Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Racing Australia’s Research and Development Fund has combined with the Equine Genetics Research Centre (EGRC) and Telemedvet to invest in a 12-month study into a serum biomarker with the aim of reducing bone injuries in racehorses.
The study will look at the presence of a serum bone biomarker called Osteocalcin (OC) to see if it can be used as a predictor of equine lameness and fractures. Essentially the idea is to determine if an increased amount of OC in a horse’s skeletal system results in a higher risk of fracture.
“Pilot studies have shown a correlation between OC level and abnormal radiomic scintigram findings that can indicate a horse is at elevated risk of catastrophic fracture. This study will investigate whether OC is an effective biomarker to identify at risk horses in a broader population. We are very excited to be able to support this work,” said Director of the Equine Genetics Research Centre, Dr. Natasha Hamilton in a press release.
Dr Natasha Hamilton | Image courtesy of The University of Sydney
Dr Hamilton has a PhD in equine genetics and previously was an experienced lecturer at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Sydney University. She is the Chair of both the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) Gene Doping Control Sub-Committee and the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC)’s Gene Doping Expert Committee (GDEC), and is a member of the IFHA Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Gene and Cell Doping Expert Advisory Group, and the International Stud Book Committee (Genetics Sub-Committee).
The combined investment into the study of $400,000 is in part funded by the Research and Development Fund, which is formed through a $20 levy on all Thoroughbred registrations.
“Racing Australia has a national role and firm commitment to advance research and development to enhance and support positive welfare outcomes for athletes both human and horse. The Racing Australia Research and Development Fund and the EGRC led by Dr Natasha Hamilton is excited to invest in research that takes steps in assessing the risk of fractures to mitigate injuries and support trainers in managing the training schedules of their equine athletes,” said Racing Australia CEO Paul Eriksson.
Paul Eriksson | Image courtesy of TAS Racing
The University of Western Australia’s Prof. Dominique Blache, Researcher/Professor, School of Agriculture and Environment, will lead a team of researchers, while a team of co-investigators will be lead by Telemedvet’s Dr Peter Tually. Tually is a co-director of Telemedvet and a Nuclear Medicine Practitioner with the goal of using nuclear imaging technologies to assist in progressing research around Thoroughbred welfare. Nuclear imaging technologies include x-rays, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and ultrasound.
Telemedvet are a Perth-based company who specialise in animal diagnostics using nuclear imaging machinery. As well as this study, they are also involved in a study with Dr Andre Kyme of the Biomedical Engineering Faculty, The University of Sydney, to see if AI can be used to predict lameness in videos of horses, and to further quantify the level of unsoundness in a horse’s action.
