Dataset Information

Effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lameness, discipline, training intensity, environmental variability, and shoeing are all factors demonstrated to affect hoof loading and therefore act as adaptive stimuli to alter hoof morphology.

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness incidence and determine if specific hoof morphology measurements correlate with lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.

Study design

Prospective cohort study.

Methods

American Quarter Horses (n = 42; 29 two-year-olds, 13 three-year-olds) entering training were monitored for hoof morphology and lameness over 6 months (months 0, 2, 4, and 6). Hoof measurements (palmar/plantar angles, frog base width/length, toe length/angle, heel length/angle, heel and foot width, wall height/angle) from radiographs and photographs were recorded. Lameness was graded subjectively and objectively (Lameness locator®). Statistical analyses were performed with Fisher's exact test and repeated measures ANOVA with p < 0.05.

Results

25/42 horses developed subclinical lameness (16/42 forelimb, 19/42 hindlimb), with 3-year-olds developing lameness more frequently compared to 2-year-olds overall (p = 0.04; 84.6 vs. 48.3%) and in forelimbs (p = 0.05; 61.5% vs. 27.6%); no difference was noted between 2- versus 3-year-olds in hindlimbs (p = 0.2; 61.5% vs. 37.9%). In lame versus sound forelimbs, 3-year-olds had decreased foot width (p = 0.03; 11.48 cm [CI 10.68-12.28] vs. 12.21 cm [CI 11.99-12.42]), decreased toe length (p = 0.03; 6.02 cm [CI 5.69-6.36] vs. 6.45 cm [CI 6.32-6.58]), shorter lateral wall height (p = 0.03; 4.64 cm [CI 4.31-4.96] vs. 5.11 cm [CI 5.03-5.2]), and shorter medial wall height (p = 0.02; 4.58 cm [CI 4.06-5.10] vs. 5.15 cm [CI 4.99-5.30]). In lame versus sound hindlimbs, horses overall (p = 0.05; 3.74, CI 3.53-3.96 vs. 3.55, CI 3.48-3.61) and 3-year-olds had longer heels p = 0.01; 3.90 cm (CI 3.5-4.3) vs. 3.50 cm (CI 3.39-3.61).

Main limitations

Small sample size, lack of control group not entering training.

Conclusions

Three-year-old American Quarter Horses entering training were more likely to develop forelimb lameness than 2-year-olds. This subclinical lameness was associated with specific hoof morphology characteristics (decreased foot width, toe length, heel length, and lateral/medial wall height; greater toe angle).

SUBMITTER: Kawahisa-Piquini G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10291006 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.

Kawahisa-Piquini Gabriella G Bass Luke D LD Pezzanite Lynn M LM Moorman Valerie J VJ

Equine veterinary journal 20230109 5

<h4>Background</h4>Lameness, discipline, training intensity, environmental variability, and shoeing are all factors demonstrated to affect hoof loading and therefore act as adaptive stimuli to alter hoof morphology.<h4>Objectives</h4>To evaluate the effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness incidence and determine if specific hoof morphology measurements correlate with lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.<h4>Study design</h4>Prospective cohort study.<h4>Method ...[more]

PMID: 36572927

Similar Datasets

Project description:The importance of lameness in primiparous dairy heifers is increasingly recognised. Although it is accepted that clinical lameness in any lactation increases the risk of future lameness, the impact of foot lesions during the first lactation on long-term lameness risk is less clear. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the impacts of foot lesions occurring around the time of first calving in heifers on future lameness risk, daily milk yield and survival within a dairy herd. Records were obtained for 158 heifers from one UK dairy herd. Heifers were examined in 2 month blocks from 2 months pre-calving through to 4 months post-calving. Sole lesions and white line lesions were scored on a zero to 10 scale and digital dermatitis on a zero to 3 scale. Outcomes investigated were; lameness risk based on weekly locomotion scores, average daily milk yield and culling risk. Mixed effect models were used to investigate associations between maximum lesion scores and outcomes. Lesion scores in the highest score categories for claw horn lesions (sole lesions and white line lesions) in the 2 to 4 month post-calving period were associated with an increased risk of future lameness; heifers with white line lesion scores ≥3 compared with scores zero to 1 and heifers with sole lesion scores ≥4 compared with score 2, at this time point, had a predicted increased risk of future lameness of 1.6 and 2.6 respectively. Sole lesions ≥4 were also associated with a reduction in average daily milk yield of 2.68kg. Managing heifers to reduce claw horn lesions during this time period post-calving may provide health, welfare and production benefits for the long-term future of those animals. A novel finding from the study was that mild lesion scores compared with scores zero to 1, were associated with a reduced risk of future lameness for white line lesions and sole lesions occurring in the pre-calving or 2 to 4 months post-calving periods respectively. Mild sole lesions in the pre-calving period were also associated with a reduced risk of premature culling. One hypothesis for this result is that a mild insult may result in adaptive changes to the foot leading to greater biomechanical resilience and so increased longevity.

