Many equine researchers from the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture, Food and Environment attended the Equine Science Society (ESS) symposium held May 26-29 in St. Pete Beach, Florida. The National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics (NAEAA) was held on the front end of the ESS symposium May 26.

ESS occurs every two years in different locations and promotes quality research on equine nutrition and reproductive physiology production and management, teaching, and extension. The event is set up to establish effective communication among researchers, teachers, extension, and production personnel.

Ernie Bailey, PhD, professor in the department of veterinary science at the UK Gluck Equine Research Center, was an invited speaker and presented a full-length paper titled “Genetics After Twilight,” about the next step in genetics. The title references Bailey’s past work, sequencing the entire equine genome on the Thoroughbred mare, Twilight. Bailey’s paper discusses how researchers can use functional genomics to answer biological questions. Functional genomics is relevant to all areas of equine studies, including immunology, nutrition, reproduction, exercise physiology, and veterinary medicine.

Laurie Lawrence, PhD, professor in the department of animal and food sciences at UK, received the Equine Nutrition Research Award during the symposium. The American Feed Industry Association-sponsored award acknowledges Lawrence’s achievements and contributions to the equine industry. Lawrence’s international research on equine nutrition has most recently concentrated on pasture-based feeding and forage for both young and mature horses.

Other abstracts authored and/or co-authored by UK faculty and students included:

Undergraduate student research:

• Effects of horse age and feeding status on AMPK activation in horses by S.E. Sivinski, A.L. Wagner, S.L. Tanner, T. Brewster-Barnes, and K.L. Urschel.
• Tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression before and after exercise in middle-aged and older horses by M.M. Darby (Morehead State), S.R. Malone (Morehead State), D.W. Horohov, and D.E. Chappell (Morehead State).
• Demographics, body condition scores, and owner bodyweight estimations of adult draft and warmblood horse breeds by A.M. Hansen (University of Minnesota), D.N. Catalano (University of Minnesota), R.J. Coleman, M.R. Hathaway (University of Minnesota), A.K. Rendahl (University of Minnesota), and K.L. Martinson (University of Minnesota).

Exercise Physiology:

• Post-exercise dietary supplementation leads to improved muscle recovery in fatigued horses by R.D. Jacobs (Virginia Tech), R.K. Splan (Virginia Tech), K.L. Urschel, S. Mastellar (South Dakota State University), and A.L. Wagner (Cooperative Research Farms).

Nutrition:

• Exogenous lactobacilli mitigate microbial changes associated with gran fermentation in vitro by B.E. Harlow, L.M. Lawrence, I.A. Kagan, P.A. Harris (Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition), and M.D. Flythe.
• Comparison of inflammation, nutritional status, muscle mass, pituitary function, and age in geriatric horses by M.H. Siard, A. Betancourt, P.A. Harris (Waltham Centre), A.D. Moffett (MARS Horsecare US, Inc.), K.E. McMurry, S.E. Reedy, and A.A. Adams.
• Postprandial changes in plasma urea nitrogen concentrations in response to amino acid supplementation in horses by C.M. Latham, T. Brewster-Barnes, K.L. Urschel, and A.L. Wagner (Cooperative Research Farms).
• Using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique to study threonine requirements in horses by C.H. Mok, T. Brewster-Barnes, and K.L. Urschel. 
• Accounting for variation in phosphorus digestibility estimates by A.L. Fowler, B.E. Harlow, M.B. Pyles, S.H. Hayes, A.D. Crum, and L.M. Lawrence.
• Application of mathematical multi-compartmental models to digesta retention parameters in horses by T.L. Hansen, A.L. Fowler, B.E. Harlow, V. Bill, V. Stilwell, A. Crum, S.H. Hayes, and L.M. Lawrence.
• The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA) and prebiotic supplementation on inflammatory cytokine production and immune responses to vaccination in old horses by A.A. Adams, K.R. Vineyard (Purina), M.E. Gordon (Purina), S. Reedy, M.H. Siard, and D.W. Horohov.
• Evaluation of apparent total tract digestibility and glycemic responses to processed corn in non-exercised Thoroughbred horses by C. Whitehouse (KER), J.D. Pagan (KER), R.J. Coleman, B. Waldridge (KER), O.L. Yates (KER), S.W. Garling (KER).
• Effect of storage time and temperature of equine feces on the subsequent enumeration of lactobacilli and cellulolytic bacteria by B.E. Harlow, L.M. Lawrence, and M.D. Flythe.
• Changes in fecal lactobacilli after a concentrate meal by M.B. Pyles, L.M. Lawrence, and M.D. Flythe.
• Effects of the novel feed additive Phytozen on immune and endocrine function in senior horses by M.H. Siard, A.L. Wagner (Cooperative Research Farms), B. Medina (Laboratoires Phodé), I.D. Girard (Probiotech International), and A.A. Adams.

