Special Issue "Routine Healthcare and Management of the Donkey"
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Donkeys can be found in many different environments globally, where they are kept for a range of purposes, including work, companionship and production. In all circumstances, routine preventative health care and husbandry are vital to maintain good health and welfare. Lack of preventative care is a major welfare issue for donkeys around the world, particularly as they may not display obvious clinical signs despite suffering from severe or even life-threatening conditions. This Special Issue is an exciting opportunity to showcase novel research designed specifically for the donkey, which will help to inform healthcare professionals globally, enabling them to develop healthcare programs specifically tailored for donkeys. We would therefore invite you to submit original research or reviews relating to dentistry, foot care, nutrition, parasite management, population control or infectious diseases, and their control.
Dr. Karen Rickards
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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Keywords
- dentistry
- foot care
- infectious disease
- nutrition
- parasite management
- population control
- vaccination
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Authors: Shuaishuai Wu1#, Jing Li2#*, Nan Li1, Bing Liu3, Jie Yu3, Yongguang Shao1, Daiyong Cui4, Chuanliang Ji3, Reed Holyoak5, Shenming Zeng1*
1 National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China. Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. 2 Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. 3 National Engineering Research Center for Gelatin-based Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dong-E-E-Jiao Co. Ltd., Dong’e 252201, China. 4 College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu 225009, China. 5 College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74077, United States. #These two authors have equal contribution to this work. *Corresponding authors: Shenming Zeng; Jing Li
Abstract: The effects of cervix conformation on the reproduction of donkeys (Equus asinus) has not been carried out. In order to reveal the effect of cervical morphology on reproduction of jennies and improve the successful rate of artificial insemination (AI), measurements had been made on the length of the cervix and morphological types in 3 to 4 years Dezhou jennies (n=1215). The measurements were obtained on the 5th and 6th days of estrus, the 7th and 8th days of diestrus, and the 16th days of pregnancy. The AI pregnancy rate and endometritis of different morphological types after AI were tracked and analyzed to reveal the distribution. Oxytocin therapy was given within 6h after insemination-ovulation. The results showed that the cervix length in estrus and diestrus groups was significantly less than that of the pregnancy group (P <0.05). The cervix was classified as S, C, L, and V types due to the difference in the morphology. The percent of jennies with C and L type (65.0%) conformation was higher than those with the S and V type (35.0%) in the pregnant group (n=100). The jennies with S and V type (61.9%) had higher percentage of post-breeding endometritis compared to those with C and L type (38.1%) in non-pregnant endometritis group (n=42). Pregnancy rate per AI in jennies with C and L type (n=73, 47.9%) that susceptible to endometritis and treated with oxytocin after AI were significantly higher than the control group (n=76, 22.3%) (P <0.05). There was no improvement observed in the S and V type cervix group. In conclusion, this article firstly described the different types of cervical morphology of jennies. When having post-breeding endometritis, the oxytocin therapy could improve the pregnancy rates in jennies with C and L type cervical conformation, but no not for those with S and V type cervix.
Keywords: Donkey; Cervix; Endometritis; Oxytocin; Fertility
2. Title: Particle Size Distribution of Serum Lipoproteins Using High Resolution Polyacrylamide Electrophoresis in Donkeys and HorsesAuthors: Rachelle Thompson1, Erin Goodrich2, Erica Behling-Kelly2
Department of Clinical Sciences1, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences2, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14850
Abstract: Clinical evaluation of lipid metabolism in equids is often limited to measurement of total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. This provides a limited picture of metabolic state and general health, given the continuous exchange of lipid species between various lipoproteins. Major lipoprotein classes in equids include high-density lipoprotein (HDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and chylomicrons (CM). Each major lipoprotein class contributes uniquely to transport of lipid species in the blood, immune regulation, vascular health, and cell signaling. Unlike the horse, the donkey is highly susceptible to hepatic lipidosis. Currently, serum triglyceride concentrations serve as a surrogate marker of hepatic lipid exportation. Both VLDL and its metabolic end-product LDL are rich in triglycerides and contribute to this value. VLDL are more indicative of hepatic lipid exportation, whereas LDL reflect enzymatic pathways operative in the vascular space. Diagnostic assays that distinguish VLDL from LDL could be useful in better recognizing hepatic pathology in the donkey. Particle composition influences the biological activity of HDL and is often reflected in particle size. The compositional differences of lipoproteins across species limits the use of commercially available assays developed for measurement of human lipoproteins in domestic animals. Additionally, biochemical assays do not provide information relative to particle size distribution. In this study, we evaluated a high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method for separating major lipoprotein classes and sub- fractionating LDL and HDL based on particle size. We compared the electrophoretic particle size distribution between donkeys and horses.