Effect of blue light on pregnancy outcomes

 It has been known for a long time that changing daylength influences equine reproduction. 

The natural breeding season for horses occurs during the brighter months of the year (April onwards in the northern hemisphere). This presents a challenge for breeders that require foals to be born early in the year, and has led to the search for ways to advance the onset of reproductive activity

 

Using stable lighting to artificially prolong the daylight to 16 hours from mid December onwards has been used to stimulate the onset of oestrus activity in mares. Research by Dr Barbara Murphy demonstrated that a similar effect could be produced by shining a low intensity blue light into one eye.

Professor Christine Aurich and her research team at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria have been investigating the effect of blue light treatment on gestation length, and pregnancy outcome. A full report is published in Domestic Animal Endocrinology.

Twenty pregnant Warmblood mares, each carrying a single pregnancy completed the study, which covered two consecutive years. The mares were kept at the Brandenburg State Stud at Neustadt, Germany. During one pregnancy the mares wore a mask* which directed 50 lux blue LED light (468nm) into one eye from 08.00 to 23.00 daily from mid- December onwards. During the second pregnancy the same mares received no treatment, and so acted as controls.

 

The researchers found that pregnancy length was shorter in blue LED light-treated mares than in controls. Foals born to blue LED light-treated mares had lower wither heights, but were of similar weights and took less time to stand after birth than did control foals. 

 

They also noticed differences in hair growth. Foals born to light-treated mares had reduced hair length compared to controls and hair regrowth in treated mares was reduced.

 

They conclude: “foaling can be advanced with head-worn masks emitting blue LED light to a single eye without negative effects on foal maturity. Blue LED light resulted in the birth of slightly smaller foals compared to controls. Furthermore, foals born to blue LED light-treated mares had a shorter hair coat than control foals, demonstrating that artificial light directed at the mare does reach its fetus and accelerates fetal maturation.”

 

* Equilume Light Mask

 

For more details, see:

 

Effects of blue monochromatic light directed at one eye of pregnant horse mares on gestation, parturition and foal maturity

A Lutzer, C Nagel, B A Murphy, J Aurich, M Wulf, C Gautier, Christine Aurich 

Domest Anim Endocrinol (2022)78:106675.

https:doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2021.106675

Effect of temperature on cyathostomin larval development

The cyathostomins (small strongyles) are the most important group of intestinal parasites of the horse - both numerically, and through their ability to cause disease. Furthermore, they are becoming increasingly difficult to control as they develop resistance to the drugs used against them. 

 Infected horses pass eggs in the manure, contaminating the pasture. These eggs are not infective straight away but need time to develop into the infective third stage larvae (L3).

 

In a laboratory study, researchers investigated the effect of different temperatures on the minimum time taken by cyathostomin eggs to develop into first/second stage larvae (L1/L2), and into infective third stage larvae (L3) in horse faeces.

 

Dr Aurélie Merlin and colleagues assessed the effect of three constant temperatures (10°C, 23°C, 30°C) under laboratory conditions and one fluctuating temperature (mean: 17 ± 4 °C) under outdoor conditions.

 

Their results, published in Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, show that, depending on temperature, the minimum time taken by eggs to develop into L1/L2 was between 1 and 3 days. The minimum time to develop into L3 was between 4 and 22 days. Development of the eggs to infective L3 larvae was slowest at 10°C and fastest at 30°C.

 

The researchers suggest that their findings will help improve mathematical modelling of parasitic risks in grazing horses.

 

The results support the practice of removing droppings at least twice a week, which should prevent significant contamination of the pasture.

 

 

For more details, see:

 

Effect of temperature on the development of the free-living stages of horse cyathostomins

A Merlin, N Ravinet, C Sévin , M Bernez-Romand, S Petry, M Delerue, L Briot, A Chauvin, J Tapprest, L Hébert 

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports (2022) 28:100687

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100687

Prospect of easier remote monitoring

 Remote monitoring of heart, muscle and breathing conditions may become easier following the development of an e-textile slicker (or rug) at Purdue University. 

Biomedical engineers and veterinarians have collaborated to produce the system that can monitor a horse’s cardiac, respiratory and muscular systems using Bluetooth technology. The e-textile garment can be used for long-term management of chronic health conditions in large animals, with the goal to have a version for human use.

