University of Kentucky GLUCK EQUINE · in Equine Reproduction. Dr. Ball comes to us from the...

Groundbreaking Ceremony For Equine Reproduction Facilities at UK’s Maine Chance Equine Campus Recognized Donors

Kentucky Breeders’ Short Course Draws More Than 100 Participants

A groundbreaking ceremony for Uni-versity of Kentucky Equine Repro-duction Facilities was held Oct. 26 at UK’s Maine Chance Equine Campus. The ceremony recognized support-ers who generously donated money to fund the remodeling of fa-cilities for equine reproduc-tion research by experts at the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center.

The remodeled facili-ties will help develop the best equine reproductive re-search program in the country and give the Gluck Equine Research Cen-

The inaugural Kentucky Breeders’ Short Course hosted by the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center drew more than 100 partici-pants to Lexington’s Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in January. The two-day Short Course included participants who rep-resented various breeds from Kentucky and about six other states.

Lecturers from the Gluck Center, other College of Agriculture faculty, and local veterinarians provided expertise on a vari-ety of topics, including nutrition, stallion management, routine care and pasture management. Some of the topics from the short course are recapped below.

Equine Parasites: A Long Way From Licorice

On the first day, Gene Lyons, PhD,

professor of classical parasitology in the Department of Veterinary Science, dis-cussed the major types of parasites that affect the horse, including large stron-gyles, small strongyles and ascarids.

Large strongyles are the most patho-genic of the 100 species of worms af-fecting horses, often migrating outward from the gut and causing lesions in other organs. Small strongyles are less deadly but more common and can drastically lower digestive efficiency. Ascarids are most problematic to young foals, espe-cially since their eggs can survive in pas-tures for years.

When the effects of worms were first noticed in horses, early scientists treated them with such therapies as licorice, poultry intestines and their own blood. Fortunately, modern sci-

ence developed deworming products in the 20th century, but now the result of long-term usage in horses is rear- ing its ugly head. Parasite resistance has become an area of concern for horse owners in recent years.

Short Course, p. 4

Stallion (left) and mare reproduction facilities

ter the opportunity to match the sig-nature equine industry it serves. The remodeled facilities will be used for the management of mares and stallions and laboratory facilities will be constructed for handling semen, embryos and repro-

ductive tissues. Lexington is the epicenter of the state’s

signature equine industry and as such re-productive health is of top concern. In 2008, 41 percent of all Thoroughbred mares bred in North America were bred in Kentucky and 608 Quarter Horse stallions covered more than 10,990

mares. In 2007, 30 Standard-bred stallions covered or in-seminated 1,543 mares and 752 foals were registered. Each year, the American Saddlebred Horse Association reports about 1,050 mares are bred in Kentucky. “This facility augments a pro-

gram that is of highest significance to a Groundbreaking, p. 5

University of Kentucky GLUCK EQUINE

Research & Service Report

SPRING FEATURESA Letter from the Director, p. 3Genetics and Genomics, p. 5Infectious Diseases and Immunology, p. 6Musculoskeletal Science, p. 7Parasitology, p. 8 Pharmacology, p. 9Reproductive Health, p. 9Grants and Awards, p. 10News and Events, p. 13

VOLUME II, ISSUE I SPRING 2010www.ca.uky.edu/gluck

BOARD OF DIRECTORSUNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Dr. Walter W. Zent, ChairTom Goncharoff, Vice ChairDr. Lee T. Todd, Jr., President

Dr. Kumble R. Subbaswamy, Vice PresidentDr. M. Scott Smith, SecretaryMrs. Angela Martin, Treasurer

Bruce AddingtonAlan Balch

Stacy V. BearseJane BeshearBill CasnerCase Clay

Dr. Nancy CoxGinny Grulke

Lisa LourieDr. Jamie MacLeod

Dr. Everett McCorveyNick NicholsonDebby Oxley

Dr. Stephen ReedDan RosenbergDr. Robert Stout

David SwitzerOlly Tait

Dr. Mats TroedssonDr. Naoya YoshidaF.E. “Butch” Wise

Chris YoungArt Zubrod

GLUCK EQUINERESEARCH FOUNDATION

FOR MOREINFORMATIONCONTACT:

Dr. Ed SquiresExecutive DirectorGluck Equine Research Foundation108 Gluck Equine Research CenterLexington, Kentucky 40546-0099

Phone: (859) 257-4757, ext. 81176Fax: (859) 323-3981E-mail: [email protected]

MAXWELL H. GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH CENTERhttp://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH & SERVICE REPORT The UK Gluck Equine Research & Service Report is produced by UKGERF and the Department of Veterinary Science. It is published twice a year on behalf of all

equine researchers and veterinarians and others in the horse industry who are committed to thecontinued improvements in equine research and technology. Research material is meant to be shared. However,

materials are copyrighted and require reprintpermission from UKGERF. The Gluck Equine Research & Service Report is

available online at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck.

The mission of the Gluck Equine Research Center is scientific discovery, educationand dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of the health and well-being of horses.

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION PAGE 2

About the Gluck Equine Research Foundation

A Letter from the Director

Dr. Mats Troedsson


It’s an exciting time to be at the Gluck Equine Research Center. In spite of challenging economic times, the Gluck Center raised over $1 million in do-nations and pledges last year. Thank you for your contributions – small or large! Your commitment to equine health and well-being is encouraging and great-ly appreciated, particu-larly in these times of financial restrains.

A measurable result of past and present donations to the Gluck Center is last year’s production of over 100 scientific/professional publications and book chapters in national and international journals. In addition, almost 10 research presentations per month were given on equine health by scientists from the Gluck Center at scientific and professional meetings around the world last year. These impressive numbers demonstrate the important impact the Gluck Equine Research Center has on the advancement of equine health and welfare around the world.

Continuous support is allowing us to keep focused on equine health needs. As an example, in a joint funding effort by Mor-ris Animal Health/Pfizer, Mt. Brilliant Farms in Lexington, and funds from the University of Kentucky, Koller emerging research funds, we have been able to quickly respond and ad-dress the emerging health problem of Lawsonia intracellularis induced disease in foals.

