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Topic:Foals
"Foals" encompasses a stage in the lifecycle of equines with distinct physiological and developmental characteristics. Foals are young horses, typically under one year of age, undergoing rapid growth and development. They require specific nutritional, health, and management practices to support their transition to adulthood. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the growth, development, health challenges, and management practices associated with foals and horses, providing insights into their care and welfare across different life stages.
Umbilical cord remnant infections in foals: 16 cases (1975-1985). Infection of the umbilical cord remnants was diagnosed in 16 foals. The infection was found in the urachus alone in 3 foals, the umbilical arteries in 2 foals, the urachus and umbilical arteries in 3 foals, the urachus and umbilical vein in 2 foals, and the urachus, umbilical vein, and umbilical arteries in 2 foals. The specific location of the infection was not determined in 4 foals. Eleven foals developed an acquired patent urachus between 4 and 16 days of age. Seven foals had one or more joints infected. All foals with umbilical cord remnant infections were treated with orally, intramuscula...
Common internal parasites found in the stomach, large intestine, and cranial mesenteric artery of thoroughbreds in Kentucky at necropsy (1985 to 1986). A total of 278 Thoroughbreds (less than 1 to 31 years old) were examined at necropsy (July 9, 1985, to Feb 2, 1986) in Kentucky for various internal parasites. Examination was not made of all the horses for each of the parasites. Specific parasites recovered from the stomach of foals (n = 30) and yearlings and older horses (n = 96) and percentage (in parentheses) of each age category infected, respectively, were as follows: Gasterophilus intestinalis 2nd instar (53% and 32%) and 3rd instar (37% and 24%); G nasalis 2nd instar (7% and 8%) and 3rd instar (7% and 10%); Habronema spp immature (7% a...
Electromyographic properties of the myometrium correlated with the endocrinology of the pre-partum and post-partum periods and parturition in pony mares. A complete set of electromyographic recordings, plasma samples and behavioural observations were collected from 2 mares beginning 7 days pre partum, through parturition and into the early post-partum period. During the week pre partum, EMG activity was elevated, occurring 26-73% of the time. Activity was least during the day and greatest at night with no significant difference for the hours of the day or between days pre partum. During the 24 h before delivery, EMG activity was increased for 7-13 h (55-80%) during the daylight hours. EMG activity decreased 2-4 h immediately preceding delivery ...
Assessment of fertility and semen evaluations of stallions. (1) Various estimations of motility (subjective appreciation, count on video record, Doppler laser apparatus and optic-microcomputer analyser) or percentage of live spermatozoa (eosin-nigrosin staining) showed a higher repeatability for measurements of a same sample than for straws of a same ejaculate: the values were high (respectively greater than 0.78 and greater than 0.69) except for the optical analyser and staining. (2) Semen samples were collected from 80 stallions 5 times at 24-h intervals. The repeatability varied from 0.37 to 0.69 for gel-free volume, concentration, total sperm numbe...
Fatty acid composition of the plasma lipids of the maternal and newborn horse. The fatty acid composition of the plasma free fatty acid, triacylglycerol and phospholipid fractions was measured in blood and milk samples taken daily from 3 mares and their foals on Days 1-9 post partum inclusive, and from a total of 12 mares and foals on Days 22, 30 and 51. A rise in the plasma concentrations of triacylglycerol and phospholipid similar to that well documented in other species occurred in the neonatal period. Alterations in the composition of the foal plasma phospholipid after birth lend support to the view that the placenta rather than the fetus could be responsible for the...
[New observations in the diagnosis of EHV (equine herpes virus) abortions]. Over the last years the percentage of foals lost by EHV at term or close to term seems to be higher than in former years. Furthermore, the pathological findings seem to shift from liver to lung. So far there has been no explanation for this phenomenon.
Measurement of free cortisol and the capacity and association constant of cortisol-binding proteins in plasma of foals and adult horses. A direct method for measuring the capacity of the high-affinity binding protein, CBG, based on charcoal adsorption, was validated for use in the horse. Several unique aspects of cortisol binding in the horse were observed: (1) CBG content at birth was the lowest of any species studied, (2) CBG concentration increased with age whereas in other species it decreases, (3) the plasma of the new born foal has a binding protein, not reported for other species, which binds as much cortisol as does CBG. Its capacity and affinity are intermediate between albumin and CBG. It may be involved prenatally in...
The effects of four levels of endophyte-infected fescue seed in the diet of pregnant pony mares. Mean weight of 20 Quarter Horse placentas on a wet basis was 3.27 +/- 0.17 kg. These placentas contained mean dry fat-free tissue, DNA, RNA and collagen weights of 411 +/- 24 g, 11.2 +/- 0.6 g, 12.4 +/- 0.7 g and 210 +/- 15 g, respectively. In Ponies and Quarter Horses, there was a trend towards a decrease in these 4 values as gestation length increased. Analysis of placentas of Ponies fed different amounts of endophyte fungus-infected fescue seed showed that weight of dry fat-free tissue increased with increasing percentages of fescue seed in the diet. Diets containing fescue seed resulted in...
The postnatal development of serum zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin in the horse. 1. Serum samples were collected from ten foals at predetermined times during the first 12 months following birth and zinc and copper concentrations and ceruloplasmin activity were evaluated. 2. Serum zinc concentrations were found to be quite variable with respect to age (range = 67-95 micrograms/dl). 3. Serum copper concentrations increased in a linear fashion from day 0 to day 28 before levelling off at 190-247 micrograms/dl. 4. Ceruloplasmin activity was found to correlate with the concentration of serum copper (r = 0.92) and reached a plateau at an activity of 30-38 IU by day 28.
Consequence of excess iodine supply in a Thoroughbred stud in southern Brazil. Excessive iodine supply of at least 700 mg inorganic iodine in foals and of more than 350 mg iodine in pregnant and lactating mares cause a high incidence of goitres in the newborn and disorders in the long leg bones of foals. Elevated phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase content in the blood may indicate a severe disturbance in the bone metabolism. Of 39 pregnant mares 17 aborted and some of the mares also showed goitres. After withdrawal of the iodine supply normalization took place. Foals born more than 6 weeks later showed normal conditions. The goitres in the mares and the high blood level...
Antepartum evaluations of the equine fetus. Measurements were made by real-time ultrasonography in 14 healthy mares to assess fetal growth and estimate newborn foal weights. Intrauterine fluid volumes were estimated and the placenta was measured and observed for maturational changes. The onset and incidence of echogenic particles in the allantoic fluid were recorded. In the second approach, baseline fetal heart rate, physiological rate variations and number, amplitude and duration of recorded accelerations were measured. Estimates of birth weights were within +/- 3.49 kg. Allantoic fluid was evident in all sonographic planes within the ...
An update of chromosomal abnormalities in mares. Chromosomal abnormality was detectable in 98 of 180 mares aged 3 years or over with gonadal dysgenesis. The most common abnormality was X monosomy (63,X). The second most common abnormality was a karyotype indistinguishable by G- or C-banding from that of a male horse (64,XY). Two mares demonstrated structural abnormality of one X chromosome [64,X,del(Xp)] which has not previously been reported in horses. One of these foaled a filly with the same karyotype as her dam. Blood typing confirmed parentage of the foal. This is the only example in our experience of fertility in a mare with gonadal dy...
[Hoof correction in foals]. The conformation of a foal's limbs is of interest beginning in the first days of life. The hoof also must not be neglected. Management and hoof care necessary for normal hoof development are discussed. In addition, pathological hoof shapes and their appropriate treatments are outlined.
Acetabular osteochondrosis dissecans in a foal. Osteochondrosis affecting the acetabula in horses is rarely reported. Osteochondrosis dissecans in foals only a few weeks old is also an uncommon finding. Lesions compatible with osteochondrosis dissecans in the acetabulum were found to be the cause of a chronic coxofemoral lameness in a 3-week-old Arabian filly. The history, physical examination findings, joint fluid analysis, gross pathologic and histopathologic findings are described.
PGF-2 alpha release, progesterone secretion and conceptus growth associated with successful and unsuccessful transcervical embryo transfer and reinsertion in the mare. The outcome of 23 collections and reinsertions of conceptuses on Days 10.5-13.5, 4 transfers of Day-10.5, and 13 transfers of Day-6.5 embryos (ovulation = Day 0) was monitored in 30 mares. Blood samples were taken before and after each procedure to measure plasma 15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F-2 alpha (PGFM), and then daily for progesterone determinations. Mares were also subjected to daily teasing for detection of oestrus, and to uterine ultrasonography for tracing the development of the conceptus. After the reinsertions, 12/23 conceptuses were detectable immediately after the procedure...
