Summary Changes in the plasma biochemistry of 12 stallions were studied over seven 24 h periods. Twelve healthy male horses of 4 different breeds (Thoroughbred [TB], Anglo‐Arabo‐Sardo [AAS], Avelignese [Av] and Maremmano [M]) were divided into 3 experimental groups and fed with an isoenergetic maintenance ration with different protein levels. The same amount of food was given daily at 0730 and 1930 h. After 20 days of pretrial, a series of 6 blood samples were collected daily from the jugular vein every 4 h for 7 days. The samples were analysed for packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin, plasma glucose, free fatty acids, cholesterol, total plasma protein, urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus and enzymatic activities: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotrasferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The data were analysed following the armonic analysis (Fourier) in order to define the pattern of biorhythm. Many parameters showed a biorhythmical pattern. Protein levels of the diet failed to influence haematology, blood biochemistry and biorhythm. Thoroughbreds showed the highest values of PCV, haemoglobin and creatinine and the lowest total protein, phosphorus and enzymatic activities.

For its nutritional composition, donkey milk is an excellent alternative to breast milk for infants suffering from cow's milk allergies. Even in donkeys, a passage of aflatoxin from contaminated feed to milk could occur, as reported by many authors in other dairy species, but there are no studies on this topic. This work was aimed at studying the excretion of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and M2 (AFM2) in milk after feeding trials with contaminated feed. Six donkeys, at the end of lactation, received a diet with naturally contaminated corn containing 202 and 11 μg.kg −1 of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), respectively. Individual milk samples were analyzed for AFM1 and AFM2 for 15 days after the contaminated feed administration. Amounts of AFM1 and AFM2 were detected in the milk. The steady state condition was reached after 6 days. No AFM1 or AFM2 were detected in milk after 28 h from the last contaminated feed administration. The carryover from AFB1 to AFM1 and from AFB2 to AFM2 was found to be 0.02 and 0.31%, respectively. The results obtained in this study are thus a further step toward understanding the possible carryover of aflatoxin in donkey milk.

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