University of Kentucky GLUCK EQUINE

UK’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Continues to Improve the Health and Well-being of the Horse

Six of the 10 major vaccines to protect against equine infec-tious diseases were created at the University of Kentucky’s Max-well H. Gluck Equine Research Center. But, that’s not the only major research accomplishment the world-renown Gluck Center has contributed to the equine and veterinarian fields.

The 81,000 square foot facility on Nicholasville Road is the only scientific institute in the United States with nearly all faculty Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Centerconducting full-time research in equine health and diseases.

“Since its establishment in 1987, the Gluck Center has endeavored to build upon and enhance the historical reputa-tion of the Department of Veterinary Science in the field of equine diseases,” said Peter Timoney, the Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Sci-ence at the Gluck Center, former Gluck Center director and former chair of the department of veterinary science. “Much has been accomplished in the in-tervening years, all primarily focused on improving the health and well-being of the horse and the economic betterment of the equine industry.”

Researchers at the College of Agri-culture’s Gluck Center have had an in-ternational impact on equine research including:

•Developed diagnostic serological tests for contagious equine metritis (CEM), Tyzzer’s disease, equine protozoal my-

eloencephalitis (EPM), equine herpesvi-rus myeloencephalopathy, strangles and equine viral arteritis

•Developed enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay (ELISA) test for drug detection

•Demonstrated the usefulness of arti-ficial lights and progesterone/estradiol treatments for hastening the onset of the breeding season

•Determined the genetic basis for and developed tests for inheritance of cer-tain color coat traits

•Provided leadership in the sequencing of the complete genome of the horse and structural characterization of horse genes

•Performed the definitive experiments that identified the cause of Mare Repro-ductive Loss Syndrome

“The Gluck Center has a rich tradition in serving the equine industry in research that has improved the health and well-being in horses,” said Dr. Mats Troeds-

son, director of the Gluck Center and chair of the department of veterinary science at UK. “Land-mark discoveries have been made in vaccine research and produc-tion, sequencing of the equine genome, parasite control, and re-productive management.”

Today, the Gluck Center fac-ulty continues to conduct equine research in six targeted areas: ge-netics and genomics, infectious diseases and immunology, mus-culoskeletal science, parasitology,

pharmacology/toxicology and repro-ductive health.

The Gluck Center is also a World Or-ganisation for Animal Health (O.I.E)-designated world reference laboratory for equine rhinopneumonitis, equine in-fluenza and equine viral arteritis.

“Major emphasis has been placed on making the Gluck Center one of the preeminent equine research institutions

Gluck Center, p. 4

University of Kentucky GLUCK EQUINE

Research & Service Report

FALL FEATURES

A Letter from the Director, p. 3Genetics and Genomics, p. 4Immunology, p. 5Infectious Diseases, p. 7Parasitology, p. 10Reproductive Health, p. 11Grants and Awards, p. 14News and Events, p. 15

VOLUME II, ISSUE II FALL 2010www.ca.uky.edu/gluck

BOARD OF DIRECTORSUNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Dr. Walter W. Zent, ChairTom Goncharoff, Vice ChairDr. Lee T. Todd, Jr., President

Dr. Kumble R. Subbaswamy, Vice PresidentDr. M. Scott Smith, SecretaryMrs. Angela Martin, Treasurer

Bruce AddingtonAlan Balch

Stacy V. BearseJane BeshearBill CasnerCase Clay

Dr. Nancy CoxGinny Grulke

Lisa LourieDr. Jamie MacLeod

Dr. Everett McCorveyDebby Oxley

Dr. Stephen ReedDan RosenbergDr. Robert Stout

David SwitzerOlly Tait

Dr. Mats TroedssonDr. Naoya YoshidaF.E. “Butch” Wise

Chris YoungArt Zubrod

GLUCK EQUINERESEARCH FOUNDATION

FOR MOREINFORMATIONCONTACT:

Dr. Ed SquiresExecutive DirectorGluck Equine Research Foundation108 Gluck Equine Research CenterLexington, Kentucky 40546-0099

Phone: (859) 218-1176Fax: (859) 257-8542E-mail: [email protected]

MAXWELL H. GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH CENTERhttp://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH & SERVICE REPORT The UK Gluck Equine Research & Service Report is produced by UKGERF and the Department of Veterinary Science. It is published twice a year on behalf of all

equine researchers and veterinarians and others in the horse industry who are committed to thecontinued improvements in equine research and technology. Research material is meant to be shared. However,

materials are copyrighted and require reprintpermission from UKGERF. The Gluck Equine Research & Service Report is

available online at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck.

The mission of the Gluck Equine Research Center is scientific discovery, educationand dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of the health and well-being of horses.

GLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION PAGE 2

About the Gluck Equine Research Foundation

A Letter from the Director

Dr. Mats Troedsson


The World Equestrian Games brought world-class equestrian competi-tion and sport horse fans from all over the world to Lex-ington, Ky. for two memorable weeks this fall. The athlet-ic excellence among horses and riders, and the enthusiasm from the audience was a delight to be

part of, or simply just to observe. The bonds that are formed between horses and humans, and the excite-ment the interaction with horses can bring into our lives, were highlighted by the Games.

An aspect that was less obvious for the general pub-lic was the excellent health care and biosecurity of the Games. Health concerns of competing horses and a biosecure environment for the prevention of dis-ease outbreaks requires the highest level of expertise. Veterinarians worked together with the USDA and the Kentucky State Veterinarians Office to establish requirements for testing of all horses for infectious diseases, quarantine facilities and regulations, and bi-osecurity at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Faculty members from the Gluck Equine Research Center, the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diag-nostic Laboratory, and numerous veterinary practitio-ners contributed professionally as well as volunteered their expertise to make sure that the Games were held without medical disasters. The foundation of the pro-fessional expertise that we saw during the Games is discovery and research in equine science. Without the knowledge that has been disseminated from equine research around the U.S. and the world, competition at this level, with horses from different parts of the world would simply not be possible.

The Gluck Equine Research Center has a rich tradi-tion in research of infectious diseases. Scientists at the Gluck Center have focused on detection and preven-tion of infectious diseases through the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines. Vaccines against six of the 10 most common infectious diseases were de-veloped at the Gluck Center and research is currently underway in developing new vaccines, as well as in improving vaccines for infectious diseases such as equine influenza, equine herpes virus, and rhodococ-cus infections, among others.

New and improved diagnostics have been developed for equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine herpes virus, strangles, and other diseases that present a threat to horses. Because of the contribution by the infectious disease group at the Gluck Center, the center is desig-nated as the international reference laboratory (O.I.E. designation) for equine arteritis virus, equine herpes virus, and equine influenza virus.

The commitment from researchers at the Gluck Center and at other research institutions around the world made it possible to bring more than 700 horses together from nearly 60 countries to compete at the highest level under the most biosecure conditions and without fear of a devastating outbreak of infectious diseases.

This serves as a good example on how research serves the horses, the horse industry, and the public. This is our way to show our passion for horses and the sport, whether it is dressage, jumping, driving, eventing, reining, vaulting, para-dressage, horse rac-ing, showing, or trail or pleasure riding – and we all enjoyed seeing it come together during a couple of exciting weeks in Lexington this fall.

Dr. Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACTGluck Equine Research Center Director

and Department of Veterinary Science [email protected]

The mission of the Gluck Center is sci-entific discovery, education and dissemi-nation of knowledge for the benefit of the health and well-being of horses.

“As the only scientific institution in the U.S. that has faculty working full-time on equine health issues, the Gluck Center will continue to play an important role


in the horse and veterinary communi-ties for many more decades,” Troedsson said.

For more information on the Gluck Center, visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck.

Jenny Blandford is the Gluck Foundation Assistant at the Gluck Center.

Karyotype from an XY mare. Note the mare has a Y chromosome. Further molecular testing revealed she

had a deletion of the SRY gene

Gluck Equine Research Center, continuedin the world based on the quality of its varied research programs and the exper-tise and international reputation of its faculty,” Timoney said. “Over the years, the center has served as a clearing house for information especially on how best to prevent and control some of the most economically damaging equine diseases.”

