J . Hodges Livestock Production Science 67 2000 155 –204
197
sessions of the First Conference on Equine Sports paper on the application of surface electromyography
Medicine and Science. Three chapters contain de- during physical exercise is primarily of scientific
tailed review lectures and short papers 2–7 pages value. The aetiology and pathogenesis of distal splint
long. All the short papers are summarized in with a bone fracture and the use of shark cartilage supple-
brief ‘‘take home message’’. The 49 authors come mentation are also mentioned.
from many different countries and continents, Africa, 3. Feeding and performance evaluation. This
America, Australia, Europe and Asia with infor- title brings together various topics. There are
mation on acupuncture. kinematic studies in order to analyse the gait of
1. Internal medicine and effects on exercise. dressage performance by quantifying observations
Respiratory disease small airway disease included which judges cannot see because of the poor tempo-
and the appropriate blood variables for diagnosing ral resolution of the human eye. Velocity, stride
subclinical diseases are summarized. For everyday length, tempo, diagonal distance tracking distance
practice the Standardised Exercise Test SET is and suspension were measured in collected trot,
proposed. 35–40 of racehorses do not perform at working trot, medium trot, extended trot. Video
expected levels because of sub-clinical respiratory image analysis can be used also to investigate the
problems. The difficulty of diagnosis is well dis- stride length during endurance race competitions.
cussed and also some therapeutic guidelines are Monitoring the physiological traits is important when
given. Some interesting topics of the chapter are increasing the aerobic and anaerobic capacities
listed: arterial blood-gases and acid balance, circulat- which can be achieved both by endurance and sprint
ing concentration of beta-endorphin, ACTH and training. The cardiac capacity could be an early
cortisol after
jumping, the
surface video-elec-
selection criterion of young French trotters, the tromyography technique for investigation of neck
anaerobic threshold velocity seems to be more muscle activity and echocardiographic diagnosis, the
dependent on training conditions. A simple lunging use of furosemide on the exercise induced pulmonary
or riding test can provide a good estimate of the haemorrhage, clinical efficacy of suxibuzone and
heart rate to monitor horses under field conditions phenylbutazone in the treatment of musculoskeletal
using a Polar PEH200 heart rate monitor. For inflammatory disorders and gastrointestinal toler-
determination of the aerobic anaerobic threshold in ance, the role of spleen on osmotic fragility of
equines the use of modified lactate minimum speed circulating red cells. The comparison of the bio-
LMS protocol is proposed under field conditions. chemical profile in the blood serum of warm blooded
The control of lactate is better than a heart rate and cold blooded horses, the parathyroid hormone
running speed derived parameter for the diagnosis of levels increase after exercise in horses.
performance level of Standard bred horses.
2. Diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic 4. Some other interesting topics. The use and
problems. The cause and integrated diagnosis of abuse of nutritional ergogenic aids like psychological
backpain in horses by radiographic and ultrasound is factors,
improved equipment,
pharmacological of interest to veterinarians working with sport horses.
agents, physiological improvements, nutritional sup- Acupuncture as a possible treatment is illustrated
plements. A favourable effect of the application of with good figures. The relationship between back
glycose or electrolyte solutions could be observed problems and muscle disorders, prevention and
after exercise. Effects of chelated minerals were therapy is also useful in practice. The most frequent
similar to those of inorganic minerals in the first year problem in everyday work with horses is lameness.
of trotter foals. Feeding too much phosphorus, The following topics deal with this problem. Treat-
selenium and methionine can have a detrimental ment and rehabilitation of superficial digital flexor
effect on the quality and growth of the hoof horn and tendonitis; podotrochlear syndrome; radiological as-
cause lameness and poor performance. The propor- sessment and correction; use of a full rolling motion
tion of different muscle fibres and their oxidative shoe; pulsatile magnetic field treatment; prognosis of
capacity and metabolic properties of young horses equine laminitis. Ultrasonography and MRI corre-
were also investigated in training for jumping lated well in investigation of shoulder lameness. The
competition. The immunohistochemistry identifica-
198 J
. Hodges Livestock Production Science 67 2000 155 –204
tion of muscle fibres is more adequate than the There is a critical evaluation of chelated sources of
traditional myofibrilar ATPase histochemistry. Dif- trace elements and their claimed enhanced availabili-
ferent blood parameters of Polish horses prepared for ty. However, the most important development in
the Olympic Games in Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta non-ruminant mineral nutrition of the last decade has
were compared. been somewhat underexposed, i.e. the effect of
The book presents an enormous amount of valu- supplementation of the diet with microbial phytase
able scientific detail which will be of value and on phytate hydrolysis. Phytase does not only affect
interest to all concerned with the health and per- phosphorus absorption, as is discussed only fragmen-
formance of sport horses. tarily, but it also substantially affects the absorption
of most divalent minerals. These effects have been ´
Professor Imre Bodo almost ignored.
Hungarian Veterinary University The book is well written and easy to read for
Budapest, Hungary everyone having some basic knowledge of nutrition.
In general, this book is of high quality. The major
The mineral nutrition of livestock, 3rd Edition strength of it is in combining expertise in mineral
1999. E.J. Underwood deceased N.F. Suttle. nutrition and animal health. The aim of the book is
