We compared the genetic diversity and distance among six German draught horse breeds to wild (Przewalski's Horse), primitive (Icelandic Horse, Sorraia Horse, Exmoor Pony) or riding horse breeds (Hanoverian Warmblood, Arabian) by means of genotypic information from 30 microsatellite loci. The draught horse breeds included the South German Coldblood, Rhenish German Draught Horse, Mecklenburg Cold...

Routinely performed painful procedures are of increasing interest and, in 2001 (Royal Order, May 17), Belgium prohibited docking in several vertebrates including horses. In 2004, opponents to this decision submitted a Bill (Doc51 0969/001) to Parliament, intending to obtain derogation for Belgian draught horses, which were traditionally docked. The Animal Welfare Council of Belgium, an official...

Objective- To describe the normal sonographic images of the soft tissues of the dorsal and palmar aspects of the fetlock region in the draught horses.   Design- Descriptive study.   Animals- Five clinically and radiographically normal draught male horses were used during this study.   Procedures- Horses were examined both radiographic and ultrasound ante mortem and post mortem. Based on the pro...

Genetic variation in Zemaitukai horses was investigated using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. The study was performed on 421 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region, which is known to be more variable than other sections of the mitochondrial genome. Samples from each of the remaining maternal family lines of Zemaitukai horses and three random samples for other Lithuanian (Lithuanian He...

Nacrtak The authors tested two alternative treatments for small wood extraction in protected conservation areas, respectively based on direct skidding by small crawler tractors and integrated horse bunching and crawler tractor skidding. The integration of horse bunching with tractor skidding proved cheaper than direct tractor skidding, and allowed extending the distance range of horse skidding....

ObjectiveTo describe the normal sonographic images of the soft tissues of the dorsal and palmar aspects of the fetlock region in the draught horses. DesignDescriptive study. AnimalsFive clinically and radiographically normal draught male horses were used during this study. ProceduresHorses were examined both radiographic and ultrasound ante mortem and post mortem. Based on the proximal sesamoid...

The aims of this study were to assess the genetic variability in the exon 1 of the κ-casein gene in four Italian horse populations (Italian Saddle horse, Italian Trotter, Italian Heavy Draught horse, and Murgese horse) and in a sample of Martina Franca donkey by estimating genotype, allele and haplotype frequencies, as well as several population genetic indices. Genotyping of the selected polym...