Genetics and GenomicsDiagnosing Disorders of Sexual Development in Horses: Is it a Male or a Female?

Diagnosing Disorders, p. 5

Fertility issues in the horse can stem from multiple causes. One cause in mares is due to a disorder of sexual development (DSD) whereby the sex chromosome comple-ment (genotype) is abnor-mal and does not agree with the external appearance of the horse (phenotype). One common DSD is observed in horses whose phenotype is female but whose genotype is male. These horses are called XY mares and have a disorder known as XY DSD (or XY sex-reversal). Most of them exhibit the absence of estrous cycles and abnormalities in the reproductive tract such as small, inactive ovaries. These are clues for the veterinarian to initiate chromosomal analysis.

The Molecular Cytogenetics Labora-tory at the University of Kentucky Max-well H. Gluck Equine Research Center offers equine practitioners chromosomal analysis service to diagnose DSD. Veteri-narians submit blood samples for cyto-genetic (chromosome) testing. The white blood cells are cultured and treated with various chemicals, fixed on a microscope slide, and stained. The chromosomes from those cells are imaged using a mi-croscope equipped with a camera at-tached to a computer. The computer has special software that facilitates chromo-some identification and placement into

a diagram called a karyotype. Analysis of the karyotype reveals if there are any abnormalities in the number and mor-phology (shape) of the chromosomes.

A normal horse has 64 chromosomes including 31 pairs called autosomes plus two sex chromosomes: two X chromo-somes in females and one X and one Y chromosome in males. In the case of XY mares, the karyotype shows one X and one Y chromosome. That is, the outward female appearance of these horses belies the fact that, genetically, these “mares” are male. This is not the only type of DSD; in addition, there are horses with only one X chromosome (XO mares) as well as individuals that, despite having

two X chromosomes, are male-like in appearance. All of these horses are infertile.

Over the years, the Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory have con-firmed some form of DSD in 36% of the samples submitted from horses that exhibit DSD symptoms with XY mares being the most common form. DSD have been found in many horse breeds in-cluding Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Belgians, Quarter Horses, Olden-burgs, Tennessee Walking Horses, and Standardbreds.

In the case of the XY mares, the karyotype explains the abnormali-ties in the horses but further ques-tions arise. Why did these horses not develop as males even though they have a Y chromosome? To an-

swer this question, the lab uses genetic techniques to compare the XY mare’s Y chromosome to that of a normal male horse. Results indicate the Y chromo-somes of the XY mares studied are missing a large region (a deletion) that includes a gene, called SRY, essential in mammalian male development. The SRY (sex-determining region on the Y) gene produces a protein that, in the male em-bryo, initiates a series of events leading to development of testes. Without this critical gene, the XY mares develop as in-fertile females rather than normal males. Using further molecular testing we can identify this Y chromosome deletion.

Diagnosing Disorders, continued


ImmunologyEquine Influenza Vaccine Efficacy in Older Horses

The value of the initial karyotype in diagnosing these disorders is immense. With it, veterinarians and horse owners can make informed decisions about fu-ture care and use of the horse in ques-tion. However, there are still unanswered questions in the realm of XY DSD in

horses. What mechanism accounts for this deletion in the Y chromosome? What is the prevalence of this disorder and other DSD in the general horse pop-ulation? As the Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory studies more affected horses using cytogenetic and genetic methods,

the picture will become clearer.For more information, contact Teri L.

Lear, PhD, at [email protected]. Rose B. McGee is a research assistant and is completing her master’s degree in equine

genetics. Teri L. Lear, PhD, is an associate professor in the genetics/genomics group.

We’ve all heard the statistics about an “aging” America. The elderly repre-sents the fastest growing proportion of the United States population. In recent years, horses have experienced a similar population shift.

A large proportion of the equine pop-ulation (about 15%) is comprised of horses older than 20 and, even at this age, many remain actively involved in equestrian sports, reproductive capaci-ties, or as companions. Thus, further un-derstanding of the geriatric (or elderly) horse’s immune system has become in-creasingly important in order to preserve good health through their golden years, enhancing a quality life.

A goal of the immunology research program at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center is to un-derstand how age affects the immune response to vaccination, in particular equine influenza vaccination, in geriatric horses.

Springtime vaccination schedules are important. During this time of year, many horses travel to show competi-tions and are involved in trail riding and other activities. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure horses are protected by vac-cinations. This is done by following the American Association of Equine Practi-tioners (AAEP) guidelines and consult-ing with your veterinarian.

It has been questioned whether old horses respond to vaccination and if that vaccination provides protection. Earlier work has shown the immune re-sponse to inactivated equine influenza virus vaccines decreases with age; how-

ever, it remains unknown whether aging has an impact on vaccine efficacy. Since alternative vaccination approaches may prove more efficacious in aged horses, a vaccine/challenge study was recently performed at the Gluck Center, using a canarypox recombinant virus vectored vaccine. This live vaccine has limited replication and therefore mimics that of a natural infection, which is expected to induce a more significant and complete stimulation of the immune response compared to killed vaccines.

A recent study performed at the Gluck Center by David Horohov, PhD, William Robert Mills Chair and professor; Tom Chambers, PhD and professor of veteri-nary virology; and Amanda Adams, PhD

and post-doctoral scholar, addressed whether old horses respond to vaccina-tion and if vaccination provides protec-tion. The study included 15 horses aged 20 years and older. While the vaccine his-tory of these animals was unknown, they had probably been exposed to the vac-cine and/or the equine influenza virus since all had low-level haemagglutinin inhibition (HI) antibody titres at the start of the trial. Seven of the old horses were vaccinated (one dose) and eight were not vaccinated.

The study also included 13 young hors-es (6 months to 1 year old) that had no serological evidence of previous expo-sure to the virus (naïve animals). Seven of the young horses received the same vaccine (two doses, as recommended by the manufacturer) and six were left unvaccinated. The vaccine was effective at inducing both humoral and cell-medi-ated immune responses in naïve horses. By contrast, the antibody response of old horses was not as great as that of the younger animals. All of the older horses had evidence of virus-specific cell-medi-ated immunity prior to vaccination, and this was enhanced only slightly by the vaccine.

To determine vaccine efficacy, all hors-es were exposed to aerosolized equine influenza virus for 45 minutes 14 days after the last vaccination, and were then monitored for clinical signs (nasal dis-charge, rectal temperature, etc.). In the naïve non-vaccinated group of young horses, a temperature peak typically oc-curred two days after challenge and per-

Older Horses, p. 6

Aged horses are still susceptible to equine influenza virus infection


Immunology

Older Horses, continuedsisted for five to six days (Fig. 1). This also correlated with increased transcrip-tion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in their peripheral blood cells. These ani-mals also shed virus in their upper respi-ratory tract for an average of four and a half days.

In the unvaccinated older horses, a febrile peak was also observed post-challenge, although this was not as pro-nounced as in the young horses (Fig. 1). This also correlated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The non-vaccinated older horses also shed

the virus, but for a shorter time than the naïve young horses.

This study showed that aged horses are susceptible to infection with equine influenza virus. The vaccine was effec-tive at protecting both the young and old horses upon challenge, reducing both clinical signs and virus shedding. Hence, vaccination of aged horses with the re-combinant vaccine was effective.

Currently, the immunology group is characterizing the immune response of old horses to inactivated equine influ-enza vaccines compared to new genera-

Figure 1. Mean (±SE) rectal temperatures (°C) of non-vaccinated (closed circle) and vaccinated (open circle) young naïve control horses (A) and old (>20 yrs) horses (B) prior to challenge (Day 50) and for 14 consecutive

days post challenge with equine influenza virus

tion, live-vectored vaccines. The group is also interested in determining how other factors may affect the immune response to vaccination of geriatric horses, such as nutritional status, and underlying con-ditions like Equine Cushing’s Disease, a complex neuroendocrine disease. The ultimate goal of this research is to iden-tify optimal methods for protecting aged horses from infectious disease.

Amanda A. Adams, PhD, is a post-doctoral scholar at the Gluck Center.

