Immunization against gonadotropin-releasing factor (GnRF) in market gilts: Effect on growth and carcass parameters, and impact of immunization timing.

Reproductive cycling in fattening gilts can be associated with undesirable effects, such as estrus-related aggressive behavior, reduced feed intake and, in production systems where gilts are co-housed with entire males, unwanted pregnancy. Immunization against Gonadotrophin Releasing Factor (IM) can temporarily suppress ovarian activity, including related negative consequences on animal welfare and productivity. Feed intake has been shown to be higher after IM, resulting in both increased growth and increased carcass fat.

A Thoroughbred racehorse with a unicortical palmar lateral condylar fracture returned to training 14 days after surgery: a hypothesis on the role of a single bone screw on crack propagation.

A 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorse had LF lameness that began post high-speed exercise and persisted for two days before the horse once again became sound. Diagnostic analgesia localized the lameness to the LF distal metacarpus, and a standing MRI identified a unicortical condylar fracture. A single 5.

Comparison of the racing performance of Thoroughbreds with versus without osteochondral fragmentation of the accessory carpal bone identified on yearling sales repository radiographs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate 2- and 3-year-old and career race performance of Thoroughbred racehorse prospects with and without osteochondral fragmentation of the accessory carpal bone (ACB) identified on yearling presale radiographs. DESIGN Retrospective, matched cohort study. ANIMALS 47 nonlame Thoroughbreds with (exposed cohort) and 94 nonlame Thoroughbreds without (unexposed cohort) osteochondral fragmentation of ACB facture identified on yearling sales repository radiographs.

Association of catastrophic condylar fracture with bony changes of the third metacarpal bone identified by use of standing magnetic resonance imaging in forelimbs from cadavers of Thoroughbred racehorses in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To compare bony changes of the third metacarpal bone (MC3) of Thoroughbred racehorse cadavers with (cases) or without (controls) catastrophic condylar fracture by use of standing MRI. SAMPLE 140 forelimbs from 26 case horses (both forelimbs) and 88 control horses (single forelimb). PROCEDURES Bone marrow lesions (BMLs), identified as a decrease in T1-weighted (T1W) signal and increases in T2*-weighted (T2*W) and short tau inversion recovery (STIR) signals, and dense bone volume percentage (DBVP), identified as decreases in T1W, T2*W, and STIR signals, in the distopalmar aspect of MC3 were recorded.

The effects of immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone on growth performance, reproductive activity and carcass traits of heavy weight gilts.

Heavy weight gilts commonly show signs of oestrus during the late finishing phase, which results in a period of reduced feed intake and growth rate. Immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (IM, immunocastration) was developed for finishing boars and recently extrapolated to females. Immunocastration acts by suppressing reproductive activity and improving the growth potential.

Association of catastrophic biaxial fracture of the proximal sesamoid bones with bony changes of the metacarpophalangeal joint identified by standing magnetic resonance imaging in cadaveric forelimbs of Thoroughbred racehorses.

Objective: To compare bony changes in the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of racehorses with (cases) and without (controls) biaxial proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) fracture as determined by 2 grading scales applied to images of cadaveric forelimbs obtained by means of standing MRI (sMRI).

Design: Case-control study.

Sample: Forelimbs from 74 Thoroughbred racehorses (21 cases and 53 controls) that were euthanized at a Florida racetrack.

Comparison of phenylephrine administration and exercise versus phenylephrine administration and a rolling procedure for the correction of nephrosplenic entrapment of the large colon in horses: 88 cases (2004-2010).

Objective: To compare the outcome of horses with nephrosplenic entrapment of the large colon (NSELC) that were treated nonsurgically by IV administration of phenylephrine and exercise with that of horses treated by IV administration of phenylephrine and a rolling procedure under general anesthesia.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 88 horses with NSELC.

Use of serial measurements of peritoneal fluid lactate concentration to identify strangulating intestinal lesions in referred horses with signs of colic.

Objective: To determine the value of serial measurements of peritoneal fluid lactate concentration (PFL) for detecting strangulating intestinal lesions (SLs) in referred horses with signs of colic.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 94 horses with signs of colic.

A canonical correlation analysis of the association between carcass and ham traits in pigs used to produce dry-cured ham.

The association between carcass and ham traits in a pig population used to produce dry-cured ham was studied using canonical correlation analysis. The carcass traits examined were hot carcass weight (HCW), backfat thickness (BT) and loin depth (LD), and the ham traits studied were gross ham weight (GHW), trimmed ham weight (THW), ham inner layer fat thickness (HIFT), ham outer layer fat thickness (HOFT), pH (pH) and the Göfo value. Carcass and ham traits are not independent.

Carcass and ham quality characteristics of heavy pigs from different genetic groups intended for the production of dry-cured hams.

Carcass and ham quality characteristics of pig populations divided by harvest weights--HW (130 and 160 kg) were evaluated to determine the effects of gender (barrows and gilts) and distinct genetic groups--purebred (DUDU) and crossbred Duroc (DULA, DUWI and DULL) as well as purebred Large White (WIWI) on the suitability for use in dry-cured ham production. At 130kg, DUDU pigs yielded the highest fat thickness of the ham (P<0.01) and an intramuscular fat content (IMF) of 3.

