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Effect of winter blanket weight on surface temperature of horses in cold environments
Abstracts / Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 52 (2017) 96e109
research has shown a radiographic difference in hoof angles and have identified a relationship between asymmetry and performance variables of horses competing in a variety of disciplines. This study measured hoof angle of yearling horses, which could change considerably before the onset of racing. However, previous results have shown that the magnitude of asymmetries tends to increase with age. Further studies could explore the relationship between current asymmetries of horses in race training and performance or the development of asymmetries with age.
tended to be warmer (P ¼ 0.08) in HW compared with LW but was not different (P ¼ 0.65) from MW. The change in back temperature after being outside decreased significantly (P 0.01) in CON compared with all other treatments. In conclusion, wearing a winter blanket can increase back surface temperature during cold weather with the degree of warmth influenced by blanket weight. Key Words: horse, blanket, thermography
Key Words: asymmetry, hoof angle
160 Effect of body condition score on body fat composition of stock-type horses
159 Effect of winter blanket weight on surface temperature of horses in cold environments
E.N. Ferjak*, C.A. Cavinder, D.D. Burnett, T.T.N. Dinh Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, US
C.J. Hammer*, M.A. Gunkelman North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA The objective of this study was to examine changes in surface temperature of blanketed horses during cold weather. Four mature stock type horses with heavy winter coats were utilized in a 4 4 Latin square design. Treatments included 3 different blanket weights (based on g of fiberfill): light-weight (0 g; LW), medium-weight (200 g; MW), heavy-weight (400 g; HW), and a non-blanketed control (CON). Blankets covered the chest, abdomen, and hip area (Rambo Wug, Horsewear Ireland, Kinston, NC). The day before data collection, a rectangular area was clipped beginning 5 cm off midline and extending the length of the lumbar region on the left side of the horse. The depth of the rectangle was standardized at 20 cm. This lumbar rectangle was used to standardize the location for thermographic imaging. The caudal side of the left ear was chosen as the standardized location for a non-covered extremity. Thermographic images (FLIR T420, Vetel Diagnostics, San Luis Obispo, CA) were obtained from the clipped lumbar rectangle and caudal side of the ear before blanketing. Horses were blanketed and turned outside in a pen with no shelter and ad libitum access to grass hay and water. Weather conditions were clear with a mean temperature of 12 C and wind chill of 32 C. After 1 h, horses were brought inside (13 C) and ear and back temperatures immediately recorded. Horses were allowed a 30 min equilibration period inside the barn between each sampling period. Analysis of variance was computed using the general linear model procedure of SAS. Model included treatment, period, and treatment x period interaction. Statistical significance was declared at Pvalues 0.05. There was no difference in any of the pretreatment temperature measurements. Pretreatment temperatures for ear and back were 20.3 and 29.4 C, respectively. There was an overall treatment effect (P ¼ 0.02) for back temperatures after horses were outside for 1 h but no treatment effect (P ¼ 0.30) on ear temperature. After being outside for 1 h, back temperatures were 22.3, 26.8, 30.3, and 31.5 C for CON, LW, MW, and HW, respectively. Back temperature was warmer (P 0.008) for HW and MW compared with CON, and tended to be warmer (P ¼ 0.10) in LW compared with CON. Additionally, back temperature
109
Research indicates that body condition in horses is correlated with reproductive efficiency and indicative of metabolic and lameness issues. Most commonly used is the body condition scoring (BCS) system involving visual and palpable appraisal of various anatomical locations to assign a numerical score of 1 to 9. This scoring systems is subjective and has not been associated with body fat (BF, %) composition. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess the effect of BCS on BF composition of stock-type horses. Twenty-one mature, stocktype horses of BCS 4 (n ¼ 7; 452 ± 20 kg), 5 (n ¼ 9; 455 ± 11 kg), and 6 (n ¼ 5; 493 ± 12 kg) were selected based on 3 primary criteria: geriatric, crippled, and/or unsafe. Approximately 20 h before slaughter, horses were weighed and measured via ultrasound for rump fat (RF) thickness. Horses were then individually sedated (1.1 mg xylazine/kg BW) and anesthetized (2.2 mg ketamine/kg BW); and KCl solution was administered to cease cardiac functions before exsanguination (Mississippi State University IACUC protocol #15093). After euthanasia, horse carcasses were processed and dissected and tissues were collected for near-infrared spectroscopic (NIR) analysis. Body fat on a hot carcass weight (HCW) basis was lesser in horses of BCS 4 (3.37%; P 0.047) than those in horses of BCS 5 and 6 (5.58 and 7.64%, respectively). Horses of BCS 5 and 6 did not differ in HCW-based BF (P ¼ 0.063). Body fat was also determined on the bases of live (LW) and exsanguinated (DW) animal weights and mathematically reconstructed weights of animal with removed gut content (EGW) and animal with removed blood and gut (EAW). Body fat on LW and DW bases was greater in horses of BCS 6 (P 0.044) but did not differ among horses of BCS 4 and 5. On EGW and EAW bases, BF only differed among horses of BCS 4 and 6 (P 0.005). The varying level of significance when BF was calculated on different weight bases could be explained by great variation in weights of heads, legs, tails, hides, blood, and gut content among horses, even those within the same BCS. The current study indicated that BCS might have a greater impact on BF in horses of low condition than in those of high condition. Further research is needed with a wider range of BCS to support this conclusion. Key Words: body fat, BCS, horse
research has shown a radiographic difference in hoof angles and have identified a relationship between asymmetry and performance variables of horses competing in a variety of disciplines. This study measured hoof angle of yearling horses, which could change considerably before the onset of racing. However, previous results have shown that the magnitude of asymmetries tends to increase with age. Further studies could explore the relationship between current asymmetries of horses in race training and performance or the development of asymmetries with age.
