Prevalence and Factors Associated with Working Equid Lameness in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Authors: Merridale-Punter Mathilde S, Wiethoelter Anke K, El-Hage Charles M, Hitchens Peta L
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Working Equid Lameness in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Lameness represents a substantial welfare and productivity issue in working equids across low- and middle-income countries, yet evidence on its true prevalence and contributing factors has remained fragmented. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesised data from 64 studies to establish pooled prevalence estimates and identify key risk factors, revealing lameness affects approximately 30% of working equids (95% CI 17–47%), with gait abnormalities occurring in nearly 63% of animals—a notably higher figure that highlights the importance of distinguishing between subclinical and clinical presentations. Beyond these baseline figures, the analysis identified consistent patterns: poor body condition, behavioural indicators of pain or distress, advanced age, and crucially, working seven days weekly all correlated significantly with lameness-related outcomes, whereas species type and geographic location showed no significant influence on prevalence rates. For equine professionals in resource-limited settings, this evidence underscores that lameness management should prioritise modifiable factors—particularly rest schedules and nutritional support—rather than assuming breed or location-dependent limitations. The authors' call for standardised lameness grading systems and outcome definitions represents an important direction for future research, as the current heterogeneity in assessment methods obscures meaningful comparisons and prevents identification of context-specific interventions most likely to improve animal welfare and working longevity.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Nearly 1 in 3 working equids in low-resource settings show lameness; assess body condition, attitude, and age as primary risk factors in your evaluations
- •Rest days matter: animals working continuously without breaks show higher lameness rates—advocate for at least one day off per week in your recommendations
- •Standardize your own lameness grading and assessment methods when comparing cases or tracking outcomes, as terminology variation limits meaningful comparisons across populations
Key Findings
- •Pooled prevalence of lameness in working equids in LMICs is 29.9% (95% CI 17-47%), rising to 38.4% when gait abnormalities are included
- •Lower body condition scores, unresponsive attitudes, and old age were the most frequently reported factors positively associated with lameness
- •Working 7 days per week was significantly associated with lameness prevalence
- •Species, country income level, and gait assessment method did not significantly affect pooled prevalence estimates