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1.
AIM: To identify feeding and management variables associated with variation in faecal pH within a population of intensively managed Thoroughbred racehorses in New Zealand. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 16 racehorse trainers in the North Island of New Zealand. Interviews were conducted at the trainers' stables to obtain information on feeding and management of horses, and faecal samples were collected and faecal pH measured. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of the horses surveyed were confined in an area ≤5 × 5 m for ≥12 h/day. Trainer's age, number of years they had trained horses, age and gender of horses, weeks in race training, racing class, frequency of feeding, bedding type, and exercise workload had no effect on mean faecal pH. Acidic faecal pH (pH ≤6.32) was associated with stables with ≤12 horses, and trainers at stables with ≤12 horses offered more concentrate feed than those at stables with >12 horses. Acidic faecal pH was associated with trainers who offered 4 kg of grain as the only form of concentrate fed, or offered ≤2.25 kg hay/day. Horses that displayed stable vices had less acidic faecal pH than horses that did not display stable vices, viz pH 6.70 (standard error of the mean (SEM) 0.135) vs 6.43 (SEM 0.029) (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Racehorse management in New Zealand is similar to that observed in other major racing countries. Trainers with ≤12 horses fed more concentrates and their horses had lower faecal pH than those of trainers with >12 horses. Irrespective of management system, it appears important to provide at least 2.25 kg of hay/day ad libitum, to buffer hindgut acidosis associated with diets high in soluble carbohydrate. 相似文献
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SUMMARY Twenty-five Thoroughbred (TB) and 25 Standardbred (SB) stables were visited to determine their feeding practices. The ingredients of the main feed of the day for a mature gelding of average size in full training were weighed at each stable. Nutrient content of diets was calculated using published data for the individual ingredients. Results are expressed as mean±sd. The estimated body weight of TB horses was 493±34 kg and 437±32 kg for SB horses. There was considerable variation in diet composition and nutrient intake between stables. The TB trainers fed 11.0±2.4 kg and SB trainers 11.8±2.5 kg per day. The concentrate component of the diet weighed 7.8±1.6 and 7.7±2.3 kg for TB and SB stables, respectively, and the roughage component for TB horses 3.3±1.4 and SB horses 4.1±1.4 kg per day. The digestible energy intake of horses at TB stables was 129±29 MJ per day and at SB stables 132±31 MJ per day. Crude protein intake of TB horses was 1452±363 g and SB horses 1442±338 g per day. There were differences in some feeding practices at TB and SB stables. Standardbred trainers fed more roughage than TB trainers. Standardbred trainers fed chaffed lucerne (alfalfa) and cereal hays as the major roughage, whereas TB trainers fed more hay. The major hay type fed by TB trainers was lucerne, whereas many SB trainers preferred clover hay. Both trainers fed oats as the major grain, but TB trainers fed slightly more maize (corn) than SB trainers. The SB trainers fed barley as part of the concentrate component of the diet, whereas TB trainers usually fed boiled barley and linseed oil in winter only. Although many trainers used vitamin and mineral supplements, this appeared unnecessary in many Instances, especially with respect to Iron. Calcium and NaCI supplementation was necessary for some diets. We concluded that while there was a wide range in feed intake and diet composition for both TB and SB horses, average nutrient intakes were similar to National Research Council (1989) recommendations for horses performing intense work. 相似文献
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AIM: To describe characteristics of Thoroughbred training stables in Matamata and in all other locations in New Zealand combined, over two 19-month time periods in 1996–1997 and 1998–1999, representing equal length periods immediately prior to and after the construction of a new training surface at the Matamata Racing Club. METHODS: Retrospective records covering all horses training and racing in New Zealand during two 19-month time periods (1996–1997 and 1998–1999), covering 161 locations, were obtained from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR). Outcome variables included whether a horse was raced again in the 6 months following any start in the first 13 months of either time period, number of race starts for every horse, and finishing position. Summary measures with confidence intervals (CI) and unadjusted odds ratios (OR), measuring strength of associations for various factors, were computed. RESULTS: The datasets contained information on 45,446 horses, 11,336 races, 5,110 trials and a total of 110,643 race starts. Horses trained at Matamata represented 8% (3,715) of the total horse datasets, and accounted for 11,977 race starts (10.8%). They were more likely to start in a race or trial in either time period and were 1.4 and 1.3 times as likely to finish first, second or third compared with horses trained at other locations in 1996–1997 and 1998–1999, respectively. A 6-month no-race period occurred for 9,306/12,584 (74%) horses that started at least once in the first 13 months of either time period. Horses trained at Matamata were less likely to have a 6-month no-race period than horses trained at other locations in both time periods. There was no effect of time