EQUINE AND SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL NUTRITION RESEARCH GROUP
EQUINE STUDIES:
Our research aims to advance equine health, welfare, and performance through integrated investigations in nutrition, forage quality, and therapeutic interventions.
A central focus of our work is assessing the quality and nutritional value of pasture and hay. We apply a combined analytical approach using Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy and classical wet chemistry to develop a comprehensive pasture and hay composition database. This initiative supports the identification of climate change-related shifts in nutrient composition, the emergence of anti-nutritional factors, and contamination with toxic plant species, all of which have direct implications for equine health. We investigate how these changes influence performance, gastrointestinal function, airway inflammation (equine asthma), and developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD).
In parallel, our group investigates the therapeutic potential and pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol (CBD) in equine patients, with particular emphasis on safety and clinical application in horses affected by metabolic disorders. Building on its anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory properties, we are currently evaluating the efficacy of oral cannabidiol as an adjunct therapy in neuromuscular conditions, including shivers and pasture-associated stringhalt.
We also examine targeted micronutrient supplementation strategies—particularly selenium, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids—with the aim of optimizing antioxidant capacity, immune modulation, and neuromuscular function in horses under varying workloads and physiological states. In addition, we assess the impact of these nutrients on vaccine responsiveness.
In pasture management, we investigate emerging pasture-associated disorders, including stringhalt, and their potential link to specific plant toxins and pasture composition. The group is actively developing risk assessment and prevention strategies, with special attention to forage ecology and horse-plant interactions.
This multidisciplinary research program integrates laboratory-based analytical methods, clinical field studies, and ecological perspectives to address practical challenges in equine nutrition, performance, and welfare. Through collaboration with agronomists, veterinarians, and data scientists, our goal is to generate evidence-based, actionable insights that support the equine sector in adapting to evolving environmental and industry conditions.
SMALL ANIMAL STUDIES:
Our research aim is to assess the dietary awareness of dog owners and veterinarians, and to examine the analytical composition and microbiological contamination of certain dog foods.
Dog ownership is becoming more common around the world and in Hungary as well with 34% of households having at least one dog. Ensuring that animals are kept in appropriate conditions is a priority in animal welfare, including providing for their basic needs, such as their nutritional requirements. However, alternative feeding regimes are becoming more widespread and do not always provide these. Our study aims to assess dog owners’ knowledge of basic nutritional needs, good feeding practices and the need for special diets for sick animals. We would assess their feeding habits in detail and examine to what extent it complies with the official recommendations, how typical is overfeeding, or the lack of a nutrient. We would also examine the dietetic preparedness of veterinary practices, how they are managed, how detailed and focused is the nutritional advice, what proportion of patients require a special diet for their recovery, and what causes difficulties for these patients. Some types of food are becoming increasingly popular (so-called complete, ready-to-eat “BARF” and home-cooked foods, dried products of animal origin given as reward snacks), however, based on literature data, their nutritional content is not always balanced and therefore does not meet the needs of the animal, and their contamination with pathogens can pose a health risk to both the animal and the owner. We are looking for an answer to what extent this is the case for the feed available in Hungary, and whether pet owners and veterinarians should take these factors into account. Similar survey studies have been carried out in the United States and Britain in recent years, but the data are still very limited. In the absence of accurate data, veterinary dietetic advice is often subjective (not “evidence-based”), making it impossible to make a credible judgement on “BARF” and other diets that are currently in circulation. Our results would highlight also on areas where awareness raising and educational campaigns are needed. These could help to improve veterinarian-owner communication on dietetic topics and to increase the spread of good nutrition practices based on scientific evidence among pet owners.
RESEARCHERS:
Head of ESACNRG: Orsolya Kutasi
Members: Márta Bajnok, Nikoletta Hetényi, Letícia Moravszki, Szilvia Orosz, Szilárd Szentes, Judit Krizsán, Adrienn Tóth, Zsombor Wagenhoffer
Collaborating Researchers: Csenge Tonlai, Balázs Berlinger, Ágnes Freiler-Nagy, László Könyves
PUBLICATIONS:
Journals
· Moravszki, Leticia; Krizsán, Judit; Freiler-Nagy, Ágnes; Berlinger, Balázs ; Elek, Zoltán ; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor; Kutasi, Orsolya
Assessment of mineral adequacy in preprepared raw dog foods labeled as complete
Sci Rep 15, 43447 (2025).
