Relationships Between Measurements of Body Fat in Thoroughbred Horses |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY;2. Equine Studies Group, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Melton, Mowbray, UK;1. Department of Zootechnical Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Veselí nad Lužnicí, Czech Republic;2. Ecole supérieure des Techniques aéronautiques et de Construction automobile, Sucé sur Erdre, France;3. Department of Zootechnical Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Zemský hřebčinec Písek, Písek, Czech Republic;4. Department of Zootechnical Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Lhenice, Czech Republic;5. Department of Zootechnical Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic;6. Department of Zootechnical Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic;7. Department of Vehicles and Ground Transport, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha 6, Czech Republic;1. Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL;2. Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL;1. Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Herts, UK;2. WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, Freeby Lane, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, UK;3. Centre for Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;1. Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, UK;2. Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, NW1 0TU, UK;3. WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, Leicestershire, UK;1. Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC;2. Equine Podiatry and Rehabilitation Practice, Chapel Hill, NC |
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| Abstract: | Equine obesity is increasing in prevalence, and weight loss diets are frequently recommended for these horses. However, there are also management situations in which horses are deemed to be too thin. To monitor the efficacy of weight change programs, estimates of body fat are often made. There are several systems available to estimate body fat, and there are benefits and challenges to using each method. The objective of this study was to compare four different methods of estimating body fat in Thoroughbred horses. In 14 mature Thoroughbred horses, relationships among body condition score (BCS), morphometric measurements, ultrasonic measures of subcutaneous fat depots, and estimation of total body fat (BFD) via measurement of total body water through deuterium oxide dilution were evaluated. Body condition scores ranged from 4.5 to 6.5 on a 9-point scale. Body condition score, heart girth-to-body weight ratio, and BFD were all positively correlated with each other (P < .05). Subcutaneous fat depth at the tailhead tended to be positively related to BFD when only horses with BCS ≥ 5 were included (P = .0680). These data suggest that BCS remains a simple means of monitoring adiposity in mature horses in moderate condition. Tailhead fat depots may become useful for monitoring changes in body fat in Thoroughbreds with a BCS above 5, although more work with animals of higher adiposity is required and at different times of year. |
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| Keywords: | Adiposity Body condition score Deuterium oxide Subcutaneous fat |
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