period within each location on the probability of either a horse having a 6-month no-race period or of a race start being followed by a 6-month no-race period, but there was an overall effect of time and more 6-month no-race periods were observed in 1998–1999 relative to 1996–1997. CONCLUSION: Summary statistics are presented for Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand over two 19-month time periods. Differences between the populations of horses trained in Matamata compared with those trained at other locations were attributed, in part, to the fact that many of the more successful racehorse trainers in the country have stables at Matamata. As a result, the population of horses in Matamata may not be representative of the racehorse population in New Zealand. Although more likely to win or place in both time periods, the magnitude of the advantage to horses in Matamata was reduced in 1998–1999 relative to 1996–1997, and this could be due, in part, to effects of the new track surface at Matamata. There was no evidence of a rise in risk of a 6-month no-race period following any race start in those horses trained in Matamata in 1998–1999 relative to either horses trained at other locations or to horses trained in Matamata during the earlier time period. 相似文献
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Kenneth Gallagher DVM MS John Leech BS MA Howard Stowe DVM PhD 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》1992,12(1)
A field survey involving 109 horses in 9 stables at a Detroit racetrack was conducted to determine feeding practices and to estimate crude protein (CP), digestible energy (DE), and dry matter (DM) consumption by racing Thoroughbreds, and to compare those intakes with 1989 recommendations of the National Research Council (NRC), "Nutrient Requirements of Horses." Trainers were interviewed regarding: 1) the age and sex of the homes; 2) their feeding practices; and 3) the horse's training and racing schedule. Only adult homes who were actively racing and continuously stabled at the track were included. Body weights (BW) were estimated using a chest girth measurement. The horses had an overall mean body condition score of 5 which indicated average body condition for a racing. Thoroughbred at this track. Feed samples of hay and concentrate from each stable were weighed and analyzed at a commercial laboratory to determine CP, DM, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and estimated energy density. A computer program calculated CP, DE, and DM values for each horse's ration based onamounts fed. The software program included with the 1989 NRC publication was used to compare estimated nutrient intakes with current NRC recommendations for a horse of a given BW. Trainers fed a variety of hays. Eight trainers fed oats and only one fed corn. All trainers fed commercial sweet feeds. The mean total amount of feed for all homes on an "as fed" basis was 13.7 kg. The mean estimated DM intake for all horses was 12.3 kg vs. NRC recommended 11.6 kg. The mean for percentage of roughage in the ration for all stables was 53% vs. a NRC recommendation of 35%. The mean CP% ona DM basis for all stables' rations was 13.8% vs. a NRC recommendation of 11.4%. The means for actual CP and DE intakes for all horses were 1678 g and 33.3 Meal compared with current NRC recommendations of 1324 g CP and 33.1 Meal DE. Protein amounts were above those recommended due to the common practice of feeding relatively higher CP% in the rations than necessary for racehorse performance. These data appear to be more consistent with the recommendations of NRC in 1989 than previous recommendations in 1978. 相似文献
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AIM: To investigate risk factors for injury to musculoskeletal structures of the lower fore- and hind-limbs of Thoroughbred horses training and racing in New Zealand. METHODS: A case-control study analysed by logistic regression was used to compare explanatory variables for musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in racehorses. The first dataset, termed the Training dataset, involved 459 first-occurrence cases of lower-limb MSI in horses in training, and the second, the Starting dataset, comprised a subset of those horses that had started in at least one trial or race in the training preparation that ended with MSI (n=294). All training preparations for horses that did not suffer from MSI for which complete data were available were used in the analyses as controls, and provided 2,181 and 1,639 preparations for the Training and Starting datasets, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors, and results were reported as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Horses aged ≥5 years were at higher risk of injury than 2-year-olds. Elevated odds of MSI occurred in horses in the Starting dataset that were training in the 1997–1998 year compared with the 1999–2000 year, and in those horses where trials comprised >20% of all starts in a preparation. Training preparations that ended in winter, and horses in their third or later training preparation, had lower odds of MSI compared with those ending in other seasons or the first preparation, respectively. Reduced odds of MSI were observed in preparations in which starts occurred compared with those that had no starts, and in the Starting dataset, preparations that included more than one start had a reduced likelihood of MSI compared with preparations that had only one start. In the Training dataset, preparations longer than 20 weeks were associated with reduced odds of MSI compared with those shorter than 20 weeks. Cumulative racing distance in the last 30 days of a training preparation was best modelled with linear and quadratic terms. Results indicated that increasing cumulative racing distances were associated with an initial reduction in the odds of MSI that then levelled out and finally appeared to increase again as the explanatory variable continued to increase. The risk of MSI varied significantly between trainers. CONCLUSION: This study identified intrinsic (age) and extrinsic risk factors for MSI in training and racing Thoroughbreds in New Zealand. The risk of MSI initially decreased, then increased, as cumulative racing distance increased. Significant variation between trainers indicated management and training methods influence the risk of MSI. 相似文献
