Developmental aspects of distal limb conformation in the horse: the potential consequences of uneven feet in foals     

Kroekenstoel AM  van Heel MC  van Weeren PR  Back W 《Equine veterinary journal》2006,38(7):652-656

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Distal limb conformation is generally accepted to be an important item with respect to performance and soundness in mature horses, but little is known about the developmental aspects. OBJECTIVES: To gain insight into the development of distal limb conformation and to assess the possible consequences of uneven feet in foals. METHODS: Conformation of the distal front limbs of 23 Warmblood foals was scored visually and measured using radiographs, at ages 27 and 55 weeks. At the same ages, pressure measurements were made under both front feet. RESULTS: At both ages the hoof-pastern axis was broken-backwards on radiographs, but only occasionally recognised as such, when scored by eye. Over time, the hoof angle decreased, while both the angles of the dorsal and solar surfaces of the distal phalanx (P3) increased and the parallelism between hoof wall and P3 improved. The foals with uneven feet at age 27 weeks showed a significant difference in distal limb loading that persisted until age 55 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The alignment of the distal limb in the sagittal plane increased in a 6 month period. Visual assessment was not sensitive enough to appreciate this. The growth processes in the distal limb could not compensate for existing unevenness and ensuing asymmetrical limb loading. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Foals have a different conformation of the distal limb from mature horses, which should be taken into account when interpreting radiographs. Unevenness of the feet resulted in asymmetrical loading of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joint, which might lead to increased susceptibility to overload injuries and decreased performance at mature age.  相似文献   

Hoof ground interaction: when biomechanical stimuli challenge the tissues of the distal limb     

Johnston C  Back W 《Equine veterinary journal》2006,38(7):634-641

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Hoof growth between two shoeing sessions leads to a substantial increase of the moment about the distal, but not the proximal, interphalangeal joint     

Moleman M  van Heel MC  van Weeren PR  Back W 《Equine veterinary journal》2006,38(2):170-174

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: There is little insight into the effects of routine farriery on the internal structures of the distal limb in sound horses. OBJECTIVES: To measure the effect of change in hoof conformation during a shoeing interval on the moments about the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints (PIPJ, DIPJ) and to determine whether and how the horse compensates for this change in hoof conformation. METHODS: Both front feet of 9 sound Warmblood horses were measured while standing on a pressure-force measuring system and radiographed in a lateromedial direction shortly after shoeing and 8 weeks later. From these data, ground reaction forces (GRF) and lever arms were measured in order to calculate joint moments. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, the moment about the PIPJ did not increase significantly, but the moment about the DIPJ did so, indicating a compensatory mechanism for a change in hoof conformation in the DIPJ. CONCLUSIONS: Standing horses compensate for hoof conformation change during an 8-week shoeing interval, which leads to increased DIPJ extension and consequently an increased loading of the deep digital flexor tendon. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: This study quantifies the effect of a shoeing interval on the internal structures of the foot and helps to determine an appropriate shoeing interval for individual horses in which the hoof with the lowest hoof angle is the best indicator. The exact determination of an optimal individual shoeing interval requires further study.  相似文献   

Saddle pressure measuring: validity, reliability and power to discriminate between different saddle-fits     

de Cocq P  van Weeren PR  Back W 《Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)》2006,172(2):265-273

Saddle-fit is recognised as an important factor in the pathogenesis of back problems in horses and is empirically being evaluated by pressure measurements in clinical practice, although not much is known about the validity, reliability and usability of these devices in the equine field. This study was conducted to assess critically a pressure measurement system marketed for evaluating saddle fit. Validity was tested by calculating the correlation coefficient between total measured pressure and the weight of 28 different riders. Reliability and discriminative power with respect to different saddle fitting methods were evaluated in a highly standardised, paired measurement set-up in which saddle-fit was quantified by air-pressure values inside the panels of the saddle. Total pressures under the saddle correlated well with riders' weight. A large increase in over-day sensor variation was found. Within trial intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were excellent, but the between trial ICCs varied from poor to excellent and the variation in total pressure was high. In saddles in which the fit was adjusted to individual asymmetries of the horse, the pressure measurement device was able to detect correctly air-pressure differences between the two panels in the back area of the saddle, but not in the front area. The device yielded valid results, but was only reliable in highly standardised conditions. The results question the indiscriminate use of current saddle pressure measurement devices for the quantitative assessment of saddle-fit under practical conditions and suggest that further technical improvement may be necessary.  相似文献   

Role of the waxy skin layer in moisture loss during dehydration of prunes     

Price WE  Sabarez HT  Storey R  Back PJ 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2000,48(9):4193-4198

