Two “syndromes” that began near the end of the third week of April are causing Kentucky farms to lose an excessive number of foals and fetuses due to an as yet unknown cause. The first syndrome results in what mare owners know as “red bag,” or
Tom Priddy, a meteorologist at the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, put together data on the weather this spring that is thought to have caused the current equine problems associated with pasture.
Charts and audio clips
Veterinary and diagnostic professionals in Kentucky are working feverishly to identify the cause of the recent abortion and early fetal loss syndromes. One of the most probable causes is mycotoxins in pastures. If that is the case,
University of Kentucky
College of Agriculture
Veterinary Science Department
May 6, 2001
MEMORANDUM
To: Kentucky Equine Practitioners
From: Drs. Lenn Harrison, David Powell, and Roberta Dwyer
Re: Late term
The good news is that the federal government doesn’t have to be in Kentucky or any other state because of the current spring syndromes taking place in the horse populations. They would be required to investigate if there was any indication that
There have been no reports in Maryland of the two syndromes that are affecting the breeding industry in Kentucky, and no plans at this time to ban horses from entering the state.
“There is no sign of a problem here in Maryland,” said Tim
As of noon today (May 9), the University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center stated that a total of 371 aborted/stillborn fetuses had been submitted for diagnostic testing/evaluation since April 28, 2001. That total includes 25 submitted by noon today, and 28 submitted yesterday (May
I have been asked to speak about my experience with the recent early fetal loss syndrome in Central Kentucky. I saw my first two cases on April 26 when I was asked to fetal sex six mares on a farm in Jessamine County. Fetal sexing
The effects of the current crisis resulting from mares aborting or having late-term stillborn foals are being felt on the equine insurance business. According to insurance professionals, underwriters are not accepting any policies
Keeneland will offer live streaming on its Internet site of the informational meeting Thursday, May 10, organized by the Kentucky Farm Managers’ Club and the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners. The meeting will be held in Keeneland’s sales pavilion to address the serious problem of late-term abortions and early fetal death that is affecting broodmares in Kentucky.
Keeneland’
Fluid is drained from the pericardial membrane surrounding the heart of a horse with Pericarditis.
Photo: Stephanie
David Parrish III, DVM, was president of the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners in 1980 when a mystery problem occurred that caused abortions in mares during early pregnancy. While both involved abortions and were mysteries, the
With Doug Byars, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVECC, head of the Kentucky-based Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary firm’s Medicine Unit in Lexington that includes neonatal intensive care. Of his comments, he said, “For all of these following recommendations, we don’t know if they are useful or futile because we don’t know when the ‘hammer’ hits these horses. Whatever you do hopefully helps prevent
After testing numerous pasture samples for mycotoxins, endophytes, and other possible causes to the problems in Kentucky, tests have shown higher than expected levels of a mycotoxin called zearalenone, according to Dr. Steve Jackson, a consultan
A series of abortions has recently been reported in several farms in Central Kentucky. At this time, the cause of these abortions is not determined, but there is no evidence of infectious etiology. Based upon currently available
Dr. David Powell, an epidemiologist at the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Science Department in the Gluck Equine Research Center, was interviewed Monday by The Blood-Horse about the unusually high number of early fetal loss and late-term abortions among broodmares at Central Kentucky farms. Following are transcripts of the interview:
Q: Where
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