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AIM: To investigate risk factors for injury to musculoskeletal structures of the lower fore- and hind-limbs of Thoroughbred horses training and racing in New Zealand. METHODS: A case-control study analysed by logistic regression was used to compare explanatory variables for musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in racehorses. The first dataset, termed the Training dataset, involved 459 first-occurrence cases of lower-limb MSI in horses in training, and the second, the Starting dataset, comprised a subset of those horses that had started in at least one trial or race in the training preparation that ended with MSI (n=294). All training preparations for horses that did not suffer from MSI for which complete data were available were used in the analyses as controls, and provided 2,181 and 1,639 preparations for the Training and Starting datasets, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors, and results were reported as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Horses aged > or =5 years were at higher risk of injury than 2-year-olds. Elevated odds of MSI occurred in horses in the Starting dataset that were training in the 1997-1998 year compared with the 1999-2000 year, and in those horses where trials comprised >20% of all starts in a preparation. Training preparations that ended in winter, and horses in their third or later training preparation, had lower odds of MSI compared with those ending in other seasons or the first preparation, respectively. Reduced odds of MSI were observed in preparations in which starts occurred compared with those that had no starts, and in the Starting dataset, preparations that included more than one start had a reduced likelihood of MSI compared with preparations that had only one start. In the Training dataset, preparations longer than 20 weeks were associated with reduced odds of MSI compared with those shorter than 20 weeks. Cumulative racing distance in the last 30 days of a training preparation was best modelled with linear and quadratic terms. Results indicated that increasing cumulative racing distances were associated with an initial reduction in the odds of MSI that then levelled out and finally appeared to increase again as the explanatory variable continued to increase. The risk of MSI varied significantly between trainers. CONCLUSION: This study identified intrinsic (age) and extrinsic risk factors for MSI in training and racing Thoroughbreds in New Zealand. The risk of MSI initially decreased, then increased, as cumulative racing distance increased. Significant variation between trainers indicated management and training methods influence the risk of MSI. 相似文献
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To investigate the choices of foraging location of horses, 10 to 12 horses were introduced for five minutes into each of two similar stables containing a single forage or six forages, in four replicated trials. The horses were then removed and released into the gangway between the stables, and allowed five minutes to choose between the stables. Their initial and final choices, mean duration in each stable and proportional frequency of change of location were compared. Most of the horses initially entered the closest stable on release (P<0.05); if the closest stable contained a single hay, most horses transferred to the stable containing multiple forages (P<0.001). The length of time spent by the horses in the two stables suggested that they preferred multiple forages in multiple locations (P<0.001). Eleven horses moved from one stable to the other on one or more occasions during trials when hay or a preferred forage was available in both stables, possibly indicating a motivation to move between foraging locations regardless of the palatability of the forages offered or the horses' preference for a forage. 相似文献
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MacLeay JM Sorum SA Valberg SJ Marsh WE Sorum MD 《American journal of veterinary research》1999,60(12):1562-1566
OBJECTIVE: To determine incidence, effect on performance, and management practices associated with exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) in Thoroughbreds. SAMPLE POPULATION: Medical records for 984 Thoroughbreds and a survey of trainers of horses with and without ER. PROCEDURES: Medical records for 984 Thoroughbreds stabled at a midwestern racetrack were examined to determine the incidence of ER during the 1995 racing season. A retrospective questionnaire was administered to trainers to determine management practices associated with ER in 59 Thoroughbreds with ER and 47 control Thoroughbreds in training. