Digital radiography of the spine in donkeys

Front vet sci 2024

April 03, 2024

Xinrui Wang Muhammad Zahoor Khan Ziwen Liu Tianqi Wang Xiaoyuan Shi Wei Ren Yandong Zhan* Changfa Wang*

Background

The study explores the association between the number of thoracolumbar vertebrae in donkeys and traits like body size and meat productivity, which are vital for the livestock industry. Given the decline in donkey populations and the reliance on post-mortem examinations for vertebrae count, the research introduces a mobile digital radiography (DR) system designed to accurately assess thoracolumbar vertebrae in live donkeys. This advancement aims to aid in selective breeding and conservation efforts without the need for slaughter, addressing both economic significance and the preservation of genetic resources.

Methods

The study involved 1,112 donkeys, with 1,000 from various breeding farms for initial data collection and 112 subjected to both DR system evaluation and post-mortem verification. The custom DR system, composed of several key components including a digital flat-panel X-ray imaging system and a Polaris stitching system, was used to acquire and analyze thoracolumbar vertebrae images. The accuracy of the DR system was validated through a comparative analysis of in vivo radiography and post-mortem examination results.

Results

The DR system successfully detected the number of thoracolumbar vertebrae with 100% accuracy when compared to post-mortem findings. Analysis of body measurements from 1,000 donkeys helped design a radiography bed suited for various body sizes. The study identified five different combinations of thoracolumbar vertebrae among the donkeys, with the most common being 18 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae. These findings are consistent with previous studies, highlighting the importance of thoracolumbar traits in breeding programs.

Limitations

The main limitation mentioned is the cost and custom nature of the DR system, which might make it inaccessible for widespread use in ordinary donkey breeding operations. The study calls for efforts to facilitate broader dissemination and access to this technology.

Conclusions

The research introduces a novel, effective mobile DR system for the in vivo assessment of thoracolumbar vertebrae in donkeys, offering a method that avoids the need for slaughter. This system could significantly benefit the donkey industry by enabling precise selection and breeding strategies, thus promoting the conservation of local breeds and the sustainable development of donkey populations. The approach could also be adapted for assessing thoracolumbar vertebrae in other live animal species, potentially impacting body size and meat productivity traits.

The thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of the donkey were spliced by the Polaris software, with the red part representing the number of thoracic vertebrae, the blue part the number of lumbar vertebrae, and the purple V shape representing the lumbar and caudal vertebrae dividing line. a-e represent 17 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae (T17L5), 17 thoracic and 6 lumbar vertebrae (T17L6), 18 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae (T18L5), 18 thoracic and 6 lumbar vertebrae (T18L6), and 19 thoracic and 5 lumbar vertebrae (T19L5), respectively.

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