Dietary fats are important components of performance horses’ diets because they are calorie-dense and energy-rich. Previous studies have shown, however, that diets high in soybean oil interfere with fiber digestion in trotters. It is unclear whether feeding poorly digestible carbohydrates, like cornstarch, compounds this problem by overloading the cecum and altering its bacterial population.

Nutritional strategies for raising and competing sounder Thoroughbreds, many of which can be applied to horses of all breeds, was presented by Laurie Lawrence, PhD, at the Thoroughbred International Exposition and Conference (TIEC). Lawrence, who has done extensive research on equine nutrition at the University of Kentucky, covered nutrition of foals, weanlings, and

What does a movie like Seabiscuit have to do with general horse owners? In my opinion, anything that draws positive attention to horses is a good thing. Universal Studios has given this movie every chance to be a success. Based on the best-selling book by Laura Hillenbrand, it’s a story about unlikely people with a big-hearted horse which has tremendous talent. The horse is the hero, although

Artificial insemination (AI) and stallion book size were among the more controversial topics discussed as university professors from across the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and Israel gathered in Louisville, Ky., June 25-28 for the third International Equine Industry Program Academic Conference.

About 35 participants presented papers on a variety of topics ranging from

The landscape of equine reproduction research dramatically changed May 29, when a University of Idaho (UI) and Utah State University team announced they were the first to clone a member of the equine family–the mule–according to an article to be published in the journal Science. The research team includes Gordon Woods, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, UI professor of animal and veterinary

Alfred M. Merritt II, AB, DVM, MS, will present the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture at the AAEP’s 49th Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., November 21-25, 2003. Merritt’s presentation will highlight advances made over the last 40 years in our understanding of the function and diseases of the equine stomach, with particular emphasis on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome

The number of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) cases in Florida had risen to 70 as of May 30, further substantiating an earlier suspicion that 2003 will be a tough year for fighting the disease. Florida’s case count for all of 2002 was 25 horses.

The disease is caused by a virus found in wild birds, and it’s transmitted to horses and humans via the bite of an infected mosquito. Horses d

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) will sponsor two continuing education meetings this summer in Fort Collins, Colo. Scheduled for July 28-30, the first-ever Focus meeting and the 11th annual Practice Management Seminar offer practitioners two separate paths of study for one registration fee.

Focus is a new meeting that spotlights one specific modality or conditio

The 2nd International Conference on the transportation of sport/breeding horses will be held July 12-13, 2003, at Hartpury College, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.

Officials expect that up to 300 delegates from all over the world will attend the conference, which is specifically aimed at horse transport industry representatives.

The conference, funded by the Federation

There are many factors that veterinarians and owners consider when a surgical treatment is recommended for a horse.

A study led by researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) found that West Nile virus (WNV) cost equine owners in Colorado and Nebraska more than $1.25 million in 2002, and prevention costs for WNV vaccination likely topped another $2.75 million for the equine industry in those states last year. In 2002, Colorado reported 378 confirmed cases of WNV in equids, and Nebraska reported 1,100.

As a horse owner, you are regularly bombarded with advertisements for various products that will supposedly cure your horse’s arthritis. On the other hand, you might have noticed that your veterinarian uses pharmaceutical products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and you only have access to them through a veterinarian’s administration or prescription. It is

Attended by delegates from more than 60 countries, Alltech’s International Feed Industry Symposium provided an abundance of information for those involved with horses, poultry, pigs, dairy and beef cattle, agronomy, aquaculture, and companion animals. Each year, the meeting, held in Lexington, Ky., provides a forum for researchers and international industry leaders to gather, exchange ideas,

Are there health risks simply from the anesthesia for a horse undergoing surgery? If so, what are these risks, and how common are complications from them?

A pair of recent studies conducted by researchers in New York, Ireland, and Australia have provided new information about the equine throat. Articles about both research projects appeared in the May 2003 issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal.

In New York, scientists at Cornell University looked at dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), which interferes with breathing in