The composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids in mare's blood and foal's blood plasma at birth and the first days after parturition

Abstract

SummaryEight rnares and their foals were included in this study. Samples of blood plasma and rnare milk were obtained before the fkst m lk intake (day 0) and on day 1, 2 and 10 after parturition. The fatty acid composition of the total lipid fraction of plasma and milk was analyzed by gas chro, matography. lmmediatly after birth the concentration of linolec acid (18r2n-6; LA) of foal blood plasma was very low compared to mare blood plasma. There was an increase in LA of foa/ blood plasma during the sampling period. This was probably due to the high content of LA in mare milk (2y25o/o of total fatty acids). In contrast to LA, dihomogammalinolenic acid (20r3n-6; DGLA) and arach donic acid (20r4n-6; AA) were markedly higher in plasma from newborn foals than in mare plasma. The content of DGLA and AA in foal plasma decreased durng the sam pl ng period.