Project description:Background: The objectives of this study were to, (1) investigate the impact of the Dutch five-step hoof trimming (HT) technique on time to lameness and hoof lesion prevalence in grazing (GR) and non-grazing (NGR) dairy cows, and (2) determine the association between potential benefits of HT and animal-based welfare measures during lactation. A total of 520 non-lame cows without hoof lesions from 5 dairy farms (GR = 2, NGR = 3) were enrolled at early (within 30 days in milk; DIM) and late lactation (above 200 DIM), and randomly allocated to either trimmed (HGR or HNGR) or control groups (CON-GR and CON-NGR). Locomotion scores, body condition, hock condition, leg hygiene, and hoof health were assessed at monthly intervals until the following 270 days in milk. The data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, multivariable Cox, and logistic regression models. The overall incidence rate of lameness was 36.2 cases/100 cows/month, with corresponding rates of 27.4, 31.9, 48.4, and 45.8 cases/100 cows/month in HGR, HNGR, CON-GR, and CON-NGR, respectively. Time to first lameness event was significantly higher in HGR (mean ± S.E; 8.12 ± 0.15) compared to CON-GR (7.36 ± 0.26), and in HNGR (8.05 ± 0.16) compared to CON-NGR (7.39 ± 0.23). The prevalence of hoof lesions in the enrolled cows was 36.9%, with a higher occurrence in CON-GR (48.8%) than HGR (23.2%), and in CON-NGR (52.6%) compared to HNGR (32.2%). The majority of hoof lesions were non-infectious in grazing (HGR vs. CON-GR; 21.3 vs. 33.3%) and non-grazing herds (HNGR vs. CON-NGR; 25.0 vs. 40.4%). The risk of lameness was higher in underconditioned cows (Hazard ratio; HR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-7.4), presence of hoof lesion (HR = 33.1, 95% CI 17.6-62.5), and there was variation between farms. Aside HT, lower parity (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8), normal hock condition (OR = 0.06; 95% 0.01-0.29), and absence of overgrown hoof (OR = 0.4; 95% 0.2-0.7) were protective against non-infectious hoof lesions. Functional HT is beneficial as a lameness preventive strategy during lactation; however, ensuring older cows are in good body condition and free from hock injuries are equally important.

Project description:Reasons for performing studyLungeing is an important part of lameness examinations as the circular path may accentuate low-grade lameness. Movement asymmetries related to the circular path, to compensatory movements and to pain make the lameness evaluation complex. Scientific studies have shown high inter-rater variation when assessing lameness during straight line movement.ObjectivesThe aim was to estimate inter- and intra-rater agreement of equine veterinarians evaluating lameness from videos of sound and lame horses during lungeing and to investigate the influence of veterinarians' experience and the objective degree of movement asymmetry on rater agreement.Study designCross-sectional observational study.MethodsVideo recordings and quantitative gait analysis with inertial sensors were performed in 23 riding horses of various breeds. The horses were examined at trot on a straight line and during lungeing on soft or hard surfaces in both directions. One video sequence was recorded per condition and the horses were classified as forelimb lame, hindlimb lame or sound from objective straight line symmetry measurements. Equine veterinarians (n = 86), including 43 with >5 years of orthopaedic experience, participated in a web-based survey and were asked to identify the lamest limb on 60 videos, including 10 repeats. The agreements between (inter-rater) and within (intra-rater) veterinarians were analysed with κ statistics (Fleiss, Cohen).ResultsInter-rater agreement κ was 0.31 (0.38/0.25 for experienced/less experienced) and higher for forelimb (0.33) than for hindlimb lameness (0.11) or soundness (0.08) evaluation. Median intra-rater agreement κ was 0.57.ConclusionsInter-rater agreement was poor for less experienced raters, and for all raters when evaluating hindlimb lameness. Since identification of the lame limb/limbs is a prerequisite for successful diagnosis, treatment and recovery, the high inter-rater variation when evaluating lameness on the lunge is likely to influence the accuracy and repeatability of lameness examinations and, indirectly, the efficacy of treatment.

