No abstract

The monitoring and development of foals, based on biometric indices, and the determination of body composition could be important for genetic improvement and the elaboration of nutritional plans for horses. Considering that little information was available, the aim of the present study was to assess the growth and determine the body composition of suckling Quarter Horse foals. Animals (n = 46) of both sexes were monitored monthly from birth until the fifth month of age, using an ultrasound device and the following measurements: Wither Height (WH); Chest Perimeter (CP); Cannon Bone Circumference (CBC) Cannon Bone Girth (CG); Body Mass (BM); and Rump Fat Thickness (RFT). These tests determined the Fat-Free Mass (FFM), BM, Fat Percentage (FP) and Fat Thickness (FT). The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test, with differences considered statistically significant when P ≤ 0.05. The results demonstrated that the parameters analyzed changed significantly during the study period. The BM was ~41 at birth and ~177 kg at the point of weaning. Conversely, the FM was ~3.8 at birth and 18.1 kg at the point of weaning. The FFM was ~37 and ~160 kg at the time of birth and weaning, respectively. The FP varied from 9.3 at birth to 9.54 at weaning. The mean FT was ~1.39 and ~1.91 cm at birth and weaning, respectively. The WH measured ~91 at birth and 116 cm at weaning. In conclusion, suckling foals gain BM quickly from the time of birth to the time of weaning. The main cause of this gain is FFM. Therefore, due to the significant changes in the parameters studied herein, it is important to monitor these values in order to prevent nutritional imbalances.

Background: L-Glutamine (Gln), the most abundant free alpha amino acid in the body, plays a major role in the transport of nitrogen and carbon between tissues, and is an important source of respiratory energy for intestinal and immune system cells. Mares lose lean body mass during lactation, when plasma and milk Gln levels change significantly. However, supplementation with Gln combined with other amino acids may not alter equine plasma Gln levels. The work reported here was designed to test the hypothesis that supplementation with a mixture of glutamine and glutamate (AminoGut) alters blood and milk free glutamine and glutamate levels in pasture-fed lactating mares.Materials, Methods & Results: This study involved 31 multiparous Quarter Horse mares, which were divided into three groups immediately postpartum, as follows: G-CON (n = 19); G-50 g supplemented with 50 g of Gln + Glu plus 200 g of concentrate (n = 6); and G-100 g, supplemented with 100 g of Gln + Glu plus 200 g of concentrate (n = 6). Blood and milk samples were collected on the day of parturition prior to supplementation, and monthly until weaning. The milk samples were used to analyze the Gln, Glu composition and levels, while the blood samples were used for further analysis of blood biomarkers. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and by Tukey’s test and the P value was set at 5%. The G-CON group showed a significant reduction of 11-35% in the mean blood glutamine levels from the first month postpartum and throughout lactation. In contrast, blood glutamine levels in groups G-50 g and G-100 g did not change significantly from parturition through 5 months of lactation. The supplemented groups showed no significant differences in blood variables such as protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglycerides and minerals. Free glutamine levels in milk did not change from parturition through the end of lactation in the G-CON group, but groups G-50 g and the G-100 g showed a marked rise in milk glutamine levels throughout the first three months of lactation (~3x), which remained high (~2x) until the foals were weaned (P > 0.05).Discussion: The results of this study indicate that Gln + Glu supplementation successfully increased Gln levels in mare milk in the first three months of lactation, and Glu levels in G-100 g in the first four months, without affecting the levels of these amino acids in the animals’ blood, which remained similar to data obtained at parturition. In fact, the Gln levels in both supplemented groups exceeded 1,000 mmol/mL throughout lactation, unlike those of the control group and of the samples obtained at parturition. Moreover, supplementation did not produce significant changes in blood biomarkers, including those pertaining to protein metabolism (urea, creatinine, uric acid, albumin and total proteins), indicating that the product used for supplementation did not interfere in these biomarkers, which remained within the normal physiological variations for the species. It was concluded that daily dietary supplementation with 50 g of a mixture of glutamine and glutamate produced an effect similar to supplementation with 100 g/day. Both supplementation protocols succeeded in raising glutamine levels in mare milk in the first three months of lactation, without interfering in blood biomarkers or milk composition. In view of the cost of the product, we recommend that the daily diet of mares during lactation be supplemented with 50 g of a mixture of Gln + Glu in order to produce the desired nutritional effects.

