Effects of fat feeding and energy level on plasma metabolites and hormones in Shetland ponies

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a fat-supplemented diet compared with a carbohydrate diet on the lipid metabolism and the enteroinsular axis of Shetland ponies. The 'crossover' experiment was divided into two parts: in the first 10 weeks the diets comprised the correct number of calories according to requirements and in the following 10 weeks they were hypercaloric, in order to check the effect of a different energy content of the diets. Feeding the fat-enriched diet, independently of its energy content, led to a significant decrease in plasma triglycerides, associated with a mean 50% increase of plasma lipoprotein lipase activity. After oral glucose load the ponies on fat-enriched diets showed higher plasma glucose concentrations. Oral glucose administration after feeding the hypercaloric fat-enriched diet led to a 25-fold increase of plasma insulin levels. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide plasma levels were increased in the animals on the fat-enriched diets. The results of this study suggest that fat feeding improves triglyceride clearance. However, the fat supplementation of the diet also led to impaired glucose tolerance. These results are important for a better understanding of the function of the enteroinsular axis. To investigate the influences of fat on lipid metabolism in relation to the aetiopathogenesis of equine hyperlipaemia further studies involving diseased animals are needed.     

Scapulohumeral arthrodesis in four Shetland ponies

Four Shetland ponies were presented with severe osteoarthritis of the scapulohumeral joint to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University over a period of 4 years. Ponies were treated with internal fixation using locking compression plates (LCPs) applied cranially across the scapulohumeral joint. Although two ponies developed mild complications, all ponies were more comfortable in the limb within a few hours following arthrodesis.     

Scapulohumeral osteoarthritis in 20 Shetland ponies, miniature horses and falabella ponies

This paper describes the clinical and diagnostic features of 20 cases of scapulohumeral osteoarthritis in Shetland ponies, miniature horses and falabella ponies. The history and clinical signs were similar in all the cases Radiographically they all had consistent changes which consisted predominantly of articular osteophytes and periarticular enthesiophytes. Six of the cases had radiographic evidence of dysplasia of the scapulohumeral joint, although it was uncertain whether this was a primary or a secondary finding. No specific treatment appeared to be advantageous. At follow up, six of the ponies had to be euthanased owing to continuing severe lameness; the other 14 ponies remained lame, but were maintained at pasture by the occasional use of oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. No definitive aetiology for the condition was identified, but it is proposed that an underlying dysplasia, or lack of collateral support may predispose the scapulohumeral joint of miniature horse breeds to the disease.     

Effect of repeated oxfendazole treatments on small strongyle infections in Shetland ponies

Overwintering of horse cyathostomes as inhibited third stage larvae (L3) and the effect of repeated oxfendazole (OFZ) treatment on strongyle infections were studied in an experiment with two groups of three Shetland ponies. Both groups were grazed together from May 28 to November 11, 1986 and subsequently housed. Treatments with 10 mg OFZ kg-1 were given on May 26, July 1 and July 28 and again one week before each group was necropsied in December and April, respectively. Worm populations of both groups were dominated by inhibited early L3. The proportion of fourth stage larvae (L4) was significantly higher in April than in December. The faecal egg counts showed that the OFZ treatment in May was more effective than those in July. This resulted in high pasture larval counts from the end of August onwards. The final treatments revealed a low efficacy against L3 and L4 but not against adult worms.     

不同高精料耐受时间对泌乳期山羊肝脏糖脂代谢的影响

为了研究饲喂高精料日粮对泌乳期山羊肝脏糖脂代谢的影响,试验选用16只健康经产泌乳中期关中奶山羊,随机分为3组,低精料组(LC, n=5)、长期高精料组(HL, n=7)和短期高精料组(HS, n=4)。实验结束后采集血液和肝脏组织。结果显示,与LC组相比,HL和HS组奶山羊血糖和肝糖原水平显著升高(P<0.05),血液中甘油三酯(TG)水平显著降低(P<0.05),胆固醇(Tch)含量没有显著变化(P>0.05);HS组山羊肝脏TG和Tch水平显著增加(P<0.05),HL组无显著变化 (P>0.05)。HL组肝脏中丙酮酸羧化酶(PC)和葡萄糖转运蛋白2(GLUT2)mRNA表达水平显著上调;HS组肝脏PC、固醇调节元件结合蛋白1(SREBP1)、硬脂酰辅酶A去饱和酶(SCD)、二酰基甘油酰基转移酶(DGAT)和3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(HMGCR) mRNA表达水平显著升高(P<0.05),SREBP-2有升高的趋势(P=0.76),肉碱棕榈酰转移酶-1(CPT-1)和胆固醇7α-羟化酶(CYP7α1)mRNA表达显著下降(P<0.05);线粒体型磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶(PCK2)蛋白表达水平显著升高(P<0.05)。以上结果表明,短期饲喂高精料日粮能增强肝脏糖异生能力,促进肝脏胆固醇和脂肪合成;而长期饲喂高精料日粮能增强肝脏糖异生作用,但对胆固醇和脂肪代谢相关基因的表达没有影响。     

Seasonally inhibited development of cyathostomine nematodes in Shetland ponies in The Netherlands

Two groups of three yearling Shetland ponies were used in 1988 to study the epidemiological significance of inhibited development of the Cyathostomine nematodes. In Group 1, acquisition of infections was prevented throughout the grazing season whereas in Group 2 strongylid infections were acquired from the beginning of July until the end of September. Worm counts showed that the Cyathostomine nematode populations of Group 1 ponies mainly consisted of adult worms and those of Group 2 ponies of inhibited early third stage larvae (L3). These results indicate that a large proportion of Cyathostomine larvae which establish between the beginning of July and the end of September inhibit their development. The results also suggest that the pool of inhibited larvae which has overwintered in young ponies will be depleted in autumn.     

