Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-m9kch Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-06T18:49:41.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Laminitis and grass carbohydrate levels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

A.C. Longland*
Affiliation:
ELNS, Pantafallen Fach, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6NG
Get access

Extract

The term laminitis literally means ‘inflammation of the laminae’ and is a potentially crippling disease of the equine foot. The laminae are interlocking projections which connect the hoof wall to the pedal bone within the foot, effectively suspending the weight of the animal within the hoof capsule. During a laminitic attack, the laminae become damaged to varying degrees, and their ability to connect the pedal bone to the hoof wall may be compromised; the degree to which this occurs depending upon the severity of the attack. In severe cases, the bond between hoof wall and pedal bone may be so weakened, that the pedal bone rotates downwards and may penetrate the sole of the foot. Some animals respond well to treatment, other less so and a proportion require euthanasia. Once horses have had a laminitic attack, even if successfully treated, they are likely to suffer from reoccurrence of the disease.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bailey, S.R., Marr, C.M., Elliott, J.(2004) Current research and theories on the pathogenesis of acute laminitis in the horse. Vet J. 167:129-42.Google Scholar
Cairns, A.J. (2002) Starch accumulation in temperate forage grasses.IGER Innovations No 6. pp 69 Google Scholar
Chatterton, N.J.,. Harrison, P.A ,. Bennett, J.H and Asay, K.H.. (1989). Carbohydrate partitioning in 185 accessions of graminae grown under warm and cool temperatures. J. Plant. Physiol. 143: 169179 Google Scholar
Deinum, B.,. Van Es, A.J.H and. Van Soest, P.J (1968). Climate, nitrogen and grass. II. The influence of light intensity, temperature and nitrogen on in vivo digestibility of grass and the prediction of these effects from some chemical procedures. Neth. J. Agr. Sci. 16:217223 Google Scholar
Garner, H. E., Hutcheson, D.P., Coffman, J.R., and Hahn, A.W.. (1977). Lactic acidosis. A factor associated with equine laminitis. J. Anim. Sci. 45(5):10371041 Google Scholar
Halling, M.A., Longland, A.C., Martens, S., Nesheim, L. and O’Kiely, P. (2004). Accumulation of water soluble carbohydrates in two perennial ryegrass cultivars at nine European sites. The 20th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Luzerne, Switzerland, 21-24 June 2004. Grassland Science in Europe, 9, 954956.Google Scholar
Jacobs, J., Rigby, S.,. McKenzie, F.,. Ryan, M., Ward, G. and. Burch, S.(1989).Effect of nitrogen on pasture yield and quality for silage in western Victoria Proceedings of the Australian Agronomy Conference, Australian Society of Agronomy pp2932 Google Scholar
Lee, M.R.F., Lones, E.L., Humphreys, M. O., Moorby, J.M., Danhoa, M.S. and Theodorou, M.K. (1999). Increased liveweight of preweaned lambs grazing Lolium perenne selected for high water soluble carbohydrate content. South African Journal of Animal Science. IXth International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology Pretoria, SA, pp 1722.Google Scholar
Miller, L. A., Moorby, J. M., Davies, D. R., Humphreys, M. O., Scollan, N. D. and Macrae, J. C. (2001). Increased concentration of water–soluble carbohydrate in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L).: Milk production from late–lactation dairy cows. Grass and Forage Science, 56:383394.Google Scholar
Pollitt, C. C. . Kyaw–Tanner, M . French, K. R . Van Eps, A. W Hendrikz, J. K.and Daradka, M.. (2003). Equine Laminitis: 49th Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, – New Orleans, LA, USAGoogle Scholar
Turner, L.B, Humphreys, M.O, Cairns, A.J, Pollock, C.J. ( 2001)Comparison of growth and carbohydrate accumulation in seedlings of two varieties of Lolium perenne J Plant Physiol.;158:891897.Google Scholar
Waite, R, Boyd, J. (1953 ) The water–soluble carbohydrates in grasses 1. Changes occurring during the normal life cycle. J.Sci.Fd Agric. 4:197-20.Google Scholar
Watts, K.A, Chatterton, N.J. (2004) A review of factors affecting carbohydrate levels in forage. J Equine Vet Sci.; 24(2):8486.Google Scholar