Serum folate levels in horses, with particular reference to the English thoroughbred

Abstract

The assay of serum folate has been used to investigate the folate status of thoroughbreds in training to race, in-foal thoroughbred mares at stud and crossbred ponies kept permanently at grass. Throughbreds in training, with no obvious haematological or clinical abnormalities, had lower serum folate levels (mean 3.3, range 1.5 to 6.1 microgram per litre) compared with thoroughbred mares at stud (mean 10.6, range 6.4 to 15.8 microgram per litre) and crossbred ponies at grass (mean 10.9, range 7.4 to 16.6 microgram per litre. Intensive exercise, over a period of six months, significantly decreased serum folate levels (P less than 0.001) and significantly increased the levels of bilirubin (P less than 0.0001) and PCV (P less than 0.0002) in a group of 30 thoroughbred racehorses. Haptoglobin levels showed no significant changes.

From Peptide Masses to Pregnancy Maintenance: A Comprehensive Proteomic Analysis of The Early Equine Embryo Secretome, Blastocoel Fluid, and Capsule

“…In light of the prominent scientific discussion around contribution of folate and vitamin B12 to pregnancy outcome in recent years, the paucity of literature on this subject as it relates to equids and other livestock is striking. Vitamin B12 and folate levels in the horse have only briefly been examined in the context of exercise and performance, and not at all with regard to the requirements of conception and gestation. Serum levels of folate can vary dramatically between stabled and grazing horses, while vitamin B12 is synthesized by gut microbes, rendering it vulnerable to variations of the microbiome between individuals, and to variations in the profile of volatile fatty acids in the hindgut.…”

Abnormalities of the erythron

“…88 it seems to occur rarely in horses. 84,203 However, serum folate concentrations in stabled, intensively training Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses are generally lower than in pastured horses, [86][87][88][89] and additional dietary folic acid may be indicated for some horses in training. 84,203 However, serum folate concentrations in stabled, intensively training Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses are generally lower than in pastured horses, [86][87][88][89] and additional dietary folic acid may be indicated for some horses in training.…”

>b<Minerais orgânicos e inorgânicos com e sem suplemento vitamínico sobre o desempenho físico de equinos em exercício aeróbio>/b<

“…As (ALLEN, 1978;ROBERTS, 1983;SECKINGTON et al 1967) e um autor sugeriu que o exercício poderia aumentar o requerimento desta vitamina (ROBERTS, 1983).…”