Project description:BackgroundThe increasing popularity of objective gait analysis makes application in prepurchase examinations (PPE) a logical next step. Therefore, there is a need to have more understanding of asymmetry during a PPE in horses described on clinical evaluation as subtly lame.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to objectively compare asymmetry in horses raising minor vet concerns in a PPE and in horses raising major vet concerns with that found in horses presented with subtle single-limb lameness, and to investigate the effect of age/discipline on the clinicians' interpretation of asymmetry on the classification of minor vet concerns in a PPE.Study designClinical case-series.MethodsHorses presented for PPE (n = 98) or subjectively evaluated as single limb low-grade (1-2/5) lame (n = 24, 13 forelimb lame, 11 hindlimb lame), from the patient population of a single clinic, were enrolled in the study provided that owners were willing to participate. Horses undergoing PPE were assigned a classification of having minor vet concerns (n = 84) or major vet concerns (n = 14) based on findings during the dynamic-orthopaedic part of the PPE. Lame horses were only included if pain-related lameness was confirmed by an objective improvement after diagnostic analgesia exceeding daily variation determined for equine symmetry parameters using optical motion capture. Clinical evaluation was performed by six different clinicians, each with ≥8 years of equine orthopaedic experience. Vertical movement symmetry was measured using optical motion capture, simultaneously with the orthopaedic examination. Data were analysed using previously described parameters and mixed model analysis and least squares means were used to calculate differences between groups.ResultsThere was no effect of age or discipline on the levels of asymmetry within PPE horses raising minor vet concerns. MinDiff and RUD of the head discriminated between forelimb lame and PPE horses raising minor vet concerns; MinDiff, MaxDiff, RUD of the Pelvis, HHDswing and HHDstance did so for hindlimb lameness. Two lameness patterns differentiated both forelimb and hindlimb lame from PPE horses with minor vet concerns: RUD Poll + MinDiff Withers - RUD Pelvis and RUD Pelvis + RUD Poll - MinDiff Withers. Correcting for vertical range of motion enabled differentiation of PPE horses with minor vet concerns from PPE horses with major vet concerns.Main limitationsObjective data only based on trot on soft surface, limited number of PPE horses with major vet concerns.ConclusionsCombinations of kinematic parameters discriminate between PPE horses with minor vet concerns and subtly lame horses, though overlap exists.

Project description:Recent studies evaluating horses in training and considered free from lameness by their owners have identified a large proportion of horses with motion asymmetries. However the prevalence, type and magnitude of asymmetries when trotting in a straight line or on the lunge have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate the presence of motion asymmetries in riding horses in training by identifying the side and quantifying the degree and type (impact, pushoff) of forelimb and hind limb asymmetries found during straight line trot and on the lunge. In a cross-sectional study, vertical head and pelvic movement symmetry was measured in 222 Warmblood type riding horses, all without perceived performance issues and considered free from lameness by their owners. Body-mounted uni-axial accelerometers were used and differences between maximum and minimum head (HDmax, HDmin) and pelvic (PDmax, PDmin) vertical displacement between left and right forelimb and hind limb stances were calculated during straight line trot and on the lunge. Previously reported symmetry thresholds were used. The thresholds for symmetry were exceeded in 161 horses for at least one variable while trotting in a straight line, HDmin (n = 58, mean 14.3 mm, SD 7.1), HDmax (n = 41, mean 12.7 mm, SD 5.5), PDmax (n = 87, mean 6.5 mm, SD 3.10), PDmin (n = 79, mean 5.7 mm, SD 2.1). Contralateral and ipsilateral concurrent forelimb and hind limb asymmetries were detected in 41 and 49 horses, respectively. There was a linear association between the straight line PDmin values and the values on the lunge with the lame limb to the inside of the circle. A large proportion (72.5%) of horses in training which were perceived as free from lameness by their owner showed movement asymmetries above previously reported asymmetry thresholds during straight line trot. It is not known to what extent these asymmetries are related to pain or to mechanical abnormalities. Therefore, one of the most important questions that must be addressed is how objective asymmetry scores can be translated into pain, orthopedic abnormality, or any type of unsoundness.

Dataset Information

Effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.

Background

Objectives

Study design

Methods

Results

Main limitations

Conclusions

Publications

Effect of age at training initiation on hoof morphology and lameness in juvenile American Quarter Horses.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets