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Gender Selection Helps Sustain Rare Breeds

Rare breeds of horse may have another tool in their arsenal against extinction: gender selection. The gender of a foal depends on what chromosome the sperm contains when it fertilizes the ovum. The nucleus of a sperm carrying the X chromosome is 4 percent larger than sperm containing a Y chromosome. This difference allows the sperm to be separated.

Inseminating the mare with semen that contains mainly X chromosomes increases the chances of getting a filly. This is important for breeds like the Suffolk Punch, which have fewer than 300 mares in the entire world. The Suffolk Punch is an English draft bred that is known for their power, stamina and temperament.

Tullis Matson, who owns AI Services, a UK-based equine reproductive center, began using new technology to sex sort equine semen in 2019. The company works in partnership with both Cogent and Sexing Technologies, and uses specialized equipment to sex sort the semen prior to insemination of the mare.

Ruby, a Suffolk Punch owned by Nottingham Trent University, was inseminated with semen from Holbeach Iggy, a Suffolk Punch stallion owned by Mike Clarke of Holbeache Farm, Suffolk, as part of a project between The Rare Breed Survival Trust and Nottingham Trent University. Using pedigree information, the project determined which animals can be bred to one another to minimize genetic decline and the risk of inbreeding.

Ruby had a healthy filly from the procedure. This form of gender selection allows breeding populations to increase more rapidly than by using traditional breeding methods.

Equine Fungal Infections An Emerging Issue

Fungal infections of the skin are common in animals worldwide; these infections can be transmitted to other animals or humans and cause skin infections and other, more-generalized infections.

Drs. Bożena Dworecka-Kaszak, Małgorzata Biegańska and Iwona Dąbrowska from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland took samples from a host of animals to determine what organisms were causing the fungal infections. The team used 5,335 hair, skin scraping, skin and ear swab samples over a 10-year period to look for different organisms. These samples came from 4,150 dogs, 689 cats, 274 horses, 88 rodents, 11 birds and 123 other pets. Of those, 2,399 were from animals that were diagnosed with dermatitis.

The fungi that was most-frequently isolated from skin lesions were Malassezia pachydermatis (29.14 percent), Candida yeasts (27.07 percent), and dermatophytes (23.5 percent). Alternaria molds alone were found in 127 samples. These molds are plentiful in soil, air and water, as well as on the surface of human and animal skin.

Infections from molds like Alternaria have become an emerging issue for equine veterinarians. Concern is being raised that this fungus may mechanically damage the tissue surrounding the infection. The conclude that this fungi should be considered as a cause of skin infections based on the number of skin samples that showed Alternaria as the only infection-causing organism.

Gluck Equine Research Foundation Launches Equine Biological Passport Program

The Gluck Equine Research Foundation at the University of Kentucky is developing an Equine Biological Passport (EBP) which aims to identify specific biomarkers that will detect drug use by monitoring changes to peptides and protein abundance, and monitor those biomarkers over time. The goals of this program are to elevate equine research at the University of Kentucky, to serve as a platform to impact policy change and drug testing protocol, and further understand the impact of drugs and medications on Thoroughbred racehorses.

“In the last few years we have seen too many negative headlines around equine drug use. As a research scientist, with 30 years of regulatory drug testing experience, my team and I know this is a problem we cannot currently solve,” said Dr. Scott Stanley, Professor of Equine Pharmacology and Toxicology; Director of the Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. “We know that it takes time to develop new tests for each new emerging drug, so we will always be behind. We know that each horse metabolizes drugs at a different rate, making standard clearance and withdrawal times confusing. In addition, we know that there are environmental factors, human interactions, and hundreds of other variables that can impact our current drug testing procedures. The EBP program is a tool that will enable us to rapidly identify new drugs and measure the physiological effect on the equine athlete. These data will be critical in differentiating between intentional doping and accidental contaminants, which can smear the industry image and damage reputations.”

The Equine Biological Passport program is an evolving research program, which is designed to expand and to be flexible enough to address new challenges, such as bio-therapeutics. Over the next several years, Gluck will continue to validate and refine the EBP program to position it as a future tool for the industry. In addition, it will provide scientific data needed to support changes in rules and regulations that will allow prosecution of violators, and prevent “at risk” horses from entering in competitions.

“At Stonestreet we are proud of our integrity, our commitment to a level playing field and our focus on the health of the horse above all else,” says Barbara Banke. “An equine biological passport will give us a comprehensive program that provides full transparency for both
competition and out-of-competition testing, for every stakeholder.”

“We will contribute $100,000 toward this project and I encourage all stakeholders to consider a tax-deductible gift as an investment in the future of the racing industry,” Banke continued.

For more information about this project, please visit http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/content/equine-biological-passport or contact Dr. Scott Stanley at scott.stanley2@uky.edu or 859.494.6319.

Funding for this project is entirely dependent on private support. For more information on how to support this effort or to make a gift please contact Danielle Jostes at danielle.jostes@uky.edu or give online at https://bit.ly/2OIsttX

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Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Drive-Thru BBQ In Saratoga Set For Aug. 11

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), an equine retirement facility accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), will host a unique Drive-thru BBQ on August 11 at the Saratoga Winery.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and its horsemen are committed supporters of the TAA, which accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, retire, and rehome thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.

In order to comply with social distancing guidelines, the annual TRF BBQ at the Barn has been reimagined as a drive-thru experience at Saratoga Winery which will feature a drive around the grounds complete with miniature ponies, racing celebrities, and a special appearance by Joey, the TRF Herd Ambassador, who will be returning to Saratoga from the TRF Second Chances Program at Wallkill to see all his friends from last summer.

“In this summer unlike any other, the TRF is committed to keeping our mission and our horses in the minds of the racing community across New York, and across the country”, said Kim Weir, of the TRF. “With this creative and light-hearted approach to our summer BBQ we're hoping to expand awareness of our work within the Saratoga and Capital Region community, while also giving fans and horsemen unable to travel to the Spa this summer an opportunity to join us – at least in spirit, with their support.”

Friends of the TRF Herd across the country can participate in spirit by purchasing a bale of hay ($5) or a bag of grain ($15) for the horses, by making a gift of sponsorship (starting at $100), or purchasing raffle tickets for an online raffle.

Working in partnership with The Saratoga Winery and the Barnsider BBQ of Lake George the $30 single meal (carry-out) will include pulled pork, BBQ bone-in chicken with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Other items on the menu include the TRF Signature Cocktail featuring Pick Six Strawberry Jam Vodka along with your choice of apple, blueberry, strawberry or rhubarb pie from Mourningkill Bake Shop.

For a full list of menu items and other TRF merchandise, please visit https://www.trfinc.org/event/bbq-at-the-barn-2020/.

All orders must be placed by 12 p.m. on Friday, August 7 (pre-ordered, carry-out only). Sponsorships are welcome.

To retire a horse to the TRF, horse owners are asked to visit the TRF website at http://www.trfinc.org and review the retirement process and apply online. Each application is reviewed by the TRF's national herd manager, in consultation with the Herd Committee of the TRF Board of Directors, who then review each application and approve, place or waitlist each horse that meets retirement criteria.

For more information about the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, or to sponsor a horse at Wallkill or at one of the 500+ retired racehorses in the TRF Herd, please visit https://www.trfinc.org/you-can-help.

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