Effect of training location and time period on racehorse performance in New Zealand. 1. Descriptive analysis

AIM: To describe characteristics of Thoroughbred training stables in Matamata and in all other locations in New Zealand combined, over two 19-month time periods in 1996–1997 and 1998–1999, representing equal length periods immediately prior to and after the construction of a new training surface at the Matamata Racing Club.

METHODS: Retrospective records covering all horses training and racing in New Zealand during two 19-month time periods (1996–1997 and 1998–1999), covering 161 locations, were obtained from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR). Outcome variables included whether a horse was raced again in the 6 months following any start in the first 13 months of either time period, number of race starts for every horse, and finishing position. Summary measures with confidence intervals (CI) and unadjusted odds ratios (OR), measuring strength of associations for various factors, were computed.

RESULTS: The datasets contained information on 45,446 horses, 11,336 races, 5,110 trials and a total of 110,643 race starts. Horses trained at Matamata represented 8% (3,715) of the total horse datasets, and accounted for 11,977 race starts (10.8%). They were more likely to start in a race or trial in either time period and were 1.4 and 1.3 times as likely to finish first, second or third compared with horses trained at other locations in 1996–1997 and 1998–1999, respectively. A 6-month no-race period occurred for 9,306/12,584 (74%) horses that started at least once in the first 13 months of either time period. Horses trained at Matamata were less likely to have a 6-month no-race period than horses trained at other locations in both time periods. There was no effect of time period within each location on the probability of either a horse having a 6-month no-race period or of a race start being followed by a 6-month no-race period, but there was an overall effect of time and more 6-month no-race periods were observed in 1998–1999 relative to 1996–1997.

CONCLUSION: Summary statistics are presented for Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand over two 19-month time periods. Differences between the populations of horses trained in Matamata compared with those trained at other locations were attributed, in part, to the fact that many of the more successful racehorse trainers in the country have stables at Matamata. As a result, the population of horses in Matamata may not be representative of the racehorse population in New Zealand. Although more likely to win or place in both time periods, the magnitude of the advantage to horses in Matamata was reduced in 1998–1999 relative to 1996–1997, and this could be due, in part, to effects of the new track surface at Matamata. There was no evidence of a rise in risk of a 6-month no-race period following any race start in those horses trained in Matamata in 1998–1999 relative to either horses trained at other locations or to horses trained in Matamata during the earlier time period.     

Serum and skin IgA concentrations in normal and atopic dogs

Objective To compare serum and skin surface IgA concentrations from atopic and normal dogs.
Procedure IgA concentrations in sera and skin washings of 20 clinically normal dogs that had no history of pruritus or skin disease were compared to those obtained in 20 dogs with a diagnosis of atopy determined by history, clinical examination and positive intradermal skin test.
Results There was no significant difference in the mean serum IgA concentration in normal dogs (252 ± 187 mg/L) versus atopic animals (314 ± 327). When skin washings from all sites in both groups were compared, atopic dogs had significantly greater concentrations of IgA in their skin washings than normal dogs as evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunoassay (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the individual sites of the skin washings of atopic and normal dogs.
Conclusion IgA concentrations of skin washings in atopic dogs were greater than in normal dogs. Further investigations need to determine if the greater concentrations were caused by nonspecific inflammation or by secretion of allergen-specific IgA onto the skin surface.     

Simulation of the economic impact of transmissible gastroenteritis on commercial pig production in Australia

A simulation model (AUSPIG) was used to predict the effect of an increase in piglet deaths, and a reduction in growth rate and an increase in feed conversion ratio of grower pigs on the profitability of two herds representative of the Australian pig industry caused by the introduction of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGE) into those herds. For each herd, mortality rates for piglets under 1 week of age of 50% and 95% were assumed to represent a 'moderate' and a 'severe' outbreak, respectively. A reduction in net revenue of 70% was predicted to occur in the 6 months after a 'moderate' outbreak of TGE (100% for a 'severe' outbreak). This represents a total loss of between $260 and $330 per breeding sow in the 12 months after infection with the TGE virus. The likely financial impact of an outbreak of TGE on an Australian piggery is substantial and should be considered when addressing quarantine issues.     

Risk factors for injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory apparatus in Thoroughbred racehorses in New Zealand

AIM: To investigate risk factors for injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory apparatus (SA) of the forelimbs in Thoroughbred racehorses in New Zealand.