Thoroughbred Farms Participate in Lawsonia Intracellularis StudyLexington area Thoroughbred farms

were asked to participate in a study be-ing conducted at the University of Ken-tucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center to determine the seroprevalence (presence of positive serum antibodies) in Thor-oughbred weanlings to Lawsonia intra-cellularis, the causative agent of equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE).

Allen Page, DVM, a doctoral student in David Horohov’s, PhD, William Robert Mills Chair, laboratory at the Gluck Cen-ter, is conducting the research. Funded by the Equine Drug Research Council

of the Kentucky Horse Racing Com-mission, Page hoped to include at least 35 farms and 350 weanlings in the study. Farms within 25 miles of Lexington that have had cases of EPE or that have not had cases of EPE were encouraged to participate.

“The seroprevalence data will provide us with information about the overall exposure of horses to L. intracellularis,” Page said.

Goals of the study are to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to L. intracellularis in Thoroughbred weanlings,

determine the risk factors for exposure to L. intracellularis, determine the effect, if any, of exposure to L. intracellularis on yearling public sales price, and determine the effect, if any, of exposure to L. intra-cellularis on racing records.

The study began in August 2010 and will be completed in January 2011. Study results will be published in a scientific journal. However, farms participating will remain anonymous.



Infectious DiseasesBalasuriya Focuses on Equine Viral Arteritis and Equine Herpesvirus ResearchEquine arteritis virus (EAV)

and equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) are the two main topics of research for Udeni Balasuriya, BVSc, MS, PhD, as-sociate professor of virology at the Gluck Equine Research Center.

Balasuriya, who joined the Gluck Center in 2005, focuses on characterizing the molecu-lar epidemiology and molecu-lar basis of pathogenesis of EAV and EHV-1 infections in horses. EAV is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA) in horses. EVA is char-acterized by upper respiratory tract dis-ease in adult horses, abortion in mares, and pneumonia in young foals. Stallions become long-term carriers of the virus and transmit the virus during breeding. EHV-1 also causes upper respiratory tract disease and abortion. Some EHV-1 strains have the ability to cause neuro-logical disease that may lead to paralysis and even death.

“Both of these viruses pose a signifi-cant threat to the global equine indus-try as there has been an increase in the number of outbreaks of EVA and the neurologic form of EHV-1 in the U.S. and around the world,” Balasuriya said. “Furthermore, there is increased global dissemination of EAV and rise in the in-cidence of EVA due to the rapid nation-al and international movement of carrier stallions for breeding and competition. In 2006/2007, a multi-state occurrence of EVA was confirmed for the first time in Quarter Horses in the U.S. The recent outbreak of EVA in Quarter Horses in-creased awareness among horse owners and breeders of a disease that can have significant financial repercussions, espe-cially for the breeding sector of the na-tion’s equine industry.”

Clinical signs of EVA include respira-tory illness, nasal discharge, fever, limb

and ocular edema, skin rash, swelling of the mare’s mammary glands, swelling of stallions’ genital area, abortion, and pneumonia in young foals. EAV is trans-mitted by the respiratory and the vene-real routes. Recently, it has been shown there is a risk of EAV transmission as-sociated with embryo transfer from a donor mare inseminated with EAV in-fective semen.

“This laboratory is one of the very few laboratories in the world that is dedi-cated to EAV research and our ongoing research projects are focused on the mo-lecular characterization of the virus, vi-ral pathogenesis, virus-host interaction, molecular epidemiology, as well as devel-opment of improved diagnostic and vac-cine technologies,” Balasuriya said.

While Balasuriya would like to conduct further research on EAV, funding is lim-ited. Balasuriya’s earlier research at the Gluck Center focused more heavily on EAV research and in recent years has ex-panded to include EHV-1 as well. EHV-1 is highly contagious and responsible for significant economic losses due to respiratory illness, abortion, neurologic (paralytic) disease and death in horses. The increase in incidence of neuro-pathogenic EHV-1 strains in recent years has given rise to considerable concern

among horse industries and governmental agencies respon-sible for equine health around the world.

“EHV-1 continues to pose a major threat to equine health and, for the benefit of our rela-tionship with the equine indus-try, it is vital that we maintain the 60-year-old tradition of conducting pioneering research on these viruses within the De-partment of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky.” Balasuriya said. “This need is even more pressing in the ab-sence of Dr. (George) Allen

who was the driving force behind EHV-1 research at the Gluck Center for many years. There is an urgent need to contin-ue some of Dr. Allen’s research that was in progress at the time of his death.

“To this end, I have joined with Drs. Frank Cook and Peter Timoney (faculty members at the Gluck Center) to con-tinue some of the equine herpesvirus research,” Balasuriya continued.

Ongoing research projects on EHV-1 are focused on the following areas:

•Molecular epidemiology and evolu-tion of EHV-1.

•Identification of virulence deter-minants of EHV-1 using reverse genetic technology. This involves cloning the full-length genome of a neuro-pathogenic EHV-1 strain into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and recon-stitution of infectious virus and genetic manipulation.

•Molecular mechanisms of EHV-1 pathogenesis and host immune response to the virus.

•Development of improved diagnostic assays and vaccines against EHV-1

“EHV-1 infection is difficult to prevent because the virus can establish latent in-fection and protective immunity is only relatively short-lived following a clinical

Udeni Balasuriya’s (second from left) lab group at the Gluck Equine Research Center

Balasuriya Research, p. 8


Balasuriya Research, continued

Infectious Diseases Safeguards for International Shipment of Horses

episode,” he said. “Therefore, horses may suffer a recrudescence of infection (virus becomes active again after a dor-mant period) or can become re-infected from another carrier animal once protec-tive immunity wanes. In common with natural infections, the currently available vaccines do not stimulate long-lasting protective immune responses. The on-going studies in our laboratory will yield important benefits for the equine indus-try in terms of improved diagnostics and more accurate predictions of the clinical consequences associated with detection of specific neuropathogenic and non-neuropathgenic EHV-1 strains.”

In recent months, Balasuriya has received three grants to further his re-search on EHV-1. Those grants are:

•Comparision of in vitro antiviral ac-tivity of herpesvirus DNA polymerase inhibitors against neuropathoogenic and non-neuropathogenic strains of equine herpesvirus-1 from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission;

•Molecular characteriation of neuro-virulent equine EHV-1 strains from the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Founda-tion; and

•Testing the susceptibility of neuro-pathogenic and non-neuropathogenic

equine herpesviruses-1 strains to antivi-rals from the American Quarter Horse Association.

“I would like to thank all three private organizations for funding our research projects on EHV-1. These studies will enable us to better characterize the mo-lecular epidemiology of EHV-1 infec-tion to gain a greater understanding of the genetic basis of emergence of neu-rologic herpesvirus strains and evolution of EHV-1,” Balasuriya said.

“In addition, these studies will also allow us to develop better guidelines gov-erning the intrastate and interstate move-ment of horses during and/or following EHV-1 disease outbreaks. Findings from these studies could eventually impact control programs designed to prevent EHV-1 infection among Thoroughbred and other horse breeds in the U.S., as well as development of improved mo-lecular based diagnostic tests and more effective vaccines. Furthermore, testing of antiviral drugs with the potential to relieve suffering and prevent the spread of EHV-1 will provide the utmost ben-efit in terms of horse well-being and the financial health of the equine racing in-dustry.”

In his laboratory, studies are also fo-

cused on developing improved recom-binant vaccines to prevent infection of horses with EAV and EHV-1, as well as developing improved tests to diagnose other equine respiratory viruses of the horse.

Balasuriya also spends a considerable amount of time training and supervising postdoctoral fellows, visiting scientists, and graduate and undergraduate stu-dents at the Gluck Center. His goal is to provide one-on-one instruction of grad-uate and undergraduate students and af-ford a multi-disciplinary-based training environment for their benefit.

“My principal goal is to provide leader-ship, guidance, and support to qualified undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows undertaking vi-ral research that utilizes state-of-the-art molecular virology techniques,” he said.

