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Phannithi T, Laikul A, Pathomsakulwong W, Rungsri P, Apichaimongkonkun T, Watchrarat K, Cherdchutham W. External Hoof Measurements of Untrimmed and Unshod Mules in Northern Thailand. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1197. [PMID: 38672345 PMCID: PMC11047516 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
External hoof characteristics, balance, and conformation have been extensively studied in horses; however, mules remain understudied in these aspects. This study evaluated the size, shape, and symmetry of untrimmed and unshod forelimb hooves, compared the symmetry between forelimb hooves and stratified external forelimb hoof measurements based on the body condition score of mules raised in the foothill plains of northern Thailand. The forelimb hooves of 38 mules were photographed and 33 parameters, including angular and linear measurements, were analyzed. A multivariate analysis was used to explore the influence of sex, age, and body condition scores (BCS) on angular, linear, and area parameters. Additionally, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test was used to compare these parameters across different BCS groups. Despite the absence of shoeing and trimming, these mules exhibited optimal left-right forelimb hoof symmetry, with no significant (p < 0.05) differences in: outer wall length and inner wall length (OWL-IWL: Left 0.11 ± 0.66 cm; Right -0.12 ± 0.43 cm); sole length and sole width (SLS-SW: Left 1.65 ± 0.76 cm; Right 1.46 ± 0.89 cm); dorsal hoof wall length and heel length (DHWL-HL: Left 4.00 ± 0.80 cm; Right 3.81 ± 0.72 cm); and frog length and frog width (FL-FW: Left 3.88 ± 1.13 cm; Right 3.82 ± 0.18 cm). However, significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed within each body condition score group for forelimb hoof measurements for DHWL, IWL, heel separation (HS), heel bulb distance (HBD), SW, FW, and FL, while sex and age had no significant differences across the study variables. These findings provide valuable insights into mule welfare and management, contributing to understanding of the interplay between overall health and hoof conformation in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thawijit Phannithi
- Veterinary Clinical Studies Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakorn Pathom 73140, Thailand;
| | - Aree Laikul
- Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakorn Pathom 73140, Thailand;
| | - Watcharapol Pathomsakulwong
- Equine Clinic, Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Sean, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand; (W.P.); (T.A.)
| | - Porrakote Rungsri
- Equine Clinic, Department of Companion Animal and Wildlife Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand;
| | - Tawanhathai Apichaimongkonkun
- Equine Clinic, Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Sean, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand; (W.P.); (T.A.)
| | - Krisana Watchrarat
- Veterinarian of Royal Stable Unit, The Royal Thai Army, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
| | - Worakij Cherdchutham
- Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakorn Pathom 73140, Thailand;
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Zaha C, Schuszler L, Dascalu R, Nistor P, Florea T, Rujescu C, Sicoe B, Igna C. Thermographic Image of the Hoof Print in Leisure and Cross-Country Warmblood Horses: A Pilot Study. Vet Sci 2023; 10:470. [PMID: 37505874 PMCID: PMC10385432 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10070470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The field of veterinary medicine lacks information on equine thermal hoof printing, and few data on the same subject are available in dogs. In human medicine, thermography is used to detect heat emitted by the foot when it comes in contact with a flat surface to detect the abnormalities of the foot balance. The hypothesis states that the thermal pattern of the hoof print in Warmblood horses is detectable and it does not vary among the four limbs in leisure and cross-country Warmblood horses in terms of mean temperature of the hoof print surface. A pilot study was conducted to investigate the accuracy of thermography in temperature detection of the hoof print and to investigate the occurrence of possible differences in the mean value of six selected areas and whether there are any differences in the mean temperature of the hoof print between leisure and cross-country Warmblood horses. METHODS The study included sixty non-lame Warmblood horses with all limbs taken into consideration (n = 240). The selection criteria for the horses were: no alterations in posture and no muscle group asymmetry during visual examination, no lateral or medial deviation of the carpus or hock, no reaction to the flexion tests, negative reactions to the hoof tester, no lameness during walking, trotting or lunging, no anti-inflammatory medication in the last three weeks prior to examination and rectal temperature between 37 °C and 38 °C. The hoof print of each hoof was measured with the horse in the standing position, all four limbs on the ground, using a FLIR E50 thermal camera. Six areas of temperature from the