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Dechra Acquires Rights To Synthetic Reproductive Hormone Sucromate Equine

Dechra is pleased to announce the acquisition of Sucromate Equine (deslorelin acetate) sterile suspension from Thorn Bioscience L.L.C. This acquisition expands Dechra's equine portfolio in the reproductive category.

Mike Eldred, President of Dechra North America, stated, “Sucromate Equine is a sterile, synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog suspension that veterinarians have used and relied on for their breeding operations. Sucromate Equine expands Dechra's reproductive portfolio and complements our existing product offering.”

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Sucromate Equine (deslorelin acetate) sterile suspension should be used exclusively by veterinarians.

The product is now available for veterinarians to purchase through select veterinary distributors.

Trainable, Tractable Horses Have More “Feel Good” Hormones

Researchers in South Korea have found that a horse's temperament is directly tied to the levels of oxytocin and serotonin in his blood. They suggest that the levels of these hormones could be used to monitor the dominance, fearfulness, and trainability of horses. Oxytocin concentration in the blood is positively correlated with equine friendliness and docility toward humans.

Lead by Dr. Kim Junyoung, the study team tested the blood of 34 horses for oxytocin and serotonin. The trainability, fearfulness, and dominance of each horse was then scored by three professors familiar with the horses.

The researchers concluded that a high concentration of oxytocin reduces fearfulness and can make a horse more trainable. The research team suggests additional studies be completed to determine the effects on a horse's temperament when being treated with the hormone.

Read the full article here.

Hormones Play A Role In Foal Rejection

Foaling can be a high-stress situation with a lot of variables that may go wrong, from dystocias to ill foals. Though most mares have an innate mothering mentality, some mares reject their offspring and the exact reason is unclear, making it difficult to prevent.

Drs. Dalia Berlin, Amir Steinman and Tal Raz conducted a study using eight Arabian mares who behaved normally after foaling and 15 Arabian mares who typically “rejected” their foals. Rejection includes refusing to let the foal nurse, indifference toward the foal and even attacking the foal. The Arabian was chosen specifically for the study as rejection behavior in mares has been well documented in the breed.

Each mare had blood drawn at the first and third day after foaling; the blood was tested for progesterone, prolactin and estradiol, which are reproductive hormones. The most significant difference between the two groups was the estradiol-to-progesterone ratio the first day after foaling was significantly lower in mares that rejected their foals than in mares with normal maternal behavior.

The exact role the hormones play in maternal behavior is unclear, but the ratio of hormones in mare that rejected their foals increased in the three days post foaling, suggesting that the hormones may normalize and the rejection behavior may diminish.

The study team notes that the creation of hormonal treatments for rejecting mares is premature as the optimal concentration for each hormone is yet unknown.

Confirmed: Specific Patterns Of Fat Associated With Laminitis, Similar To Human Obesity Issues

Though horse owners and equine veterinarians have long believed a cresty neck to be associated with equine metabolic syndrome and associated laminitis, there has never been scientific proof of the link—until now: New research out of Australia has confirmed the correlation, reports EQUUS magazine.

Fat tissue stores energy and plays an important role in the synthesis and release of hormones that assist with metabolism and insulin function. Abnormal insulin function is a key risk factor for horses that develop hormone-related laminitis.

Drs. Danielle Fitzgerald, Stephen Anderson, Martin Sillence and Melody de Laat used 26 ponies for a study to determine if there is a correlation between cresty necks and the incidence of horses developing equine metabolic syndrome. Each of the ponies was given a body condition score (BCS) and a cresty neck score (CNS), which objectively measures the accumulation of fat on the neck. The scale goes from 0 to 5, with 5 indicating that the crest is so large it had dropped permanently to one side.

The ponies were then divided into three groups: those with a CNS of 3 or greater, but moderate body condition; those with a CNS of 3 or greater that were obese; and those that had moderate body condition and no cresty neck. The researchers used an oral glucose test to determine how each pony regulated insulin.

From the results, the scientists concluded that crestiness was a primary indicator of insulin dysregulation. Ponies that were not overweight, but that had a cresty neck score of greater than 3, were five times more likely than non-cresty neck ponies to have insulin dysfunction, and therefore be at risk of laminitis. Obese horse without a cresty neck were less likely to have an increased risk of insulin dysregulation and related problems.

These finding confirm what horse owners and veterinarians have suspected, that a cresty neck is a key indicator that a horse or pony has an insulin regulation issue. The results are also consistent with human obesity studies that link specific fat accumulation patterns to health complications.