A postdoctoral scholar and three grad-uate students are currently working on EAV research projects. Similarly, an-other postdoctoral scholar and another graduate student are working on EHV-1 projects. In addition, two undergraduate students and two research staff mem-bers work in his laboratory.


Planning a trip abroad? Grab your passport, buy a ticket, and pack your bags. Whoa—not if you are a horse.

When a horse crosses an international border, the country the horse is traveling to requires proof that the horse won’t threaten the health of the resident equine population. The Gluck Center is often sought for research-based information that will define appropriate procedures to safeguard horse health. This research is very important, because horses travel more than any other animal species (for competition, breeding, and change of ownership, among other reasons).

The movement of horses internation-

ally was underscored during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Sept. 25-Oct.10 at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP), when about 750 horses representing 62 countries shipped to the Bluegrass. This isn’t the first event for which many horses have been shipped to the United States; hundreds of hors-es shipped into Georgia for the 1996 Olympic Games. One of the most press-ing issues, then and now, is equine piro-plasmosis, a disease of Equidae (horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras) caused by two parasitic organisms, Theileria (Babe-sia) equi and B. caballi. The bloodborne disease is usually transmitted to horses

by certain tick species, but it can also be spread via contaminated needles. But since the disease is transmitted only by exposure to infected blood, it’s easier to control than many other diseases.

Once a horse contracts piroplasmosis, clinical signs appear in seven to 22 days. Cases can be mild or severe, depending on the amount of the organism in the horse’s blood. An acute case can have fever, anemia, jaundiced mucous mem-branes, a swollen abdomen, and labored breathing. A roughened hair coat, con-stipation, and colic might also be seen. Milder cases appear weak and inappe-

Horse Shipment, p. 9


Horse Shipment, continued

Infectious DiseasesProper Stall Disinfection and Other Farm Management Techniques

tent. Up to 20% of infected horses can die and survivors become carriers—they carry the parasite even though they aren’t ill. They can, however, pass it to other horses via ticks that bite first the infected horse, then an uninfected one.

Piroplasmosis could have been a major road-block in bringing the WEG to Kentucky. Since the disease needed thor-ough evaluation, WEG organizers asked Gluck researchers for advice. Together with Rusty Ford, Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s equine programs manager in the state veterinarian’s office, they studied the problem.

“Helping get research-based answers is the hallmark of a land grant univer-sity; so is teamwork,” said Nancy Cox, PhD, associate dean for research and director of the Kentucky Agriculture Experiment Station. “The entomologists and veterinarians that teamed with our partner state agency worked to safeguard horses from all over the world, as well as

Infectious diseases are a constant threat to the health and welfare of horses. Foals are especially at risk, and it is important to thoroughly clean and disinfect stalls where mares foal. Phenolic compounds are a few of the disinfectants that will kill rotavirus, a pathogen causing foal di-arrhea.

To clean and disinfect stalls that have non-porous surfaces, take out all buck-ets, feed tubs, and bedding from the stall and remove as much organic matter as possible. This includes hay, straw, shav-ings, feed, manure, urine, etc. Using a hose and garden nozzle sprayer, wash down all stall surfaces using a detergent or a disinfectant that also has detergent capabilities. For stubborn stains, keep

the surface wet for 10 to 20 minutes, then scrub by hand. Rinse by starting at the top of the stall, then work from the edges of the stall toward the drain area or exit of stall.

After cleaning and rinsing all surfaces, remove as much excess water as possible, especially from floors, using a broom or rubber squeegee.

Put on protective clothing, rubber or nitrile gloves, and eye goggles before working with the disinfectant. Follow label instructions and dilute the disin-fectant into an applicator (e.g., garden sprayer). Spray the disinfectant on the walls (begin at the top) and floors and allow to dry. Do not rinse. Scrub all buckets, feed tubs, and other feeding

equipment with a detergent. Spray on the diluted disinfectant, allow to soak for 10 minutes, and then completely rinse with potable (drinkable) water. Make sure to completely rinse the disinfectant from any item from which the horse will eat or drink. Dry these containers and re-turn them to the disinfected stall.

Multiple farm-management techniques may significantly influence reducing dis-ease outbreak risks. Not all are as labor intensive as completely disinfecting stalls and aisle ways. These techniques include:

•Group horses of similar uses. Don’t comingle show horses, yearlings, brood-mares, riding horses, etc..

•Plan a traffic pattern to take farriers,

those in Kentucky.”Lee Townsend, PhD, a professor of en-

tomology at UK, conducted surveys of ticks at the KHP. The research provided valuable information, and a follow-up

survey was recently conducted leading into the Games. The outcome of these investigations indicated that the risk of equine piroplasmosis being transmitted at the Horse Park was minimal. Beyond that, the American dog tick, which can serve as a vector of equine piroplasmo-sis, becomes dormant in the month of September.

Ticks are found in tall grass and under-growth. So as an effective way to avoid ticks at the Horse Park, facilities man-agement will keep grass short in areas where horses will compete.

Equine infectious disease researcher Peter Timoney, MVB, PhD, FRCVS, Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science at Gluck, said, “There are large economic risks” if countries do

not enforce regulations. But the regulators need solid research on which to base their regulations.

The USDA and state regulators worked with the Gluck Center and the de-partment of entomology to formulate safeguards based

on risk assessment that allow more freedom of movement of participating horses. Horses testing positive for piro-plasmosis are given a 90-day temporary entry permit and kept separate from horses that are negative for antibodies to either causal agent of equine piroplas-mosis. Most of the international horses will remain in Kentucky less than 90 days.

Diana Jividen is an editorial officer in UK’s Agricultural Communications.

Stall Disinfection p. 10

“Helping get research-based answers is the hallmark of a land grant university; so is teamwork,” said Nancy Cox,

PhD, associate dean for research and director of the Kentucky Agriculture Experiment Station. “The

entomologists and veterinarians that teamed with our partner state agency worked to safeguard horses from all

over the world, as well as those in Kentucky.”


Stall Disinfection, continued

New ELISA Test For EPM Diagnosis Developed at Gluck Center

Parasitology

veterinarians, and other personnel to barns and pastures with at-risk horses (e.g., pregnant mares or mares and foals) first, and work toward horses that have multiple exposures to pathogens (show and trail riding horses).

•Isolate any new horses to the farm for a minimum of 14 days, and ideally 21 days. This allows owners or managers to monitor horses for infectious diseases, and to complete any necessary vaccina-tions and deworming.

•Isolate horses returning from a hospi-tal stay for similar periods of time. The stress of transportation and medical procedures can lower horses’ immunity, and they may come in contact with other equine patients, some of which may be shedding pathogens.

•If observers perceive a horse as sick (cough, runny nose/eyes, diarrhea, fever, etc.), they should immediately isolate the animal and ask everyone working with the animal to wear protective clothing. Only reuse such items disposable gloves, booties and coveralls with that horse. Be sure to provide alternative gloves for em-

ployees who are allergic to latex, such as gloves made of nitrile or vinyl.

•Muck out sick horses’ stalls last, and separately if possible, using pitchforks, shovels, and other properly disinfected tools. Alternatively, use separate tools for healthy horses’ stalls and a different set for sick animals’ stalls.

•Don’t spread manure and bedding from stalls housing sick animals, includ-ing those experiencing foal loss, fields. Compost this material away from all animals or dispose of it in a manner ap-proved by local ordinances.

•Provide running water, liquid hand soap (pump-style container), and dispos-able paper towels for hand washing in every barn. All employees should wash their hands prior to leaving at the end of their shift. In the midst of a disease problem, they should thoroughly wash their hands after working with sick ani-mals, whether or not they were wear-ing disposable gloves. During a disease outbreak or when running water is not available, provide waterless hand foams or gels (at least 62% ethyl alcohol) to use

after handling horses. Remind employ-ees these products are flammable.

•Rodent control is paramount year-round. One barn mouse can ingest Salmonella and be a better multiplica-tion factory than any petri dish. Mouse droppings contain enormous amounts of bacteria that can effectively seed the horse’s environment and feed supply with infectious bacteria. Insect, bird, and bat control are also important. Remove standing water, bird nests, and other habitats. Hire professionals for removal of bat roosts and also for difficult rodent or wildlife control.

