著者

Akira MATSUI Yoshinobu INOUE Yo ASAI Akira YAMANOBE

出版者

Japanese Society of Equine Science

雑誌

Journal of Equine Science (ISSN:13403516)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.16, no.1, pp.19-26, 2005 (Released:2005-04-21)

参考文献数

21

被引用文献数

1 3

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Different geographic regions in which thoroughbred yearling horses are bred have different climates and different types of forage in pasture and hay. These factors are likely to influence the energy metabolism and growth rate of yearling horses. However, the effects of the characteristics of geographic regions on the digestible energy (DE) intake and growth rate of thoroughbred yearlings has yet to be clarified in detail. Here, we have examined the effect of the breeding region on growth performance of young horses, by comparing the DE intakes and growth rates of thoroughbred yearlings in Hidaka (Hokkaido) and Miyazaki (Southern Kyushu) in Japan. Eighteen male thoroughbred yearlings were divided equally into two groups, and bred either at the Hidaka training and research center (HYF) or the Miyazaki yearling farm (MYF). Measurements were conducted in September (summer) and in February (winter), and the mean ages of the yearlings during these two periods were 18 months and 23-24 months old, respectively. The apparent digestible energy intake was measured by a double-indicator method using Cr2O3 and lignin. There was no significant difference in the DE intakes between the yearling horses at the HYF and MYF in either season. The warm land of Southwest Japan has been considered to be unsuitable for growing forage containing sufficient nutrients to feed thoroughbreds, but no nutritional disadvantage of this forage was detected in the yearlings bred at the MYF. On the other hand, the heart girth (HG) and cannon circumference (CC) were found to be significantly smaller in yearlings at the HYF, compared to those at the MYF, in the winter evaluation (p<0.05). Significant positive correlations between the ADG and DE intake/100 kg body weight were seen in animals at the HYF in the summer and in those at the MYF in both seasons; however, such a correlation was not found in horses at the HYF in winter. The reason for the smaller HG and CC and the absence of a significant correlation between the ADG and DE intake/100 kg body weight in the yearlings at the HYF in winter is unclear. It could be attributable to growth delay due to exposure to cold temperatures, or lack of supplementation to compensate for the increased energy requirement due to excess energy metabolism in cold weather. Closer attention must, therefore, be paid to the energy supply and nutritional composition of feedstuffs fed to thoroughbred yearlings at farms in regions with cold ambient temperatures.

著者

Hirotoshi MIZUKAMI Tsuyoshi SUZUKI Yasuo NAMBO Mutsuki ISHIMARU Hiroshi NAITO Kenji KOROSUE Kentaro AKIYAMA Kenji MIYATA Akira YAMANOBE Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA

出版者

日本ウマ科学会

雑誌

Journal of Equine Science (ISSN:13403516)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.26, no.2, pp.49-56, 2015 (Released:2015-07-02)

参考文献数

14

被引用文献数

4 11

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Development and endocrine changes in Thoroughbreds colts and fillies were compared between those reared at two facilities of the Japan Racing Association, the Hidaka Training and Research Center (Hidaka) and Miyazaki Yearling Training Farm (Miyazaki). Thoroughbred colts and fillies born in Japan between 2003 and 2010 were used. Each colt group and filly group was divided into 2 groups, respectively, and raised in Hidaka or Miyazaki for 7 months from September at 1 year old to April at 2 years old. For the growth parameters, the body weight, height at withers, and girth and cannon circumferences were measured once a month. For parameters of endocrine function, circulating prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol-17β levels were measured. Regarding growth, the rate of increase over the 7-month period was significantly higher in both colts and fillies raised in Miyazaki than in Hidaka in all 4 parameters: body weight, height at withers, and girth and cannon circumferences. The endocrine changes of the colts and fillies born in 2007 were as follows. In colts, although circulating prolactin tended to be higher in colts reared in Hidaka from October to April, circulating LH, FSH, testosterone, estradiol-17β and IGF-1 tended to be higher in colts reared in Miyazaki than in Hidaka, suggesting that the gonadotropin-releasing hormone-LH/FSH system and the growth hormone-IGF-1 system were more active in colts reared in Miyazaki as compared with those reared in Hidaka. In fillies, circulating prolactin tended to be higher in fillies reared in Hidaka in February and March, but no significant difference was noted in the serum LH, FSH, IGF-1, or progesterone level between the 2 groups. Circulating estradiol-17β tended to be higher in fillies reared in Miyazaki than in Hidaka in October and November. Regarding ovarian function, the initial ovulation occurred by the end of March in 2 (16.7%) of 12 fillies reared in Hidaka and 7 (38.9%) of 18 fillies reared in Miyazaki, suggesting that the ovarian function was more active in fillies reared in Miyazaki as compared with those reared in Hidaka. Based on these findings, it was clarified that development of the body and gonads was faster in Miyazaki compared with Hidaka in both colts and fillies.