 

Another advantage of the e-textile is that veterinarians and their support staff won’t have to shave the horse’s hair or use adhesives to place electrodes on the horse’s skin, which should make it more comfortable for the horse.

 

Findings of how the e-textile works is featured in a study published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Chi Hwan Lee, the Leslie A. Geddes associate professor of biomedical engineering in Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, said the Purdue team developed a dual regime spray and technique to directly embed a pre-programmed pattern of functional nanomaterials into the fabric to add the e-textile capabilities.

 

“These specially designed e-textiles can comfortably fit to the body of humans or large animals under ambulatory conditions to collect bio-signals from the skin such as heart activity from the chest, muscle activity from the limbs, respiration rate from the abdomen or other vital signs in an extremely slight manner,” Lee said. “Our technology will significantly extend the utility of e-textiles into many applications in clinical settings.”

 

The team’s next steps involve developing continuous 24-hour monitoring of horses with chronic disease or those receiving care in a veterinary ICU.

 

“We believe that our technology will be helpful in diagnosis or management of chronic diseases,” Lee said, especially as demand increases for remote health monitoring.

 

“Remote health monitoring under ambulatory conditions would be useful for farm and household animals, as it could potentially minimize clinic visits, especially in rural areas. It would also increase the efficiency in managing a large number of farm/household animals at once from a distance, even overnight,” he added.

 

A real-life example would be the ability to monitor severe equine asthma, which affects 14% of adult horses.

 

“Continuous monitoring would allow early detection of disease flair-up before it gets serious, offering an opportunity to nip it in the bud,” said Laurent Couëtil, a professor of large animal internal medicine in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine and collaborator in the study. “Remote monitoring opens the possibility of sending vital information to the veterinarian to help make timely and informed treatment decisions.”

 

For more details, see:

 

A Programmable Dual-Regime Spray for Large-Scale and Custom-Designed Electronic Textiles

Taehoo Chang, Semih Akin, Min Ku Kim, Laura Murray, Bongjoong Kim, Seungse Cho, Sena Huh, Sengul Teke, Laurent Couetil, Martin Byung-Guk Jun, Chi Hwan Lee

Advanced materials (2022) Vol 34, 2108021

https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202108021

Is your mare due to foal?

Researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Canada, would like your help.

They are investigating how umbilical cord variations relate to  foal health. In particular, they are interested in the length of the cord, and the number and type of twists present in it. 

In light horses, the umbilical cord is usually between 30 and 80 cm long and may be twisted a few times. Excessively long cords, or those with numerous twists, may limit blood flow and affect the foal’s health.

 

Dr. Madison Ricard, a veterinary anatomic pathology resident, who is leading the study, is looking for owners of pregnant mares to take part in the research. 

 

Participation in the study will involve measuring the length of the umbilical cord after foaling and taking a photo of the umbilical cord. 

 

Information will be recorded about the mare, the foaling process, and the foal’s health at birth. There will be follow up surveys regarding the foal’s health at 7 and 30 days after birth.

 

To participate in the study, or for more details, go to:

https://wcvm-equs.ca

Have you organized an equestrian event in Ontario?

 
The COVID-19 pandemic and recent Equine Herpes virus outbreaks have highlighted the need for enhanced biosecurity at equine events. 

An Ontario Veterinary College research study would like to interview equestrian competition organizers (within the past 5 years) about their experiences and perspectives towards biosecurity at equestrian events in Ontario, Canada.

 

If you are interested in participating in this study, they ask that you read the full details and complete the pre-interview questionnaire:

 

https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZ2dgMpIFSy0Prg?jfefe=new

Factors associated with laminitis in donkeys

Recent research suggests that guidelines for laminitis treatment and prevention in horses cannot necessarily be extrapolated to donkeys.

The study found that laminitis is common in donkeys, but factors associated with laminitis in donkeys differ from those reported in horses.

 

Nicola Menzies-Gow and colleagues checked the medical records of all 707 donkeys living on eleven farms run by the Donkey Sanctuary in the south-west of the UK. They found that over a period of 42 months, nearly half (48.5%) of donkeys experienced at least one bout of laminitis. Most (65%) of these episodes involved chronic laminitis.

 

The researchers compared the medical records of donkeys that did or did not experience laminitis, to identify factors that differed between the groups.