•Routinely clean and disinfect stalls, water buckets, grooming tools, pitch-forks, and other items, and increase the disinfection frequency during a disease outbreak.

•Most importantly, communicate and educate employees and enforce biosecu-rity procedures on the farm.

Roberta M. Dwyer, DVM, MS, DACVPM, a professor in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of

Kentucky, provided this information.

Diagnostic assays for equine proto-zoal myeloecephalitis (EPM) developed under the leadership of Daniel Howe, PhD, a molecular parasitologist at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center, are now available ex-clusively at Equine Diagnostic Solutions, LLC (EDS).

The new diagnostic tests are quanti-tative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on multiple im-munogenic proteins located on the sur-face of the Sarcocystis neurona parasite. Horses that get infected with S. neurona produce a vigorous antibody response to these parasite proteins, which can be ac-curately measured with the ELISAs.

“Recent studies have demonstrated the clinical utility of the new tests for the ac-

curate diagnosis of EPM,” Howe said. “Specifically, by using the ELISAs to compare the amount of antibody pres-ent in the serum versus the cerebrospi-nal fluid of a horse, it is now possible to achieve a much more reliable assessment of whether the horse is suffering from EPM.”

Howe joined the faculty at the Gluck Center in 1999 and heads a research pro-gram focused on the molecular biology of S. neurona, which causes the serious neurologic disease EPM.

The research leading to the develop-ment of these assays was made possible by funds to Howe’s laboratory from the Amerman Family Equine Research En-dowment.

The development and validation of

the diagnostic assays was a collabora-tive effort between Howe and Michelle Yeargan, research specialist, at the Gluck Center; Martin Furr, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, Adelaide C. Riggs Chair in Equine Medicine at Virginia Tech; Steve Reed, DVM, a world-renowned expert in equine neurologic diseases at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; and Jen-nifer Morrow, PhD, and Amy Graves, MT(ASCP), at EDS.

The exclusive rights to the second-gen-eration diagnostic tests for EPM were obtained by EDS in January.

EDS, which opened in August 2009, is a new diagnostics laboratory located on the Coldstream Research Campus of the University of Kentucky. It was opened

ELISA Test, p. 11


Reproductive Health

ELISA Test, continued

UK Hosts Successful International Symposium on Equine Reproduction

by Morrow and Graves who were previ-ously the principal scientists of Equine Biodiagnostics, Inc. (EBI), which was founded in 1996 through Kentucky Technologies, Inc. (KTI) and based on groundbreaking EPM research by David Granstrom, DVM, PhD, Howe’s prede-cessor at the Gluck Center.

For more information, contact Howe at 859-218-1113 or Morrow at 859-288-

5255. For more information on Howe’s laboratory, visit www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/HoweDK.asp, or for more information on EDS, visit www.equinediagnosticsolutions.com.

Daniel Howe, PhD, is a molecular parasitologist at the Gluck Center. Jenny

Blandford is the Gluck Foundation Assistant at the Gluck Center.

More than 300 equine reproduc-tion specialists from 31 countries convened recently at the University of Kentucky for the 10th Interna-tional Symposium on Equine Re-production. The inv i t a t ion-on ly meeting is held ev-ery four years; the next one is slated for 2014 in New Zealand.

“This conference is a must for those who want to stay up-to-date on cutting-edge science in equine reproduction. We had a wonderful blend of students, young scientists and established re-searchers,” said Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT (hon.), chair of the International Equine Reproduction Symposium Com-mittee (IERSC), the organizing body of ISER. Squires is also the executive direc-tor of the UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation and the director of advance-ment and industry relations at the Gluck Center.

The first international symposium was held in 1974 in Cambridge, United King-dom. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for biologists and vet-erinarians interested in equine reproduc-tion to exchange and argue their views,

to review the present state of knowledge of the subject, to produce guidelines for future research, and to foster interna-tional friendship and collaboration.

The meeting continues to bring to-gether scientists and veterinarians from around the world and provides a forum for exchange of information on clinical and basic research aspects of equine re-production. The symposium’s scientific meeting covered experimental or clinical research in four areas: the non-pregnant mare, stallions, conception and early de-velopment, and the pregnant mare and perinatology.

The symposium also comprised 164 short communications presented or displayed via poster presentations. Pro-ceedings of the 10th International Sym-posium on Equine Reproduction were published as extended abstracts in a

supplement of the journal Animal Reproduction Sci-ence.

“In conjunc-tion with having a great scientific meeting, we were also able to show-case the Kentucky horse industry and culture to our na-tional and interna-tional guests. They seemed particu-

larly impressed with the Kentucky Horse Park, location of the upcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games,” said Walter Zent, DMV, local chair of the international symposium, chair of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation and veterinarian at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington.

The meeting kicked-off with a welcome barbeque on UK’s campus July 25. Jim Tracy, the university’s vice president for research, gave the welcoming address to all and the following morning, UK Presi-dent Lee T. Todd, Jr., welcomed them to the campus. Other special presenta-tions throughout the meeting included remarks from two co-honorary chairs, Bill Pickett, PhD, and Douglas Mitchell, BSc, MRCVS, Dipl. ACT, and an invit-ed lecture by W.R. “Twink” Allen, CBE

Thirty-one countries were represented at the 10th International Symposium on Equine Reproduction in Lexington July 25-31

ISER, p. 12


Reproductive Health

ISER, continuedMRCVS, Professor, titled, “Sex, science and satisfaction: a heady brew.”

Though the International Symposium on Equine Reproduction was by invita-tion only, there were two one-day meet-ings open to the public—a Practitioner Day program July 25 and a Farm Manag-ers Day program July 31.

More than 90 practitioners attended the Practitioner Day program where 11 speakers covered topics including infer-tility in stallions, hormonal therapy in mares, early pregnancy, a placentitis up-date and frozen semen.

The Farm Managers Day program

was attended by 35 farm managers and owners from Kentucky and surrounding states. International authorities in equine reproduction presented the program and provided a brief overview of the four sections of the symposium’s scientific meeting.

Previous International Symposium on

Equine Reproduction meeting locations included: Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1974; University of California, Davis, 1978; Sydney, Australia, 1982; Calgary, Canada, 1986; Deauville, France, 1990; Caxambu, Brazil, 1994; Onderstepoort, South Africa, 1998; Fort Collins, Colo., 2002; and Kerkrade, the Netherlands, 2006.

For more information on the Interna-tional Symposium on Equine Reproduc-tion, visit http://www.iser-online.org/.


The Gluck Equine Re-search Center plays host to visiting scientists from around the world and this summer was no excep-tion. Mette Christoffersen, DVM, Morten Petersen, PhD, DVM, Dipl. ACT and assistant professor at the University of Copenha-gen, and Pauline Peugent, a French student working on her master’s degree, all spent several months in Lexington completing equine repro-duction research.

Visiting Scientists Target Endometritis

Morten Petersen and Mette Christoffersen (left photo) and Pauline Peugent were visiting scientists this summer

Christoffersen and Petersen, both from the University of Copenhagen in Den-mark, learned about the opportunity to study at the Gluck Center from Depart-ment of Veterinary Science chair Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, who has a strong collaboration with the Uni-versity of Copenhagen.

Petersen is still at the Gluck Center conducting research and will be here un-til December. Christoffersen also hopes to stay until the end of the fall semester.

Christoffersen’s research focused on the immunologic response to bacterial endometritis in the mare, looking at the response in resistant versus susceptible

mares. Endometritis is an infection in the superficial layer of the uterus. Young mares often clear a uterine infection eas-ily, whereas older mares that have had several foals does not and are therefore termed “susceptible.” Christoffersen studied the inflammatory response in the uterus and systemically. She hopes to begin a new study at Gluck soon, which will compare the effectiveness of two treatments (dexamathazone and immu-nomodulating compound) on bacterial endometritis in susceptible mares.