Permeability studies of water through the skin and flesh of d'Agen plums have been carried out by radiotracer and PGSE NMR techniques as a function of moisture content. The results have shown that the diffusion coefficient of water through the skin layer increases as the fruit is dried at 70 degrees C or above. By contrast, the water diffusion through the fruit becomes more hindered as moisture is lost and structural collapse of the cell layers takes place. Values for diffusion coefficients of water at 21 degrees C through the fruit of 1 x 10(-)(9) m(2) s(-)(1) for fresh plums and 2.0 x 10(-)(10) m(2) s(-)(1) for fruit dried to 50% moisture content (wet basis) were found. Structural studies using scanning electron microscopy techniques were also performed. These showed that drying induces marked changes to the waxy skin layer of the fruit as well as the fruit flesh. These results are discussed in terms of the important role that the plum skin has in modulating the moisture loss process during dehydration, particularly at early stages of drying.  相似文献   

Cervical disc width index is a reliable parameter and consistent in young growing Dutch Warmblood horses     

Stefanie Veraa  Carmen J.W. Scheffer  Danielle H.M. Smeets  Renske B. de Bruin  Arie C. Hoogendoorn  Johannes C.M. Vernooij  Mirjam Nielen  Willem Back 《Veterinary radiology & ultrasound》2021,62(1):11-19

Intervertebral disc disease, as well as the associated alteration of the radiographic intervertebral disc space width, has been reported in horses. Disc height index (DHI) has proven to be an accurate and objective parameter in other species but data related to this parameter are lacking in horses. Therefore, the aims of this retrospective longitudinal diagnostic accuracy study were (a) to evaluate the reliability of measurements within and between observers of the equine Disc Width Index (EDWI) as a parameter for radiographic equine cervical intervertebral disc space width, and (b) to evaluate the sequential development of the EDWI over time. For this, EDWI from all intervertebral disc spaces between second cervical (C) to first thoracic (Th) vertebrae were obtained in a group of 39 Dutch Warmblood horses at 1, 5, and 18 months of age, by one European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging (ECVDI) board‐certified veterinary radiologist (S.V.) and two veterinary students. Bland‐Altmann plots and intraclass Correlation Coefficient revealed a good intra‐ and interobserver agreement. A linear mixed‐effect model did reveal that mean EDWI increases significantly toward the caudal cervical spine, but did not differ significantly for a certain location over time or between sexes. Spearman's rank test did show a significant correlation between the vertebral alignment angle induced by different head‐neck positions and a normalized EDWI (ρ = 0.33, P < .0001). Student's t‐test revealed that the presence of C6‐C7 transposition of the transverse processes did not influence EDWI significantly. It was concluded that EDWI represents a reliable parameter for equine cervical radiographic intervertebral disc space width. Practical implementation of EDWI warrants monitoring in a group of adult horses while maintaining a standardized head‐neck position.  相似文献   

The use of the walking cast to repair fractures in horses and ponies   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

F Németh  W Back 《Equine veterinary journal》1991,23(1):32-36

The walking cast was used to repair 46 fractures of long bones (distal radius and tibia, metacarpus and metatarsus) and 10 fractures of first phalanx of 35 horses and 21 ponies. The walking cast proved to be highly effective. Even heavily comminuted and 'hopeless' fractures, which could not be treated with osteosynthesis, were treated successfully, because the weight of the animal, a common failure factor in large animal orthopaedics, was relieved from the injured leg. Immediate full weight bearing was possible post operatively. In five cases the walking cast was used in combination with osteosynthesis. Infection was the main complication that caused the walking cast to fail. Osteomyelitis may also be treated with a walking cast. Because of its success rate of 57 per cent, which is impressive, considering the type of fractures treated, we recommend the walking cast for international accreditation.  相似文献   

Caudal cervical vertebral morphological variation is not associated with clinical signs in Warmblood horses     

S. Veraa  K. de Graaf  I. D. Wijnberg  W. Back  H. Vernooij  M. Nielen  A.J. M. Belt 《Equine veterinary journal》2020,52(2):219-224

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Cervical articular process joint osteochondrosis in Warmblood foals     

Wilhelmina Bergmann  Marjolijn de Mik-van Mourik  Stefanie Veraa  Jan van den Broek  Inge D. Wijnberg  Willem Back  Andrea Gröne 《Equine veterinary journal》2020,52(5):664-669

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AN EVALUATION OF AN ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT FOR PASTURE YIELD ESTIMATION     

H. L. Back 《Grass and Forage Science》1968,23(3):216-222

A model of the electronic instrument described by Campbell et al . (3) was built at the Grassland Research Institute and was found to behave in a very similar way to their New Zealand model. A considerable amount of field work was undertaken with it in 1964 and this demonstrated that no general relationship of acceptable accuracy had yet been found; nor could it be sufficiently improved by the inclusion of the meteorological and botanical factors recorded. This forces one to a consideration of double-sampling techniques, which appear worth while; they will be discussed in Part 2 of this paper.  相似文献