The role of stereology in the study of placental transfer between fetal foal and mare

Epidemiology of equine performance wastage: importance of analysing facts and implementing their message in management

“…The improvement of diagnostic techniques and prognostic evaluations relating to future prospects for soundness of performance is a challenge to both researchers and clinicians. Evaluation is based on: 1) congenital status of the individual at birth as a consequence of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (Rossdale and Ousey 2003;Sibbons 2006) or birth trauma (Jean et al 1999); 2) the presence of angular and other limb deformities in foal and yearling (O'Donahue et al 1992;Barr 1994); 3) the interplay between genetic composition of the individual and the environment in which it is raised (Ridley 2003;Rossdale 2005); and 4) the significance of various interposing conditions of injury or disease and the relationship of injury to predisposing factors of conformation (Andersen and McIlwraith 2004;Andersen et al 2004;R. Weller, unpublished data).…”