Petersen, who has studied at the Gluck Center through support by the Albert and Lorraine Clay Fellowship, also fo-

cused on endometritis in mares. Some bacteria can establish infections deep in the uterine wall and become inactive. Their presence af-fects uterine gland secretion, and could potentially affect the development of the early pregnancy leading to pregnancy loss. Inactive or “dormant” bacteria, located deep in the endometrium are difficult to identify and treat effectively. His research sought to discover a new di-agnostic tool for uncovering

unapparent endometritis infections. Pe-tersen and Christoffersen agreed the fa-cilities at the Gluck Center made it easier to conduct more extensive studies.

“You don’t see this amount of research horses in many universities,” Christoffer-sen said.

“In this area of research you can get valuable information from samples col-lected from broodmares, but you need control animals [animals studied with-out a given test for comparison]. That’s where research animals come in,” Peters-en said. “You can’t say to a client, ‘Oh, we can’t treat your horse right now …

Endometritis, p. 13


she’s a control.’”Both scientists have continually nar-

rowed their fields of interest to equine reproduction over the course of their careers. Christoffersen’s family owned Standardbreds, and she spent three years in private veterinary practice in Denmark before beginning her PhD. During her time as a veterinarian, she became fas-cinated with the value of broodmares as economic vehicles, as well as their im-portance to their owners.

For Petersen, the fascination with bacterial reproduction diseases is more mental.

“I see it as a challenge, to see if you can crack the code of biology and improve reproductive efficiency … it’s fascinat-ing how, on one side, an animal tries to cope with infections and on the other, how the bacteria modulates to maximize its chances of establishing an infection, and we need to understand both aspects. As a clinician I try to observe, diagnose and treat but primarily prevent,” he said.

Assisting Petersen and Christoffersen in their research was Peugent. She came to the Gluck Center in July for the 10th International Symposium on Equine Re-

Endometritis, continuedproduction and saw the facility as an op-portunity for specialized study.

Peugent completed the equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engi-neering and is focusing on applied biol-ogy of animal products for her master’s degree. As a child, Peugent grew up rid-ing and still owns two jumping horses in France.

“In the future I hope I will work in equine reproduction research, maybe as a PhD project next year,” she said.

While interested in horses and fascinat-ed by the lab work she did with Petersen and Christoffersen, Peugent said she has not committed to a specific field of study after her degree program is completed.

“For the moment I am open minded. I still have time to decide,” she said.

All three visiting scientists said working in America’s horse country was an excel-lent opportunity. As for the Gluck Cen-ter, researchers there were equally happy to host them.

“It has been a real pleasure to have so many visiting scientists come to work in Dr. Troedsson’s lab at Gluck,” Kristen Scoggin, PhD, said. “Each person brings their own expertise and unique set of

skills such that we can all learn from each other.”

“Collaborations with researchers and research groups around the world [are] part of the Gluck Center’s national and international leadership,” Troedsson said.

Troedsson said the Clay fellowship is vital for international scientists wanting to do research at the Gluck Center, call-ing it “very valuable in our interactions and collaboration with scientists around the world.”

Troedsson said the Gluck Center does not have a formal application process or program for interns or scientists from other countries and those interested may contact him personally.

All three of this summer’s visiting re-production researchers hope to someday return to the Gluck Center but do not know what their academic futures may hold.

“We have a really strong and productive collaboration with Dr. Troedsson … it would be nice to come back,” Christof-fersen said.

Natalie Voss is a UK equine communications intern.

Reproductive Health Breakthrough in Genetic Testing of Embryos

Frozen embryos that had undergone genetic testing were thawed and suc-cessfully transferred into the uterus of surrogate mares for genetic testing at Minitube International Center for Bio-technology in Mt. Horeb, Wisc., early this year.

The benefit of genetic testing of em-bryos is the ability to detect genetic dis-eases and traits prior to establishing a pregnancy. There are numerous diseases for which genetics have been identified, including muscle disorders in Quarter Horses, neurological disorders in Ara-bians, and a lethal gene associated with particular coat color in Paints.

Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, director of UK’s Gluck Equine

Research Center and chair of the De-partment of Veterinary Science, was the principal investigator for the research project. Troedsson is also a consultant for Minitube.

Researchers collected 6 1/2 days old embryos from eight mares and obtained biopsies from embryos. They cryopre-

served (preserving tissue under freezing conditions) the embryos immediately after obtaining the biopsies. They used PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a com-mon laboratory tool to identify genetic material in a sample, to determine gen-der on the biopsied cells. Gender deter-mination was used as a model for genetic testing in this study. The cryopreserved embryos were then thawed and trans-ferred into the uterus of surrogate mares. Six out of the eight embryos de-veloped as pregnancies.

Three out of the six embryos experi-enced embryonic loss after approximately one month, and three were maintained in the surrogate mares. One mare foaled a

Embryos, p. 14


Grants and Awards

healthy and normal foal in January 2009, and the other two mares are due to foal later this spring and summer.

“The method is a breakthrough, be-cause it allows those who breed horses whose registries allow assisted reproduc-tion to test embryos for lethal and debili-tating disease genes, coat color, and other genetic traits without having to maintain a mare’s pregnancy for 11 months before the foal can be tested,” Troedsson said.

Embryos, continuedTroedsson said this method is used in

human assisted reproduction programs, but this is the first time it has been used successfully in horses.

With the recent completion of the equine genome, Troedsson said it is ex-pected that owners will want to have their horses tested for genetic-related diseases rather than taking the risk of giving birth to a foal with genetic diseases.

Minitube’s goal is to advance animal

reproduction technologies through re-search and development, manufactur-ing and distribution of products and services for artificial insemination, em-bryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, and other assisted-reproduction technolo-gies. Minitube has several locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Germany.

Alexandra Harper is a UK equine communications intern.

John and Gina Greathouse, owner of Betfair TVG Triple Ti-ara series top performer Devil May Care, selected the Univer-sity of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center, the Kentucky Horse Park, and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation to receive $30,000 worth of donations.

Betfair TVG will make the donations on the Greathouses’ behalf.

“Donations such as these are a nice surprise,” said Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT (hon.), executive director of the UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation and the director of advancement and industry relations at the Gluck Center. “We thank John and Gina Greathouse for selecting the Gluck Equine Research Cen-ter to receive a portion of the donations provided by Betfair TVG. Furthermore, we thank Betfair TVG for offering the do-nation funding. The donation will help facilitate further equine research.”

Devil May Care, a 3-year-old filly, earned 12 points in the Triple Tiara series, which included the Betfair TVG Acorn (G1), Bet-fair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and the Betfair TVG Alabama Stakes (G1). She earned 10 points for winning the Coaching Club American Oaks and two points for starting in that race and the Alabama Stakes.

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation will fund three projects at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Re-search Center in 2010.

The grants are:•“Toxins TCD A & B of Clostridium Difficile for Horse Im-

munization,” awarded to Sergey Artiushin, PhD; •“Orthopedic and Genetic Roles in Wobbler Syndrome,”

awarded to James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight Chair, professor of veterinary science, and Equine Initiative director at UK; and

•“Molecular Characterization of Neurovirulent Equine EVH-1 Strains,” awarded to Udeni Balasuriya, BVSC, MS, PhD, pro-fessor of virology.

The Irwin Foundation donated $10,000 to the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center to fund veterinary education. The money will be used to support the 2011 Depart-ment of Veterinary Science Equine Diagnostic and Research Seminar Series.

“The support of the Irwin Foundation for continued veteri-nary education is greatly appreciated,” said Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT (hon.), executive director of the UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation and the director of advancement and in-dustry relations at the Gluck Center. “The donation will be uti-

Gluck Center Selected for Donation by Devil May Care’s Owners

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Funding for UK Projects

Irwin Foundation Donates $10,000 to Seminar Series

lized to support our monthly seminar series which offers one hour of continuing education credit to veterinarians.”

The Irwin Foundation, located in Mt. Clemens, Mich., has pro-vided scholarship funding for veterinary education by keeping many students focused on their careers instead of wondering how to pay for it. Other support by the foundation includes the purchase of three Andalusian horses for another university’s veterinary program.

