Equine research receives $2M funding

Guelph, ON – The University of Guelph has received $2 million from the EP Taylor Equine Research Fund to support clinical research in the health and performance of racehorses.

“This generous gift is an investment in the future of the equine industry and the future of the Ontario Veterinary College,” said Alastair Summerlee, the university’s president. “We’ll be creating and disseminating new knowledge through research and teaching at OVC, helping the equine industry grow and prosper.”

There are more than one million horses in Canada, with nearly half of them in racing and breeding.

The EP Taylor Equine Research Fund has been supporting research at the university, OVC and Equine Guelph (a partnership between the university and the equine industry) since the mid-1970s. It has sponsored more than 100 research projects that are central to the health and well-being of horses, from studies on debilitating diseases in foals to preventing pregnancy failures in broodmares and research on respiratory ailments.

Results of the university’s equine performance research will be put into practice at a new Equine Sports Medicine and Reproduction Centre being planned for the university’s campus. The centre will focus on application of the latest discoveries, including those made possible by the EP Taylor gift. It will offer direct access to top equine specialists and the latest technologies and help attract top students and veterinarians interested in equine research.

Services will include advanced gait, respiratory and cardiovascular evaluation and cutting-edge diagnostics for performance and health. The reproduction facility will offer sophisticated services such as fertility evaluation, artificial insemination and embryo transfer.

The university says the new centre is part of the its multi-year plan to enhance existing OVC facilities and services.