hoof print were taken into consideration, and for each of them, the mean value was identified using FLIR Tools software for photo interpretation. The One-Way ANOVA test was used to test the differences between the mean temperatures obtained for each selected area from all limbs and to compare the hoof print temperature values between the leisure horses and cross-country horses. Data were statistically processed using SAS Studio. RESULTS Thermography can detect the temperature emitted by the hoof but the thermal patterns of the hoof print show no difference for all four studied limbs. No significant statistical differences were noticed between the mean temperatures identified for each studied area. Also, there were no statistical differences between the mean temperature of the selected areas from the forelimbs and hindlimbs from the horses used for leisure and those used for cross-country. Based on this aspect, the mean temperature of one selected area can be determined in any of the four limbs, without visible variations. CONCLUSIONS Thermography can detect the hoof print on a flat surface and the mean temperature for each studied area can be proposed as a reference temperature value. There were no differences in the mean temperature of the hoofprint between leisure and cross-country Warmblood Horses. Further investigations are required to clarify whether there are any differences in the thermal pattern of hoof prints from other breeds or from horses with musculoskeletal conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Zaha
- Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Larisa Schuszler
- Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Roxana Dascalu
- Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Paula Nistor
- Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Tiana Florea
- Dermatology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ciprian Rujescu
- Management and Rural Development Department, Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Bogdan Sicoe
- Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Cornel Igna
- Surgery Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", 300645 Timisoara, Romania
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Sellke L, Patan-Zugaj B, Ludewig E, Cimrman R, Witter K. Comparison of Six Different Methods for Measuring the Equine Hoof and Recording of its Three-Dimensional Conformation. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 121:104195. [PMID: 36535437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Different measuring techniques have been used to objectify the classification of hoof shape. The MicroScribe is a novel tool that might prove useful for measuring hooves without prior reconstruction or compensation of projection artefacts. The aim of this study was to compare biometric data of the equine hoof collected by the MicroScribe tool and measurements collected directly from hooves, scaled photographs and radiographs, from photogrammetry models and computed tomography datasets. The suitability of MicroScribe generated data to differentiate individual hoof conformations was tested. A total of 62 measures were recorded from 16 forehooves. 21 linear and nine angular measures were collected by at least four methods each, and evaluated further by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Ratios and differences of these measures were calculated as suitable for the definition of hoof shapes and analysed as well. Absolute equivalency of methods was detected for five linear and none of the angular measurements. The precision of the tested measurement methods was comparable. In some cases, different methods measure different structures. Radiographs tended to overestimate, while computed tomography slides to underestimate distances. Photogrammetry and scaled photographs were less suitable for measuring hoof angles. The MicroScribe tool can readily be used for hoof measurements. Its values for linear measures showed good equivalency with other methods based on real hooves. For angular measurements, the uneven hoof surface might introduce imprecision. Not all hoof conformations could be detected based on measuring results alone. Diagnosis by a skilled veterinarian is still essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Sellke
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Morphology, Workgroup Anatomy, University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bianca Patan-Zugaj
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Morphology, Workgroup Anatomy, University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eberhard Ludewig
- Clinical Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Small Animals and Horses, University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Cimrman
- New Technologies Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Kirsti Witter