“For over 15 years, the Irwin Foundation has provided crucial funding for the support of veterinary education,” said A. Dale Ihrie III, attorney and director for the Irwin Foundation. “It is our sincere hope that these funds will enable the continuing education of veterinary professionals dedicated to equine health and welfare.”

The Seminar Series is a monthly seminar for veterinarians, stu-dents, and horse owners in Central Kentucky. The seminars are the fourth Thursday and have been at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010 while the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (formerly the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center) undergoes renova-tion.

For more information on the Seminar Series, visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/EdCEseminar.asp.


News and EventsBarry Ball Joins Gluck Center Faculty

Barry A. Ball, former professor and John P. Hughes Endowed Chair in Equine Re-production at the University of California, Davis, joined the Gluck Center faculty on Sept. 23. He holds the Albert G. Clay En-dowed Chair in Equine Reproduction at the Gluck Center.

“The appointment of Dr. Barry Ball to the Albert G. Clay Endowed Chair in Equine Reproduction will help us form a critical mass of researchers in the field of equine reproduction at the Gluck Equine Research Center,” said Mats Troedsson, chair of UK’s Department of Veterinary Science and director of the Gluck Center. “Dr.

ed Kentucky’s breeding season in 2002, the Gluck Equine Research Foundation board voted to change the focus of the position to neonatal pathology before the focus was changed again and broad-ened to encompass all equine reproduc-tion research.

The current focus of the Clay Chair is developing a research program that leads to the advancement of knowledge and understanding of equine reproduction as related to biology, physiology, endo-crinology, pathology or immunology.

“I am deeply grateful for the support of three generations of the Clay fam-ily, not just for helping us establish this endowment, but for the leadership they have provided to the University and to Kentucky agriculture over so many years,” said Scott Smith, dean of UK’s College of Agriculture.

Prior to Ball’s position at UC Davis, he was at Cornell University from 1987 to 1996, first as an assistant professor of theriogenology and then an associate professor of theriogenology; a gradu-ate research assistant at Cornell from 1984 to 1987; resident in reproduction at the University of Florida, clinical the-riogenology, from 1982 to 1984; and a veterinarian at Washington County Vet-erinary Service, a bovine and equine practice in Abingdon, Va., from 1981 to

Ball’s interest, expertise and research cre-dentials make him a good fit within our group and provide a valuable addition to the horse industry in Kentucky. We are very fortunate to have the support of the Clay family to allow us to recruit in-ternationally recognized researchers like Dr. Ball to the Gluck Center.”

Ball received his doctorate in veteri-nary medicine from Cornell University, his doctor in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia and did un-dergraduate studies in animal science at Virginia Tech. In 1987, he received his board certification as a diplomate in the American College of Theriogenologists, a branch of veterinary medicine con-cerned with reproduction. He holds a veterinary license in North Carolina and California. Ball has been a faculty mem-ber at UC Davis since 1996.

At UC Davis, Ball’s research in equine reproduction emphasizes gam-ete biology, fertilization, embryonic development, embryonic loss and endo-crinology. Ball also served as the vice-chair in the department of population health and reproduction from 2005-2006.

The Clay Chair, established in 1999, was originally designed to focus on stal-lion reproduction. When Mare Repro-ductive Loss Syndrome severely impact-

1982. “Barry Ball is a well-respected scientist

and researcher. He has contributed signifi-cantly to the investigation and understand-ing of reproductive questions in both the mare and the stallion,” said Walter Zent, Gluck Equine Research Foundation chair and veterinarian at Hagyard Equine Medi-cal Institute in Lexington. “Barry is not only a world-class researcher but also an excellent clinician.

“His contributions to the equine industry in Kentucky will be considerable, and he will add greatly to the team of researchers in reproduction that are already assembled

at the Gluck Center. He is a researcher of the stature that the Clay Chair must attract in order to fulfill the lofty visions of the donors.”

Ball has published more than 100 sci-entific research papers. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical As-sociation, American College of Therio-genologists, Society of Theriogenology and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Ball also has an interna-tional research interest in Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe.

Barry Ball

The University of Kentucky Maxwell H.

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News and EventsEquine Research Featured in UK’s Odyssey Magazine

The fall 2010 issue of the University of K e n t u c k y ’s Odyssey mag-azine features three articles on equine re-search in the Depar tment of Veterinary Science.

Odyssey is published by the Office of the Vice President for Research and cov-ers the latest research advances, innova-tive scholarship, and outstanding people that are part of UK’s research enterprise.

The articles are:

•UK serves Kentuckians and the horse industry. The article focuses on the UK Gluck Equine Research Center and its accomplishments and contributions to the equine industry.

•Unlocking the equine genetic code. Ernie Bailey, PhD, an immunogenetics scientist and professor at the Gluck Cen-ter, is interviewed about his genomics research and the horse genome project.

•UK’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center. The article gives an overview of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (formerly the Livestock Disease Diag-nostic Center).

A sidebar features James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, the John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair at the Gluck Center and

director of UK’s Equine Initiative, and Jennifer Janes, DVM, a graduate student in MacLeod’s lab. In 2009, MacLeod received more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation to develop computer-based methods to study gene expression. Janes recently received a $100,000 grant from the Morris Animal Foundation and is studying Wobbler Syndrome, a devastating neurological disease that pinches the spinal cord and causes a horse to lose coordination.

To read the articles, visit http://www.research.uky.edu/odyssey/fall10/contents.html.


Eastern Tent Caterpillar Numbers Up Again

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Experts report eastern tent caterpillars hatched in central Kentucky and their numbers have gone up over the past sev-eral years.

“Some tents are the size of baseballs now, so they will be easy to see,” said Lee Townsend, PhD, and University of Kentucky College of Agriculture ento-mologist. “Caterpillars in tents out on limbs are now relocating and building large tents on branch angles on the main trunks.”

According to Townsend, spring is the time to check wild cherry and related trees for eastern tent caterpillar activity to determine whether or not any manage-ment is necessary.

“Tent caterpillar populations have been gradually increasing over the past two to three years and seem to be up again this year,” Townsend said. “Populations vary considerably from location to location in a county.”

Entomologists anticipate full-grown larvae by the third week of April. From the end of April to the beginning of May, caterpillars will likely leave the trees where they’ve eaten the available foliage

and search for additional food to com-plete their development.

Once the caterpillars have reached these dispersing stages, controlling them be-comes much more difficult, Townsend said.

Controlling eastern tent caterpillars is vital to area horse farms, as UK research has strongly linked the caterpillars with outbreaks of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS), which can cause late-term foal losses, early-term fetal losses and weak foals.

During the 2001-2002 MRLS outbreak, an estimated 30 percent of the 2001-2002 Thoroughbred foal crop was lost, and the state suffered an economic cost of ap-

proximately $336 million due to losses suffered in all breeds of horses.

UK researchers conducted epidemio-logical and field studies which demon-strated that MRLS was associated with unprecedented populations of eastern tent caterpillars on Kentucky horse farms. Studies since the 2001-2002 outbreak subsequently have revealed that horses inadvertently will eat the caterpillars and the caterpillar hairs embed into the lining of the alimentary tract. Once that protec-tive barrier is breached, normal alimen-tary tract bacteria may gain access to and reproduce in sites with reduced immu-nity, such as the fetus and placenta. Fetal death from these alimentary tract bacteria is the hallmark of MRLS.

UK entomologists recommend that unless horse farm managers have been aggressive in managing eastern tent cat-erpillars, or removing host trees, they should keep pregnant mares out of pas-tures bordered by cherry trees or other hosts for the next several weeks.

Holly Wiemers, MS, is communications director for UK’s Equine Initiative.


News and EventsGluck Equine Research Foundation Releases Inaugural Research Report

Save the Dates for the Short Course Hosted by the Gluck Center

The University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Foundation, Inc. pub-lished an inaugural Research Report 2009 in April.

The 56-page Research Report 2009 fo-cuses on the research accomplishments and scientific publications published during the calendar year by the faculty at the University of Kentucky Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center.

