Biochemical profile of Mangalarga Marchador mares during the last third of pregnancy, foaling and lactation

Abstract

Adaptive changes in metabolism may occur under specific physiological conditions, being necessary the knowledge of the biochemical constituents that can undergo variations during the sixty days before foaling, until the first sixty days of lactation. The present study aimed to identify and evaluate the biochemical profile of Mangalarga Marchador mares during the last third of pregnancy, foaling and lactation. For this, 48 mares were used, which formed a maintenance group (MG), composed of non-pregnant mares and an experimental group, called the transition group (TG), formed by pregnant mares. Blood samples were collected at the following times: MG was evaluated in a single time (beginning of all collections); TG was evaluated in seven times [T-60, T-30, T-15 (days before foaling), T0 (first six hours after foaling), T15, T30, T60 (days after foaling)]. All animals were submitted to biochemical analysis, in which the concentrations of total calcium, chloride, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, uric acid, creatinine, and urea were measured. The two groups differed significantly (P<0.05) in calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, creatinine, uric acid and urea concentration. Variation between times was also observed for these compounds. However, chloride and phosphorus did not differ between MG and TG. It was concluded that the last third of pregnancy, foaling and lactation exerts major influence on the biochemical constituents of blood through adjustments to maintain homeostasis in mares.

Blood and biochemical parameters in young horses raised in the semi-arid region along the year

“…When observing the mineral profile, it is commonly considered separate from the biochemical profile; however, a series of biological substances involved in the body's regulatory processes contain mineral elements such as calcium, chloride, phosphorus, and magnesium (Silva et al, 2019). The data obtained for chloride levels were moderately above the normal values described in the literature (Silva et al, 2019). Chloride is a macromineral involved in various organic functions, and its metabolism is directly linked to the activity of other mineral elements such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.…”

Relationship between lactational performance and metabolic parameters of Mongolian native grazing mares

“…Post-foaling energetic demands continue with milk production to meet foal nutritional needs, while mares also require energy to recover in the postpartum period [16]. After foaling, the mare's biochemical profile is altered [28], with adjustments occurring during gestation and lactation, even as homeostatic mechanisms ensure that individual components remain constant [15]. Therefore, the majority of these changes were partly characterized by the mares' responses to seasonality and the demands of reproductive physiology.…”

“…Milk production is affected by many factors, including the farming system, nutrition and feeding, strategy and type of milking (manual or mechanical), individual milkability, stage of lactation, and size and body condition of the animals, in addition to genetics [26]. Lactation involves the mobilization and export of substantial quantities of nutrients in milk [25], which mainly affects the metabolism and induces stress, resulting in the variation of haemato-biochemical parameters [19] and biochemical constituents of blood through adjustments to maintain homeostasis [28]. The metabolic profile is a useful tool to determine if homeostatic mechanisms are capable of maintaining blood parameters under different feeding and housing conditions [17], and the determination of metabolic parameters can identify energy metabolism disturbances.…”