 

They found that affected animals were: 

 

1) less likely to have had concentrate food

2) less likely to have another medical condition

3) less likely to have undergone dental work, diagnostic imaging or surgery in the month before developing laminitis

4) more likely to be younger when they first had laminitis

 

A full report of the research is published in the Equine Veterinary Journal. 

 

The authors conclude that factors associated with laminitis in donkeys cannot necessarily be extrapolated from horse and pony studies. 

However, they caution that these results may not apply to the wider donkey population and they suggest the need for further investigation in animals kept under different management conditions.

 

For more details, see:

 

Cross-sectional study to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with laminitis in UK donkeys

Nicola J. Menzies-Gow, Frederica Wakeel, Holly Little, Jesus Buil, Karen Rickards

Equine Veterinary Journal (2021)

 

https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13505

Male jockeys have no more influence over the racehorse performance than female jockeys

 Experts from the University of Nottingham have found that the sex of a jockey doesn’t influence any
aspect of racehorse physiology and performance.

Currently, more than 90% of jockeys, in most racing nations, are men. This is likely due to an unconscious bias toward male jockeys being, on average, physically ‘stronger’, able to push horses harder, and thus performing better in races than female jockeys. Studies assessing the effect of the sex of a rider on racehorse performance and physiology during training have not been reported, mostly due to the lack of available data for female participants within the sport.

 

This decade has seen a marked increase in participation of female jockeys at an elite level in the racing industry. Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore made history in 2021 by winning several high-profile races, and has gone on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup this year. 

 

Success stories like this are challenging the public’s attitude to the ability of male or female jockeys to win big races. In the UK and Ireland, previous research had suggested an underestimation of the ability of female jockeys to win races, as measured in betting behaviour. 

 

In racing, a competitive advantage may lie in the ability of a jockey to control the horse, and/or less weight carried by the horse (i.e. weight of jockey plus saddle). Hence, jockeys are weighed out before, and weighed in after, races. Certain races are ‘handicapped’ by weight carried and according to predicted ability. 

 

If all other factors were equal, would a racehorse working-out at racing speed perform any differently when ridden by either a female or male jockey? Would that racehorse be more or less likely to win a race?

 

Researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, worked to answer some of these questions, collaborating with Dr Guillaume Dubois, (Scientific Director at Arioneo Ltd– a company that developed Equimetre©, an exercise tracking device for horses); and Dr Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren of the Equine Sports Medicine Practice, Belgium.

 

They monitored 530 thoroughbred racehorses, ridden by 103 different work riders (66 male, 37 female) over a total of 3,568 work-outs at Ciaron Maher’s racing yard in Victoria, Australia. Variables such as speed, stride length and frequency, horses heart rate and rate of recovery were recorded with the Equimetre^TM

 

This tracker was specifically designed to monitor horses during their daily training routines, simultaneously recording cardiovascular and biomechanical parameters at various exercise intensities (slow canter to hard gallop).

 

The investigators found no effect of sex of the jockey on any objectively measured outcome variable, measured from slow-canter to hard, race-pace gallops. But would this lack of effect of sex of jockey in training, also translate to actual race results, where many other variables come into play?

 

The research team analysed results from 52,464 races, and found that female jockeys had a similar win percentage (of total race starts) as male jockeys in the UK (female, 10.7% vs. male, 11.3%). In Australia, male jockeys had a slightly higher win percentage (11.0 vs. 9.9%), but this was negated when considering a top three race finish.

 

Taken together, the researchers found minimal effect of the sex of the jockey on both training and race outcomes. A report of the study is published at Research Square.

 

Some curious effects were observed. For example, recovery of racehorse heart rate after exercise appeared influenced by sex of the rider, but only when the usual training intensity on each track surface (grass or sand) was reversed.

 

The researchers suggest that perhaps male work-riders, more so than female, anticipated the ‘expected’ training-intensity (e.g. gallop on grass) and their proposed anticipation was transmitted faithfully to the horse, who responded with higher or lower heart rate. Further work is needed, however, to confirm this effect. When considered across all training sessions, then no difference in expected recovery rates of racehorses were noted between male and female jockeys.

 

“Our study is the first to objectively assess whether the sex of a jockey has an influence on any aspect of racehorse physiology and performance. The data convincingly suggest the answer is no and offers a new perspective on the possible balance of elite male and female jockeys on the start line of races” said Ms Charlotte Schrurs, PhD student and lead author with Professor David S Gardner. 

