New Vaccine Approved for Prevention of Leptospirosis in Horses by Natalie Voss
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
November 1, 2015 www.PaulickReport.com SPECIAL New Vaccine Approved for Prevention of Leptospirosis in Horses By Natalie Voss Any veterinarian who works with large numbers of brood- how many foals are lost each year due to leptospirosis, and mares has faced it: the elusive Leptospira bacteria that the number could vary by region, but experts estimate the rate causes leptospirosis and remains mysterious in the equine could be as high as 10 to 13 percent. At one point, there was despite being well-understood in other species. Until this debate among researchers as to whether the illness could in- week, the horse was one of the only remaining domestic deed cause abortions in horses, but Dr. Stuart Brown of Hag- species with no specific vaccine to protect against infection. yard Equine Medical Institute thinks recent necropsy results in Central Kentucky obtained from the University of Kentucky Vet- The Food and Drug Administration granted approval recently erinary Diagnostic Laboratory suggest there is indeed a link. to an intramuscular vaccine developed by a group of practic- ing veterinarians and researchers in conjunction with Zoetis. “I think there’s lots of very compelling evidence in the last The vaccine’s creators are hopeful the formula will reduce five years that it’s not just a Kentucky problem,” said Brown. the number of equine infections from the bacteria, which “We see a very seasonal pattern every year, depending can cause problems in several different organ systems. on rainfall amounts and temperature gradients.” rainfall amounts and temperature gradients.” Although vaccines have been available to prevent leptospiro- Continued on Page 5 sis in dogs, cats, and cattle for years, it has taken researchers time to figure out exactly how the bacterium infects horses, and why it behaves differently in the equine body. In dogs, infec- tion primarily causes flu-like symptoms and damages the liver and kidneys. In cattle, leptospirosis infection is characterized by reduced milk production and abortion. In horses however, the bacteria appear to cluster in different parts of the body, with the most common being the eyes, kidneys, or reproduc- tive organs, sometimes leading to very different symptoms between patients. Recurring “moon blindness” or uveitis, is one of the most common indicators of a leptospirosis infec- tion. Uveitis leads to eye swelling, cloudiness, discharge, and sensitivity towards light. Less commonly, kidney inflammation and failure can be blamed on the bacteria. Abortion is also a common symptom of leptospirosis, with most occurring late in pregnancy with rare instances of foals being born alive with an active leptospirosis infection. It’s unknown ASK RAY QUESTION: Will Keeneland get a second chance to host a future Breeders’ Cup? ANSWER: Why not? It’s got several things in its favor: Central Kentucky embraced the event like no com- munity ever has; revenue from ticket sales nearly doubled from 2014; everyone who is anyone is already here for the breeding stock sales. www.PaulickReport.com Page 2 Stallion Spotlight Uncle Mo By Frank Mitchell A champion juvenile after an unbeaten season highlighted The sales stats tell us that buyers really liked the ones they with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Uncle wanted, and that trend is not restricted to the stock by Mo did not train on at that level as a 3-year-old. Nonethe- Uncle Mo. It is the norm of the contemporary sales environ- less, the massive son of Indian Charlie was a very high-pro- ment, with the advent of megabooks making such a situa- file stallion prospect when he went to stud at Ashford in tion nearly inevitable. 2012. Some of Uncle Mo’s most appealing stock have come Uncle Mo entered stud with a fee of $35,000 live foal and along very nicely in their first season of racing, and he has got 233 of them in his first crop. Nearly all commercial two Grade 1 winners, Nyquist and Gomo, from his five breeders are mad to get to the next hot first-crop sire, stakes winners to date. The earnings of his progeny stand and that is how the marketplace perceived Uncle Mo. at $1.7 million from 15 winners out of 43 starters, and They weren’t far off, but none- if they didn’t earn a penny more theless, the big horse had “only” this year, Uncle Mo would almost 172 foals from his second book certainly still be named the lead- of mares, which were covered at ing freshman sire. the same fee. Then the numbers declined slightly to 164 foals of The status of his early performers 2014 that were conceived at a will have a