METHODS: Poisson and negative binomial regression, with exposure time represented by cumulative training days for each horse, were used to relate explanatory variables to the incidence rate (IR) of cases of inflammation of the SDFT (n=51), and injuries involving the SA (n=48) in a population of 1,571 commercially-trained racehorses over 554,745 study days. Only the first occurrence of an injury for any one horse was eligible for inclusion. Separate analyses were run for data from horses in training regardless of whether they had started in a trial or race, and using a subset of these data restricted to those preparations associated with at least one start in a trial or race. Results were reported as incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS: Male horses had a higher risk of injury to the SA (IRR 2.57; p=0.005) and tended to have a higher risk of injury to the SDFT (IRR 1.74; p=0.09) than female horses. Increasing age was associated with increased risk of injury. Horses aged 4 and ≥5 years were 6.76 (p<0.001) and 15.26 (p<0.001) times more likely to incur injury to the SDFT, and 2.91 (p=0.02) and 3.54 (p=0.005) times more likely to incur injury to the SA, respectively, than 2-year-olds. Horses were more likely to suffer an injury to the SDFT or SA in a training preparation that was not associated with any starts in official trials or races compared with those preparations that were associated with more than one start (p<0.001), and more likely to injure the SA compared with preparations containing one start (p=0.03). The IR of injury to the SDFT tended to be lower between November–January (IRR 0.78; p=0.08) and February-April (IRR 0.75; p=0.08) compared with August–October. Incidence of injury to the SDFT or SA was not associated with the cumulative distance raced in the last 30 days of a training preparation.

CONCLUSION: This study identified risk factors for injury to the SDFT and SA in Thoroughbred racehorses in New Zealand. Injuries were more likely in males, older horses and in horses in training preparations without any starts. There was no evidence of association between injury and cumulative high-speed exercise.     

Supplemented Morus nigra extract‐based medium associated with FSH enables the survival and growth of isolated ovine secondary ovarian follicles

The effects of Morus nigra ethanolic extract, without or with addition of supplements associated or not with FSH, on in vitro culture of ovine secondary follicles were evaluated. In experiment 1, isolated secondary follicles were cultured for 12 days in α‐MEM alone (control) or in different concentrations of M. nigra extract (MN 0.025; 0.05 or 0.1 mg/ml). In experiment 2, culture media were α‐MEM supplemented with BSA, insulin, transferrin, selenium, glutamine, hypoxanthine and ascorbic acid (α‐MEM⁺) or this medium associated with FSH (α‐MEM⁺ + FSH), or 0.1 mg/ml M. nigra without supplements (MN 0.1) or supplemented (MN 0.1⁺) without or with FSH (MN 0.1⁺ + FSH). In experiment 1, 0.1 mg/ml M. nigra showed the highest percentages (p < .05) of normal follicles and fully grown oocytes, besides a higher follicular diameter than α‐MEM and other M. nigra extract concentrations. Moreover, MN 0.1 showed lower (p < .05) glutathione (GSH) levels and similar (p > .05) mitochondrial activity compared to α‐MEM. In experiment 2, MN 0.1⁺ + FSH showed similar results (p > .05) to α‐MEM⁺ + FSH for all parameters evaluated, except for the daily growth rate, which was higher (p < .05) in MN 0.1⁺ + FSH. The GSH levels were higher in MEM⁺ than all treatments. In addition, oocytes from follicles cultured in MN 0.1⁺ + FSH showed ability to resume meiosis. In conclusion, M. nigra extract (0.1 mg/ml) added by supplements and FSH can be an efficient medium for ovine secondary follicle development.     

The efficacy of diazinon impregnated ear tags against buffalo fly and resulting weight gains and diazinon residues in meat and milk

Ear tags impregnated with 20% diazinon were evaluated for their efficacy against the buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) on beef cattle in southern Queensland. Buffalo fly numbers and weight changes were recorded and diazinon residues in tissues of beef cattle and milk from lactating dairy cattle were assayed at different time intervals after tagging. In 2 efficacy trials conducted over 19 and 20 weeks, the mean numbers of buffalo fly on cattle each fitted with ear tags were 1 to 9 and 0 to 16, respectively, in trials 1 and 2, compared with 44 to 345 and 26 to 306 per head on untreated herds, respectively, despite regular spraying of the untreated herd in trial 1 with cyper-methrin to reduce fly burdens. Percentage buffalo fly control was 96.7 to 99.5% and 89.3 to 100% in the 2 trials. Cattle fitted with ear tags gained an average of 94 kg body weight after 5 months compared with 61 kg in the untreated herd, a net increase of 60% in treated animals compared with 28% in the untreated herd. Mean diazinon residue concentrations in the fat of perianal tissue biopsies were 0.02 to 0.03 mg/kg 1 to 8 weeks after tagging. Mean diazinon residue concentrations in the butterfat of milk from lactating dairy cattle were 0.01 to 0.04 mg/kg after tagging.