“The Research Report is a scorecard for what the Gluck Equine Research Center faculty accomplished last year,” said Ed Squires, PhD, Dipl. ACT, ex-ecutive director of the Gluck Founda-tion and director of advancement and industry relations. “This will serve as an important tool to showcase what re-search is currently being conducted at the Gluck Center to our stakeholders.”

Each year, more than 20 faculty mem-bers at the Gluck Center are assisted by students, post docs and visiting scien-tists in conducting research in six areas:

The second annual Kentucky Breeders’ Short Course hosted by the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Re-search Center will be Jan. 22. This year’s course will also offer a one-day Veterinar-

ians’ Day for equine veterinarians on Jan. 21. The one-day Kentucky Breeders’ Day is for owners and managers of all horse breeds or anyone with an interest in learning more about the industry. The Kentucky Breeders’ Day and Veterinarians’ Day

will each include a half-day session on Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) as part of a research project between faculty at the University of Kentucky and the University of Minnesota. Registration for the Veterinarians’ Day and Kentucky

Breeders’ Day will began in October on the Gluck Center’s website (www.ca.uky.edu/gluck). Early bird reg-istration for the Veterinarians’ Day is $100; Early bird reg-istration for the Kentucky Breeders’ Day is $35. Contact Jenny Blandford at [email protected]

or 859-218-1089 for more details.

Hosted by the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center

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2nd Annual Kentucky Breeders’ Short Course

SAVE THE DATES

A schedule and registration details will be available beginning October 15 at www.ca.uky.edu/gluck.

Veterinarians’ DayJanuary 21

Horse Owners’ DayJanuary 22

genetics and genomics, infectious dis-eases and immunology, musculoskeletal science, parasitology, pharmacology/toxicology and reproductive health. The Research Report is divided by groups and includes each faculty members’ edu-cational background, interest, projects, and graduate students. It also includes

research technicians/assistants and visit-ing scientists in 2009.

“Our No. 1 goal at the Gluck Center is focused on improving the health and well-being of the horse,” Squires said. “I think the information in the Research Report reflects our accomplishment to-ward the Gluck Center’s mission.”

Other information in the Research Re-port includes Gluck Equine Research Center grants and awards and scientific publications, including books/chapters in books, refereed journal articles, non-refereed journal articles and seminars and papers presented. Individuals and organizations who donated money to the Gluck Foundation in 2009 are also recognized in the Research Report.

The Research Report is available on-line at www.ca.uky.edu/gluck or at www.ca.uky.edu/equine. For more informa-tion contact Jenny Blandford at [email protected] or 859-218-1089.


News and EventsKentucky Equine Networking Association Hosts Inaugural Meeting

Bluegrass Equine Digest Turns OneCake was served at a College of Agriculture meeting at the end

of May to celebrate the one-year “birthday” of the Bluegrass Equine Digest. College of Agriculture faculty, staff, and students attended, as well as several employees from TheHorse.com. See page 19 on how to sign up for this free monthly e-newsletter.

The Kentucky Horse Council and the University of Kentucky Equine Initia-tive recently announced the formation of The Kentucky Equine Networking Association (KENA) and held its in-augural meeting to a capacity crowd on Sept. 16 at Spindletop Hall in Lexington, Ky. More than 140 equine professionals were in attendance.

KENA was established this year as an educational and networking organiza-tion for equine professionals in Ken-tucky, targeted specifically at those who participate in breeding and reproductive services, instruction, training, board and showing.

Ed Squires, MS, PhD, Hon. Dipl. ACT, executive director of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation and director of advancement and industry relations at the Gluck Center, compared the group to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club (KTFMC) and said he believed KENA would give those in-volved in the pleasure and performance horse industry of multiple breeds an op-portunity to come together.

“What we’re trying to do is to unite all pleasure and performance horse profes-sionals, who in some ways, weren’t con-nected … and educate them at the same time,” Squires said.

Ginny Grulke, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Council, anticipates some crossover attendance from the KTFMC and is appreciative of that or-ganization’s efforts to educate its mem-bers and to provide a model for KENA.

For the moment, she said she is not

sure whether KENA will take on mem-berships separately from the Kentucky Horse Council. And, as long as it can self-sustain on per-meeting fees and sponsorships, there may not be an an-nual membership fee. KENA’s goal is to hold regular meetings at which attendees can network, have dinner and listen to talks on a variety of equine topics from industry experts.

Squires noted that one of the challeng-es moving forward will be to form an organizing committee and to find engag-ing speakers whose topics will apply to a diverse group of equestrians.

Grulke hopes that attendance will not be limited to professionals, but can also attract area college students, particularly for career opportunities.

“Getting a job is all about networking, meeting people and telling them what you’re looking for,” Grulke said. “It’s a really good thing for students.”

The feature presentation of the inau-gural meeting was given by Col. Walter Herd about threats to American eques-trianism.

Herd’s presentation focused on the current decline of horses in the main-stream consciousness in an attempt “not

to solve some of these problems but to throw them out on the table and start thinking about them.

“The delta between equestrians and other Americans is growing. Historically, fringe elements do not survive,” Herd said.

Kentucky first lady Jane Beshear was on hand to applaud the formation of the group. As an active equestrian herself, she said she was pleased to see so many disciplines come together.

“The horse industry needs something like this and there’s no better time for it,” she said.

Laurie Ball, a student at Asbury Univer-sity, was impressed with the speakers and enjoyed the opportunity to network.

“I know it’s about who you know, not what you know. I definitely want to be here for the next meeting,” Ball said.

Squires and Grulke said they were thrilled with the response to the first meeting.

“I thought it was a great success,” Squires said. “I honestly thought if we had 50 I would have been excited and we had more than 140.”

The next KENA meeting is Nov. 16 and will feature Rich Wilcke, director of the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program. His presentation is titled, “Business success with horses re-quires committed planning.”

For more information about KENA, visit www.kentuckyhorse.org/kena/.

Natalie Voss is a UK equine communications intern.


News and EventsKentucky Universities Teamed Up During

World Equestrian Games

The University of Kentucky Equine Ini-tiative’s website got a new look on Sept. 10 when a redesigned website went live.

The Equine Initiative’s new homepage features six hubs to everything equine in the College of Agriculture: resources and services, research highlights, college equine facilities, student hub, youth focus and equinomics.

The homepage also features a link to learn more about the Equine Initiative as well as the latest news; links to partner organizations, such as Saddle Up Safely and HorseQuest eXtension; and links to the Bluegrass Equine Digest, the Equine Initiative’s Facebook page and the col-lege’s YouTube page.

Visit the website at www.ag.uky.edu/equine.

Kentucky was on a world stage for 16 days during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and during that time one display in the Equine Village asked visitors, “Where else for an equine edu-cation?” The answer can be found in the display itself, the result of a unique col-laboration among universities and col-leges in Kentucky with equine programs.

The consortium of schools banded to-gether to let the world know that there is no better place to pursue an equine education than at a Kentucky university

or college. It is the horse capital of the world, and in the opinion of the Ken-tucky universities and colleges collabo-rating on the shared display, Kentucky could make a case for being the equine higher education capital of the world as well.

This unique collaboration was led and funded by the University of Kentucky’s Equine Initiative and the University of Louisville’s Equine Industry Program. The two programs have been collaborat-ing closely in recent years.

Programs represented, in addition to UK and UofL, are Asbury University, Georgetown College, Kentucky Com-munity and Technical College System, Midway College, Morehead State Uni-versity, Murray State University and Western Kentucky University.

The consortium has also created a website that lists each of the participat-ing partners. Please visit www.kentuckyequineeducation.org to find out more.

Holly Wiemers, MS, is the communications director of the UK Equine Initiative.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKYGLUCK EQUINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION

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The Gluck Equine Research Center encompasses faculty members that conduct equine research full time in the areas of infectious diseases and immunology, genetics and genomics, musculoskeletal science, parasitology, pharmacology/toxicology and reproductive health. Gifts to the Gluck Equine Research Center are used to support research, build facilities, purchase equipment, provide scholarships for graduate students, create educational material and provide continuing education programs for Veterinarians and Horsemen.

108 Gluck Equine Research Center Lexington, KY 40546-0099

University of Kentucky GLUCK EQUINE

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