· Vargha, Noémi; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor; Kutasi, Orsolya
Ösvényrendszerek használatának előnyei és hátrányai a lovak sztereotípiáinak és egyes betegségeinek megelőzésében és kezelésében
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 147 : 2 pp. 67-80. , 14 p. (2025)
· Moravszki, Letícia ; Balla, Roxána ; Hetényi, Nikoletta
A cukorbetegség kiegészítő terápiájában használható ásványi anyagok, vitaminok és egyéb antioxidánsok: Irodalmi összefoglaló
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 147 : 3 pp. 165-176. , 12 p. (2025)
· Wermer, Kata ; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya ; Berkecz, Róbert ; Csupor, Dezső ; Ágh, Nóra ; Sztojkov-Ivanov, Anita ; Cserhalmi, Dániel
Pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol and its two main phase I metabolites in Connemara ponies
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE 12 Paper: 1599934 , 16 p. (2025)
· Szentes, Szilárd ; Turcsányi-Járdi, Ildikó ; Sipos, László ; Penksza, Károly ; Kende, Zoltán ; Saláta-Falusi, Eszter ; Szabó-Szöllösi, Tünde ; Kevi, Andrea ; Balogh, Dániel ; Bajnok, Márta et al.
Feed Values for Grassland Species and Method for Assessing the Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Grasslands
EARTH 6 : 4 Paper: 119 , 41 p. (2025)
· Bajnok, Márta ; Tasi, Julianna ; Kovács-Mesterházy, Zoltán ; Czóbel, Szilárd ; Orsolya, Szirmai ; Varga, Krisztina ; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor
Grassland management survey on farms in Hungary
REGIONAL STATISTICS 15 : 3 pp. 529-553. , 25 p. (2025)
· Tokareva, Marina ; Wermer, Kata ; Cserhalmi, Dániel ; Tóth, Luca Anna ; Alberti, Ágnes ; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor ; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya
Kannabidiol (CBD) alkalmazása a lógyógyászatban 2. rész : Irodalmi összefoglaló
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 145 : 3 pp. 131-142. , 12 p. (2023)
· Hetényi, Nikoletta ; Moravszki, Letícia
Gyógynövények használata a cukorbetegség terápiájában : Irodalmi összefoglaló
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 145 : 6 pp. 359-371. , 13 p. (2023)
· Molnár, Barna ; Rednágel, Csongor ; Saláta-Falusi, Eszter ; Balogh, Petra ; Bajnok, Márta
Eltérő hasznosítású lólegelők vegetációjának és gyepgazdálkodási értékének felmérése Sukoró melletti lovasparkban
ANIMAL WELFARE ETOLÓGIA ÉS TARTÁSTECHNOLÓGIA / ANIMAL WELFARE ETHOLOGY AND HOUSING SYSTEMS 19 : 2 pp. 183-198. , 16 p. (2023)
· Kotowski, Marcin; Kotowska, Dorota ; Biró, Marianna ; Babai, Dániel ; Sharifian, Abolfazl ; Szentes, Szilárd ; Łuczaj, Łukasz ; Molnár, Zsolt
Change in European Forage and Fodder Plant Indicator Sets over the Past 250 Years
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT 88 pp. 159-173. , 15 p. (2023)
· Attila, Fűrész ; Ferenc, Pajor ; Szilárd, Szentes ; Tímea, Kiss ; Károly, Penksza
Nutritional values analysis of sandy grasslands along the Danube from the Pannonian region to the Romanian plain
AGROFOR INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 7 : 3 pp. 63-70. , 8 p. (2022)
· Wermer, Kata ; Cserhalmi, Dániel ; Tokareva, Marina ; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor ; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya
A kannabidiol (CBD) alkalmazása a lógyógyászatban : 1. rész: Irodalmi összefoglaló
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 144 : 11 pp. 655-667. , 13 p. (2022)
· Kósa, Csaba Attila ; Nagy, Krisztina ; Szenci, Ottó ; Baska-Vincze, Boglárka ; Andrásofszky, Emese ; Szép, Róbert ; Keresztesi, Ágnes ; Mircean, Mircea ; Taulescu, Marian ; Kutasi, Orsolya
The role of selenium and vitamin E in a Transylvanian enzootic equine recurrent rhabdomyolysis syndrome
ACTA VETERINARIA HUNGARICA 69 : 3 pp. 256-265. , 10 p. (2021)
· Hetényi, Nikoletta; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya
Az alomanyag és a takarmány hatása a lovak asztmás megbetegedéseire Irodalmi összefoglaló