 

“Efforts to favour a more ‘inclusive environment’ would greatly contribute towards equal opportunities and the promotion of fair competition within this highly popular and fascinating sport.” 

 

For more details, see:

 

Does sex of the jockey influence racehorse physiology and performance, (2022). 

Charlotte Schrurs, Guillaume Dubois, Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren, David S Gardner

Research Square (2022)

 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1341860/v1

 

 

More details of the Equimetre^TM

App to help monitor equine body condition

 A new Equine Body Condition Scoring app has been produced by scientists at the University of
Glasgow.

Obesity in equines is not a new problem. However, the increasing number of obese horses and ponies, predominantly in the leisure industry, has now become a globally recognised welfare concern.  

 

Carrying excess weight contributes to various problems: it increases the stress on the horse’s skeletal system, can limit reproductive performance, adversely affect athletic performance and may lead to an increased risk of laminitis, osteoarthritis, heat intolerance and certain types of colic. 

The Equi-BCS app was developed by Katie Williams, an equine nutritionist, as part of her PhD research at the University.

The app lets owners record and share their horse’s weight data, which should make it easier for professionals to help horse owners keep their horse’s weight on track. This feature also supports horses that are not holding their weight, so health issues can be spotted early.

Ms Williams said: “One of the toughest challenges for any horse owner is keeping weight off their horse, and previous studies have shown that horse owners tend to underestimate their horse’s body condition score.

“To succeed, a collaborative approach is required including vets, nutritionists and farriers working together with horse owners.”

The app contains detailed images and instructions to help horse owners score their horse accurately and photos can be uploaded and stored so that horse owners can remind themselves of how their horse has looked in the past.

Research in human weight tracking apps has shown that frequency of use correlates with greater success and so an important feature of the app is that it will notify users when they are due to assess their horse again.

Ms Williams added: “It is incredible how quickly a horse can change and so monitoring regularly, ideally every two weeks, is key. Receiving a reminder will provide the prompt that many people need to ensure they take time to assess their horse and either make adjustments to the ration, or seek advice from their vet or nutritionist.”

The Equi-BCS app can be downloaded for free from Apple’s app store or Google Play

USA horse transport survey

 Do you transport horses in the United States? If so, researchers at the University of Kentucky would appreciate your help in a survey about equine transportation.

The research team comprises Dr. Amanda Adams (University of Kentucky), Dr. C. Jill Stowe (University of Kentucky), Dr. Patricia Harris (WALTHAM™ Equine Studies Group), Dr. Bridget McIntosh (MARS EQUESTRIAN™), and Erica Jacquay M.S., Ph.D. Student (University of Kentucky).

 

They hope that the survey will help them gain a better understanding of common types of journeys taken, as well as different management practices involved in transporting horses. 

 

To participate, you must be at least 18 years old and own, lease, or be in the full care of at least one horse or pony that resides in the USA. This survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Your response is anonymous which means no names, IP addresses, email addresses, or any other identifying information will be collected with the survey responses.

Participants will have the option of entering a drawing for an ETHEL M® Chocolates prize basket courtesy of MARS EQUESTRIAN (Your email address will be recorded separately from your survey responses so that your survey answers remain anonymous.)

 

To ensure your responses are included, you should complete the survey by April 1, 2022.

 

For further information, go to:

 

https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bK5B8c5CJIgwqAC

Changing the colour of Jump racing

 A new era of National Hunt (jump) racing begins in the United Kingdom on 14th March when the colour of the obstacles starts to change. The transformation, starting at Stratford upon Avon, will be gradually phased in over ten months, and will see an estimated 368 fences and 2,132 hurdle panels across 40 racecourses change markings from the traditional orange to white.

The project follows research carried out by Exeter University during 2017-2018 into equine vision, commissioned by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and backed by The Racing Foundation.

 

The study, conducted by Dr. Sarah Paul and Professor Martin Stevens of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, looked at the visibility to horses of a range of colours, and then examined the horses’ response to the presence of different colours on racecourse fences.

 

They analysed 131 obstacles across 11 UK racecourses using cutting-edge camera equipment to establish which colours would be most visible to a horse. They compared the traditional orange with possible alternatives: yellow, blue and white. 

