Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review
There are approximately 112 million working equids in developing countries, many of which are associated with brick kilns. Brick kilns and overloading are associated with welfare problems in working equids. Understanding equids’ abilities and influencing factors are important for both effective perf...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
Series: | Animals |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1333 |
id |
doaj-235b28ad2f30404da7795714968d40ce |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-235b28ad2f30404da7795714968d40ce2021-05-31T23:26:04ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-05-01111333133310.3390/ani11051333Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A ReviewSyed S. U. H. Bukhari0Alan G. McElligott1Rebecca S. V. Parkes2Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaThere are approximately 112 million working equids in developing countries, many of which are associated with brick kilns. Brick kilns and overloading are associated with welfare problems in working equids. Understanding equids’ abilities and influencing factors are important for both effective performance and welfare. Traditionally, measurement of the amount of ‘bone’ was used, and more recently, gait symmetry has been identified as a potential marker for loading capacity. Assessment of stride parameters and gait kinematics provides insights into adaptations to loading and may help determine cut-off loads. Physiological factors such as the ability to regain normal heart rates shortly after work is an important tool for equine fitness assessment and a more accurate measure of load-carrying capacity than absolute heart rate. Oxidative stress, plasma lactate, and serum creatine kinase activity are reliable biochemical indicators of loading ability. For monitoring stress, salivary cortisol is superior to serum cortisol level for assessment of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and is related to eye temperatures, but this has yet to be interpreted in terms of load-carrying ability in equids. Further research is needed to standardize the evidence-based load-carrying capacity of working horses and donkeys.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1333blood chemistrydonkeyequid welfarehorselimb biomechanicsloading |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Syed S. U. H. Bukhari Alan G. McElligott Rebecca S. V. Parkes |
spellingShingle |
Syed S. U. H. Bukhari Alan G. McElligott Rebecca S. V. Parkes Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review Animals blood chemistry donkey equid welfare horse limb biomechanics loading |
author_facet |
Syed S. U. H. Bukhari Alan G. McElligott Rebecca S. V. Parkes |
author_sort |
Syed S. U. H. Bukhari |
title |
Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review |
title_short |
Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review |
title_full |
Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review |
title_fullStr |
Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review |
title_full_unstemmed |
Quantifying the Impact of Mounted Load Carrying on Equids: A Review |
title_sort |
quantifying the impact of mounted load carrying on equids: a review |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Animals |
issn |
2076-2615 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
There are approximately 112 million working equids in developing countries, many of which are associated with brick kilns. Brick kilns and overloading are associated with welfare problems in working equids. Understanding equids’ abilities and influencing factors are important for both effective performance and welfare. Traditionally, measurement of the amount of ‘bone’ was used, and more recently, gait symmetry has been identified as a potential marker for loading capacity. Assessment of stride parameters and gait kinematics provides insights into adaptations to loading and may help determine cut-off loads. Physiological factors such as the ability to regain normal heart rates shortly after work is an important tool for equine fitness assessment and a more accurate measure of load-carrying capacity than absolute heart rate. Oxidative stress, plasma lactate, and serum creatine kinase activity are reliable biochemical indicators of loading ability. For monitoring stress, salivary cortisol is superior to serum cortisol level for assessment of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and is related to eye temperatures, but this has yet to be interpreted in terms of load-carrying ability in equids. Further research is needed to standardize the evidence-based load-carrying capacity of working horses and donkeys. |
topic |
blood chemistry donkey equid welfare horse limb biomechanics loading |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1333 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT syedsuhbukhari quantifyingtheimpactofmountedloadcarryingonequidsareview AT alangmcelligott quantifyingtheimpactofmountedloadcarryingonequidsareview AT rebeccasvparkes quantifyingtheimpactofmountedloadcarryingonequidsareview |
_version_ |
1721417474055864320 |