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 141 : 9 pp. 515-521. , 7 p. (2019)
· Kósa, Csaba Attila ; Mircean, Mircea ; Taulescu, Marian ; Turcitu, Mihai ; Oana, Kiviu ; Andrásofszky, Emese ; Joó, Kinga ; Szenci, Ottó ; Kutasi, Orsolya
A terheléses rhabdomyolysis jellegzetességei egy székelyföldi régióban: Esetismertetések
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 140 : 11 pp. 643-649. , 7 p. (2018)
· Kutasi, O ; Andrasofszky, E ; Szenci, O ; Bersenyi, A ; Siller, I ; Abonyi, T
Foxtail grass (Setaria viridis)-induced ulcerative stomatitis-gingivitis resembling viral vesicular stomatitis in horses
LIVESTOCK SCIENCE 215 pp. 41-45. , 5 p. (2018)
· Kosa, Csaba Attila; Szenci, Ottó; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya
A lovak izombetegségeinek osztályozása, a terhelésre jelentkező izombetegségek leírása, különös tekintettel a székelyföldi jellegzetességekre: Classification of equine myopathies, description of exercise induced myopathies with focus on the Transylvanian characteristics
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 137 : 8 pp. 451-462. , 12 p. (2015)
· Moravszki, Leticia; Votion, Dominique; Lekeux, Pierre; Kutasi, Orsolya
Kiegészítő vizsgálatok lovak légzőszervi betegségeinek megállapításához: Irodalmi áttekintés: Ancillary diagnostic methods in the diagnosis of equine respiratory diseases. Literature review
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 135 : 4 pp. 195-205. , 11 p. (2013)
· Bohák, Zsófia; Langer, Dóra; Kutasi, Orsolya
Lovak teljesítmény-élettana. Irodalmi áttekintés
MAGYAR ÁLLATORVOSOK LAPJA 131 : 10 pp. 579-585. , 7 p. (2009)
Research-Related Conference Presentations and Posters
· Kutasi, Orsolya; Moravszki, Letícia, Wagenhoffer, Zsombor, Tolnai, Csenge
Nutritional risk factors associated with the high prevalence of flexural limb deformities (FLD) in a Hungarian stud farm
In: Congress Proceedings 29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2025.09.04-06.) [Leipzig, Germany] (2025) p. 127
· Hetényi, Nikoletta; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor; Moravszki, Letícia
Evaluation of commercial rabbit and Guinea pig feeds
In: Congress Proceedings 29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2025.09.04-06.) [Leipzig, Germany] (2025) p. 77
· Moravszki, Letícia; Krizsan, Judit; Hetényi, Nikoletta; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor; Kutasi, Orsolya
Evaluation of crude protein content and protein supply of alternative dog foods
In: Congress Proceedings 29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2025.09.04-06.) [Leipzig, Germany] (2025) p. 136
· Moravszki, Letícia; Elek, Zoltán; Hetényi, Nikoletta; Kutasi, Orsolya
Comparison of commercially available dry dog foods based on their labels
In: Congress Proceedings 28th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2024.09.11-13.) [Belfast, Egyesült Királyság / Észak-Írország] (2024) p. 52
· Moravszki, Letícia; Benjamin, Árpád; Hetényi, Nikoletta; Wagenhoffer, Zsombor; Kutasi, Orsolya; Hullár, István
Assessment of Labelling and CFU Values of Enterococcus faecium Containing Veterinary Probiotics
In: Congress Proceedings 27th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2023.09.07-09.) [Vila Real, Portugal] (2023) p. 54
Posters:
· Olsen, Elena; Moravszki, Letícia; Hetényi, Nikoletta
Nutrition, health and welfare of Norwegian pet guinea pigs
In: Congress Proceedings 28th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2024.09.11-13.) [Belfast, Egyesült Királyság / Észak-Írország] (2024) p. 246
· Maehlum, Benedicte; Moravszki, Letícia; Hetényi, Nikoletta
Unconventional feeding methods in Norwegian hunting dogs
In: Congress Proceedings 27th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2023.09.07-09.) [Vila Real, Portugal] (2023) p. 111
· Hetényi, Nikoletta; Cserhalmi, Dániel;, Szoboszlai,Henrietta; Izing, Simon; Korbacska-Kutasi, Orsolya
Idiopathic bilateral stringhalt in grazing horses.
In: Congress Proceedings 23rd Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (2019.09.18-20.), [Torino, Olaszország]
Related Student Research Activities (Thesis)
| 2019 | Lovak kólikájára jellemző mozgásformáinak detektálása szenzor technológiával [Detecting colic motion patterns by using sensor technology] | Sándor Panna Margit | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2020 | Egy magyarországi ménesben alkalmazott takarmányozás kiértékelése a növekedés során kialakuló ortopédiai betegségek (Developmental Ortophedic Disease: DOD) hajlamosító tényezőinek szempontjából [Evaluation of the feeding used in a Hungarian stud in terms of predisposing factors for developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) during growth]
| Tolnai Csenge Hanna | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2021 | The impact of probiotics on the canine gastrointestinal microbiota: a literature review [A probiotikumok hatása a kutya gasztrointesztinális mikrobiotáira: irodalmi áttekintés] | Sanchez Emilie | Letícia Moravszki |
| 2021 | Angol telivér csikókban előforduló bakpata familiáris háttere és hatása a versenyteljesítményre [Familiar background of club foot in English thoroughbred foals and its effect on competition performance] | Szobonya Péter Ákos | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2021 | Comparative nutrition of middle and high-level sport horses in different countries of the EU (UK) | O’Mahony Olive Bridget | Orsolya Kutasi
|
| 2022 | Takarmánykiegészítők cukorbeteg kutyák és macskák részére [Feed supplements for diabetic dogs and cats] | Balla Roxána | Nikoletta Hetényi |
| 2022 | Unconventional feeding methods in dogs and cats | Maehlum Benedicte Gravdal | Nikoletta Hetényi |
| 2022 | Racehorse feeding strategies in Norway | Søfteland Hyldmo Christine Margrethe | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2023 | Equine oral joint supplements sold on the internet | Tamara Abela | Letícia Moravszki |
| 2023 | Kereskedelmi forgalomban kapható kutyatápok összehasonlítása [Comparison of commercially available dog foods] | Vámosi Eszter | Letícia Moravszki
|
| 2023 | Impact of nutrition on canine behaviour | Thea Ohr | Nikoletta Hetényi |
| 2024 | Sport-és hobbilovak takarmányozásának felmérése Magyarországon 2022. június és 2023. szeptember között [Survey on the Feeding of Sport and Leisure Horses in Hungary between June 2022. and September 2023.] | Pál Zsófia | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2024 | Nem hagyományos kutyaeledelek nyersfehérje-tartalmának vizsgálata [Evaluation of nutritional value in non-traditional dog food] | Fekete Sára Panna | Letícia Moravszki |
| 2024 | A kutya- és a macskatartók etetési szokásai Magyarországon [Pet feeding habits of dog and cat owners in Hungary] | Majer Nikoletta | Letícia Moravszki |
| 2024 | Feeding and supplementation of riding horses with myopathy symptoms | Schmid Lisa Marie | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2024 | Feeding high fibre food prior to training decreases the chances of gastric ulcers development | Sobieska Dominika Julia | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2024 | How to differentiate shivers from other neurological and orthopedic diseases | Zwiebel Alexandra Lee | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2025 | Magyarországi kutyák nyersetetési szokásainak változása: összehasonlító tanulmány 2016-2025 [Changes in raw feeding practices of dogs in Hungary: 2016-2025 comparative study] | Padisák Boglárka Mária | Letícia Moravszki |
| 2025 | A kannabidol farmakokinetikai és hatékonysági vizsgálata metabolikus szindrómában szenvedő Connemara pónilovakon [Investigation of Cannabidiol pharmacokinetics and effectiveness in managing equine metabolic syndrome in Connemara ponies] | Tringer András | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2025 | Nutrition of sport horses in Norway | Hansen Emma Lin | Orsolya Kutasi |
| 2025 | Seasonal changes in pasture quality and body condition scoring (BCS) on an Icelandic horse farm, with Hungarian reference data as a comparison | Sigtryggsson Thorir | Orsolya Kutasi |