The Reporting of Racehorse Fatalities in New Zealand Thoroughbred Flat Racing in the 2011/12-2021/22 Seasons.

ABSTRACT: Race day fatalities as a consequence of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury and cardiac failure are both a welfare concern and provide a challenge for the social perceptions of equine welfare within the racing industry. To reduce race day fatalities, the risk factors under New Zealand racing conditions need to be identified. The aim of this study was to examine race and horse-level risk factors for fatalities in New Zealand Thoroughbred flat racing using retrospective race day data from the 2011/12-2021/22 racing seasons. Horse and race-level factors associated with a suspected cardiac failure and fatal fracture were identified by merging fatality data with the master race dataset for the corresponding seasons. Most fatalities were associated with fatal fracture (0.4 per 1000 starts, 95% C

SUBMITTER: Gibson MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9951738 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature