ScienceDaily: Horse News

Enzymes from horse feces could hold secrets to streamlining biofuel production

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:46:46 EDT

Stepping into unexplored territory in efforts to use corn stalks, grass and other non-food plants to make biofuels, scientists have now described the discovery of a potential treasure-trove of candidate enzymes in fungi thriving in the feces and intestinal tracts of horses.

The equine 'Adam' lived fairly recently: Close relationships among modern stallions

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:29:29 EDT

The analysis of DNA inherited from a single parent has provided valuable insights into the history of human and animal populations. However, until recently we had insufficient information to be able to investigate the paternal lines of the domestic horse. This gap has now been filled with new information on the genetic variability in the horse Y chromosome. Researchers have shown how various breeds of the modern horse are interrelated.

Blowing in the wind: How accurate is thermography of horses' legs?

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:25:25 EDT

Since its introduction fifty or so years ago, thermography has been increasingly used by vets to pinpoint the cause of lameness in horses. The method is fast and safe and is based on a simple idea. The horse’s body surface emits infrared radiation that can be detected by an infrared camera, which is both easy and inexpensive to use. The camera produces a coloured image that shows the variation in surface temperature across the area investigated. The temperature is directly related to the presence of blood vessels near the skin, so the method can detect local inflammatory lesions or regions of modified blood flow and thus help localize the origin of lameness.

Health risks were not consumers' first concern over horse meat contamination

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:47:47 EST

Days after the initial announcement by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on the 15th January that horse and pig DNA were found in beef burgers, researchers conducted an online consumer study, as part of the EU-funded project FoodRisC. This study took place before the latest developments about the widespread presence of horsemeat in certain beef products within some European countries.

Horses don't get stage fright -- but their riders do

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:06:06 EST

It is well known that horses show symptoms of stress when ridden but relatively little attention has been paid to the effects on their riders. This is surprising, as equestrian sports rely on the close cooperation between the animals and their riders. How does the horse-rider team cope with the stress involved in competing in an equestrian event?

Horse meat scandal: Experts views from across Europe

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:37:37 EST

It all started when the Irish Food Standard Authority realized, mid-January, that some of the burgers sold in the country (and in the UK) contained about 29% of equine DNA, upon testing. This was much more than could not be accounted for by cross contamination in a meat factory. Tracing the meat back through complex supply chain, the manufacturer pointed the finger at a meat producer in Poland. At the time of writing, this possible source of contamination has not been confirmed. Doubt remains, particularly because Ireland has been known for poor traceability of its own horse meat aimed at export, which was found to have falsified passports.

Research predicts growth, survival of 'superorganism' ant colonies

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:28:28 EST

Smaller ant colonies tend to live faster, die younger and burn up more energy than their larger counterparts, as do the individual ants that make up those colonies, according to new research that views the colonies as “superorganisms” in which social insects function much like the cells of a body.

Survival of the females: Horse embryo study provides important new information

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:20:20 EST

It is well known that many mammals are able to adjust the ratio of male and female young depending on the surrounding conditions at the time of conception. A recent study provides important information on how the survival of female embryos may be enhanced under conditions that would otherwise favor the birth of males.

Exercise affects reproductive ability in horses

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:18:18 EST

Results from the study showed that exercise induced greater cortisol concentrations in horses. Cortisol has been shown to have effects on reproduction.

Headshaking in horses: New treatment has 50% success rate

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:37:37 EST

A study has found a pioneering new surgical procedure, called caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve, could be a viable option for headshaking in horses with a long-term success rate of nearly 50 percent.

Vaccine to help prevent deadly Hendra virus

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:12:12 EST

A scientific discovery has led to the development of a vaccine to aid in the prevention of the deadly Hendra virus. On Nov. 1, Pfizer Animal Health announced that the new vaccine, called Equivac® HeV, is now available for use in Australia.

Stem cells could heal equine tendon injuries

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:11:11 EDT

Tendon injuries affect athletic horses at all levels. Researchers are studying the use of stem cells in treating equine tendon injuries. Stem cells injections are already common veterinary medicine, and scientists are curious how to make stem cell treatments more effective.

