Texas A&M AgriLife launches national equine metabolic health survey
Researchers seek input from horse owners to better understand prevalence and management of disorders
The U.S. lacks comprehensive data in this area, according to the survey creators, Erica Macon, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research equine scientist and assistant professor, Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science; and Yatta Boakari, DVM, Ph.D., assistant professor of theriogenology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Service Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.
They are collaborating with Alisa Herbst, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate, Rutgers University; Carleigh Fedorka, Ph.D., assistant professor, Colorado State University; and Jamie Norris, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar, University of California, Davis.
In the national survey, Equine Endocrine Disease: Diagnosis, Management and Owner Knowledge, the two researchers are targeting the diagnosis of equine endocrine disorders, such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, PPID, and equine metabolic syndrome, EMS, or insulin resistance, IR/dysregulation, ID.
“Every horse owner’s voice matters,” Macon said. “We want to hear from all equine owners, not just those with horses diagnosed with endocrine disease, as we aim to gather a broad and representative range of perspectives from the equine community.
“This will help us better understand the prevalence and nutritional management of equine endocrine diseases and identify where horse owners may benefit from additional support and education.”
More information is needed
Boakari said Europe and Australia have collected similar information, but those findings are not directly applicable in the U.S. due to differences in breeds and management practices.
“Our goal is to distribute this survey nationally, with a primary focus on horse owners, but we would also very much like to reach veterinarians and other equine industry professionals,” Boakari said.
By sharing their experiences, survey respondents can help researchers identify common management practices and determine where additional owner education may be beneficial.
The researchers hope to collect at least 3,000 surveys by June 30.
For more information about the survey sponsored by Cavalor, contact Macon at erica.macon@ag.tamu.edu.
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