Osteochondrosis (OC) is a developmental orthopedic disease that affects between 40% to 60% of foals across breeds, and is a significant health and welfare issue for horses. Researchers will identify genetic variants that are more common in OC-affected animals than unaffected animals. The team will prioritize and validate these variants, looking for those that lie within genes expressed in growing cartilage and bone. This new information will be used to help develop an assessment tool to predict an individual horse’s risk for developing OC – vital for monitoring and proactively intervening to help high-risk foals.
Study ID
D20EQ-046
Study Status
Active
Start Date
04/01/2020
Grant amount awarded
$149,906
Grant recipient
University of Illinois
Study country
United States
Investigator
Annettte McCoy, DVM, PhD, DACVS
Study category
Genetics