Production and Management:

• Effects of prolonged dexamethasone treatment on signaling pathways associated with muscle protein degradation in mature horses by C.M.M. Loos, T. Barnes, K.M. Brennan (Alltech), and K.L. Urschel.
• Estimation of actual and ideal bodyweight for adult draft and warmblood horse breeds using morphometric measurements by D.N. Catalano (University of Minnesota), R.J. Coleman, M.R. Hathaway (University of Minnesota), M.E. McCue (University of Minnesota), A.K. Rendahl (University of Minnesota), and K.L. Martinson (University of Minnesota).
• Effect of inulin chain length on fermentation by equine fecal bacteria and Streptococcus bovis in vitro by B.E. Harlow, L.M. Lawrence, I.A. Kagan, and M.D. Flythe.
• Characterization of lipid and inflammatory profiles in horses with equine metabolic syndrome by S.E. Elzinga, P.L. Wood (Lincoln Memorial University), and A.A. Adams.

Reproductive Physiology:

• Effects of feeding a yeast-based supplement containing selenized yeast, vitamin E and a DHA-rich microalgae on sperm motion characteristics by L.D. Goedde, K.M. Brennan (Alltech), B.A. Ball, L.M. Lawrence, M.H. Troedsson, and E.L. Squires.
• Determination of peripheral progestin concentrations in the late pregnant mare based upon immunoassays and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry by M.A.A. Wynn, E.L. Legacki (UC Davis), A.J. Conley (UC Davis), S.A. Loux, A. Esteller-Vico, S.D. Stanley (UC Davis), E.L. Squires, M.H. Troedsson, and B.A. Ball.
• Non-targeted lipidomics of stallion spermatozoa: Effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by P.L. Wood (Lincoln Memorial University), K.E. Scoggin, B.A. Ball, L.M. Lawrence, M.H. Troedsson, L.D. Goedde, K.M. Brennan (Alltech), and E.L. Squires.

Teaching and Extension Graduate Student Competition:

• Effectiveness of eXtension online webinars as educational tools for current horse industry issues by K.E. Pulec (University of Nebraska), K.P. Anderson (University of Nebraska), C. Skelly (Michigan State University), C.M. Brady (Purdue), B.J. McIntosh (Virginia Tech), G.A. Shelle (Michigan State), A. Griffin, and E.A. Greene (University of Vermont).
• Prevention of horse-related injuries: Where education efforts should be focused by F.C. Camargo, W.R. Gombeski, Jr., P. Barger (Certified Horsemanship Association), C. Jehlick (U.S. Pony Clubs), H. Wiemers, J. Mead, and K.A. Lawyer.
• Factors associated with persistence in the animal and food sciences degree program at the University of Kentucky: From Animal Science 101 to the capstone class by M.G. Rossano, S.V. Burk (Otterbein), A.M. Leed, W.J. Silvia, A.J. Pescatore, and E.S.Vanzant.

Author: Hannah Forte