The Albert and Lorraine Clay visiting Scholar Fellowship Award allowed us to accommodate researchers from Den-mark, Romania and Ukraine working with our own Dr. Lyons and Dr. Howe on the emerging problem of parasite resistance to commercially available dewormer. This is another example of how resources from private donations are used to bring expertise to the Gluck Center.

We are also in the process of adding Dr. Matthew Binns as an adjunct professor at the Gluck Center. Dr. Binns is one of the world’s leading authorities in the field of equine genetics. In collaboration with the equine genetics/genomics group at the Gluck Center, he was an active participant in the internation-al research team that recently developed maps of the equine genome to allow studies on specific genes that contribute to health, disease and performance traits in horses. Dr. Binns’ ap-pointment will be a great addition to the genomics research team at the Gluck Center.

The breeding season is now in full swing in Central Kentucky and elsewhere, and at the Gluck Center. we are in the midst of constructing a state-of-the-art equine reproduction facilities. In October, we broke ground for the reproduction facilities at Maine Chance Farm, and construction is scheduled to be completed by July 2010. The remodeled facilities will help in our effort to further develop a world-class equine reproductive research program at the Gluck Center.

On that note, I am pleased to announce that we have success-fully recruited Dr. Barry Ball to fill the Albert G. Clay Chair in Equine Reproduction. Dr. Ball comes to us from the De-partment of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis. Dr. Ball is an internationally recognized leader in equine reproduction. He has made significant contributions to our current knowl-edge on early pregnancy losses in mares, stallion fertility and reproductive diseases in mares. We are very excited about Dr. Ball joining the faculty at the Gluck Center.

On a sadder note, I regret to inform you that we lost a valu-able faculty member, Dr. Barry Fitzgerald, in November 2009. Dr. Fitzgerald began his career at the University of Kentucky in 1981 as a research associate to Dr. Bob Loy in the Depart-ment of Veterinary Science and joined the faculty in 1984. He investigated the neuroendocrine mechanisms governing sea-sonal reproduction in domestic species with specialization in the mare. His research also included metabolic disorders and their effect on fertility. In addition to his research, Barry suc-cessfully mentored a great number of graduate students over the years. He will be missed.

If you have been driving by the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) lately, you might have noticed some new construction and renovations taking place. The LDDC is being expanded from approximately 39,000 sq. ft. to about 67,000 sq. ft. The necropsy and receiving areas should be completed around mid-June; the pathology section is due to be completed by early July; the administration and education sections should be occupied by mid-August; and the remainder of the construction should be completed by February 2011. I am also happy to announce the LDDC has received full ac-creditation from the American Association of Veterinary Lab-oratory Diagnosticians.

As you can see, there is a lot going on and we look forward to the rest of the year and sharing future developments at Gluck Equine Research Center.

Dr. Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACTGluck Equine Research Center Director

and Department of Veterinary Science [email protected]

According to Lyons, the medications with some resistance in certain types of worms still work on others and should still be used while accompanied with a good pasture management program.

Genetic testing in horses

Another featured topic on the first day was genetic testing in horses by Kathryn Graves, PhD, of the UK College of Ag-riculture’s Animal Genetic Testing and Research Laboratory.

The Animal Genetic Testing and Re-search Laboratory can test for inher-ited diseases and inherited traits from a hair sample. Common genetic diseases such as Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) and Severe Combined Immu-nodeficiency (SCID) in Quarter Horses and Arabians have been routinely tested for in recent years, but lesser known dis-orders such as Hereditary Equine Re-gional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA) and Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) are often forgotten.

Graves recommended all breeding stock be screened for genetic disorders common among their breed. She said a positive test should not automatically re-sult in their removal from the herd, since they may carry a recessive form of the gene.

Coat color testing is another scientific advantage born from the horse genome sequence. While scientists cannot tell breeders exactly what color their foal will be, they can give a list of possibili-ties based on samples from the stallion and mare.

For more information about genetic testing, contact the UK Animal Genetic Testing and Research Laboratory at 859-257-4757, ext. 81212.

Feeding the broodmare

Laurie Lawrence, PhD, professor of equine nutrition in the UK Department of Animal and Food Sciences, discussed the importance of tailoring a mare’s diet to fit her various production stages and


Breeders’ Short Course, continuedseasonal changes.

Before breeding, the mare’s body con-dition score is linked to her fertility. Spring and fall pastures provide the mare extra nutrients during early and mid-ges-tation but winter arrives as her nutrient requirements rise in late gestation. The fetus weight may make the broodmare less inclined to eat as much as she needs, so managers should build up her body condition score in the fall as much as possible.

After foaling, nutritional needs increase with lactation. Young horses can drink up to three pounds of milk per day,

which leads not only to energy store depletion but also to bone demineraliza-tion. During weaning, broodmares’ nu-trient stores should be replenished while on pasture.

Stallion Management

The second day of the Short Course was also filled with useful information for farm managers. The first presenter was Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT, execu-tive director of the Gluck Equine Re-search Foundation and director of ad-vancement and industry relations, who spoke about the management of stal-lions.

According to Squires, breeding stal-lions earlier than age 3 can cause abnor-mal sexual behavior. Sexual maturity oc-

Pasture management and feeding the broodmare were two of the topics at

the two-day Short Course

curs at 5 to 6 years old. Season is another important factor in

the breeding of stallions. The stallion can produce sperm year-round, but only produces half the amount of semen in the winter as he will in the spring. On average, a stallion has sufficient sperm to impregnate seven mares per day in a natural breeding program. The stallion’s sex drive determines whether he is bred one, two or three times a day. A greater sex drive equals more frequent breeding.

Many reasons can be attributed to ab-normal sexual behavior including stal-lions that are physically unable to attain an erection, dismounting at beginning of ejaculation, incomplete intromission or lack of pelvic thrust or repeated intro-mission but no ejaculation.

Other speakers at the Short Course included: Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, chair of UK’s Department of Veterinary Science and the Gluck Center; David Horohov, PhD, William Robert Mills Chair at the Gluck Center; Valerie Linse, DVM, MS, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute; Kristina Lu, VMD, of Hagyard Equine Medical In-stitute; Peter Morresey, BVSc, DACT, DACVIM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital; Mark Taylor, of Taylor Made Sales; Jill Stowe, PhD, assistant profes-sor in the UK Department of Agricul-tural Economics; Ray Smith, MS, PhD, extension forage specialist in the UK Department of Plant and Soil Sciences; and Scott Morrison, DVM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital.