SUMMARY The work was conducted to evaluate the metabolic profile of lactating goats fed diets containing integral mango meal as a replacement for corn. Four levels of replacement (0, 33, 66 and 100%) were evaluated in diets with forage:concentrate ratio of 60:40. Eight crossbred multiparous lactating Saanen goats (48.72 ± 1.99 kg of BW) were introduced in the experiment 48 days postpartum and maintained up to 124 days of lactation. It was used a double Latin Square (4x4) experimental design, with four treatments, four periods and four animals per square. There was no effects (P>0.05) for the integral mango meal level on the intake of DM (1890 g/day), CP (278 g/day) and NDF (959 g/day). However, the intake of NFC and TDN decreased (P<0.05) 27.9 g/day and 0.082 kg/day, respectively, as the dietary integral mango meal increased. The concentrations of urea, creatinine, gamma glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and magnesium were not altered (P>0.05) by replacement levels, with average values of 54.52 mg/dl, 0.71 mg/dl, 52.59 UI, 77.37 UI, 4.69 g/dl, 9.32 g/dl, 74.44 mg/dl, 40.10 mg/dl, 39.39 mg/dl, and 11.09 mg/dl, respectively. Considering the metabolic profile, mango meal whole can totally replace corn in diets of dairy goats.

Background: Several reproductive biotechnologies are used in horses and embryo transfer (ET) is one of the most frequent in countries like Brazil and the USA. It has been shown that animals originated by new reproductive technology can have compromised growth in extreme conditions, however there are still only a few researches on the influence of embryo transfer over lactating foals under different raising methods. Due to the lack of studies on ET products development and the need to understand the process and it’s relate with lactating foal’s growth, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the embryo transfer and natural mate over the newborn foals.Materials, Methods & Results: From a group of 20 mares, 20 Quarter Horse lactating foals were used (10 natural matting + 10 embryo transfer). The mares weren’t given any concentrate feed during whole gestation and lactation. Foals were kept with the mare, however was used creep feeding to give commercial feed ad libitum. The foals biometric evaluation were made at the day of birth (day 0) and at 30th, 60th, 90th, 120th and 150th day (weaning) for the following parameters: body mass (BM), height at the withers (H), heart girth (HG), cannon bone girth (CBG) and fat mass percentage (FMP). The fat thickness percentage at rump it was determined by ultrasound device. All statistics were considered significant when a P < 0.05 was detected. It wasn’t observed corporal mass differences between the groups of mares and the group of stallions. Milk’s components evaluation hasn’t showed differences for the assessed parameters on both mare groups. Evaluating lactating foals’ development, significant differences were observed for height (H), heart (HG) and cannon bone girth (CBG) and body mass (BM).Discussion: In this actual research, Natural Mating (NM) and Embryo Transfer mares exhibited similar corporal mass  (P > 0.05) and so did foals at birth (P > 0.05). However, by the time of weaning, body mass (BM) was 25% higher on ET foals group. These results indicate some influence of ET on foals’ growth since milk’s composition on both groups (G-NM and G-ET) was similar (P > 0.05), as well as dietary and sanitary handling that foals and mares were submitted to. It is a fact that one’s phenotype is determined not only by its genotype, there is evidence that environmental modification during intra uterine period, as well as extra uterine environment may affect epigenetic features. Changes of physical and skeleton progress patterns on suckling foals remained after weaning. However it could be observed that the present study foals had their development under proposed parameters according to prior studies, which affirm that animals have to duplicate their birth weight at the first month of age and should be five times higher at weaning. It stands out that ET treatment foals reported slightly high values indicating this research and future studies relevance to assure if growth beyond observed commonly is beneficial or damaging. In conclusion, there is little influence of the reproductive method over the lactating foal’s development when we compered two groups of foals obtained from natural mate and embryo transfer. However, foals from embryo transfer had large body mass at weaning when compared with natural mate group. Finally, the mares’ milk composition was similar between both groups of mares used in this study.

