The use of equid milk in human nutrition is a very interesting research topic in relation to the specific characteristics of this drink. Mare’s milk has a composition similar to human milk and is well digested, so it is a perfect alternative to cow’s milk in the feeding of children who are allergic to cow’s milk. Equid milk’s low content of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin makes it appropriate for such children. Its high concentration of lactose allows for a better growth of intestinal microflora. Mare’s milk is characterised by a high content of lysozyme, lactoferrin and lactadherin and has an inhibiting effect on the development of pathogenic bacteria. Research done so far indicates that it may be helpful in treating atopic dermatitis as well as in improving skin appearance. The high content of vitamin C in mare’s milk influences its antioxidant value. Due to its lower content of fat and cholesterol it can be used to lower cholesterol intake as well as to control cardiovascular diseases. Mare’s milk has been proved to play a role in curing Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, as well as hepatitis and chronic gastric ulcers. The qualities of mare’s milk make it appropriate for use in children’s and elderly people’s nutrition in prophylaxis and as an aid to the process of curing various diseases.

The horse’s welfare and, consequently, the emotional arousal may be connected with stressful environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether horses show behavioural or physiological symptoms of thermal discomfort and if their behaviour and cardiac parameters are related to freely chosen insolated (IS), shaded (SH), or water sprayed (with a mist curtain (MC)) areas in a paddock under heat conditions (29–32 °C, 42.0 ± 1.5% humidity). Twelve adult horses freely moving in the paddock were studied during a 45 min solitary turnout. Six cardiac variables, locomotor, and non-locomotor activities as well as rectal temperature before and after the test were monitored with regard to the area of staying. Horses did not show clear preferences regarding the time spent in IS, SH, and MC, although preferences of particular horses differed considerably. When staying under IS and MC conditions, the horses showed a higher level of relaxation compared to SH. Horses did not exhibit symptoms of thermal discomfort while staying in the sun. Free choice between the three areas differing in environmental conditions could be a crucial factor in maintaining body temperature as well as emotional arousal at similar levels. Thus, the provision of a shade and mist curtain in paddocks seems to be reasonable.

In horses, multiple ovulation resulting in implantation of multiple embryos is adverse. However, understanding the mechanisms underlying initiation of multiple ovulation (MO) is advantageous and is related to an increase in efficiency of embryo transfer techniques. It has been postulated that MO may have a genetic background. Two major genes: bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) are considered to play a crucial role in folliculogenesis and controlling the ovulation rate. Thus, the aim of the presented study was to identify the variation within equine BMP15 and GDF9 genes to verify their potential role on spontaneous, repetitive multiple ovulations in mares. In addition, variation screening of investigated genes in population of Thoroughbred and Arabian breeds was performed together with establishment of transcript abundance of BMP15 and GDF9 genes in equine ovarian tissue. Sanger sequencing of Arabian and Thoroughbred mares divided according to ovulation rate, revealed occurrence of 3 SNPs in BMP15 and STS in GDF9 genes. The PCR-RLFP and statistical analysis indicated that none of the genotype frequencies were significant in any breeds and none of them were claimed as functional according to ovulation rate. Furthermore, evaluation of transcript abundance by RT -PCR of both genes in ovarian tissues showed that expression of both genes was similar but GDF9 was significantly expressed in growing follicles with 21-30 mm diameter and in ovarian parenchyma, which suggest their potential role in folliculogenesis.

Knowledge of the body weight of horses permits breeders to provide appropriate feeding and care regimen and allows veterinarians to monitor the animals’ health. It is not always possible to perform an accurate measurement of the body weight of horses using horse weighbridges, and therefore, new body weight formulas based on biometric measurements are required. The objective of this study is to develop and validate models for estimating body weight in Icelandic foals using machine learning methods. The study was conducted using 312 data records of body measurements on 24 Icelandic foals (12 colts and 12 fillies) from birth to 404 days of age. The best performing model was the polynomial model that included features such as heart girth, body circumference and cannon bone circumference. The mean percentage error for this model was 4.1% based on cross-validation and 3.8% for a holdout dataset. The body weight of Icelandic foals can also be estimated using a less complex model taking a single trait defined as the square of heart girth multiplied by body circumference. The mean percentage error for this model was up to 5% both for the training and the holdout datasets. The study results suggest that machine learning methods can be considered a useful tool for designing models for the estimation of body weight in horses.