Large Animal

Equine Reproduction Specialists Urge Late Gestation Ultrasound Exams

 

With foaling season right around the corner, specialists in the UC Davis Equine Reproduction Service are urging their clients to schedule ultrasounds late in their mares’ pregnancies.

Once a mare is confirmed pregnant early in gestation, she is often rechecked shortly afterward to confirm embryo or fetal viability.

Mastectomy Saves Valued Breeding Goat

 

Morgan, a 5-year-old female Alpine goat, was approaching her fourth kidding when mastitis was discovered on her udder. The infection (generally caused by bacteria in the environment or trauma) was severe enough to cause Morgan’s pregnancy to become non-viable, losing all four of her kids.

Supreme Court Upholds Horseracing Authority’s Governance

Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) vacated the judgments of lower appellate courts in several cases concerning the constitutionality of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act and sent those cases back to the lower courts for further consideration. The ruling essentially keeps the act intact, favoring the ability of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) to provide national, uniform safety and integrity oversight for Thoroughbred racing.

Award-Winning Show Sheep Recovers from Grain Overload

“Case of the Month” – July 2025

 

At 9 months old, Onyx is already an experienced show animal. His family has been showing sheep as a hobby for nearly a decade, and Onyx is the latest addition to their flock. Unfortunately, the award-winning Natural colored Hampshire cross sheep became acutely ill at a recent show. 

“After traveling to a show, I could tell Onyx wasn’t feeling well that evening, but I wasn’t terribly worried,” said his owner. “But on a walk the next morning, he went down abruptly and could not get back up.”

UC Davis Equine Surgeons Save Mare Injured in Trailer Accident

Long-time equestrian Deborah Steele was trailering her 18-year-old Paint mare Daisy Mae to a chiropractor appointment. When she opened the trailer upon arrival, Steele saw Daisy Mae—whom she has owned since birth after breeding her dam—hung up on the metal bar divider of the trailer stalls.

UC Davis Welcomes Equine Surgeon and Orthopedic Researcher Dr. Heidi Reesink

 

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to welcome Dr. Heidi Reesink as a Professor of Veterinary Orthopedics. A board-certified surgeon, Dr. Reesink will have a clinical appointment with the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital’s (VMTH) Equine Surgery and Lameness Service, as well as a research laboratory within the school’s J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Laboratory.