powerful effect on the fee of $27,500. With a stud fee value of Uncle Mo’s stock for sale, of $25,000 this covering season, and the horse has five weanlings Uncle Mo received 221 mares, set to go through the Fasig-Tipton more than any stallion in the November sale. Hip 7 is a bay filly, country. the first foal of the winning Ghost- zapper mare Kuhlu, a half-sister to Those numbers are an indica- G2 winner Tableaux (Prix Noailles, tion of how market breeders Prix Hocquart) and to G3 winner feel about a stallion and are an UNCLE MO Giant Gizmo (Alysheba Stakes, indicator of their willingness to brave the sale arena with Lone Star Park Handicap), both by Giant’s Causeway. Hip produce from a third- or fourth-crop sire. As the covering 42 is a bay colt, first foal out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro number for 2015 indicates, the sales reception for the mare Waynetta. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Prin- first-crop yearlings and 2-year-olds by the sire was quite cess Pelona (El Prado), and the next dam is major winner positive. With 106 yearlings sold in 2014, they averaged and sprint star Pine Tree Lane (Apalachee). $108,642, with a $75,000 median price; in 2015 the same crop of animals has had 41 sold as 2-year-olds in With these and other prospects in the coming months, the training, with an average price of $157,683 and a median market will speak loudly in its appraisal of Uncle Mo. PRS of $80,000. HARP INNIS LEMONS MILL WOODFORD WOODFORD Priced to sell, this 65± Exceptionally well- A mere 4± miles to 184± acres recently de- acres at the corner of located 90± acre farm; Keeneland on Versailles veloped with 46 stalls in Paris Pike & Harp Innis very good soils and Rd. with 163± acres, 19 three magnificent barns, Zach Davis has 2 homes & 2 barns lovely tributary flowing stalls, 248’x48’ indoor Kraft hotwalker and 859.576.8195 with a total of 25 stalls. into the Elkhorn; 20-stall arena & two employee lovely manager’s home. A wonderful location. barn and equip. shed. homes. Nice facility. MAY BE DIVIDED. www.KirkFarms.com $895,000 $1,164,000 $2,700,000 $5,100,000 www.PaulickReport.com Page 3 Honor Roll Discreet Marq Continues on Winning Path By Ray Paulick Discreet Marq traveled West again, finishing second in the G1 Matriarch in Hollywood Park’s final year of operation. At 4, Discreet Marq placed in G1 company, then was sold at Fasig-Tipton following her victory in the Ticonderoga Stakes at Belmont Park in October. Carrying Moyglare’s black and white silks for the first time, Discreet Marq was third in the 2014 Matriarch (now run at Del Mar) and the decision was made to keep her in training in 2015. She won the G3 Beaugay at Belmont Park in her first start of the year in May, placed third in the G1 Just A Game Stakes in June, and is being pointed for a possible third attempt to win the Matriarch in California later this month. That is likely to be Discreet Marq’s final career start before she goes to (2010, Gray mare, Discreet Cat–To Marquet, by Mar- Ireland to be bred. quetry. Consigned to 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale by Christophe Clement, agent for Patricia Generazio. Moyglare is the racing and breeding operation started by Sold for $2.4 million to Moyglare Stud Farm) the late Walter Haefner, a Swiss businessman who died Last November’s sale of Discreet Marq was a win-win for in 2012. His daughter, Eva-Maria Bucher Haefner, contin- trainer Christophe Clement. The native of Paris, France, ued the very successful program that has won major races who turns 50 years old on the day of this year’s Fasig-Tipton around the world, including the 1990 Belmont Stakes with November sale, trained and consigned the Grade 1-winning Dermot Weld-trained Go And Go. PRS daughter of Discreet Cat on behalf of her owner and breed- er, Patricia Generazio. When the hammer fell at $2.4 million, Moyglare Stud Farm, another client of Clement, was the buyer, and the trainer was told the racing and broodmare prospect would remain in training. It was a win for Moyglare, too, which bought the nearly white Discreet Marq with the intention of eventually adding her to the band of broodmares at the famed operation’s County Kildare farm in Ireland. “Discreet Marq is an outcross to most European leading sires, such as Galileo,” said Clement. “They were thinking of Galileo when they bought her, to bring American bloodlines back to Europe.” Discreet Marq has proven to be a durable, quality runner for Clement, winning stakes in four consecutive years. She raced five times at 2, winning the Lie Low Stakes going a mile on the turf at Aqueduct in November, and then shipped to Florida for the winter.