Cardiac troponin I in pastured and race-training Thoroughbred horses.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a myocardial polypeptide, is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker of myocardial injury in people and dogs. The structure of cTnI is highly conserved across species, and equine myocardium has high reactivity with human immunoassays. The purpose of this study was to describe cTnI concentrations in normal pastured and race-training Thoroughbred horses.

Endoscopic assessment of airway function as a predictor of racing performance in Thoroughbred yearlings: 427 cases (1997-2000).

Objective: To compare endoscopic findings of the upper portion of the respiratory tract in Thoroughbred yearlings with their subsequent race records to determine whether subjective assessment of airway function may be used as a predictor of future racing performance.

Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: 427 Thoroughbred yearlings.

Association of high-speed exercise with racing injury in thoroughbreds.

Objective: To determine the association between high-speed exercise and risk of injury while racing among Thoroughbreds in Kentucky.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Animals: 206 Thoroughbreds that sustained a musculoskeletal injury while racing and 412 Thoroughbreds that were not injured during the same races.

Frequency of musculoskeletal injuries and risk factors associated with injuries incurred in Quarter Horses during races.

Objective: To determine the frequency and anatomic location of musculoskeletal injuries incurred by Quarter Horses during races and to compare data from injured horses and matched control horses.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Animals: 97 Quarter Horses that sustained a musculoskeletal injury during races and 291 horses from the same races that were not injured.

Results of physical inspection before races and race-related characteristics and their association with musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbreds during races.

Objective: To estimate the relative risk of injury among horses deemed to be at increased risk of injury on the basis of prerace physical inspection findings and to examine the association of injury during races with race-related characteristics.

Design: Cohort study.

Animals: 2,187 Thoroughbred horses that started 3,227 races in Kentucky.

Racing-related factors and results of prerace physical inspection and their association with musculoskeletal injuries incurred in thoroughbreds during races.

Objective: To describe and compare data from Thoroughbreds that sustained musculoskeletal injuries while racing with data from matched control horses.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Animals: 216 Thoroughbreds that sustained a musculoskeletal injury while racing and 532 horses from the same races that were not injured.

Evaluation of skin bacterial flora before and after aseptic preparation of clipped and nonclipped arthrocentesis sites in horses.

Objective: This study evaluates skin bacterial flora before and after aseptic preparation of clipped and nonclipped arthrocentesis sites in horses.

Study Design: The hair over one midcarpal joint and one distal interphalangeal joint on each horse was clipped. The contralateral joint served as the nonclipped comparison.

Case-control study of risk factors for the development of laminitis in the contralateral limb in Equidae with unilateral lameness.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with development of laminitis of the supporting limb in Equidae with unilateral laminitis and to determine the radiographic appearance of this type of laminitis.

Design: Retrospective analysis of medical records.

Animals: 20 Equidae with unilateral lameness that developed laminitis of the contralateral limb.

Risk factors for history of previous colic and for chronic, intermittent colic in a population of horses.

Objective: To identify risk factors for recurrent colic and chronic, intermittent colic in horses.

Design: Case control study.

Animals: The population included 768 horses examined by veterinarians for emergencies other than colic (control group).

Microbiological plate assay for determination of tilmicosin in bovine serum.

A microbiological agar plate assay is described for determination of tilmicosin in bovine blood serum. The serum or serum dilution is added directly to wells cut in the agar plates. Tilmicosin activity is determined by measuring the zone of bacterial growth inhibition in agar medium inoculated with Micrococcus luteus, ATCC 9341.

Technique for long-term ileal cannulation in ponies.

A T-cannula was fitted permanently into the ileum of ten mature ponies to quantify the role of the prececal and postileal segments of the digestive tract in equine nutrition studies. The ponies were anesthetized, positioned in left lateral recumbency, and the distal small intestine was exteriorized through a right paralumbar incision. A silastic T-cannula was inserted through a 2-cm longitudinal incision into the lumen of the ileum, on the antimesenteric surface, and sutured to the ileum.

Removal of the preputial diverticulum in swine.

A new technique for removal of the preputial diverticulum in swine was performed on 33 sexually intact male potbellied pigs, 12 domestic boar cadavers, and 4 domestic swine (2 sexually intact males and 2 barrows). With each pig under general anesthesia, the body and horns of the diverticulum were everted through the preputial orifice and excised. In some cases, the stump of the diverticulum was sutured.

Prevalence of, and factors associated with, musculoskeletal racing injuries of thoroughbreds.

All horses diagnosed by a commission veterinarian of the Kentucky Racing Commission as having sustained a musculoskeletal injury, defined as an obvious change in soundness immediately before, during, or after a race held between Jan 1, 1992 and May 31, 1993 were included in a study to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with racing injuries involving the musculoskeletal system of horses competing at 4 Thoroughbred racetracks in Kentucky. During the 17-month study, there were 35,484 racing starts among 7,649 horses in 3,824 official Kentucky Racing Commission races. During this period, 132 musculoskeletal racing injuries were diagnosed among 117 horses.

Computer-assisted three-dimensional gait analysis of amphotericin-induced carpal lameness in horses.

Motion of 6 clinically sound horses trotting at a speed of 4 m/s on a treadmill was captured by video cameras before and 9, 16, and 23 days after amphotericin-induced lameness to determine the quantitative variables of three-dimensional computer-assisted image analysis that objectively describe carpal lameness. Amphotericin-B was used to induce lameness, and phenylbutazone (2.2 mg/kg of body weight, PO, once) and butorphanol tartrate (0.