Cholera discovery could revolutionize antibiotic delivery

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:32:32 EDT

Scientists have made a discovery that could help revolutionize antibiotic treatment of deadly bacteria. They have explained how Vibrio cholerae became a deadly pathogen thousands of years ago. Two genes within V. cholerae's genome make it toxic and deadly. The bacterium acquired these genes when a bacterial virus or bacteriophage called CTX-phi infected it.

Psychology of equine performance and the biology behind laminitis

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:37:37 EDT

Achieving the best performance from a horse is the goal of not just professional riders, but also the millions of amateur and hobby riders all over the world. A new article looks at the issues surrounding training, competition environment and practices, and how the psychology of horse mood, emotion and temperament can be used to enhance performance.

Mosquito virus could lead to new vaccines and drugs

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:26:26 EDT

The newly discovered Eilat virus is closely related to some of the world's most dangerous pathogens but incapable of infecting non-insect hosts. This attribute could make the virus a uniquely useful tool for studying the viruses responsible for chikungunya, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis and eastern equine encephalitis. In addition, the researchers say, Eilat could also aid in the development of new vaccines, therapies and diagnostic techniques.

Can blue tits can save our conker trees?

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 06:57:57 EDT

Blue tits, a familiar garden bird in the U.K., could be the salvation of our imperiled conker trees (horse-chestnut trees), which are under severe attack by a tiny non-native moth that has spread from continental Europe.

Scientist creates test, treatment for malaria-like sickness in horses

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:21:21 EDT

A therapy used in an outbreak of equine piroplasmosis at the storied King Ranch in Texas is now being evaluated as a standard US treatment protocol.

Single gene has major impact on gaits in horses and in mice

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:15:15 EDT

A mutation in a single gene in horses that is critical for the ability to perform ambling gaits, for pacing and that has a major effect on performance in harness racing, new research shows. Experiments on this gene in mice have led to fundamental new knowledge about the neural circuits that control leg movements. The study is a breakthrough for our understanding of spinal cord neuronal circuitry and its control of locomotion in vertebrates.

The end of an era? Branding horses does not enable them to be identified

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:24:24 EDT

Despite increasing evidence that branding foals causes the animals stress, many horse breeders still claim that this practice represents the best method for identifying the animals. Although the debate has raged for some time, nobody has thought to pose the crucial question: How reliably can brand marks be read later? New results may well spell the end of the line for the traditional practice of branding horses.

Horse racing: Doping detection stays a neck ahead

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:25:25 EDT

Whilst the eyes of the world may currently be focused on the Olympics, human sport is not the only area where drug testing is routinely carried out. Horse racing is a massive world-wide industry, and regular testing is essential to maintain its integrity. As with human sport, the authorities constantly need to develop methodologies to detect new compounds that drug cheats are using or may start to use. One such compound is peginesatide.

Even Usain Bolt can't beat greyhounds, cheetahs...or pronghorn antelope

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:10:10 EDT

Even Usain Bolt, currently the fastest man in the world, couldn't outpace greyhounds, cheetahs, or the pronghorn antelope, finds a light-hearted comparison of the extraordinary athleticism of humans and animals.

Motion sensors detect horse lameness earlier than veterinarians

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:26:26 EDT

Equine veterinarians have developed a way to detect lameness using a motion detection system called the "Lameness Locator." Now, researchers have found that the Lameness Locator can detect lameness earlier than veterinarians using the traditional method of a subjective eye test.

Both innate and adaptive immune responses are critical to the control of influenza

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:54:54 EDT

Both innate and adaptive immune responses play an important role in controlling influenza virus infection, according to a new study.

Mystery of the domestication of the horse solved: Competing theories reconciled

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:41:41 EDT

New research indicates that domestic horses originated in the steppes of modern-day Ukraine, southwest Russia and west Kazakhstan, mixing with local wild stocks as they spread throughout Europe and Asia.