Bronchoalveolar lavage in the newborn foal. Two bronchoalveolar lavages, 24 h apart, were performed on 15 foals, ranging in age from 1 to 21 days. In the first lavage, a numerical deficiency in alveolar macrophages was demonstrated in foals up to 2 weeks of age when compared with older (2-3 years of age) horses. Alveolar macrophages obtained from the lungs of 2-3-day-old foals also demonstrated significant impaired chemotactic function. In the second lavage, although an increase of alveolar macrophages was noted, a dramatic increase of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) mobilization occurred in the foals, thus providing a phagocytic bac...
Sympathoadrenal and other responses to hypoglycaemia in the young foal. The effects of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on plasma catecholamines, cortisol and metabolites have been examined in newborn and 7-14-day-old foals. The fall in plasma glucose elicited by the highest dose of insulin (1.0 i.u./kg) given to the neonates was slower in onset and less severe in effect than 0.5 i.u./kg in the older foals. There was a significant inverse correlation between the concentrations of glucose and adrenaline (but not noradrenaline) in plasma once the glucose level had fallen below 2 mmol/l; the adrenergic response to hypoglycaemia was greater in the 7-14-day-old foals than...
Plasma concentrations of progestagens, oestrone sulphate and prolactin in pregnant mares subjected to natural challenge with equid herpesvirus-1. Multiparous pregnant mares, on two studfarms, were studied following natural challenge with equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). They were divided into three groups according to serum complement fixation titres: Group A (N = 11) were not challenged and delivered normal foals; Group B (N = 13) were challenged but delivered normal foals; Group C (N = 23) were challenged and delivered infected foals which were stillborn or lived for less than 31 h. In Groups A and B mean (+/- s.d.) gestational age at delivery was 343 (+/- 8) and 339 (+/- 8) days respectively, whereas in Group C it was significantly (P le...
Fertility of pasture bred mares in synchronized oestrus. Oestrus was synchronized in 220, 300 and 272 mares in 1983, 1984 and 1985 respectively. Mares were given two injections of 250 micrograms fenprostalene 15 days apart except in 1983 and 1984 when 56 and 53 of the synchronized mares were given 1-10 daily injections of 150 mg progesterone and 10 mg oestradiol-17 beta to delay and synchronize post-partum oestrus. At 2 days after the second PG injection or 7 days after the last progesterone + oestradiol treatment, mares were divided into groups of 15-21, and each group was placed in a separate pasture with a stallion for 7 weeks. Pregnancy rates we...
Respiratory mechanics and breathing pattern in the neonatal foal. Breathing pattern, respiratory muscle activation pattern, lung volumes and volume-pressure characteristics of the respiratory system of normal, term, neonatal foals on Days 2 and 7 of age were determined to test the hypothesis that the foal actively maintains end-expiratory lung volume (EEV) greater than the relaxation volume of the respiratory system (Vrx) because of a highly compliant chest wall. Breathing pattern was measured in the awake, unsedated foal during quiet breathing in lateral and standing positions. The typical neonatal foal breathing pattern was characterized by a monophasic in...
Cartilage thickness measurement in foals. The talus and proximal and distal epiphysis of the humerus, radius, femur, tibia and distal metacarpus of 20 foals aged 0 to 150 days were obtained at necropsy and sawn sagittally into slabs 4 to 8 mm thick. The thickness of the cartilage (articular cartilage and unossified epiphyseal cartilage) was measured in three to five places in each slab, using a sliding calliper. In most epiphyses, the site, or sites, of thickest cartilage was constant in all foals examined. The difference between thickest and thinnest cartilage within one epiphysis was greatest in distal femora and least in distal met...
