When Fat Horses Face Inflammation: How Weight Loss and Exercise Affect Equine Health
In her University of Guelph PhD research, Anna Garland investigates how being overweight impacts horses—focusing on both the physical changes in fat tissue and the inflammatory effects on joint cartilage. Across four studies, she discovered that inflamed fat tissue can trigger more inflammation in cartilage than direct exposure to bacterial toxins. In one study, horses were fed to gain weight over 16 weeks, and measurements showed that fat wasn’t distributed uniformly—spots like the tailhead and neck held the most fat. Another study compared three weight-loss plans: exercise only, calorie restriction only, or both combined. The exercise groups lost more fat, and when these horses performed a standardized exercise test, their joints showed signs of inflammation in synovial fluid, whereas the diet-only group showed lower levels of inflammatory markers. Overall, Garland’s work suggests that exercise-based weight loss may improve body composition faster, but may also stress joints—highlighting the need to balance weight management with inflammation control in overweight horses
https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/4bc170b4-4405-4e2b-a747-207543af902c
Boosting Calf Health with a Cup of Green Tea?
Kristen Lutz’s 2025 Master’s thesis at the University of Guelph investigates an innovative question: can caffeine from green tea extract help newborn dairy calves get a stronger start in life? In her trial, Holstein heifer calves were given either a placebo, a single dose, or a double dose of green tea extract shortly after birth. Compared to controls, calves that received caffeine showed greater vigour within hours, improved health scores, and higher weight gains by four weeks of age. These results suggest that naturally sourced caffeine may provide a safe, simple boost to neonatal calf performance, especially during the vulnerable early weeks. Lutz’s research highlights the potential of nutritional supplements to improve both animal welfare and dairy farm productivity, while opening the door to further studies on natural alternatives to support calf health. https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/f663a715-33dc-41a0-a7f8-b24d7d391f94
Do Animals Want to Be Touched? Studying Consent in Therapy Settings
Amir Sarrafchi’s PhD research at the University of Guelph delves into a fascinating and important question: how does giving animals the choice to participate in therapy interactions affect their wellbeing—and ours? In a series of experiments with dogs and horses, Sarrafchi compared their responses when they could freely approach a human versus when they were restrained and touched without choice. His findings were clear: when animals had no choice, they showed more stress signals like pinned ears, tail swishing, and fidgeting. Surprisingly, humans also felt less at ease during forced interactions. Sarrafchi’s work challenges traditional animal-assisted intervention models and advocates for a more ethical, agency-based approach—where animal consent is central to human-animal relationships.
https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/dfb2397b-919a-4996-b9e5-0d38e71700c1