The Gluck Center plans to make the Kentucky Breeders’ Short Course an an-nual event. To be added to an e-mail list for information about upcoming equine educational events, contact Jenny Bland-ford at [email protected].

Natalie Voss is a UK equine communications intern and undergraduate

student in equine science. Alexandra Harper is a UK equine communications intern and

undergraduate majoring in communications.

region which represents the equine re-production capital of the world,” said Nancy Cox, associate dean for research of UK’s College of Agriculture, Ken-tucky Agricultural Experiment Station director and administrative leader for the Equine Initiative. “The college ap-preciates the advice from our stakehold-ers to make a shared investment in re-production research. We are grateful to those who showed their confidence in us through investments in this facility.”

Major donors who have supported the remodeling of the facilities are: Ashford Stud, Darley USA, Flaxman Holdings Limited, Hagyard Equine Medical In-stitute (Drs. Walter W. Zent, William D. Fishback Jr., Kevin B. Pfiester, Stuart E. Brown II, Ed Fallon, Luke Fallon and Kristina Lu), Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTA/KTOB), Lane’s End, Rood & Riddle Equine Hos-pital (Drs. Tom Riddle and Peter Morre-

sey), Shadwell Farm, Shawnee Farm, Dr. Ed Squires and Dr. Mats Troedsson.

Funds donated by stakeholders were matched through UK’s research chal-lenge trust fund.

“The mare and stallion facilities, when finished, will provide researchers with laboratories and barns to conduct cut-ting-edge studies on fertility issues in both stallions and mares,” said Squires, executive director of the Gluck Equine

Facilities Groundbreaking, continued


Research Foundation and director of ad-vancement and industry relations.

Areas of reproductive health research at the Gluck Equine Research Center in-clude causes, diagnosis and treatment of embryonic and fetal loss in mares; early embryonic development; uterine infec-tion; nutritional affects on reproduction; stallion behavior; diagnosis and treat-ment of fertility problems in stallions; and fescue toxicosis.

Major equine research contributions from the reproductive health group at the Gluck Equine Research Center in-clude demonstrating the usefulness of artificial lights and progesterone/estra-diol treatments for hastening the onset of the breeding season and as part of the team to perform the definitive ex-periments identifying the cause of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS).

Jenny Blandford is the Gluck Foundation Assistant at the Gluck Center.

UK officials begin renovations during the ceremony

Genetics and GenomicsHorse Genome Publication Concludes Project Initiated in Lexington

Four researchers from the University of Kentucky Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and a faculty member in UK’s Department of Computer Science were among 58 co-authors of a research article published Nov. 6 in Science that reported the first complete sequencing and assembly of the horse genome. “This is the culmination of a project that began in 1995 from a workshop in Lexington, Ky.,” said Ernie Bailey, co-author and professor of veterinary sci-ence. Since the workshop, scientists from 25 countries have collaborated on what is known as the Horse Genome Project to build preliminary maps of the horse ge-nome and use genomics tools to address horse health issues. The group has met twice a year since the first workshop. Bailey was the coordinator of the Horse Genome Project. Other researchers from UK include

Teri Lear, professor of veterinary sci-ence; James MacLeod, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair, professor of veterinary science and director of UK’s Equine Initiative; Stephen Coleman, graduate student in the department of veterinary science; and Jinze Liu, profes-sor of computer science. “The frequent meetings stimulated re-search,” Bailey said. “Every six months we needed a new discovery to present. With over 120 scientists active in the workshop, progress was rapid.” Even so, the consortium of scientists working on the horse genome did not have sufficient resources to actually se-quence the entire genome. These skills and resources existed only at the labora-tories that had completed the human ge-nome sequence in 2003. In 2005, Bailey submitted a formal request, co-authored by scientists active in the workshop, ask-ing the National Human Genome Re-

search Institute to sequence the horse genome and integrate with existing phys-ical and genetic maps. In February 2006, the genetic sequencing of the horse be-gan using a Thoroughbred mare named “Twilight” from Cornell University Col-lege of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, N.Y. DNA sequencing of the horse ge-nome was completed five months later by the Broad Institute, a research collab-oration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. The sequencing, which was announced by the National Human Genome Re-search Institute in February 2007, in-dicated the horse genome consists of about 2.7 billion base pairs of DNA. The horse genome was found to be very similar to the organization and sequence of the human genome. Therefore, ad-vances in human genomic research can readily be applied to the horse. Likewise,

Genome Project, p. 6


Genetics and Genomics

Fig. 1 shows the results of lung infection in a foal

Newborn foals can be susceptible to many viral and bacterial infections. One example is the unique susceptibility of young foals to Rhodococcus equi, a com-mon cause of bronchopneumonia (see Figure 1).

Their increased susceptibility appears to be due to foals’ immune systems not being as developed as those of adult horses. While maternal antibodies ob-tained through colostrum provide some degree of protection, immunity against intracellular pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, like Rhodococcus equi, is de-pendent upon the generation of cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses. It is this component of the immune system that appears to be most deficient in foals and leads to their infection susceptibility.

The focus of the immunology research program at the Gluck Equine Research Center is to understand the underlying mechanism responsible for this deficien-cy in order to develop therapeutic strate-gies that might increase a foal’s resistance to Rhodococcus equi and other infectious diseases.

Vaccines are typically used to protect horses from infectious diseases, but there are a number of difficulties associated with vaccinating young animals due to their undeveloped immune system. New-born foals often produce sufficient anti-bodies but have a limited CMI response to vaccines. Such biasing towards an anti-body response fails to provide protection against viral and bacterial infections such

discoveries made with horses can be applied to improve human health. Re-search currently under way around the world on equine exercise physiology, infectious diseases, reproduction, devel-

opment and performance are likely to benefit human health. The information from the sequencing of the horse genome is currently being used at the Gluck Equine Research Cen-

ter to study diseases of skeletal develop-ment and aspects of infectious diseases and reproduction.


Infectious Diseases and ImmunologyImmunology of the Foal: Environmental Effects on Immune Maturation

as Rhodococcus equi that require potent CMI responses for complete immunity. The factors in newborn foals that are responsible for this are not known but could include its maternal environment during pregnancy.

