Association between Infrared Thermography, Blood Count and Creatine Kinase in the Evaluation of the Welfare of Vaquejada Horses

The Quarter-Horses regularly participate in non-traditional sports that simulate activities on cattle ranches. In the vaquejada races, the horses run at about 30 km/h, reaching maximum heart rates of around 200 bpm, indicating the great physical effort during competitions and with that could impact welfare. To test the hypothesis that vaquejada horses can be evaluated for the quality of welfare through a combination of non-invasive and invasive methods, an experiment was developed that aimed to assess the quality of welfare through thermography and blood biomarkers before and after vaquejada races. Ten vaquejada horses, which were in regular competition, were submitted to the vaquejadas racing test were used. Thermography was performed in 14 regions of interest (head, neck and thorax) in the following phases: pre-race and +1, +4 and +24 hours of the races. Blood samples were collected in pre-race, immediately after and +1, +4 and +24 hours of the races. Results were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey’s test, with p set at 5%. Thermography showed that local temperatures before the race and +24 hours after the races were similar (p > 0.05), as well as between +1 and +4 hours after the races (p > 0.05), which showed higher surface temperatures than the first group (pre-race and +24 hours) (p 0.05) after the exercises. In conclusion, the vaquejada horses evaluated by infrared thermography and blood analyses maintained the quality of well-being, with the physiological elevation of several parameters after the races and recovery in less than 24 hours after the races. Thermographic images were also able to help in the analysis of the regions of interest that have contact with harnesses, demonstrating that the use of adequate and correct equipment does not compromise animal welfare.

Development and Body Composition of Quarter Horse Foals during Nursing

The monitoring and development of foals, based on biometric indices, and the determination of body composition could be important for genetic improvement and the elaboration of nutritional plans for horses. Considering that little information was available, the aim of the present study was to assess the growth and determine the body composition of suckling Quarter Horse foals. Animals (n = 46) of both sexes were monitored monthly from birth until the fifth month of age, using an ultrasound device and the following measurements: Wither Height (WH);Chest Perimeter (CP);Cannon Bone Circumference (CBC) Cannon Bone Girth (CG);Body Mass (BM);and Rump Fat Thickness (RFT). These tests determined the Fat-Free Mass (FFM), BM, Fat Percentage (FP) and Fat Thickness (FT). The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s test, with differences considered statistically significant when P ≤ 0.05. The results demonstrated that the parameters analyzed changed significantly during the study period. The BM was ~41 at birth and ~177 kg at the point of weaning. Conversely, the FM was ~3.8 at birth and 18.1 kg at the point of weaning. The FFM was ~37 and ~160 kg at the time of birth and weaning, respectively. The FP varied from 9.3 at birth to 9.54 at weaning. The mean FT was ~1.39 and ~1.91 cm at birth and weaning, respectively. The WH measured ~91 at birth and 116 cm at weaning. In conclusion, suckling foals gain BM quickly from the time of birth to the time of weaning. The main cause of this gain is FFM. Therefore, due to the significant changes in the parameters studied herein, it is important to monitor these values in order to prevent nutritional imbalances.

Blood and Milk Glutamine + Glutamate and Milk Composition in Lactating Holstein Cows in Semi-Arid of Brazil

Our objectives were to measure glutamine (Gln) and glutamate (Glu) concentrations in the milk and blood of lactating Holstein cows, as well as milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC) throughout different stages of lactation. Samples were collected from 21 cows in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 10th months of lactation. It analyzed Gln and Glu in the blood and Gln, Glu, lactose, fat, protein and somatic cells in the milk. Also, it measured Gln and Glu in blood from these dairy cows’ calves. Results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, T-test and Tukey’s test, with a 5% significance level. There was a difference in blood [Gln] in from dairy cows (P nd (~0.181 μmol/mL) and 5th (~0.190 μmol/mL) months of lactation and the highest at 10th month (~0.276 μmol/mL). Also there was a higher protein content in the 5th and 10th months of lactation (~3.61% each) when compared to the other months (P < 0.05). There was no difference in calves’ parameters and in all others parameters from dairy cows. We concluded that the lactation period produced a significant interference in blood [Gln] but not in milk [Gln] which may indicate increase in utilization or decrease in production of this amino acids during lactation in these cows under tropical conditions.

Analysis of Tracheal Secretion in Healthy Horses Undergoing a Vaquejada Simulation Test

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of EIPH in vaquejada horses via endoscopy and tracheal lavage and citology. We used eight Quarter-mile horses that usually perform at vaquejadas. Clinical examination was carried out before the race. After the race, endoscopy and tracheal lavage with 20 ml of saline via the service channel of the endoscope were performed. The samples were sent to the laboratory for processing and confection of the slides. Of the eight horses (four pull and four helper horses), six had hemosiderophages in their tracheal aspirates, confirming the existence of pulmonary hemorrhage after exercise. No difference was observed between the analyzed parameters between the two groups of vaquejada horses (P > 0.05). Tracheal lavage and endoscopy can be used for evaluating this important disease in animal athletes.