Radiological study to evaluate suspected scapulohumeral joint dysplasia in Shetland ponies

A radiological study was performed to test the hypothesis that osteoarthritis of the scapulohumeral joint in Shetland ponies is secondary to shoulder dysplasia. Animals were selected into 3 groups: Group 1: Shetland ponies with a radiological and clinical diagnosis of scapulohumeral osteoarthritis (n = 8); Group 2: Shetland ponies without forelimb lameness (n = 12); Group 3: Horses/ponies without a history or clinical signs of forelimb lameness (n = 22). Anatomical indices were measured from mediolateral radiographs of a scapulohumeral joint from each animal. There was a significant difference in the mean radius of curvature of the glenoid cavity of the scapula (RCG) between the 3 groups (MANOVA test, P = 0.003). The mean RCG of both Group 1 (P = 0.001) and Group 2 (P = 0.022) was significantly greater than that of Group 3. There was no significant effect of group on the radius of curvature of the humeral head or on the Conformity Index. There was a significant effect of group on the Glenoid Ratio (MANOVA test, P = 3 x 10(-6)). The mean Glenoid Ratio was significantly lower in both Group 1 (P = 2 x 10(-6)) and in Group 2 (P = 0.006) than in Group 3. These results indicate that the glenoid cavity of the scapula is 'flatter' and 'shallower' in Shetland ponies which we postulate to be a primary dysplasia in this breed.     

壳聚糖对肉仔鸡脂肪代谢的影响

本试验选用了体重相近的健康的1日龄AA肉公仔鸡96只,随机分成4组,每组设4个重复,每个重复6只鸡。试验期为21d。在各组基础饲料中分别添加0、50、100、150mg/kg的壳聚糖。结果表明:150mg/kg组壳聚糖对肉仔鸡脂类代谢的影响效果显著,能分别降低肉仔鸡的肝脂率和腹脂率4.92%(P0.05)和16.67%(P0.05),同时能有效降低血清中胆固醇水平23.19%(P0.05),肉仔鸡腹脂脂肪酶合成酶(FAS)和苹果酸酶(ME)活性没有影响,但肉仔鸡腹脂脂蛋白酯酶(LPL) mRNA表达显著性上调(P0.05)。     

Effects of dietary heme iron and exercise training on abdominal fat accumulation and lipid metabolism in high‐fat diet‐fed mice

Animal by‐products can be recycled and used as sources of essential nutrients. Water‐soluble heme iron (WSHI), a functional food additive for supplementing iron, is produced by processing animal blood. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of 3% WSHI and exercise training for 4 weeks on the accumulation of abdominal fat and lipid metabolism in mice fed high‐fat diet. Exercise‐trained mice had significantly less perirenal adipose tissue, whereas WSHI‐fed mice tended to have less epididymal adipose tissue. In addition, total weight of abdominal adipose tissues was significantly decreased in the Exercise + WSHI group. Dietary WSHI significantly increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of lipoprotein lipase and hormone‐sensitive lipase. WSHI‐fed mice also tended to show increased mRNA levels of adipose triglyceride lipase in their epididymal adipose tissue. Dietary WSHI also significantly decreased the mRNA levels of fatty acid oxidation‐related enzymes in the liver, but did not influence levels in the Gastrocnemius muscle. Exercise training did not influence the mRNA levels of lipid metabolism‐related enzymes in the epididymal adipose tissue, liver or the Gastrocnemius muscle. These findings suggest that the accumulation of abdominal fat can be efficiently decreased by the combination of dietary WSHI and exercise training in mice fed high‐fat diet.     

Risk factors for insect bite hypersensitivity in Friesian horses and Shetland ponies in The Netherlands

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an equine skin allergy caused by bites of Culicoides spp. and impacts on the welfare of affected horses. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify risk factors for IBH. Data from 3453 Friesian horse mares and 7074 Shetland pony mares scored for IBH by inspectors during obligatory foal inspections were analysed using breed-specific multivariable logistic regression models. The combined effect of month and year of scoring, Province and inspector were significantly associated with IBH in both breeds. In Shetland pony mares, withers height and coat colour were also significantly associated with IBH, while body condition had a nearly significant effect. The outcomes from this study on risk factors might contribute to the development of more efficient measures to reduce the prevalence of IBH.     

中草药方剂对肉仔鸡脂类代谢的影响

选取225只1日龄艾维茵肉鸡,随机分为5组,每组3个重复,每个重复15只鸡,研究中草药方剂对肉仔鸡脂类代谢的影响。基础日粮为玉米-豆粕型,对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组分别在基础日粮中添加0.5%、1.0%、1.5%、2.0%的中草药复方添加剂,进行为期6周的饲养试验。结果表明:日粮中添加该方剂显著影响了肉仔鸡血液中总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG3)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)的含量,且随着中草药添加水平的升高,TC、TG3、LDL-C含量有下降的趋势,而HDL-C则显著升高,并且能显著降低腹脂率、肝脂含量和肌肉中胆固醇含量。