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Morphology, Workgroup Anatomy, University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Rosa V, Alonso J, Pizzigatti D, Charlier M, Watanabe M, Machado V, Hussni C. Effect of the trimming of the toe region of healthy horses forelimb hooves on morphology, distal angles and locomotion by cinematography. ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-12551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Seven forelimb hooves from healthy horses were submitted to regular trimming and fourteen days later, submitted to toe trimming. Toe angle and length, lateral and medial heels, frog and sole length and width, distal, proximal, and metacarpal phalangeal interphalangeal angles were measured, as well as locomotion evaluation through cinematographic analysis. The measurements were performed ten, 14, 15, 30 and 45 days after the regular trimming, and at 14 days two measurements, one before and one after the toe trimming, were carried out. For cinematography, the sequence of supports and time spent in each support were taken. The comparison of the means obtained from the individuals regarding the variables, between limbs, limbs for each individual, time - points, moments for each individual and between limbs for each moment, as well as the time spent in each in the supports, was performed using ANOVA. Results lower than those of statistical significance (p<0.05) were submitted to Tukey’s test. The toe trimming promotes changes in toe length, angle, lateral heel angle, medial and lateral heel length, frog length, width, and sole length, and changes the pattern of the trot of horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- V.B.B. Rosa
- Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil
| | - J.M. Alonso
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista, Brazil
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Affiliation(s)
- A. F. Souza
- Departamento de Cirurgia Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brasil
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Relationship Between Body Mass and the Hoof Area: Understanding the Turner's Formula. J Equine Vet Sci 2021; 103:103682. [PMID: 34281650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The equine hoof balance has been the subject of several studies, reflecting the importance of hooves for the good health and performance of these animals. An important condition for the hooves health is its loading, where too much weight in a small area can increase the chances of lameness. Therefore, an equation has been proposed to identify the relationship between body mass and hoof size and has been used in several studies. However, a clear description of how it was developed and what its results really indicate is not available in the literature. In light of this, this article aims to describe this Turner's equation and propose modifications to better characterize the body mass to hoof size ratio for fore- and hindlimbs.
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Van Houtte J, Vandenberghe F, Zheng G, Huysmans T, Sijbers J. EquiSim: An Open-Source Articulatable Statistical Model of the Equine Distal Limb. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:623318. [PMID: 33763462 PMCID: PMC7982960 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.623318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Most digital models of the equine distal limb that are available in the community are static and/or subject specific; hence, they have limited applications in veterinary research. In this paper, we present an articulatable model of the entire equine distal limb based on statistical shape modeling. The model describes the inter-subject variability in bone geometry while maintaining proper jointspace distances to support model articulation toward different poses. Shape variation modes are explained in terms of common biometrics in order to ease model interpretation from a veterinary point of view. The model is publicly available through a graphical user interface (https://github.com/jvhoutte/equisim) in order to facilitate future digitalization in veterinary research, such as computer-aided designs, three-dimensional printing of bone implants, bone fracture risk assessment through finite element methods, and data registration and segmentation problems for clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guoyan Zheng
- Center for Image-Guided Therapy and Interventions, Institute for Medical Robotics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Toon Huysmans
- imec-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Section on Applied Ergonomics and Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Jan Sijbers
- imec-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Mostafa MB, Abdelgalil AI, Farhat SF, Raw Z, Kubasiewicz LM. Morphometric measurements of the feet of working donkeys Equus asinus in Egypt. J Equine Sci 2020; 31:17-22. [PMID: 32617071 PMCID: PMC7316701 DOI: 10.1294/jes.31.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Working equids rely on sound, balanced hooves, but data describing the typical morphology
of the legs and feet of working donkeys are currently lacking. To address this gap in
knowledge, the front and hind feet of twenty healthy working donkeys were measured and
compared. Hoof width, weight-bearing lengths, heel width, dorsal hoof wall length and
lateral and medial heel length of the hoof wall were determined, as well as toe angle,
heel angle, hoof pastern axis, coronary band angle and a measure of ‘ground surface size’.