No abstract

Background: Most animal species are able to produce Arginine (Arg) under normal conditions. However, in some situations, its degradation can be higher than its production. For example, during a period of lactation or disease, there is an increase in the consumption of Arg. In this case, endogenous production is not enough for the animal's demands. Indeed, Arg supplementation in animals has several benefits for the animal's body, such as the increase of angiogenesis, improvements in immunity and the reproductive system, as well as the stimulation of lactogenesis. During the early phase of growth, a deficiency of Arg could cause a reduction in the growth rate and metabolic activity of animals. Therefore, this amino acid is considered essential in some phases of the life of animals. However, very few studies of the supplementation of this amino acid in horses have been carried out. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of supplementing lactating mares and their foals with Arg. Materials, Methods & Results:Lactating mares (n = 10) were divided into two groups (control group: n = 3 / supplemented group: n = 7) and maintained exclusively under grazing. The supplemented group received 50 g of Arg during the lactation period. Samples of milk and blood from mares and blood from foals were collected at different phases of the lactation period. The following parameters were measured in milk: Glutamine (Gln); Glutamate (Glu); protein; fat; casein; lactose; urea and total solids. The following parameters were measured in blood: Gln; Glu; total plasmatic protein (TPP); albumin; urea; creatinine; uric acid; triglycerides; total cholesterol; calcium (C); phosphorous (P); magnesium (Mg) and ferrous (Fe). In addition, the biometric parameters of Wither Height (WH), Chest Perimeter (CP), Cannon Bone Circumference (CBC) and Fat Percentage (FP) of foals were obtained. A significant increase of Gln was observed in the milk in both groups (P < 0.05). The highest concentration of Gln was detected in the third month of the lactation period in the supplemented group (~ 2.26 mmol/mL), and the control group (~ 1.91 mmol/mL) during the same period. Gln did not alter in the blood (P > 0.05), although Glu was higher in the control group in the first month of the lactation period (~ 0.21 mmol/mL) (P < 0.05). An increase in uric acid (~ 0.19 mmol/L) in both groups on the day of birth (P < 0.05). In the supplemented group, increases in triglycerides (~ 0.60 mmol/L), Ca (~ 2.90 mmol/L) and Mg (~ 0.52 mmol/L) were observed in the first month of the lactation (P < 0.05). At birth, foals exhibited high levels of urea (~ 4.67 mmol/L) and uric acid (~ 0.21 mmol/L), and low levels of P (~ 2.02 mmol/L) (P < 0.05). The levels of Gln in the blood of foals remained between 0.50 and 0.70 mmol/mL throughout the lactation period (P > 0.05). Even when they were added (Gln + Glu), no differences were observed (P > 0.05). However, when the biometric parameters were analyzed, significant variations were detected in almost all charac...

Blood transfusion is an important practice in canine medicine because many diseases are associated with anemia and blood loss. Glutamine and glutamate are major carriers of nitrogen, carbon and energy in mammalian blood. The aim of this research was to evaluate possible changes in blood GLN and GLU in dogs after blood donation. Twelve Grayhound dogs (~5yo) were sampled before (pre‐test) and 1, 7, 14 and 30 days after donating blood. The dogs were drawn 450 mL of blood per donation. The [GLN] and [GLU] were measured by enzimatic assays and data were analyzed by ANOVA, for repeated measurements, and Tukey's test, with P<0.05, to compare all results. Results showed that [GLU] were not different in any samples. In contrast, [GLN] increased from pre‐test levels, 0.603±0.040mol/mL, to 0.728±0.036 mol/mL after 1 day, and to (0.755±0.041mol/mL) after 14days. Even after 30 days the blood [GLN] (0.671+0.043mol/mL) did not return to pre‐blood donation concentrations. Results indicate that either glutamine synthesis has increased or glutamine utilization has decreased and indicate that further research is required to determine the significance of these findings.