Jockeying for genetic advantage: DNA analysis to evaluate thoroughbreds

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:25:25 EDT

When you buy a racehorse, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Top yearlings at Keeneland’s 2011 Thoroughbred auction, for instance, averaged nearly $350,000 and hadn’t yet raced a step. Odds are that some of them never will. Now, thanks to a biologist, it’s possible to boost the odds of getting a winner with a simple genetic test.

Gluten sensitivity in sport horses

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:06:06 EDT

Chronic inflammatory small bowel disease has an increased prevalence in sport horses. The disorder is associated with intermittent colic, weight loss, poor performance and anemia. Chronic inflammatory small bowel disease seems to have a predominance in dressage horses, but its exact cause is unknown to date.

How bacteria resist a 'Trojan horse' antibiotic

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:42:42 EDT

A new study describes how bacteria use a previously unknown means to defeat an antibiotic. The researchers found that the bacteria have modified a common "housekeeping" enzyme in a way that enables the enzyme to recognize and disarm the antibiotic.

Earliest horses show past global warming affected body size of mammals

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:26:26 EST

As scientists continue developing climate change projection models, paleontologists studying an extreme short-term global warming event have discovered direct evidence about how mammals respond to rising temperatures. Researchers have now found a correlation between temperature and body size in mammals by following the evolution of the earliest horses about 56 million years ago: As temperatures increased, their body size decreased.

Evolution of earliest horses driven by climate change

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:26:26 EST

Some 56 million years ago, rising temps and concentrations of carbon dioxide caused mammals, including tiny Sifrhippus, to shrink. New research offers new evidence of why and how it happened and provides clues to what might happen to animals in the future from global warming.

How the quarter horse won the rodeo

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST

American Quarter Horses are renowned for their speed, agility, and calm disposition. Consequently over four million Quarter Horses are used as working horses on ranches, as show horses or at rodeos. New research used 'next-generation' sequencing to map variation in the genome of a Quarter Horse mare. Analysis of genetic variants associated with specific traits showed that compared to a thoroughbred the Quarter Horse's genome was enriched for variants in genes involved in sensory perception, signal transduction and the immune system.

How the zebra got its stripes

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST

Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies.

'Speed gene' in modern racehorses originated from British mare 300 years ago, scientists claim

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:01:01 EST

Scientists have traced the origin of the 'speed gene' in Thoroughbred racehorses back to a single British mare that lived in the United Kingdom around 300 years ago.

Horse fly named in honor of Beyoncé

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:36:36 EST

A previously unnamed species of horse fly whose appearance is dominated by its glamorous golden lower abdomen has been named in honor of American pop diva, Beyoncé -- a member of the former group Destiny's Child that recorded the 2001 hit single "Bootylicious."

Helping wild horses and livestock survive extreme weather in Gobi desert

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:16:16 EST

Winters in the Gobi desert are usually long and very cold but the winter of 2009/2010 was particularly severe, a condition Mongolians refer to as "dzud". Millions of livestock died in Mongolia and the re-introduced wild Przewalski's horse population crashed dramatically. Researchers have used spatially explicit loss statistics, ranger survey data and GPS telemetry to provide insights into the effect of a catastrophic climate event on wild horses, wild asses and livestock that share the same habitat but show different patterns of spatial use.

Ancient DNA provides new insights into cave paintings of horses

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:22:22 EST

An international team of researchers has used ancient DNA to shed new light on the realism of horses depicted in prehistoric cave paintings. The team, which includes researchers from the University of York, has found that all the colour variations seen in Paleolithic cave paintings – including distinctive ‘leopard’ spotting - existed in pre-domestic horse populations, lending weight to the argument that the artists were reflecting their natural environment.

Antibody treatment protects monkeys from Hendra virus disease

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:28:28 EDT

A human antibody given to monkeys infected with the deadly Hendra virus completely protected them from disease, according to a new study. Hendra and the closely related Nipah virus, both rare viruses that are part of the NIH biodefense research program, target the lungs and brain and have human case fatality rates of 60 percent and more than 75 percent, respectively. These diseases in monkeys mirror what happens in humans, and the study results are cause for hope that the antibody, named m102.4, ultimately may be developed into a possible treatment for people who become infected with these viruses.