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine management factors associated with ER. RESULTS: ER affected 48 of 984 (4.9%) Thoroughbreds. Two-year-old females were most frequently affected, and 36 of 96 (37.5%) trainers had > or = 1 horse with ER. Horses with ER were more likely not to race during the racing season, compared with control horses. For horses that raced, differences were not found with respect to racing performance between ER and control horses. Exertional rhabdomyolysis developed frequently in susceptible horses that had > or = 1 day of rest prior to exercise and that galloped during exercise. Horses with ER were commonly fed > 4.5 kg of grain daily. Nervous and extremely nervous horses were 5.4 times more likely, and horses with some form of lameness were 4.2 times more likely, to have ER. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Exertional rhabdomyolysis is common in Thoroughbreds, and ER can be affected by temperament, sex, age, diet, exercise routines, and lameness. Management that minimizes excitability, particularly when tailored to each horse, may be most effective for controlling ER. 相似文献
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Kenneth Gallagher DVM MS John Leech BS BS MA Howard Stowe DVM PhD 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》1992,12(6):382-388
A field survey involving 112 Standardbred race horses in 14 stables at a Detroit racetrack was conducted to determine feeding practices of the Standardbred trainers, to estimate crude protein (CP), digestible energy (DE), and dry matter (DM) consumption by racing Standardbreds, and to compare those intakes with 1989 recommendations of the National Research Council (NRC), “Nutrient Requirements of Horses.” Trainers were interviewed regarding: 1) the age and sex of the horses; 2) their feeding practices, and 3) the horse's training and racing schedule. Only adult horses which were actively racing and continuously stabled at the track were included.
Body weights (BW) estimated using a chest girth measurement resulted in an overall mean BW of 449 kg. Body condition scores were established for each horse with an overall mean score of 5.7 which indicated average body condition for a racing Standardbred at this track. Typical rations from each stable were weighed, and feed samples of hays and concentrates were analyzed at a commercial laboratory to determine CP, DM, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and estimated energy density. A computer program calculated CP, DE, and DM values for each horse's ration based on amounts fed. The software program included with the 1989 NRC publication was used to compare estimated nutrient intakes with current NRC recommendations for a horse of a given BW.
All trainers fed a variety of hays and commercial grain mixes, and five trainers fed oats separately. The mean total intake of feed for all horses on an “as fed” basis was 16.1 kg. The estimated mean DM intake for all horses was 14.4 kg vs. NRC recommended 10.6 kg. The mean percentage of rough-age in the ration for all stables was 64% vs. a NRC recommendation of 35%. The mean CP% on a DM basis for all stables' rations was 14.5% vs. the NRC recommendation of 11.4%. The mean daily CP and estimated DE intakes for all horses were 2113 g and 37.6 Meal, respectively, in contrast to current NRC recommendations of 1189 g CP and 29.7 Meal DE. These data indicate that estimated CP, DE, and DM consumption are above the recommendations of NRC in 1989. 相似文献
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AIM: To describe characteristics of Thoroughbred training stables in Matamata and in all other locations in New Zealand combined, over two 19-month time periods in 1996-1997 and 1998-1999, representing equal length periods immediately prior to and after the construction of a new training surface at the Matamata Racing Club. METHODS: Retrospective records covering all horses training and racing in New Zealand during two 19-month time periods (1996-1997 and 1998-1999), covering 161 locations, were obtained from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR). Outcome variables included whether a horse was raced again in the 6 months following any start in the first 13 months of either time period, number of race starts for every horse, and finishing position. Summary measures with confidence intervals (CI) and unadjusted odds ratios (OR), measuring strength of associations for various factors, were computed. RESULTS: The datasets contained information on 45,446 horses, 11,336 races, 5,110 trials and a total of 110,643 race starts. Horses trained at Matamata represented 8% (3,715) of the total horse datasets, and accounted for 11,977 race starts (10.8%). They were more likely to start in a race or trial in either time period and were 1.4 and 1.3 times as likely to finish first, second or third compared with horses trained at other locations in 1996-1997 and 1998-1999, respectively. A 6-month no-race period occurred for 9,306/12,584 (74%) horses that started at least once in the first 13 months of either time period. Horses trained at Matamata were less likely to have a 6-month no-race period than horses trained at other locations in both time periods. There was no effect of time period within each location on the probability of either a horse having a 6-month no-race period or of a race start being followed by a 6-month no-race period, but there was an overall effect of time and more 6-month no-race periods were observed in 1998-1999 relative to 1996-1997. CONCLUSION: Summary statistics are presented for Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand over two 19-month time periods. Differences between the populations of horses trained in Matamata compared with those trained at other locations were attributed, in part, to the fact that many of the more successful racehorse trainers in the country have stables at Matamata. As a result, the population of horses in Matamata may not be representative of the racehorse population in New Zealand. Although more likely to win or place in both time periods, the magnitude of the advantage to horses in Matamata was reduced in 1998-1999 relative to 1996-1997, and this could be due, in part, to effects of the new track surface at Matamata. There was no evidence of a rise in risk of a 6-month no-race period following any race start in those horses trained in Matamata in 1998-1999 relative to either horses trained at other locations or to horses trained in Matamata during the earlier time period. 相似文献
