| As
a measure to promote breeding of Thoroughbreds in Japan and the
auction market, the JRA has a system whereby it purchases a certain
number of privately-bred foals at auction markets, trains them
for about six months at its training farms, and distributes them
to private horse owners in the spring of their second year. Training
farms for this purpose are located in Hidaka and Miyazaki Prefectures.
In recent years, the initial objective of promoting horse breeding
and securing horse owners has been met. So the focus is now changing
to one of researching techniques of breeding and training, putting
them into practice and disseminating them. All of this is based
on the scientific data needed to produce fast and healthy Japanese
racehorses that will be strong enough to compete at world level.
To this end, a breeding and training research center was set
up in the Hidaka Training Farm in 1998. The primary areas of
research at the Hidaka Breeding and Training Research Center
are exercise physiology, nutrition and reproduction of Thoroughbred
horses. To perform this research, we use young Thoroughbreds
purchased at yearling sales as well as home-bred foals and pregnant
mares. In the area of exercise physiology, our research has evaluated
the effects of training by measuring maximal oxygen uptake during
treadmill exercise tests and relating those findings to the V200
(velocity of the horse eliciting a heart rate of 200 beat/min)
and blood lactate concentration during field exercise tests.
This provides a means to apply the controlled measurements of
the treadmill laboratory to the conditions under which horses
are trained and raced. In nutrition research, we measured the
mineral and amino acid requirements for horses being exercised
and for young growing horses and pregnant mares. We also evaluated
horse conditioning by using body condition scores in addition
to measurement of physiological parameters, as well as pasture
management techniques and methods for night and day grazing of
foals. In reproduction, to support more efficient breeding of
Thoroughbreds in Japan, we have been studying the way to induce
estrus, to increase pregnancy rates, and to decrease factors
affecting pregnancy loss. These researches include practical
works using ultrasound device as well as laboratory work regarding
endocrinology. These studies will also contribute to renew reproductive
biology of the horse. Results obtained from this research and
associated surveys are disseminated to the staffs of breeding
and training farms via symposia, seminars, and other educational
means. |