Light dependency underlies beneficial jetlag in racehorses

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:51:51 EDT

A new study has shown that racehorses are extremely sensitive to changes in daily light and, contrary to humans, can adapt very quickly to sudden shifts in the 24-hour light-dark cycle, such as those resulting from a transmeridian flight, with unexpected benefits on their physical performance.

The short goodbye: Weaning foals

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:40:40 EDT

It is widely believed that being born is about the most stressful thing that can happen to anybody. But being weaned cannot be too far behind it in the list of traumatic experiences. How weaning takes place can have a dramatic effect on the length of time required to overcome the shock. That this is so, at least for horses, comes from the latest work of researchers in Austria.

Tick responsible for equine piroplasmosis outbreak identified

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:22:22 EDT

The cayenne tick has been identified as one of the vectors of equine piroplasmosis in horses in a 2009 Texas outbreak, according to new research.

Branding or microchip implant for identification: Tradition or stress?

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:53:53 EDT

For animal welfare reasons, many veterinarians are currently promoting the method of implanting a microchip over the traditional practice of branding. However, officials of major sport horse breed registries deny that branding really causes pain or stress to foals. The new results show that tissue damage caused by branding in foals is far more pronounced than expected.

'Trojan Horse' particle sneaks chemotherapy in to kill ovarian cancer cells

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:21:21 EDT

A common chemotherapy drug has been successfully delivered to cancer cells inside tiny microparticles using a method inspired by our knowledge of how the human immune system works. The drug, delivered in this way, reduced ovarian cancer tumors in an animal model by 65 times more than using the standard method. This approach is now being developed for clinical use.

Endangered horse has ancient origins and high genetic diversity, new study finds

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT

An endangered species, Przewalski's horse, is much more distantly related to the domestic horse and has a much more diverse gene pool than researchers previously had hypothesized, researchers report. The new study's findings could be used to inform conservation efforts to save the endangered species, of which only 2,000 individuals remain in parts of China and Mongolia, and in wildlife reserves in California and the Ukraine.

Ancient wild horses help unlock past

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:51:51 EDT

An international team of researchers has used ancient DNA to produce compelling evidence that the lack of genetic diversity in modern stallions is the result of the domestication process. The team has carried out the first study on Y chromosomal DNA sequences from extinct ancient wild horses and found an abundance of diversity.

Complete sequencing of genomes of four important representative species in Inner Mongolia, China

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:16:16 EDT

Researchers have completed sequencing the genomes of four important representative species in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. They are Mongolian sheep, Alxa Bactrian camel, Mongolian horse and Mongolian cattle.

No treatment is the best treatment for diarrhea in young foals, study suggests

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:29:29 EDT

As (human) mothers will be all too ready to confirm, many young animals develop diarrhea shortly after birth. Diarrhoea in young calves is known to be caused by incorrect feeding management or by bacteria or viruses but this does not seem to be the case with diarrhea in young foals. Instead, it has been proposed that foals ‘automatically’ develop diarrhea around the time their mothers’ estrous cycle restarts after giving birth. This theory has now been refuted. The new results show that the intestinal flora of foals undergoes a major switch within the first two weeks of life; the change seems to be directly responsible for diarrhea.

Equinome launches elite performance test for thoroughbred horses

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:15:15 EDT

An equine genomics company has launched a new genetic test that can identify individual thoroughbred horses with the greatest genetic potential for racecourse success. Using the results of the Equinome Elite Performance Test, thoroughbred horse owners and breeders can now increase their chances of successfully identifying those foals and yearlings most likely to perform at the elite level.

Genome blueprint for horse and human vaccines

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:09:09 EDT

Two strains of Streptococcus bacteria that have evolved to cause potentially fatal infections in either horses or humans use the same box of tricks to cause disease. Exploiting their genetic similarities could lead to novel vaccines for both man and beast, according to a new review.