Mares produce factors during pregnan-cy that inhibit CMI responses, possibly as a means of preventing fetal rejection. These maternal influences may persist

in the neonate leading to delayed CMI responses.

The process whereby the immune re-sponse of the neonate eventually ma-tures, leading to increased resistance to viruses and bacteria remains unclear. Current opinion is that encounters with microbial products in the environment may be required for the maturation of the immune system of newborn foals. A recent paper presented by the im-munology group at the Gluck Center at the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease described how foals that spent four hours a day in the barn had elevated CMI responses compared to foals kept in pastures only (Figure 2).

While the precise mechanism involved in increased CMI responses is unknown, it likely involves stimulation of the im-mune system by microbial products present in the barn environment. Cur-rent research efforts are directed to-wards understanding this process of the foal’s immune maturation.

David W. Horohov, PhD, is the William Robert Mills Chair in Equine

Immunology at the Gluck Center.

Genome Project, continued

Fig. 2 shows the difference in CMI responses between

sheltered and pastured foals


Infectious Diseases and Immunology

The Livestock Disease Diagnostic Cen-ter at the University of Kentucky now offers a molecular diagnostic assay to detect the H3N8 equine influenza virus (also known as type 2 equine influenza virus) in clinical specimens. Currently only the H3N8 subtype is associated with equine influenza virus outbreaks around the world. This new assay is the most sensitive method to detect this respiratory viral pathogen. The assay is based on real-time RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology, which is highly sensitive and specific for the detection of H3N8 influenza virus. The assay was recently developed and validated at UK’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

“(Real-time RT-PCR) is a laboratory technique based on polymerase chain re-

action (PCR) to detect viral nucleic acids (specifically viruses with RNA genomes like equine influenza) in clinical speci-mens. Use of real-time RT-PCR assays has significantly improved the diagnosis of infectious diseases,” said Udeni Bala-suriya, PhD, at the Gluck Center. Equine influenza is an acute, highly contagious viral respiratory disease of equids (horses, donkeys, mules and ze-bras) caused by infection with type A influenza virus. Equine H3N8 influ-enza virus spreads rapidly in susceptible horses and can result in high morbidity within 24-48 hours after the horse is ex-posed. A provisional diagnosis of equine influenza must be confirmed by labora-tory testing. Furthermore, the need to achieve a rapid diagnosis to implement effective quarantine and movement re-strictions is important to prevent spread of equine influenza.

LDDC Offers New Equine Influenza PCR Assay The diagnosis of equine influenza was traditionally attempted by virus isolation from clinical samples in chicken eggs or by detection of viral antigen by immu-noassays. The recommended specimen type is the nasal swab submerged in a viral transport medium packed in ice. There are special equine nasal swab sam-pling kits available at the Gluck Center. The cost of the new equine influenza test per animal is $35 for in-state and $52.50 for out-of-state submissions. For more information contact Steve Sells at the LDDC at [email protected], Udeni Balasuriya at [email protected], or Craig Carter at [email protected].

Alexandra Harper is a UK equine communications intern and undergraduate

majoring in communications.

Musculoskeletal Science

When a horse sustains a se-rious injury to articular car-tilage in one of its joints, a repair process occurs in the wound. The hope of the horse’s owner is for the inju-ry to sufficiently heal and re-store normal joint function. Unfortunately, for much of the horse’s life, there is a high probability that osteo-arthritis will cause chronic pain and compromised joint function. Through research per-formed at the Gluck Equine Research Center, Jamie MacLeod, VMD, PhD, and Michael Mienaltowski, DVM, PhD, studied the repair tissue that forms within full thickness lesions of articular

cartilage. This project was conducted in collaboration with equine orthopaedic surgeons David Frisbie, DVM, PhD, and Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD,

Repair Tissue is Substantially Different Than Cartilage in Horses’ Joints

Examining a lesion in horse cartilage under the micro-scope (left). A sample of tissue containing both normal cartilage and repair tissue was stained with chemicals used to help visualize cellular and tissue structure. A special stain was used to detect proteoglycans in the sample; red staining indicated that the articular car-tilage surrounding the lesion contains proteoglycans

while blue staining indicates deficiency within the repair tissue (Proteoglycan Stain).

FRCVS, DSc, DMV, DACVS, at Colorado State University. The research was published in the open access journal BMC Medical Genomics. Repair tissue from full-thick-ness lesions, which received arthroscopic debridement and microfracture treatment (a procedure performed to remove damaged tissue and create small holes into the un-derlying bone tissue to allow blood and cells access to the lesioned area), was compared to normal articular cartilage

of the distal femur (thigh bone) in horse stifles four months after surgery. When the tissue was examined microscopically, Repair tissue, p. 8


Musculoskeletal Science Repair Tissue, continued

Parasitology

Dr. Tetiana Kuzmina

Fellowship Benefited Ukrainian Researcher at Gluck Center

the relatively normal cartilage surround-ing the lesion looked clearly different from the repair tissue within the injury.

Key differences were (Figures, p. 7): •The repair tissue did not restore normal cartilage structure•The edges of the repair tissue did not integrate well with the surrounding car-tilage•By special staining, in most cases, re-pair tissue seemed to be missing proteo-glycan, a key molecular component of normal cartilage that helps provide com-

pressive strength to cartilage •A smooth articular surface was not re-stored by the repair tissue In this study, we concluded that repair tissue occupying full thickness articu-lar lesions is functionally very different from normal articular cartilage. The cells within repair tissue do not achieve a nor-mal pattern of gene expression neces-sary to restore and maintain healthy ar-ticular cartilage structure and function. Future research should focus on how to direct the cells in repair tissue to func-

tion more like cells in articular cartilage. New treatment options could allow for better, more cartilage-like healing which restores the structural and biomechani-cal integrity of the joint surface.

Michael Mienaltowski, DVM, PhD, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of South Florida, Department of Orthopae-dics & Sports Medicine and Department of

Pathology & Cell Biology, completed his PhD research at the Gluck Equine Research Center

supported in part by a grant from the Morris Animal Foundation.

Limited funding prevented Tetiana Kuzmina, PhD, from completing her parasitology research in her native Ukraine. But after receiving the Albert and Lorraine Clay fellowship, the sci-entist was able to continue her research at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center.