Viewed from the ground surface of the foot, front feet were more rounded and significantly
larger than hind feet. Measures of medial-lateral balance and toe-heel angle ratio were
within the recommended healthy guidelines for horses. Hoof pastern axis was broken forward
for the studied animals, which supports previous research suggesting that a broken forward
hoof pastern axis is normal for donkeys, although further study would be required to
confirm whether this conformation is natural. Significant correlations were found between
estimated body mass and hoof width in both the front and hind feet. These measurements
provide valuable insight into the relationship between hoof and body characteristics,
which may aid the development of guidelines for the trimming and management of working
donkey hooves. Further study is, however, advised to confirm natural hoof
conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed B Mostafa
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Anesthesiology and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, P.O. Box 12211, Cairo, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed I Abdelgalil
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Anesthesiology and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, P.O. Box 12211, Cairo, Giza, Egypt
| | - Shaaban F Farhat
- Egyptian Society for the Protection and Welfare of Working Animals (ESPWWA), P. O. Box 12111, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Zoe Raw
- The Donkey Sanctuary, Slade House Farm, Sidmouth, EX10 0NU, U.K
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Mosquera JCV, Álvarez JDC, Jacometo CB. Morphofunctional characteristics of working mules in mountain areas of the Colombian Central Andes. ACTA SCIENTIARUM: ANIMAL SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v42i1.46379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of morphofunctional measurements allows the selection of suitable animals to perform working activities and ensure that animal maximum capacities are not exceeded. Mules are commonly used by small farmers for agricultural work in mountain areas where the access is extremely difficult. We aimed to estimate the functionality indexes of working mules in mountain areas of the Colombian Central Andes. A total of 94 adult mules were evaluated for withers height, thoracic perimeter, body length, neck length, and body weight, which were used to determine the body index (BI), proportionality index (PI), and load carriage index (LCI). Descriptive statistics, analysis of correlations, and principal component analysis were performed. Males presented higher morphometric measurements than females. There was a negative correlation between BI with PI and LCI. The principal component analysis was able to merge characteristics in two components explaining 81.78% of the variance in the indexes. These results demonstrated that working mules in the studied area have morphometric characteristics that define them as mesolinear animals with a low frame and broad chest, and these characteristics can function as a guide to identify desirable conformation indices for working mules, determining values of adequate load, respecting animal welfare.
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Tocci R, Sargentini C, Martini A, Andrenelli L, Pezzati A, Benvenuti D, Giorgetti A. Hoof Quality of Anglo-Arabian and Haflinger Horses. J Vet Res 2017; 61:367-373. [PMID: 29978097 PMCID: PMC5894422 DOI: 10.1515/jvetres-2017-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Foot quality is essential to the horse's movement. The barefoot approach favours the animal's welfare. Environment and selection determine hoof characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hoof characteristics of eight Anglo-Arabian (AA) and nine Haflinger (HA) horses were studied. After a preliminary visual analysis of feet, nail samples were collected after trimming for physico-chemical analysis. The parameters were submitted to analysis of variance. A principal component analysis and a Pearson correlation were used to compare mineral contents. RESULTS The hooves of both breeds were healthy and solid. The hooves of HA horses were longer than those of AA horses (14.90 ±0.30 cm vs 13.10 ±0.60 cm), while the AA hoof was harder than the HA hoof both in the wall (74.55 ±2.95 H vs 60.18 ±2.67 H) and sole (67.00 ±5.87 H vs 43.0 ±4.76 H). In comparison with the sole, the AA hoof wall also had a lower moisture percentage (12.56 ±0.67% vs 20.64 ±0.76%), while crude protein and ash contents were similar in both regions. The AA hoof showed a higher Se content, while the HA hoof had a higher level of macroelements. The negative correlations of K with Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the AA hoof may indicate osmoregulation activity. CONCLUSION The hoof morphology of AA and HA horses met the literature parameters for mesomorphic horses. Both breeds had healthy and well-conformed hooves, useful for sport and recreation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Tocci
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Clara Sargentini
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Andrea Martini
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Luisa Andrenelli
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Antonio Pezzati
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Doria Benvenuti
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giorgetti
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences – Animal Science Section, University of Florence50144Florence, Italy
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