Effect of copper supplementation on the evidence of developmental orthopaedic disease in pasture-fed New Zealand Thoroughbreds.
Equine Vet J
; 30(3): 211-8, 1998 May.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9622322
ABSTRACT
The effect of copper status on the evidence of bone and cartilage lesions was investigated in 21 Thoroughbred foals. The foals and their dams were grazed on pasture containing 4.4-8.6 mg Cu/kg dry matter (DM). Four treatment groups were created by randomly allocating mares and their foals to either copper supplemented (0.5 mg Cu/kg liveweight (LW)/day), or control (pasture only) groups. This experimental design allowed the effect of copper supplementation of mare and foal to be examined independently. Parameters of bone and cartilage development were assessed in the foals both in vivo, and at post mortem at approximately age 150 days. Mare copper supplementation significantly (P<0.01) decreased radiographic indices of physitis in the distal third metatarsal bone of the foals at 150 days, and the prevalence of articular cartilage lesions (P<0.05). Articular cartilage lesions were minor in all foals, with no evidence of clinical developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) in vivo, with the exception of minor radiographic changes assessed at post mortem. Copper supplementation of the foal had no effect on any of the bone and cartilage parameters. Copper supplementation of the mares did not abolish DOD in the growing foals, emphasising the probable multifactorial nature of this condition. However, mare supplementation may be a useful treatment regime on a farm where the incidence and severity of DOD are of concern.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Doenças Ósseas
/
Doenças das Cartilagens
/
Sulfato de Cobre
/
Cobre
/
Doenças dos Cavalos
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Equine Vet J
Ano de publicação:
1998
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Nova Zelândia