Fetal development and blood hematological-biochemical parameters in Campeiro and Pantaneiro foals

Abstract

For a long time, Pantaneiro and Campeiro breeds were raised only within their places of origin. Consequently, there are few of these horses; therefore, establishing reproductive and clinical standards for these animals is necessary to implant new biotechnologies for reproduction to preserve their genetics. This study aimed to perform a descriptive evaluation of fetal age determination by fetus ocular orbit measurement in mares of the Campeiro and Pantaneiro breeds. We also evaluated sequential changes in hematology and biochemistry for foals from birth to six months of life by counting red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, basophils, platelet count, fibrinogen, albumin, plasma protein, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gammaglutamyl transferase, and globulins. There was no significant difference in relation to fetal gestational age and ocular orbit between the two breeds (P = 0.578). There was no significant difference in the hematological parameters between the Campeiro and Pantaneiro foals, but there were differences in the means and changes in the blood variables when compared to the literature. These hematological and biochemical variations provide useful information for clinical evaluations from Campeiro and Pantaneiro foals up to six months of age.

Hematological and biochemical values in Breton breed horses in Brasília-DF

“… Balarin et al (2005) , in a study using 30 male and female EPB horses at rest and submitted to different types of intensity exercise, females aged 36 to 48 months obtained a value of 14.71 (± 3.69 UI/L). The same was observed with 180-day-old foals of the Campeiro and Pantaneiro breeds 14.7 (±1.32 U/L) cited by Vieira et al (2018) in his work, which we can consider as a result close to G1. It is noted that the measurements obtained for the GGT enzyme in this study in G1, compared with the authors mentioned, are within the standard, with no significant discrepancies between the values.…”

“…For the GGT value found in G2, 20.41 (±10.94 UI/L), the closest results were those found by Vieira et al (2018) in 60-day-old Campeiro and Pantaneiro foals 20.58 (± 5.43 U/IL) and by Balarin et al (2005) , in females (36 to 48 months), with a value of 24.48 (± 7.13 UI/L), but under different conditions from the animals studied herein. Other values found for males aged between 24 and 36 months were 11.85 (± 2.55UI/L) and for females 11.78 (± 2.32 UI/L), for both groups of animals, from 36 to 48 months the males showed values of 27.94 (± 8.41 UI/L) and 26.65 (± 8.40 UI/L).…”