Horse racing: The performance of young, cold-blooded trotters – heredity, environment and muscular characteristics

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:54:54 EDT

Heredity is of more importance than environment when it comes to young, cold-blooded horses' chances of performing well in races. In spite of large individual variations in muscular characteristics, it seems that the muscles of young, cold-blooded trotters have a relatively low oxidative capacity, which may be one of the reasons why this breed of horses often has a late debut on the horse-racing track.

Highly invasive horse-chestnut leaf miner found living in the Balkans by 1879

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:11:11 EDT

The horse-chestnut leaf miner was living on native stands of the horse-chestnut in Greece by 1879 and was already present in the Balkans more than a century before its scientific description, new research shows.

Sardines and horse mackerel identified using forensic techniques

Tue, 24 May 2011 11:49:49 EDT

Researchers have used forensic mitochondrial DNA species identification techniques to distinguish between sardines and horse mackerel. This method makes it possible to genetically differentiate between the fish, even if they are canned or processed, which makes it easier to monitor the degree to which fisheries resources are being exploited.

Vaccine protects from deadly Hendra virus

Tue, 17 May 2011 09:19:19 EDT

Scientists in Australia have shown that a new experimental vaccine helps to protect horses against the deadly Hendra virus.

Treating newborn horses: A unique form of pediatrics

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:30:30 EDT

Like any other newborn, the neonatal horse can be a challenging patient. Its immune system is still under construction, its blood chemistry can vary wildly, and -- like most infants -- it wants to stay close to mom.

Horse blind date could lead to loss of foal

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:01:01 EDT

Fetal loss is a common phenomenon in domestic horses after away-mating, according to researchers. When mares return home after mating with a foreign stallion, they either engage in promiscuous mating with the home males to confuse paternity, or, failing that, the mares abort the foal to avoid the likely future infanticide by the dominant home male.

Motion sensors used to determine equine lameness

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:47:47 EDT

The most common ailment to affect a horse is lameness. An equine veterinarian has developed a system to effectively assess this problem using motion detection. This system has been referred to as "Lameness Locator."

Biodiversity conservation: Zoos urged to breed animals from threatened populations

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:14:14 EDT

Zoological gardens breed animals from threatened populations and can thus make a greater contribution towards biodiversity conservation.

Fossils of horse teeth indicate 'you are what you eat'

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:15:15 EST

Fossil records verify a long-standing theory that horses evolved through natural selection. Scientists arrived at the conclusion after examining the teeth of 6,500 fossil horses representing 222 different populations of more than 70 extinct horse species.

Scientists generate pluripotent stem cells from horses

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:02:02 EST

Pluripotent stem cells have now been generated from horses. The findings will help enable new stem-cell based regenerative therapies in veterinary medicine, and because horses' muscle and tendon systems are similar to our own, aid the development of preclinical models leading to human applications.

Sleeping Trojan horse to aid imaging of diseased cells

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:58:58 EST

A unique strategy developed by researchers in the UK is opening up new possibilities for improving medical imaging. Medical imaging often requires getting unnatural materials such as metal ions into cells, a process which is a major challenge across a range of biomedical disciplines. One technique currently used is called the 'Trojan Horse' in which the drug or imaging agent is attached to something naturally taken up by cells.

Hormonal therapy for older, pregnant horses?

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:40:40 EST

Like humans, horses are prone to miscarriage. In fact, about one in ten pregnancies results in miscarriage at a very early stage. Some horses have a history of early miscarriages and it has become customary to treat them with a type of progestin known as altrenogest, although there have not been any studies to assess whether this actually improves the chances that the pregnancy will run to term. Researchers have now investigated the effect of altrenogest treatment on the development of the fetus and on the horses’ hormone levels.

Obesity in horses could be as high as in humans

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:25:25 EST

At least one in five horses used for leisure are overweight or obese. It's a condition which can lead to laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome.