| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Emily Dickson eclaired@tamu.edu Animal Sciences |
| Faculty Mentor: | Sarah White, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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Spring 2017: TBA |
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Team Size:
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8 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Opportunity to be involved with some other equine research projects going on in the spring that are related to exercise physiology, muscle physiology, and nutrition. |
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Team Needs:
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Previous horse experience is necessary. 4 hours a week of work is required. Participants will have to sign a volunteer form or register for either 0 credit hours or actual credit hours. |
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Description:
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Mature horses (n=60) from the TAMU Equestrian Team will be enrolled in the study. All horses will receive a basal diet consisting of a commercial grain mix formulated to meet or exceed requirements of mature horses at current workload fed twice per day, and coastal bermudagrass hay ad libitum. Throughout the trial, horses will be regularly exercised in preparation for a National Competition (Waco, TX) in April. Horses will be grouped by age, sex, discipline (hunter/jumper, reining, or western riding), qualification status to compete in National Championship Show, and d 0 ulcer score, and randomly divided into one of 3 groups: no yeast culture (CON; n=20), low-dose yeast culture (YCLo; n=20), and high-dose yeast culture (YCHi; n=20). At wk 0, 4, and 8, resting blood and fecal grab samples will be collected and gastroscopies will be performed. Blood will be evaluated for measures of stress (cortisol, sIgA) and immune status/function (CBC, serum amyloid A, IL-1, IL-10). Fecal grab samples will be analyzed for pathogen load (salmonella, C. perfringens, and C. difficile). Gastroscopies will be evaluated for ulcer parameters (number of lesions, ulcer score, etc.). |