Milk in horses, primarily produced by mares, serves as the primary source of nutrition for foals during the early stages of life. It provides essential nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, necessary for the growth and development of young horses. The composition of equine milk can vary based on factors such as the mare's diet, health, and stage of lactation. Research in this area explores the nutritional content, production, and factors influencing milk yield and quality. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that examine the composition, physiological aspects, and implications of milk production in equine health and management.
Ragona G, Corrias F, Benedetti M, Paladini M, Salari F, Altomonte L, Martini M.This study presents an investigation of Amiata donkey health and quality of milk for human consumption. Thirty-one lactating dairy jennies were examined. The following samples were collected: faecal samples from the rectum of animals for parasitological examination; cervical swabs for the detection of bacteria causing reproductive disorders; and blood samples for serological diagnosis of main zoonotic (Brucella spp., Leptospira spp.) and donkey abortion agents (Brucella spp., Leptospira spp., Salmonella abortus equi, Equine viral arterithis virus, Equine herpesvirus type 1). In addition, indiv...
Gokbulut C, Ozuicli M, Aksit D, Aksoz E, Korkut O, Yalcinkaya M, Cirak VY.The horse milk gains increasing interest as a food product for sensitive consumers, such as children with food allergies or elderly people. We investigated the plasma and milk disposition, faecal excretion and efficacy of per os ivermectin (IVM) and pour-on eprinomectin (EPM) in horses. Ten mares were divided into two groups. The equine paste formulation of IVM and bovine pour-on formulation of EPM were administered orally and topically at dosage of 0.2 and 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight. Blood, milk and faecal samples were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The plasma concentration...
Gokbulut C, Aksit D, Santoro M, Roncoroni C, Mariani U, Buono F, Rufrano D, Fagiolo A, Veneziano V.Mebendazole (MBZ) has been licensed for use in horses and donkeys, however there are no data available in the literature regarding its pharmacokinetic disposition and efficacy in donkeys. This study was designed to determine the plasma disposition, milk excretion and anthelmintic efficacy of MBZ in donkeys naturally infected by Cyathostominae. The animals were allocated to three groups, each of six donkeys. One group was untreated control (C-group) and the others were treated using a paste formulation of MBZ administered per os at the manufacturer's recommended horse dosage of 10 mg/kg body we...
Plante G, Lusignan MF, Lafleur M, Manjunath P.Mammalian semen contains a family of closely related proteins known as Binder of SPerm (BSP proteins) that are added to sperm at ejaculation. BSP proteins extract lipids from the sperm membrane thereby extensively modifying its composition. These changes can ultimately be detrimental to sperm storage. We have demonstrated that bovine BSP proteins interact with major milk proteins and proposed that this interaction could be the basis of sperm protection by milk extenders. In the present study, we investigated if homologous BSP proteins present in boar, stallion and ram seminal plasma display a ...
Human rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and children under the age of 5 years in both developed and developing countries. Human lactadherin, a milk fat globule membrane glycoprotein, inhibits human rotavirus infection in vitro, whereas bovine lactadherin is not active. Moreover, it protects breastfed infants against symptomatic rotavirus infections. To explore the potential antiviral activity of lactadherin sourced by equines, we undertook a proteomic analysis of milk fat globule membrane proteins from donkey milk and elucidated its amino acid sequence. Alignm...
Álvarez R, Meléndez-Martínez AJ, Vicario IM, Alcalde MJ.Carotenoids are important for human health because of their provitamin A function among other biological actions. Their implication on consumer point of view of cattle products have been widely studied, but very little information is available for horse products. The aim of this study was to study the accumulation of carotenoids, retinoids and tocopherol by HPLC and HPLC-MS analysis in different horse tissues (plasma, milk, adipose tissue and liver) and compare it with that of cattle. Fat color was also studied. Four groups of animals were studied (15 animals within each group): lactating mare...
Albrecht S, Lane JA, Mariño K, Al Busadah KA, Carrington SD, Hickey RM, Rudd PM.The present study was conducted to obtain a comprehensive overview of oligosaccharides present in the milk of a variety of important domestic animals including cows, goats, sheep, pigs, horses and dromedary camels. Using an analytical workflow that included ultra-performance liquid chromatography-hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight MS, detailed oligosaccharide libraries were established. The partial or full characterisation of the neutral/fucosylated, phosphorylated and sialylated structures was facilitated by sequencin...