 

Horses see colours differently from humans. Humans and other primates have three types of light-responsive cells (cones) in their eyes, giving what is called trichromatic colour vision. Normal human eyes detect four basic colours: red, green, yellow and blue. They can also differentiate up to 100 subtle variations in hue. Humans with red-green colour vision defects can only see two basic colours - yellow and blue.

 

Horses, as with other non-primate mammals, have only two types of cone, giving them dichromatic vision. The colours seen by the horse are likely to be like those seen by humans with red-green colour blindness. They see mainly hues we would perceive as blue and yellow, and are unable to tell apart shades of red, green, and orange.  

 

The study found that changing the wood and vinyl padding of take-off boards, guard rails and top boards to white provided increased contrast and visibility for horses, leading to improved jumping performance. Highly luminant whites or blues at the base of the fence (take-off board) gave the best contrast, while fluorescent yellow gave the greatest contrast against the main fence body (i.e. when used for midrail colour) in different light and weather conditions.

 

Once they had identified the most appropriate colours, researchers tested behavioural responses with 14 horses from Richard Phillips’ training yard in Adlestrop, Gloucestershire. They found that the colour of the fences could influence both the angle that horses jump a fence and the length of the jump. Horses adjusted their jump angles with colours other than orange, and white tended to produce a longer total jump distance.

 

In response to the study, a recommendation was approved by the sport's Racecourse Committee for a trial using fluorescent yellow for all hurdles and guard-rails, and fluorescent white for take-off boards at fences. However further tests found that fluorescent yellow faded rapidly, so white was the chosen colour.

 

A phased roll-out of new white markings will begin from March 2022 with courses carrying out the work after the close of their season. Nine courses will make the change during the first six months (March – August) with all jumps tracks having made the switch by December 2022. Point to point courses will follow for the 2022/23 season.

 

The new white markings are already being introduced at racing’s main schooling grounds and will be in use throughout the summer jumping season.

 

Barry Johnson, Chair of the Horse Welfare Board, said: “This important project is an example of how British racing uses advanced scientific and veterinary research to constantly improve racehorse welfare. Looking through the eyes of the horse to understand how they perceive their world, and making changes because of this new knowledge, shows how racing is continuously striving to increase the safety of all participants in our sport, both human and equine.”

 

For more details, see:

 

Horse vision and obstacle visibility in horseracing.

Paul SC, Stevens M.

Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2020:104882. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104882

Effect of stomach acid on probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms taken orally that are said to deliver health benefits. Clearly, to have an effect they need to reach the relevant portion of the gut. In horses, this is thought to be the large intestine – the caecum and colon. 

 It is recognised that probiotics may be adversely affected by the acid conditions in the stomach. Some products for human use are presented with enteric protection to help them survive the proximal gastrointestinal tract.

 

A study by Ana Berreta and colleagues at Washington State University, looked at the effect of the equine gastrointestinal tract on equine probiotics. The work is reported in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.

 

(c) Sharon Kingston Dreamstime.com

In the laboratory study, they assessed the viability of eleven commercially available equine probiotic products in
conditions of acidity designed to mimic those in the stomach and the small intestine.

 

The research team mixed each of 11 of the probiotics with hydrochloric acid at pH2 (to mimic conditions in the stomach). After 30 minutes the pH was raised to 6.9 and enzymes and electrolytes were added to mimic conditions in the small intestine. Then two hours later they cultured each mixture and used mass spectrometry to identify and quantify the microorganisms present. 

 

The experiment was repeated using an initial pH 4 (to represent the conditions in the stomach when proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole were being used). 

 

They compared these results with those obtained using probiotics straight from the packet.

 

They found that the gastric pH of 2 adversely affected micro-organisms in six of 11 probiotics. Four of the probiotics had at least one micro-organism that was adversely affected when the pH was increased to 4.0.

 

The microorganism that was most commonly adversely affected by conditions in the virtual gastro-intestinal tract was Enterococcus faecium. In contrast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (present in one product tested) actually increased significantly in number after exposure to both pH2 and pH4.

 

None of the probiotics tested matched their label claim - all of them contained micro-organisms not listed on the label.

 

The authors conclude that passage through the proximal gastro-intestinal tract may negatively impact the survival of some microorganisms. They suggest that enteric protection should be considered to improve microorganism viability in equine probiotics.