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A survey of 72 thoroughbred trainers in several regions of NSW was conducted to better define current grain feeding practices, and the risks involved with grain feeding in the Australian thoroughbred racing industry. Results from the survey indicate that horses in the industry are currently being fed an average of 7.3 +/- 0.23 kg of grain concentrate per day, with oats, commercial pre-mixed diets and corn most commonly used. The feeding of extruded, micronised and steam flaked grains was uncommon. The results of grain and faecal sample analyses conducted during the survey indicate that incomplete starch digestion in the equine small intestine and subsequent hindgut starch fermentation and low hindgut pH are common. These observations quantify the adverse impact of current grain feeding practices on faecal measures of gut health and demonstrate that when selecting grains for use in the thoroughbred racehorse, greater emphasis should be placed on the starch digestibility characteristics of grains. 相似文献
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AIM: To establish the prevalence and factors influencing the prevalence and severity of gastric ulceration in racehorses in New Zealand. METHODS: Horses (n=171) in active training for racing by trainers (n=24) located throughout New Zealand were examined using gastroscopy during 2003 and 2004. Images of the examination were recorded and reviewed, and an ordinal grade based on the severity of gastric ulceration present was assigned, using the grading system proposed by the Equine Gastric Ulcer Council (EGUC). Information about the horses such as age, breed, sex, stabling, time at pasture, pasture quality, and presence of clinical signs consistent with equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) was recorded. RESULTS: Of the 171 horses in the study, 133 (78%) were Thoroughbreds and 38 (22%) were Standardbreds. Evidence of gastric ulceration was present in 151 (88.3%) of these. Prevalence of ulceration was higher at the lesser curvature (LC) and greater curvature (GC) of the stomach than at the saccus caecus (SC; p<0.01), and ulceration was more severe at the LC than at either the GC (p=0.02) or the SC (p<0.001). The prevalence of ulceration did not differ between the two breeds (p=0.51) or between horses of differing ages (p=0.56). Gastric ulceration was evident in 125/141 (89%) horses kept at pasture for at least 4 h/day, in all 13 (100%) horses kept at pasture full time, and in 16/17 (94%) horses stabled full time. Prevalence and severity of ulceration did not differ between horses stabled full time, kept at pasture for part of the day or kept at pasture full time (p=0.33 and 0.13, respectively), and for horses grazed on pasture severity of ulceration did not vary significantly with the quality of the pasture (p=0.12). Neither prevalence (p=0.26) nor severity (p=0.49) of gastric ulceration varied significantly with duration of training. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of gastric ulceration in racehorses in New Zealand is similar to that reported elsewhere for horses in active training for racing. Access to pasture for some or all of the day did not appear to be protective. 相似文献
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Information on the incidence of injury, illness, and unexplained loss of athletic performance of 2345 Standardbred racehorses was gathered from a telephone survey of 177 trainers during the 1996-1997 season. Trainer-reported incidence of infection and illness (18%) was higher than the incidence of musculoskeletal problems (10%) or unexplained athletic performance loss (6%). Older horses (>5 years) were more likely to develop musculoskeletal problems (odds ratio [OR] = 3.9; confidence interval [CI] = 1.8-8.2) and performance loss OR = 2.3, CI = 1.1-5.2) than 2-year-old horses. Horses were more likely to suffer musculoskeletal problems if fast-worked on tracks or surfaces with no banking compared with those fast-worked on tracks with banking similar to commercial racetracks OR = 4.6, CI = 2.0-9.9). Horses given no warm-up before high-intensity exercise were more likely to suffer a musculoskeletal problem than horses given a light warm-up of 1 to 9 minutes OR = 2.5, CI = 1.5-4.4). Horses trained for more than 164 min·wk−1 were more likely to suffer musculoskeletal problems OR = 1.7, CI = 1.1-2.8) and athletic performance loss OR = 2.5, CI = 1.4-4.4) than horses trained for shorter periods. Horses given a moderate weekly exercise duration (132-148 min·wk−1) had the lowest rates of infection and illness, but short (114-131 min·wk−1) or very long (>164 min·wk−1) weekly exercise duration increased the risk of horses suffering infection and illness OR = 1.6, CI = 1.1-2.2 and OR = 1.3, CI = 1.0-1.9, respectively). We conclude that Standardbred trainers could avoid many training and health problems by using well-banked tracks, providing a proper warm-up, and avoiding excessive training.
