Dr. David Powell of the Gluck Equine Research Center said at the Keeneland informational meeting on the evening of May 24 that he is “confident at this stage that the incidence of problems has dropped significantly.” Therefore, he offered the
Following are some of the questions and answers from the informational meeting Thursday about Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome.
Q: A veterinarian from Minnesota asked if there were alterations in immune functions in mares
No longer does the mysterious Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome appear to be the result of incredibly high mycotoxin levels in pasture grasses; now the most likely cause appears to be cyanide brought onto pastures from wild black cherry trees, carrie
A reproductive study examining the breeding records of four Central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms reveals that nearly 30% of mares bred between early February and early May 2001 who were declared at one time to be in foal, lost those foals.
Dr
The good news is if the Eastern tent caterpillars were responsible in some way for this spring’s outbreak of foal loss, that they are gone now, cocooned and growing into the next generation of moths. The bad news is that next year, they could be
Keeneland is exploring ways to deal with sale horses whose health might have been compromised by pericarditis and other problems linked to mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). One possibility is a pre-sale heart-scanning program for yearlings.
The Jockey Club is asking breeders to submit their 2001 Live Foal/No Foal Reports as soon as possible after the birth of the foal or when it is determined that a mare will not produce a live foal this year. The request is coming on the heels of the
Charles Frank, the veterinary advisor to the United Kingdom Thoroughbred Breeders Association, said that in a meeting earlier this week of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders that a statement was made to advise members not to re-import
A good mystery has many clues, some more obvious than others, and some more misleading. Researchers are scientific detectives, trying to piece together observations and facts that lead to a conclusion. But, while some cases are concluded with all
On Wednesday, May 16, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture was assured by the Florida State Veterinarian that there was no ban on the entry of Kentucky-grown hay into the state of Florida. Today, May 18, Allen Johnson, Administrative Branch
At Monday’s daily briefing from the University of Kentucky, it was announced that the scientific investigating team, with the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club, will hold an information
Dr. Doug Byars, head of the medicine unit at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee in Lexington, Ky., said his clinic alone has seen about 40 cases of pericarditis (fluid in the sac around the heart) in the past two weeks.
A week ago, Byars reported a
As of noon May 21, the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center had received 12 additional aborted/stillborn equine fetuses/foals (one early-term and 11 late-term) for diagnostic testing/evaluation. The total received since April 28, 2001, is
An informal survey of Central Kentucky farms on May 21 suggests the worst may be over as far as mare reproductive loss syndrome is concerned. While heavy losses already have been incurred, particularly involving maiden and barren mares bred in
Discussions of results obtained to date by several scientists and consultants working on the investigation into the cause of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) have caused the investigation to shift to a more thorough examination of the
Kentucky lawmakers will ask their colleagues to help horse farmers in the wake of a mysterious illness that has killed foals and caused fetuses to abort, according to an Associated Press report.
The U.S. Department of
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