétérinaire d’Oniris; CERVO-2017-8-V). CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable. COMPETING INTERESTS: MMC is Scientific Consultant for Haygain. The authors declare that they have no competing interests. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Olave CJ, Ivester KM, Couetil LL, Burgess J, Park JH, Mukhopadhyay A. Effects of low-dust forages on dust exposure, airway cytology, and plasma omega-3 concentrations in Thoroughbred racehorses: A randomized clinical trial.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):338-348.
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  2. Sheats MK, Davis KU, Poole JA. Comparative Review of Asthma in Farmers and Horses.. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2019 Oct 10;19(11):50.
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