 

For more details, see:

 

Effect of the equine proximal gastrointestinal tract on probiotic viability

A Berreta, JJ Kopper, TL Alexander, CJ Kogan, CR Burbick

Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2021) 104

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103671

New colic researched planned

(c) Maria Itina Dreamstime.com

 Colic features heavily in research projects being supported by the Morris Animal
Foundation in 2022.

New equine health studies to receive funding this year include:

• Studying Intestinal Inflammation

Two research teams will take different approaches to investigate the interaction between inflammation and gut motility, to assist in developing methods of preventing ileus (reduced gut motility) after colic surgery. These approaches could dramatically assist recovery and shorten hospitalization times.

• Understanding Risk Factors for Colic Secondary to Transportation

Researchers will look for colic risk factors associated with transportation, to develop better management recommendations for horses requiring transport.

• Helping Underserved Communities Recognize Early Signs of Colic

Researchers will develop an educational program for horse owners and enthusiasts in underserved communities in Colombia to improve early recognition of colic, a key component of successful treatment.

• New Prognostic Test for Postoperative Complications

Researchers will search for biomarkers to identify horses at higher risk for postoperative surgical complications as a first step toward a new prognostic test.

“Colic consistently ranks among the top health concerns of horse owners and veterinarians,” said Dr. Janet Patterson-Kane, Chief Scientific Officer. “We decided to focus on this topic in this year’s equine call for proposals to advance our understanding of intestinal disease associated with colic and ultimately assist in improving outcomes for horses around the world.”

For more details, see:

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/new-equine-colic-studies-2022

Risk of inhaled particles during powered equine dentistry

(c) Chelle 129 Dreamstime.com

Powered equine dentistry places operators at risk of inhaling unsafe levels of inorganic particulate
matter, according to a recent study.

Motorised equipment is regularly used by equine veterinarians and dental technicians when carrying out routine equine dental procedures. Research suggests that particulate matter produced during the process poses possible health risks to the operators through inhalation of aerosolised particles.

 

The study, conducted at Bristol University, investigated the dust particles produced during the motorised rasping of horses’ teeth. Sam Bescoby, in the Langford Vets Equine Department at the University, was lead author in the study, which used cadaver heads that were rasped under standardised conditions.

 

A full report on the work is published in the Equine Veterinary Journal.

 

The authors found that both water-cooled and non-cooled motorised equipment produced particle levels (4.48mg/m³and 7.94 mg/m³ respectively) that were higher than the workplace exposure limit (WEL). (The time-weighted average (TWA) limit set by the Health and Safety Executive in the UK is 4mg/m³)

 

The particles produced were of a range of sizes that could reach all levels of the human respiratory tract. Analysis of the dust found not only calcium and phosphorus from the teeth but also tungsten, aluminium and iron.

 

The researchers found that surgical masks reduced the exposure levels to some extent. However, the FFP3 mask was recommended as more effective than the standard surgical face mask.

 

They advise that a suitable face mask should be worn to reduce exposure to dust particles to within acceptable limits.

 

This study looked at only the inorganic particulate matter. The authors suggest that further work on the biological component of the particulate matter is needed.

 

 

For more details, see: 

 

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of operator inhaled aerosols during routine motorised equine dental treatment.

S.R Bescoby, SA Davis, M Sherriff, AJ Ireland

Equine Vet J (2021) 53, 1036 – 1046

https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13379

Antibacterial actions of mesenchymal stromal cells

Infected wound healing could be helped by factors secreted by mesenchymal stromal cells. 

Mention “bacteria” and we tend to think of the individual microorganisms that we see growing in laboratory cultures (the so-called “planktonic” forms.) However, in nature it is more common for bacteria to form biofilms – communities of different microbes that become embedded in a slimy extracellular matrix. Biofilms protect the microbes from both antibacterial substances and the immune response of the host.

Biofilms contribute to chronic inflammation and delayed healing of wounds, and are not readily detectable using current routine diagnostic methods. However, biofilm infections should be suspected in equine limb wounds that are not healing as expected. Treatment is based on repeated debridement and application of topical antimicrobial therapy.

 

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are cells, isolated from different sites, that can differentiate into other types of cells. They take part in the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodelling phases of tissue repair.

 

Previous work has shown that secretions from MSCs promote wound repair by stimulating fibroblast migration in the skin and promoting development of new blood vessels. They also have antibacterial properties. 

 

A recent study looked at the effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on biofilms.

 

Research by Charlotte Marx and colleagues at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine looked at the effect of mesenchymal stromal cells on biofilms, using an equine skin explant model.

