Índice de escore corporal em cavalos de trabalho e atletas

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the body condition score index in work horses and athletes, in order to know if there is difference in body scores between physical activity categories. Data were collected in the months of May and June of 2018. Fifty animals of both sexes were evaluated in the age group from 3 to 16 years and that they were performing physical activities regularly. Being: 27 working horses (traction); 23 service horses (PMPE cavalry); 41 horsepower; 31 horses of vaquejada; and, 28 racing horses. The evaluation of the corporal score was performed according to the methodology established by Henneke et al. (1983) established 6 areas of palpation and visualization in the body to determine fat deposition and nutritional status on the scale from 1 to 9. The cowherd animals had a higher body score than those of running and work, and a similar result to gait and service. Although the animals begin to deposit fat when they reach adulthood, there was no difference between the age groups <5, between 5 and 10, and> 10 years. The mean body score of the female animals (~ 4.91) was higher than the mean male (~ 4.67). The males were similar in relation to the physical activity, the values were similar for those of vaquejada (with higher value ~ 5,10), gait, running and service, and the lowest score was observed in working males (~ 3.87). When the females with the same parameter were evaluated, the ones with the lowest value were those of running (~ 4.25) with approximate results to the work (~ 4.50), and there was no difference among the cowherd females, which presented higher scores (~ 5.27) and those of service, walking and work. When males and females were evaluated for physical activity, males had a higher score (~ 4.85) than females (~ 4.25), and females (~ 4.50) larger than males (~ 3.87). For all other categories, no differences were observed. ECC evaluation remains a valid method for indicating the nutritional level of the animal. The results show that there is interaction between body condition score and physical activity category performed by horses.