Comparison of systemic and local respiratory tract cellular immunity in the neonatal foal. Blood neutrophils from 10 Thoroughbred and 2 Pony foals were evaluated using in-vitro cellular function tests of chemotaxis, chemiluminescence, phagocytosis and intracellular killing. A comparison of the functional capacities of these cells before and 2-4 days after the ingestion of colostrum indicated an improvement in blood neutrophil chemotaxis and chemiluminescence. Bronchopulmonary lavage was carried out on 9 Thoroughbred and 2 Pony 36-h-old foals. The technique used did not require sedation or anaesthesia. Pulmonary alveolar macrophages were the predominant cell type recovered. When comp...
Effect of pulsatile gonadotrophin release on mean serum LH and FSH in peri-parturient mares. Changes in the pattern of LH and FSH in serum were studied in 6 mares foaling during the summer. Samples were collected frequently (every 15 min) for 24 h twice before foaling, -33 +/- 2 and -12 +/- 2 days, and for 12 h after foaling, on Day 0 and Day 4. Simultaneous pulses of FSH and LH were observed before foaling (r2 = 0.99). Before foaling, gonadotrophin pulses were infrequent (6 in 264 h of observation). On the day of foaling, LH and FSH pulse frequency increased (P less than 0.005) with 2-4 pulses per mare. The amplitudes of pulses of LH and FSH were higher before parturition than for th...
Serological and virological investigations of an equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) abortion storm on a stud farm in 1985. An extensive outbreak of EHV-1 abortions occurred on a stud farm in England in 1985. Of the 67 pregnant mares present on the stud farm, 31 were challenged with EHV-1, resulting in the loss of 22 fetuses or foals. Laboratory investigations revealed that the spread of the virus closely followed movement of apparently healthy mares (during the incubation period of the infection). During the outbreak mares were challenged 1-4 months before the expected foaling date. There was no relationship between the gestational age at the time of challenge and the subsequent outcome of infection in terms of ab...
Chemotactic and phagocytic function of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes in newborn foals. Chemotactic and phagocytic responsiveness of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) from 11 foals were analysed immediately after birth (pre-colostral) and at different times after colostrum ingestion. The number of foal PMNLs per microscopic field that had migrated through the filter in chemotaxis and the number of yeast particles ingested per foal PMNL in phagocytosis were significantly lower when tested with foal plasma before colostrum ingestion (chemotaxis, 2.0 +/- 0.55 (s.e.m.); phagocytosis, 0.98 +/- 0.352) than in tests 4 or more days after colostrum ingestion (chemotaxi...
The pathogenesis of dystocia and fetal malformation in the horse. From a total of 601 severe dystocias in mares, 408 (68%) of the fetuses were in anterior, 95 (16%) in posterior and 98 (16%) in transverse presentation, compared with 99%, 1% and 0.1% respectively for spontaneous parturitions. From the cases with anterior presentation, 151 (37%) showed reflected heads and necks. From the cases with posterior presentation, 47 (50%) presented hip flexions, 25% had hock flexions, and 25% had stretched hind legs, 45 (47%) of the fetuses were in lateral or ventral position, and 28 (30%) of the fetuses were malformed (mainly torticollis and head scoliosis). All 98 c...
Systemic and pulmonary haemodynamics in normal neonatal foals. Cardiopulmonary function was studied in 10 full-term healthy foals from birth to 14 days of age. Systemic and pulmonary haemodynamics were recorded in lateral recumbency via indwelling aortic and pulmonary artery catheters. Mean body weight increased from 45.4 +/- 2.4 kg on Day 1 to 70.6 +/- 6.1 kg on Day 14. All foals had a continuous murmur of patent ductus arteriosus for 3-6 days. From Day 1 (12 h old) to Day 14, heart rate increased (89 +/- 4 to 95 +/- 5/min), mean aortic pressure increased (87.7 +/- 1.9 to 100.3 +/- 3.2 mmHg), mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased (38.6 +/- 4.6 to 27.4...
Feeding behavior. Problems related to feeding behavior in horses fall into three main categories: underconsumption, overconsumption, and abnormal consumption. Anorexia may be caused by a variety of diseases and overcome by removing the underlying causes (pain, fever), and physical or chemical stimulation of appetite. "Hypophagia" may be caused by poor dentition, disease, or stress. Again, removal of the cause or stimulation by physical or chemical means may improve intakes. Acute and chronic overconsumption of feeds are reflections of the normal controls (or lack thereof) of feeding in the horse. The only relia...