 

They found that secreted factors from equine MSC (collectively referred to as the MSC secretome) significantly decreased the viability of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in mature biofilms.

 

They also showed that equine MSCs secrete the cytokine CCL2 that boosts the antimicrobial activity of equine keratinocytes by stimulating the production of cathelicidin and ß-defensin.

 

Reporting their work in the journal Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, they conclude: “Collectively, these data contribute to our understanding of the MSC secretome's anti-microbial properties, both directly by killing bacteria and indirectly by stimulating immune responses of surrounding resident skin cells, thus further supporting the value of MSC secretome-based treatments for infected wounds.”

 

 

For more details, see:

 

Mesenchymal stromal cell-secreted CCL2 promotes antibacterial defense mechanisms through increased antimicrobial peptide expression in keratinocytes 

Charlotte Marx, Sophia Gardner, Rebecca M. Harman, Bettina Wagner, Gerlinde R. Van de Walle.

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (2021) Vol 10 (12) pp1666-1679

https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sctm.21-0058

What are omics?

Photo: Rossdales Laboratories

 You may have noticed that “-omics” are cropping up with increasing regularity. What are they, and why are they important?

Omics refers to a field of biological sciences including genomics (studying the complete genetic makeup, the DNA, of an organism), transcriptomics (studying RNA), proteomics (proteins) and metabolomics (metabolites). Omics encompasses powerful tools that are rapidly transforming our understanding of disease. 

 

To celebrate how the omics disciplines are making a significant impact on equine veterinary medicine, the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) is giving free access to a Virtual Issue of recent articles covering genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics .

 

The virtual issue has been co-ordinated by EVJ’s Associate Editors Mandy Peffers and Pablo Murcia, with guest editors Carrie Finno, James Anderson and Macarena Sanz.

 

“The relationship between microbiota, health and disease in humans has been investigated for years but similar studies in horses have only been recently published,” says Macarena Sanz, whose editorial navigates five articles on this topic.

 

She concludes: “Although equine microbiomics is in its infancy, new studies will provide an exciting insight into the nature of the equine microbiome and its potential role in the development of disease. Knowledge of the microbiome is key to advancing prophylactic, diagnostic and therapeutic options and to better understanding the pathophysiology of equine conditions.”

 

James Anderson prefaces five papers on advances made in equine medicine within the disciplines of proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics (a subset of metabolomics). He concludes: “Omics technologies have enhanced our knowledge of the molecular world and provided fascinating insight into the composition and functions of these components across a range of different animal species. Particularly for equine science and medicine they have increased our understanding of molecular changes in disease and informed the development of diagnostic tests. Although still in its infancy within equine veterinary science, this field looks likely to have a significant impact in the coming years.”

 

Mandy Peffers, Associate Editor of the EVJ said: “It is exciting to see how the equine veterinary sector is now keeping pace with human medicine in the omics revolution. As we continue to advance, there will be more tools at our disposal for the diagnosis and treatment of equine disease.”

 

The Virtual Issue is available to all at 

 

https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.OmicsEVJ

Photo competition to promote equine research

 

Keen photographers in North America are invited to enter an online photo contest hosted by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

The contest opens February 1, and entries will be accepted until February 28. Entrants are encouraged to submit original photos of horses representing all breeds, backgrounds, and disciplines on Grayson's website.

 

"Our photo contest has proved to be a popular way for horse lovers to spread awareness of the importance of equine veterinary research," said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has provided more than $30.6 million to fund 397 projects at 45 universities in North America and overseas.

For more details, and to enter the competition, go to:

http://grayson-jockeyclub.org/default.asp?section=2&area=PHOTOINFO

Impact of research on horses' lives

 The next offering in the equine health seminar series from the University of Saskatchewan’s
Western College of Veterinary Medicine on February 8^th is a virtual panel discussion that will explore the benefits of research on horses’ health. 

Topics to be covered include: What's new in horse health research at the WCVM and across Western Canada? What are key horse health problems that researchers are working to solve? If you could choose a health issue that needs further research, what would it be? 

 

The equine health seminar series is open to everyone in the horse community. While there is no cost to attend, you must register in advance.

 

Further details of this, and future seminars, together with recordings of previous talks, are available at:

 

https://wcvm.usask.ca/education/equine-seminars.php#Overview