tended to be warmer (P ¼ 0.08) in HW compared with LW but was not different (P ¼ 0.65) from MW. The change in back temperature after being outside decreased significantly (P 0.01) in CON compared with all other treatments. In conclusion, wearing a winter blanket can increase back surface temperature during cold weather with the degree of warmth influenced by blanket weight. Key Words: horse, blanket, thermography
Key Words: asymmetry, hoof angle
160 Effect of body condition score on body fat composition of stock-type horses
159 Effect of winter blanket weight on surface temperature of horses in cold environments
E.N. Ferjak*, C.A. Cavinder, D.D. Burnett, T.T.N. Dinh Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, US
C.J. Hammer*, M.A. Gunkelman North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA The objective of this study was to examine changes in surface temperature of blanketed horses during cold weather. Four mature stock type horses with heavy winter coats were utilized in a 4 4 Latin square design. Treatments included 3 different blanket weights (based on g of fiberfill): light-weight (0 g; LW), medium-weight (200 g; MW), heavy-weight (400 g; HW), and a non-blanketed control (CON). Blankets covered the chest, abdomen, and hip area (Rambo Wug, Horsewear Ireland, Kinston, NC). The day before data collection, a rectangular area was clipped beginning 5 cm off midline and extending the length of the lumbar region on the left side of the horse. The depth of the rectangle was standardized at 20 cm. This lumbar rectangle was used to standardize the location for thermographic imaging. The caudal side of the left ear was chosen as the standardized location for a non-covered extremity. Thermographic images (FLIR T420, Vetel Diagnostics, San Luis Obispo, CA) were obtained from the clipped lumbar rectangle and caudal side of the ear before blanketing. Horses were blanketed and turned outside in a pen with no shelter and ad libitum access to grass hay and water. Weather conditions were clear with a mean temperature of 12 C and wind chill of 32 C. After 1 h, horses were brought inside (13 C) and ear and back temperatures immediately recorded. Horses were allowed a 30 min equilibration period inside the barn between each sampling period. Analysis of variance was computed using the general linear model procedure of SAS. Model included treatment, period, and treatment x period interaction. Statistical significance was declared at Pvalues 0.05. There was no difference in any of the pretreatment temperature measurements. Pretreatment temperatures for ear and back were 20.3 and 29.4 C, respectively. There was an overall treatment effect (P ¼ 0.02) for back temperatures after horses were outside for 1 h but no treatment effect (P ¼ 0.30) on ear temperature. After being outside for 1 h, back temperatures were 22.3, 26.8, 30.3, and 31.5 C for CON, LW, MW, and HW, respectively. Back temperature was warmer (P 0.008) for HW and MW compared with CON, and tended to be warmer (P ¼ 0.10) in LW compared with CON. Additionally, back temperature
109
Research indicates that body condition in horses is correlated with reproductive efficiency and indicative of metabolic and lameness issues. Most commonly used is the body condition scoring (BCS) system involving visual and palpable appraisal of various anatomical locations to assign a numerical score of 1 to 9. This scoring systems is subjective and has not been associated with body fat (BF, %) composition. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to assess the effect of BCS on BF composition of stock-type horses. Twenty-one mature, stocktype horses of BCS 4 (n ¼ 7; 452 ± 20 kg), 5 (n ¼ 9; 455 ± 11 kg), and 6 (n ¼ 5; 493 ± 12 kg) were selected based on 3 primary criteria: geriatric, crippled, and/or unsafe. Approximately 20 h before slaughter, horses were weighed and measured via ultrasound for rump fat (RF) thickness. Horses were then individually sedated (1.1 mg xylazine/kg BW) and anesthetized (2.2 mg ketamine/kg BW); and KCl solution was administered to cease cardiac functions before exsanguination (Mississippi State University IACUC protocol #15093). After euthanasia, horse carcasses were processed and dissected and tissues were collected for near-infrared spectroscopic (NIR) analysis. Body fat on a hot carcass weight (HCW) basis was lesser in horses of BCS 4 (3.37%; P 0.047) than those in horses of BCS 5 and 6 (5.58 and 7.64%, respectively). Horses of BCS 5 and 6 did not differ in HCW-based BF (P ¼ 0.063). Body fat was also determined on the bases of live (LW) and exsanguinated (DW) animal weights and mathematically reconstructed weights of animal with removed gut content (EGW) and animal with removed blood and gut (EAW). Body fat on LW and DW bases was greater in horses of BCS 6 (P 0.044) but did not differ among horses of BCS 4 and 5. On EGW and EAW bases, BF only differed among horses of BCS 4 and 6 (P 0.005). The varying level of significance when BF was calculated on different weight bases could be explained by great variation in weights of heads, legs, tails, hides, blood, and gut content among horses, even those within the same BCS. The current study indicated that BCS might have a greater impact on BF in horses of low condition than in those of high condition. Further research is needed with a wider range of BCS to support this conclusion. Key Words: body fat, BCS, horse