“The fellowship benefits both the Gluck Equine Research Center and the visiting scientist,” said Gene Lyons, PhD, at the Gluck Center. “The fellow-ship brings in scientists and incorporates work and an interchange of knowledge.”

Tetiana Kuzmina, whose doctorate is in zoology and parasitology, spent Octo-ber and November in Lyons’ laboratory at the Gluck Center. Using classical par-asitological methods, she participated in Lyons’ study of horse parasites. She also studied molecular methods of analysis of worms from five different equids, in-cluding domestic horses, donkeys, wild Przewalski’s Horses, Turkmenian Ku-lans and zebras, in the molecular labora-tory of Daniel Howe, PhD. “My goal was to find if there are any influences of different equids on their parasites,” Kuzmina said. “The results are not easy to obtain, because there are many complicated moments in molecu-

lar studies. I hope we will be able to find out, are there any genetic differences in cyathostomes from various hosts or not?”

With a classical parasitology back-ground, some of her other main focuses during her visit were to master identi-fication of strongylid nematodes by morphological criteria (under a light mi-croscope) and master the analysis of ef-ficacy of the various anthelmintic drug compounds (any drug that acts against helminthic infections caused by parasitic worms) by critical test method. Kuzmina said the critical test method and the other methods mentioned are not done in Ukraine. Prior to her visit to the Gluck Center, she had only read

about it in articles by Lyons. Since com-ing to the Gluck Center, she said she now has a better understanding of the process. “It’s great to be here,” Kuzmina said. “I never expected to see such an excel-lent experimental farm (at UK’s Maine Chance Equine Campus). Unfortunately, no research institutions in Ukraine have such farms for their experimental stud-ies.” Kuzmina joined the department of parasitology of the Institute of Zool-ogy National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 1997. She said while Ukraini-an researchers are interested in interna-tional study, funding is not always there. Often, researchers have to find addi-tional resources by themselves. “She’s done an awful lot in her career,” Lyons said. “There are very few people in the world still doing classical studies of parasitology.” Due to the short amount of time and results taking awhile to compile, Kuzmi-na’s study was not complete by the time she left for home. Still, she said, “I have obtained so much new information here.”



Pharmacology/ToxicologyEquine Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology

Reproductive Health Placentitis Research Could Help Prevent Late-Term AbortionsPlacentitis, which often is caused by

an ascending infection that enters the mare’s uterus through the cervix, is the single most important cause of prema-ture delivery of a foal. Placentitis ac-counts for nearly one-third of late-term abortions and fetal mortality in the first day of life. During the past six years, the University of Kentucky Livestock Dis-

ease Diagnostic Center has diagnosed 1,429 cases of placentitis. Mats Troedsson, DVM, Dipl. ACT, is the chair of UK’s Department of Veteri-nary Science and director of the Gluck Equine Research Center. Troedsson served as professor and service chief in theriogenology and director of equine research programs at the University of

Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine before coming to the Gluck Equine Re-search Center in 2008.

In the early 1990s, Troedsson began using ultrasound to examine the placen-ta in clinical cases. That led to a study establishing normal values for transrec-tal ultrasound examination of the com-

The equine pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology program at the Gluck Equine Research Center focuses on in-teractions among performance-enhanc-ing drugs and therapeutic medications and performance horses. Early work fo-cused on the detection of performance enhancing drugs, and in 1983, U.S. Pat-ent #4,473,640 for morphine detection was awarded. Soon thereafter, work commenced on the development of highly sensitive Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) tests for medications not ap-proved for use in horses. An ELISA test is equivalent to a home pregnancy test; it is highly sensitive, needs only one drop of urine and can be completed within an hour. These highly sensitive tests revo-lutionized drug testing in the late 1980s and this work is ongoing. This technol-ogy was licensed to Lexington-based Neogen Corp. In cooperation with Neo-gen, approximately 100 highly sensitive ELISA tests capable of detecting about 300 drugs and therapeutic medications used in performance horses are now available to equine drug testing labora-tories worldwide. Because of the great increase in test-ing sensitivity associated with the in-troduction of ELISA tests, it became

necessary to specifically identify the close to 50 therapeutic medications used routinely by veterinarians to protect the health and well-being of horses. These medications have been identified and research is underway to ensure they are appropriately regulated in performance horses. As such, there is now a need for defined regulatory thresholds in plasma or urine for these 50 therapeutic medica-tions, so the high sensitivity of modern analytical methodology does not inter-fere with the proper veterinary care of performance horses. Work from the program first estab-lished proof of principle of the con-cept of defined regulatory thresholds for therapeutic medications in equine plasma or urine. The program now fo-cuses on providing the required certified reference standards and stable isotope internal standards necessary for accurate quantification of medications in the reg-ulatory context. A problem in this area is that many of the required standards are standards of unique equine drug me-tabolites or metabolite fragments. Additionally, because of the accredita-tion requirements of forensic laborato-ries, these reference standards must be prepared for distribution in a facility ac-credited to International Organization

for Standards (ISO) standards, and pro-vided with a full ISO/IEC-17025 com-pliant certificate of analysis. Work on creating and certifying these standards is currently underway in cooperation with two central Kentucky companies, Fron-tierBiopharm and the Neogen Corp. In the area of therapeutics, in the mid-1990s the program identified the unique clinical efficacy of diclazuril and related substances in the prevention and treat-ment of Equine Protozoal Myeloen-cephalitis (EPM). This research gave rise to U.S. Patent #5,583,095, which led to the first FDA-approved treatment for Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis, Marquis®, now marketed by the Bayer Corporation under this patent. Ongo-ing research is exploring further applica-tions of this therapeutic initiative. More recently in 1996, the program was awarded U.S. Patent #7,074,843 for novel short-acting equine/vet-erinary tranquilizer. Other approaches to equine pharmacology and thera-peutics in general are in progress.

Thomas Tobin, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DABT, is a Professor in the De-

partments of Veterinary Science in the Gluck Equine Research Center and in the Graduate

Center for Toxicology.

Placentitis, p. 10


Reproductive Health Placentitis, continued

UK Researchers Receive Grants From Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Kentucky horse racing officials agreed

Jan. 5 to bankroll six new research grants to be conducted at the University of Kentucky.

The projects approved unanimously by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commis-sion target a variety of areas of interest to horse racing in Kentucky and else-where. The grants include:

•“Comparison of in vitro antiviral ac-tivity of herpesvirus DNA polymerase inhibitors against neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic strains of equine

herpesvirus-1” awarded to Udeni Bala-suriya, BVSC, MS, PhD, at UK’s Gluck Equine Research Center. Others in-volved in the project (all at the Gluck Center) include: Frank Cook, PhD, re-search assistant professor; Peter Tim-oney, MVB, PhD, FRCVS, Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science; Thomas Tobin, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DABT; Pamela Henney, research specialist; and Kathryn Smith, graduate student.

•“Safety and anti-inflammatory ef-

ficacy of glucocorticoids for intra-ar-ticular therapy in racehorses” awarded to James MacLeod, DVM, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight Chair, pro-fessor of veterinary science at the Gluck Center. Others involved in the project (all at the Gluck Center) include: Wenying Zhu, PhD, and Jennifer Janes, DVM, PhD.

•“Changes in gastrointestinal flora in response to antibiotic therapy and di-etary intervention” awarded to Laurie

bined thickness of the uterus and pla-centa. During the last 10 years, Troeds-son’s research has had a different focus, and his contribution has been limited to evaluating the efficacy of different treatment regimens for placentitis and case reports of clinical cases in collabo-ration with Margo Macpherson, DVM, MS, DACT, associate professor of the riogenology in large animal clinical sci-ences at the University of Florida. Because there are still many unan-swered questions about an accurate di-agnosis, prognostics, monitoring of fetal well-being, and treatment in high risk pregnancies, Troedsson plans to revisit this research topic with the reproduction group at the Gluck Center. Efficient diagnosis relies upon cautious monitoring of late pregnancy mares. However, available treatment approaches are far from perfect and treatment out-come is hard to predict. Early interven-tion in treatment of placental infections is likely the key to treatment success. In some chronic cases of placentitis, foals will experience accelerated fetal maturation. These foals will be deliv-

ered prematurely but will not be mature enough to survive outside the uterus af-ter birth. Delaying premature labor long enough to allow accelerated fetal matu-ration may improve the chance of foal survival. The most common clinical signs of placentitis in mares are premature ud-der development and vulvar discharge. Ultrasonography is an excellent tool for monitoring fetal and placental changes in mares affected by placentitis. But since serial ultrasonographic evaluations are not commonly employed in late ges-tation mares, diagnosis in subclinically affected mares can be missed. Subclini-cal disease may also result in subtle ultra-sonographic changes that are not easily distinguished from normal findings. However, in spite of these hurdles, tran-srectal ultrasonography remains one of the best tools available for diagnosing equine placental infections.

Treatment strategies for mares with ascending placentitis are currently vague. Many treatment regimens have been extrapolated from other species, such as humans. Treatment

efforts are directed at several fac-tors including combating infec-tion, reducing inflammation and controlling uterine contractions. According to Troedsson, the outcome of any treatment was previously found to be poor. “We found that treatment of subclini-cal cases diagnosed by ultrasonography resulted in quite acceptable and much improved outcome of affected pregnan-cies,” he said. Common treatment for placentitis is broad spectrum antibiotics, Regu-mate (double dose) and pentoxiphylline for the remainder of the pregnancy, and a non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent. This treatment, however, is not 100 per-cent effective and often results in the birth of an underdeveloped and com-promised foal. “But while success is hard to achieve when treating placentitis in mares, hav-ing a live foal that has been delivered successfully and is healthy is a great re-ward,” Troedsson said.

Alexandra Harper is a UK equine internmajoring in ommunications.

Grants and Awards

Grants, p. 11


Grants and Awards

Lawrence, PhD (Department of Animal and Food Science). Also involved in the project is Michael Flythe (U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture).

•“Methods to suppress estrus in race mares” awarded to Edward Squires, MS, PhD, Hon. Dipl. ACT, executive director of the Gluck Equine Research Founda-tion and director of advancement and industry relations. Also involved in the project is Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD,

Dipl. ACT, chair of UK’s Department of Veterinary Science and the Gluck Center.

•“Deuterated internal standards for equine therapeutic medication regula-tion” awarded to Thomas Tobin. Oth-ers involved in the project include: Julio Gutierrez, post doctorate fellow at the Gluck Center; Charlie Hughes, research specialist at the Gluck Center; Rodney Eisenberg (FrontierBioPharm);

and Brent Mayer (Neogen Corp.). •“Seroprevalence of Lawsonia intra-cellularis in central Kentucky Thorough-bred weanlings and the economic im-pact on yearling sales prices” awarded to David Horohov. Others involved in the project include Allen Page, DVM, PhD, and Barry Meade, DVM, PhD.

Alexandra Harper is a UK equine intern and undergraduate majoring in

communications.

UK Researcher Grants, continued

Gluck Center Grad Student Receives AAEP Foundation Past Presidents’ Research Fellow Award

Dr. Jennifer Janes

Jennifer Janes, DVM, a graduate stu-dent in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky, was selected as the 2009 recipient of the American Association of Equine Practi-tioners (AAEP) Foundation Past Presi-dents’ Research Fellow award, which will support her project on orthopedic pathology and genetic association of Wobbler Syndrome (cervical stenotic myelopathy).

Janes received the award at the AAEP’s 55th annual convention in Las Vegas Dec. 5-9.

Janes said her research project, which studies Thoroughbreds, will provide in-formation useful to all breeds. It is in its early stages and will take several years to complete. Wobbler Syndrome is a devas-tating disease targeting the musculoskel-etal and neurological systems of horses. Factors thought to contribute to the development of the disease include ge-netics, high planes of nutrition, trauma, rapid growth and decreased copper/increased zinc levels. However, the un-derlying cause and details of the disease progression are not understood.

The research is “a collaborative ef-fort to reexamine this disease,” Janes said. She is working with Ja- mie MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight Chair, professor of veterinary science at the Gluck Equine

Research Center, and director of UK’s Equine Initiative; Stephen Reed, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital; and Neil Williams, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, associate director at the UK Livestock Disease Diagnostic Cen-ter (LDDC).

Wobbler Syndrome impacts the athletic potential of affected Thoroughbreds. It is one of the most common causes of neurological disease in Thoroughbreds and usually does not resolve with time and rest. Given the poor prognosis for recovery, the disease has a substantial emotional and financial impact on Thor-oughbred owners and the industry.

The focus of Janes’ study is to exam-ine the continued unanswered questions about Wobbler Syndrome using recent development and diagnostic technology. She will also examine the role of ab-normal bone and cartilage formation in neck vertebrae, as well as identify regions

of DNA and specific genes that are in-volved in the disease process.

“Results of the study will enhance our understanding of the cause and progres-sion of Wobbler Syndrome, advanced imaging and DNA-based diagnostic technologies, and provide a scientific foundation for research on improved management and therapeutic practices for the prevalent and serious disease,” Janes said.

A native of Illinois, Janes graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2002 with a Bachelors of Music and graduated from the University of Tennessee Col-lege of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. She completed a one-year rotating internship in medicine, surgery, theriogenology, and field service at Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Hospital. While there, Janes devel-oped an interest in musculoskeletal dis-eases.

“[Wobbler Syndrome] is a tough dis-ease because of the implications of hav-ing a neurological horse,” Janes said. “I felt like I wanted to ask more questions.” In July 2007, Janes accepted a posi-tion in the dual degree program at the Gluck Center in the Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Lab of MacLeod and a pathology residency position under the mentorship of Williams.



Four scientists were inducted into the University of Kentucky Equine Research Hall of Fame by the Gluck Equine Research Foundation on Oct. 25 at Keeneland Race Course with about 150 in attendance.

Those inducted were (left to right) I.G. Joe Mayhew, DVM, of Massey University; Alan J. Nixon, BVSc, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Cornell University; Douglas F. Antczak, VMD, PhD, of Cornell University; and Peter J. Timoney, FRCVS, PhD, of UK’s Gluck Equine Research Center. They were selected for their contributions to equine sci-ence and research. Nominated by their peers and col-leagues, the four individuals were selected by past Hall of Fame inductees.

For more information, visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/images/HOF/HOF2009_PressRelease.pdf.

UKGERF Board Member NewsUniversity of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Foundation Welcomes

Four New Board Members in 2010UK’s Gluck Equine Research Foundation is pleased to welcome four new board members in 2010. Those

appointed to the Board of Directors are: Case Clay, president of Three Chimneys Farm; Lisa Lourie, co-owner of Spy Coast Farm; Olly Tait, chief operating officer of Darley America; and Chris Young, racing manager of Overbrook Farm.

Ernie Bailey (left), PhD; James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair, professor of vet-erinary science and director of UK’s Equine Initiative; and Teri Lear, PhD, received plaques for the “2009 Pres-tigious Research Paper Award” from Scott Smith (right), PhD, dean of UK’s College of Agriculture, Dec. 10 during a Land Grant Research and Awards Program at the Gluck Equine Research Center. The award was given for their in-volvement as co-authors of the paper “Genome Sequence, Comparative Analysis, and Population Genetics of the Do-mestic Horse” in the journal Science.

They shared the award with Stephen Coleman, graduate student in the department of veterinary science, and Jinze Liu, professor of computer science. The award recognizes faculty who have conducted research resulting in a peer-reviewed publication of the highest quality and prestige. It is awarded based on scientific merit, citation of the article, impact factor and prestige of the journal and other factors that demonstrate its contributions to the advancement of science.

Grants and Awards 2009 Prestigious Research

Paper AwardUK Equine Research Hall of

Fame 2009


News and EventsSaddle Up Safely Campaign Unveils New Booklet

“Can you catch a disease from a horse?” was the question. Roberta Dwyer, DVM, MS, DACVPM, Professor, Department of Veterinary Science in UK’s College of Agriculture, took the lead for Saddle Up Safely in providing an answer. She consulted with a group of Central Kentucky veterinar-ians and disease experts to compile prac-tical information for horse enthusiasts. The resulting booklet is now available via the Saddle Up Safely website (www.saddleupSAFELY.org). Dwyer introduces the booklet via an introductory letter. The contents of Dw-yer’s letter, found below, highlight the importance of this topic. Do horses get rabies? Can you get the flu from your horse? What horse diseas-es can you catch? Do you know the an-swers to these questions? With certainty? Many people do not know that horses can contract rabies from a rabid animal bite, and therefore be a threat to human

health. Rabies is likely the most com-monly known zoonotic disease, which is one that can be transmitted between

animals and people. Other diseases com-mon to horses and people, such as influ-enza, may have the same name, but are not transmissible between the two spe-cies. The virus strain that infects horses does not infect people and vise versa. Every horse person needs to know about zoonotic diseases for their own safety as well as that of their families and employees. Your veterinarian is an important source of information about zoonotic diseases, and is best equipped to advise you on routine equine vaccina-tions and preventive medicine. Zoonotic diseases and their clinical signs, as well as common sense advice are discussed in this brochure. For more information about the Sad-dle Up Safely campaign, or to receive a copy of the brochure, please visit www.saddleupsafely.org.

Roberta M. Dwyer, DVM, MS, DACVPM, Professor, Department of

Veterinary Science

This is the second of many booklets Saddle Up Safely is

publishing to help educate horse owners and enthusiast on safety

Bluegrass Equine Digest Continues to Grow Released in June 2009, the Bluegrass Equine Digest, a monthly electronic newsletter provided by the Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Equine Initia-tive, is dedicated to providing up-to-date information on equine research from the University of Kentucky’s College of Ag-riculture. The Bluegrass Equine Digest brings together several entities, as content is provided by the Gluck Equine Research Center and UK Equine Initiative. The e-newsletter is brought to you by The-Horse.com and sponsor Pfizer Animal Health. The newsletter features equine news, tips and research findings from UK’s College of Agriculture, including the Gluck Equine Research Center, the Live-

stock Disease Diagnostic Center and a wide range of departments at UK that conduct equine research.

The Bluegrass Equine Digest includes short news items that bring the reader up-to-date on happenings in the re-search labs and from the field, plus in-depth articles from world-renowned experts to help the reader understand current “hot” topics. The newsletter also includes tips on horse care and property care, and business advice from a team of experts. Each month’s newsletter is accompa-nied by a printable PDF and is e-mailed at the end of the month. Sign up now to see what you’ve been missing at TheHorse.com/Enewsletter/Register.aspx by checking the box for Bluegrass Equine Digest near the bot-tom of the page and enter your name and e-mail to receive the free newsletter.

