Diseases and prevention, genetics and breeding, behavior, performance, and the horse industry made up the categories of this year's Swiss Equine Research Network Meeting held April 30 in Avenches, Switzerland.

The country's top researchers met in the ancient Helvetian capital to present and discuss their findings with other researchers as well as owners, breeders, and equine health care professionals.

Computer-assisted surgery, physical fitness evaluations, behavior tests, and large-scale single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the equine genome were awarded as the day's top presentation subjects by the Swiss National Stud, which organized the event. Other topics included pressure analyses of racing saddles, possible genetic codes for equine sarcoids, grouping of reproductive stallions in shared pastures, the safe use of hauling nets, and biodiversity. A total of 32 presentations and posters were selected for the event, now in its fifth year.

"It's impressive to see so much internationally pertinent equine research being produced, especially in a country of this size," said Vincent Gerber, PhD, DVM, professor in the department of veterinary medicine of the University of Bern. Gerber co-presided over the Disease and Prevention session of the conference