Introduction
Racehorses suffer from a variety of health and training problems that may result in poor performance. Musculoskeletal injury is a major problem in Thoroughbred racehorses, accounting for as much as 53% of the lost training and racing days.[1 and 2] Thoroughbreds that race too often, [2 and 3] have insufficient training before racing, [4] or perform too much high-speed work [5] have a greater risk of musculoskeletal problems. Performance may also be affected by respiratory infection, which is responsible for 12% of lost training or racing days. [1]Poor performance can also develop in an otherwise apparently healthy horse. Such unexplained loss of athletic performance may arise from undiagnosed health problems or from too much training.[6] Overtraining described as a state of prolonged fatigue caused by too much training or insufficient recovery [7] has been demonstrated in horses in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, [8 and 9] but the incidence of athletic performance loss because of overtraining in the population is unknown. Recently reported prospective studies that used the same group of horses has found that overtraining appeared to be difficult to induce in horses, [10, 11, 12 and 13] which may indicate that overtraining accounts for little of the loss in athletic performance suffered by Standardbred racehorses.It is thought that lameness is the most important cause of poor racing performance in Standardbreds[14]; however, the incidence of musculoskeletal problems causing lameness in Standardbreds is lacking. There is also little information on the incidence of respiratory disease or athletic performance loss in Standardbreds. The purpose of this study was to determine the trainer-reported incidence of these problems in Standardbred racehorses and to reveal any association with factors such as sex, age, ability, training, track surface, and track design.Materials and methods
A survey was administered by telephone to 177 Standardbred racehorse trainers randomly selected from a list of 300 trainers compiled by Harness Racing New Zealand. The survey was administered at the end of the 1996-1997 racing season, which lasts from about September through June, and questions asked during the survey related to the 1996-1997 racing season. Trainers were asked to recall the total number of horses that experienced an unexplained and consistent loss of athletic performance (“performance decrease that lasted for at least two weeks, which was not obviously as a result of tying up, infection, illness, or musculoskeletal problems”). Trainers were also asked for the total number of horses that suffered infection or illness (viral and bacterial infections and respiratory diseases but not bleeding from the lungs), and musculoskeletal problems (lameness caused by muscle, tendon, bone, or back injuries that resulted in lost training days). Pilot work involved testing the questionnaire on 10 local horse trainers; from their feedback and that of other colleagues and horse trainers, more than 11 revisions were made. The interview consisted of 65 questions and lasted approximately 20 minutes. The incidences of performance loss and health problems detailed in this study are trainer-diagnosed; however, in the majority of cases (80%), the horses were also examined by a veterinarian and their diagnosis was consistent with the trainer's. Unfortunately, full details of the veterinary examination were not obtained during this study.To examine the influence of track design and banking, trainers were asked to compare the banking of their training tracks to the banking of a commercial racetrack (Forbury Park Raceway, Dunedin, New Zealand, which had a banking angle of approximately 2.3 degrees). Trainers had to decide whether the banking of their track was more, less, or about the same as the banking of the commercial track. Because of the need to keep the questionnaire to a reasonable size, in-depth training data was collected on only one particular group of horses—qualified maidens. Qualified maiden racehorses (previously raced but unplaced) represent the largest group of racehorses in training in New Zealand. Trainers were also asked whether they trained their other horses (faster, slower, unqualified, 1-7, or >7 wins) any differently from the qualified maidens. Information on training type, duration, and intensity were gathered for each day of a typical training week. Exercise duration and total training workload was divided into quintiles (5 equal sections) and contrasts between the quintiles were then examined. Trainers were specifically asked about the duration of the warm-up, which was not included in the total training time. Warm-up was defined as the initial preparatory phase of a training session in which the horse is slowly accustomed to low-intensity exercise and prepared for further high-intensity exercise.Although it is acknowledged that career wins is a crude method of assessing racing ability, it was the most appropriate method available to the researchers during a phone interview that gave some indication of horses' ability. Trainers were therefore asked about the number of wins for each horse and horses were grouped according to the total number of career wins. The Human Ethics Committee of the University of Otago reviewed and approved this project (reference number 97/049).The survey data were analyzed using a repeated-measures general modeling procedure (Proc Genmod, SAS Institute, Cary, NC), which estimated the effect of age, sex, gait, number of wins, warm-up, track design, training duration, and workload as odds ratios ORs). The OR is a way of comparing whether the probability of a certain event is the same for two groups. An OR of 1 implies that the event is equally likely in both groups, whereas an OR of more than one implies that the event is more likely in the first group compared with the second. For example, the odds of a horse suffering a musculoskeletal injury if fast-worked on tracks with no banking is 0.52 (cases/noncases = 12 injured/23 noninjured), whereas the odds of a horse suffering a musculoskeletal injury on well-banked tracks is 0.11 (37 injured/329 noninjured). Therefore, the OR is 4.6 and is interpreted as: 4.6 horses suffer a musculoskeletal injury if fast-worked on an unbanked track compared with every 1 horse that suffers the same injury when fast-worked on well-banked tracks. Proc Genmod (SAS Institute) analyzed the total number of horses in a particular subgroup and the total number of problems in the same subgroup for each trainer. A type I error of 5% was chosen for declaration of statistical significance; precision of estimates was represented by the 95% confidence interval (CI), the likely range of the true value.To estimate the reliability of the trainer's responses, a second questionnaire identical to the first was administered to 17 randomly selected trainers from the same sample 8 months after the original survey. The trainers' responses to the same questions from separate surveys given 8 months apart were used to gauge reliability of the survey. Questions on the sex, gait, and number of race wins of the horses under the trainers' care that suffered health and training-related problems were analyzed. These variables represented population characteristics of the horses that could change with time as horses entered or left the trainers stables, and therefore affect the reliability of the reported data. Survey reliability was found by comparing the empirical standard error of the odds ratio from the initial (Main) and second (Rely) surveys after adjustment for sample size. When the empirical standard error was similar (within one decimal place) between studies, then reliability was considered low, but when the empirical standard error was smaller in the Rely survey compared with the Main survey, then the reliability of the survey was acceptable.Results
Overall training and health problems
Horses were 2.1 times more likely to suffer from infections and illness than from musculoskeletal problems (CI = 1.4-2.8, P < .001) and musculoskeletal problems were 1.7 times more likely to occur than athletic performance loss (CI = 1.2-2.3, P < .001). Horses that had no recognized problems raced 12 ± 6 times (mean ± SD) over the main racing season (September 1996-June 1997).Athletic performance loss
Sixty-eight trainers reported that a total of 146 horses developed a decrease in athletic performance not readily associated with musculoskeletal injury, illness, or tying-up during the season (6% of the 2345 horses sampled). Most horses (78%) that suffered athletic performance loss required at least 6 weeks to recover to normal form; the remaining 22% recovered within 4 weeks. In general, the decrease in athletic performance occurred towards the middle and end of the racing season. The incidence of athletic performance loss in the various subgroups of horses is shown in Table 1, and the ORs and confidence limits for statistically significant differences in incidence within each subgroup are shown in Table 2. 相似文献17.
A telephone survey was conducted of 100 racing stables, 100 riding schools and 100 competition establishments (8,427 horses in total) to determine what management practices were being applied to horses showing stereotypic behaviour, and to determine the underlying reasons for them by assessing the perceptions and opinions of the people working with the horses. The results indicated that horse owners are concerned about stereotypic behaviour, first, because it reduces the performance of the animal (31, 30 and 27 per cent of the owners of racing stables, riding schools and competition establishments respectively), secondly, because it has adverse clinical effects on the horse (52, 55 and 56 per cent), and thirdly, because it reduces the monetary value of the animal (45, 59 and 31 per cent). The belief that these behaviours are learnt or copied also affects the management of affected horses: they are not allowed on to the premises by 4, 32 and 17 per cent of owners of racing stables, riding schools and competition establishments, respectively; attempts are made to remove the causal factors of the stereotypy by 35, 43 and 36 per cent; the behaviours are physically prevented by 77, 67 and 79 per cent, and the affected horses are kept separate from other horses by 39, 30 and 48 per cent. 相似文献
18.
J M Hudson N D Cohen P G Gibbs J A Thompson 《Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association》2001,219(10):1419-1425
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether specific feeding practices were associated with development of colic in horses. DESIGN: Prospective matched case-control study. ANIMALS: 364 horses examined by veterinarians in private practice in Texas because of colic (cases; n = 182) or any other reason (controls; 182). PROCEDURE: Participating veterinarians were sent forms at the beginning of the study to collect information on signalment, feeding management practices, farm management practices, and preventive medical treatments. Case and control horses were compared by use of conditional logistic regression to identify factors associated with colic. RESULTS: Risk factors for colic were a recent change in batch of hay, decreased exposure to pasture, a recent change in type of grain or concentrate fed, feeding > 2.7 kg (6 lb) of oats/d, feeding hay from round bales, and Thoroughbred breed. Recent anthelmintic administration decreased the risk of colic. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that certain changes in diet (eg, change in batch of hay, change in type of grain or concentrate, feeding hay from round bales) and management (eg, decreased availability of pasture) increase the risk of colic in horses. 相似文献
19.
The aim of this study was to quantify training practices used by leading trainers of standardbred maiden pacers in New Zealand. Ninety-five of the top 100 trainers (ranked by number of wins in the previous year) were interviewed about the preparation and racing phases of their training. The duration of the preparation period was 13.6±2.8 weeks (mean±SD). Most trainers (72%) had two phases of training in this period; the remainder had either three (26%) or four (1%) phases. In the initial preparation phase most trainers (88%) followed a training program of daily jogging, with one day off each week; in the final preparation phase most trainers (84%) alternated days of jogging and hoppling, with one day off each week. For the racing phase trainers were asked to provide information on daily training between fortnightly races; in this phase 66% of trainers continued to alternate jogging and hoppling. Jogging work-outs, which did not differ substantially between phases, lasted 37±8 min (mean ± SD) at 19.6±3.9 km/hr. Hoppling workouts were mostly over distances of 3200 m; they increased in speed from 38.7±3.0 to 43.0±1.8 km/hr over the final preparation phase, and from 40.2±4.4 to 42.0±2.4 km/hr over the fortnight of racing. Training loads generally appeared to be light relative to those of comparable human athletes. Correlations of training practices with the rank order of trainers indicated that winning was linked significantly (P<0.05) to having more horses (r=0.48), more maidens (r=0.36), and more than two preparation phases (r=0.22), but not to any aspect of training load (|r|=0.00–0.13). We conclude that only large changes in training load are likely to affect the success rate of trainers. 相似文献
20.
REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Although subclinical airway inflammation is thought to be common in horses, there is little information on its prevalence and none on risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for an increased number of inflammatory cells and for mucus accumulation in the trachea of pleasure horses. METHODS: Horses (n = 266) in stables (n = 21) in Michigan were examined endoscopically, once in winter and once in summer 2004. Visible tracheal mucoid secretions were graded 0-5 and inflammatory cell numbers counted in a tracheal lavage sample. Information collected about each horse included age, gender, presence of cough, percent time indoors and source of roughage. The repeated measures were analysed by generalised estimating equations and linear mixed models. RESULTS: Horses eating hay, especially from round bales, had the most neutrophils, whereas horses feeding from pasture had the fewest. Being female and being outdoors in winter were associated with increased numbers of inflammatory cells. Older horses had fewer macrophages than young horses. More than 70% of horses had >20% neutrophils in tracheal lavage. Twenty percent of horses had a mucus accumulation score >1; 17% had both a mucus score >1 and >20% neutrophils. The significant risk factors for mucus accumulation >1 were age >15 years, feeding on hay as compared to pasture, and being outdoors for more than 80% time in winter. Even though mucus accumulation score >1 was a risk factor for cough, only half of such horses coughed. Cough and mucus accumulation were associated with increased number of neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison to pasture feeding, hay feeding, particularly from round bales, was associated with an increased number of neutrophils in the airway. Being outdoors in winter was associated with increased numbers of inflammatory cells and with mucus accumulation. Because 70% of horses have >20% neutrophils, this value should not be used as the sole indicator of airway inflammation. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: The study reinforces the importance of hay feeding and older age as risk factors for inflammatory airway disease. Horses that do not have 'heaves' may be best kept indoors when winters are cold. 相似文献