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Hormone Differences in Lipizzan Horses. April and Kimi. First, what is a Lipizzan ?. Most people know them as the ballet horse. Special shows featuring the Lipizzaner Stallions tour the world every year, and they even make an appearance in Louisville. . General Info about Lipizzans.
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Hormone Differences in Lipizzan Horses April and Kimi
First, what is a Lipizzan? • Most people know them as the ballet horse. Special shows featuring the Lipizzaner Stallions tour the world every year, and they even make an appearance in Louisville.
General Info about Lipizzans • The breed originated from a mix of Berber horses and Spanish Andalusians. • There name comes from their home, Lipica. In Italy Lipica is spelled Lipizza, hence Lipizzan
General Info • Lipizzans are born black, but as they grow their coat can change color. They either stay black, or change to brown or grey, and more often they change to white.
Lipica Stud Farm • Lipica Stud farm, the home of the breed, is located in Slovenia, which borders Italy.
Quick Intro to Horse Language • Foal: a young horse male or female under one year of age before puberty. • Filly: a female between puberty -3 years. • Mare: an adult female • Barren mare: an adult female that is not used in breeding. • Brood mare: an adult female is used in breeding.
Quick Intro to Horse Language • Colt: a male between puberty -3 years. • Stallion: an adult male that has not be castrated. • Stud: a male used for breeding. • Gelding: a male that has been castrated and can also be a colt. • Stag: a male that is castrated after breeding.
Now for the Expirement • A study was done on Lipizzan horses to see how hormone levels varied. • Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxin (T4), testosterone, progesterone, and Oestradiol (estrogen) levels were measured. • T3, T4, testosterone and Oestradiol were measured by radioimmunoassays • Progesterone was measured by immunoassays
Which horses they tested: • Pregnant mares • Barren mares • Foals • Fillies • Colts • Stallions • Geldings
Main Differences in Levels • T3 and T4 levels in foals increase until they reach the peak after birth and then decline until around age 16-22. • In mares, pregnancy and how advanced the horse is in the pregnancy affects levels of T3, T4, oestradiol, and progesterone. • In stallions testosterone levels rise significantly at puberty, level off, and then decrease at a late age. • Geldings have very low testosterone levels, usually half that of what a stallion has.
Other things that affect hormone levels • Hormone levels can also be affected by climate, food shortage, water shortage, day length, season, and illness.
Reasons for the Expirement • The aim of the expirement was to determine T3 and T4, oestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels and how they were associated with age, gender, and reproductive state.
In conclusion • The hormone levels recorded are typical for all warmblood breeds, such as Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Dutch Warmblood, Arabian, Andalusian, and American Saddlebred, to name a few.
Works Cited • Cebulj-Kadunc, N., Kosec, M. & Cestnik, V. (2003). Serum Thyroid and Steroid Hormone Levels in Lipizzan Horses. Slov Vet REs. 1(40), 9-16. Retrieved November 11, 2007, fromwww.vf.uni-lj.si/veterina/zbornik/40e_9_kadunc.pdf Adobe PDF. • Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain. (2007, November 14). Horsetopia Horse Classifieds. equiworld.net. Retrieved November 14, 2007, fromhttp://www.equiworld.net/uk/horsecare/Breeds/lipizzaner/
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