The monthly Bluegrass Equine Digest continues to reach more

subscribers each month and offers up-to-date information on equine

research at UK


News and EventsGluck Faculty Attend Plant and Animal Genome Conference

Researchers and graduate students from the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center attended the annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference (PAG) Jan. 9 through 13 in San Diego to share equine genomic re-search and resources with scientists from around the globe. Major past accomplishments of the workshop include the creation of an equine genetic map and arranging for sequencing of the horse by the National Human Genome Research Institute. Continued activities of the conference this year were developing equine genom-ic information and tools. Many of the presentations also dealt with application of those tools to address diverse health problems for the horse. “An amazing new chapter in equine biomedical health research is now under way,” said James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight Chair, Professor of Veterinary Science at the

Gluck Equine Research Center and Di-rector of the Equine Initiative at UK. “Equine genomics has entered an excit-ing phase of research application. Our understanding of the equine genome has progressed to the point where sci-entists can identify and study genetic de-terminants and molecular mechanisms of important horse diseases and traits of interest with unprecedented sensitivity, specificity and technical efficiency.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Genome invited MacLeod to the conference to make a presentation about his research regarding gene expression in the horse. Others from the Gluck Center who attended this year included Ernie Bailey, PhD, as well as graduate stu-dents Stephen Coleman, Lauren Defletsen, Deborah Cook and Rose McGee. Since 1996, Bailey and Teri Lear, PhD, have attended the PAG as UK faculty

representatives. Jim Boling, PhD, former UK Associate Dean of Research in the College of Agriculture first encouraged Bailey to attend the conference in 1992, with the idea of developing a horse workshop. Other scientists at the conference hailed from New York, Minnesota, Texas, California, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China. Rebecca Bellone, PhD, and associate professor of biology at the University of Tampa and former UK graduate student, chaired this year’s conference. Conference attendees elected Saman-tha Brooks, PhD, secretary for the 2011 meeting and chair of the 2012 meeting. She is also an associate professor at Cor-nell University and a former UK gradu-ate student.

Portrait Unveiling Ceremony Recognizes Former Gluck Center Director Peter Timoney

Mats Troedsson (left), DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, chair of UK’s De-partment of Veterinary Science and director of the Gluck Equine Research Center, and Lexington-based artist Federico Pizzurro unveiled a portrait of Peter Timoney, former Gluck Center direc-tor and department chair, on March 10 during a portrait unveiling ceremony. Timoney, MVB, PhD, FRCVS, joined the faculty in UK’s De-partment of Veterinary Science in 1983. He served as Department Chair from 1989 to 2008 and Director of the Gluck Center from 1989 to 2006. He is currently professor and holder of the Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science. The portrait unveiling ceremony was attended by 90 people, in-cluding several local veterinarians. Each of the past directors and department chairs portraits are displayed in the Gluck Center au-ditorium. To view Pizzurro’s art and for contact information, visit http://www.federicopizzurro.com/


News and EventsCommentary: Horse Health Research Needs Funding

Research is an important, but not al-ways visible, part of the horse industry. Basic research is often conducted in laboratories away from horse farms and racetracks. However, results from basic research are frequently the starting point for clinical research discoveries used in veterinary practices all over the world.

The Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky has a his-tory of more than 100 years of basic and clinical equine research. We have a strong tradition of working with veterinary practitioners and horse owners/manag-ers to address health concerns in horses. Vaccines for six of the 10 most common equine diseases were developed at UK. Research in response to infectious dis-ease outbreaks, abortions, parasite prob-lems and fertility problems has provided important solutions to equine health problems. These UK accomplishments could not have been possible without strong support from the horse industry.

The Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Re-search Center is today a state-of-the-art facility, with more than 20 active re-search faculty who dedicate 100% of their time to equine research. Compre-hensive research programs in infectious diseases and immunology, genetics and genomics, musculoskeletal science, para-sitology, reproductive health and phar-

search is therefore necessary. During the difficult financial times we currently face, charitable gifts are declining. How-ever, equine health problems are not tak-ing a break. In order to not fall behind, we need to bring together horse owners, breeders, managers, veterinarians and others with an interest in horses to suf-ficiently fund research on equine health-related issues at universities and research centers.

Research has a central role in the health and well-being of horses. Financial gifts in support of that research help build a strong foundation for healthier horses, improved safety for the athletic horse and protection against infectious diseas-es when horses are transported locally or internationally. Thank you for your con-tinuing support.

To make an online donation, visit ca.uky.edu/gluck and click on the DO-NATE NOW button which links to the College of Agriculture’s secure site, https://giveto.uky.edu/AG_p/ag.htm.

Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, is the director of the Gluck Equine Research

Center and chair of the Department of Veterinary Science.

Reprinted from Equine Disease Quarterly, University of Kentucky, College of Agricul-

ture, Department of Veterinary Science

macology/toxicology are generating new knowledge that helps veterinary clinicians provide the best care for horses.

Human medical research is funded through federal and state tax dollars as well as many charitable, well-fund-ed foundations. Research on horses is also important but is poorly sup-ported. Almost no federal or state funds have been set aside for equine research. Equine researchers are de-pendent on support from private sources, horse organizations and other groups to improve the health and well-being of horses. The total research funds available in North America from the major research con-tributors (the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation, the American Quarter Horse Association, and the Morris Animal Health Foundation) is less than research dollars received by many individual departments at medical schools around the world.

Additional funding for equine re-

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKYGLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

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Please return this form with your gift to:Gluck Equine Research Foundation, 108 Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099

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The Gluck Equine Research Center encompasses faculty members that conduct equine research full time in the areas of infectious diseases and immunology, genetics and genomics, musculoskeletal science, parasitology, pharmacology/toxicology and reproductive health. Gifts to the Gluck Equine Research Center are used to support research, build facilities, purchase equipment, provide scholarships for graduate students, create educational material and provide continuing education programs for Veterinarians and Horsemen.

108 Gluck Equine Research Center Lexington, KY 40546-0099

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