Hackett ES, Mama KR, Twedt DC, Gustafson DL.To determine the oral bioavailability, single and multidose pharmacokinetics, and safety of silibinin, a milk thistle derivative, in healthy horses. Methods: 9 healthy horses. Methods: Horses were initially administered silibinin IV and silibinin phospholipid orally in feed and via nasogastric tube. Five horses then consumed increasing orally administered doses of silibinin phospholipid during 4 nonconsecutive weeks (0 mg/kg, 6.5 mg/kg, 13 mg/kg, and 26 mg/kg of body weight, twice daily for 7 days each week). Results: Bioavailability of orally administered silibinin phospholipid was 0.6% PO in...
Jenvey C, Caraguel C, Howarth GB, Riley CB.Prior to the start of endogenous production of immunoglobulins (Igs), absorption of maternal Igs is important to protect against pathogens in the early neonatal period. It is possible that mare- or foal-associated factors may influence neonatal IgA concentrations. Objective: The temporal relationships among serum and milk IgA concentrations in Thoroughbred mare-foal pairs were explored to determine if periparturient mare- and foal-associated factors contribute to the prediction of foal serum IgA concentrations. Methods: Blood and milk samples as well as complete veterinary records, were collec...
Centoducati P, Maggiolino A, De Palo P, Tateo A.The aim of this work was to study, using Wood's model, the lactation curve in Italian Heavy Draft horse (IHDH) mares, both for milk yield and composition. Interest in mare's milk has grown for use in human nutrition, as a substitute for human and cow milk for premature newborns and allergic children. For this study, 7 IHDH mares were used. Milk yield was evaluated from d 15 to 180 postpartum (every 15 d). Wood's lactation model was used to describe milk yield, fat, protein, and lactose lactation curves in the first 180 d in milk (DIM), with a prediction to 210 DIM. Mean values recorded across ...
Fessler AT, Olde Riekerink RG, Rothkamp A, Kadlec K, Sampimon OC, Lam TJ, Schwarz S.In this study MRSA isolates from dairy farms were investigated for their genetic relationships and antimicrobial susceptibility. In total, 125 MRSA isolates from 26 dairy farms were studied, including isolates from milk samples (n=46), dairy cattle (n=24), calves (n=6), dust samples from pig (n=16) and veal calf sheds (n=1), dogs (n=2), a horse, a sheep and humans (n=28). CC398-specific PCRs, spa typing, SCCmec typing and ApaI macrorestriction analysis were conducted. Susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution. All 125 isolates belonged to CC398. Eight spa types (t011, t108, t...
Xijier , Mori Y, Fukuoka M, Cairangzhuoma , Inagaki M, Iwamoto S, Yabe T, Kanamaru Y.Native alpha-lactalbumins (α-LA) from equine, bovine, and human milk were not cytotoxic. However, after treatment with trifluoroethanol (TFE), all three α-LAs exhibited cytotoxicity. Toxic potencies were distinctly different among them. Equine α-LA was the most robust, bovine α-LA was moderate, and human α-LA was weak. There were no significant structural changes as between the native and the TFE-treated α-LAs.
Hinz K, O'Connor PM, Huppertz T, Ross RP, Kelly AL.Proteomic analysis of bovine, caprine, buffalo, equine and camel milk highlighted significant interspecies differences. Camel milk was found to be devoid of β-lactoglobulin, whereas β-lactoglobulin was the major whey protein in bovine, buffalo, caprine, and equine milk. Five different isoforms of κ-casein were found in camel milk, analogous to the micro-heterogeneity observed for bovine κ-casein. Several spots observed in 2D-electrophoretograms of milk of all species could tentatively be identified as polypeptides arising from the enzymatic hydrolysis of caseins. The understanding gained f...
Kuhl J, Aurich JE, Wulf M, Hurtienne A, Schweigert FJ, Aurich C.In this study, effects of oral β-carotene supplementation to mares (β-carotene group: 1000 mg/day, n = 15; control group: n = 15) from 2 weeks before foaling until 6 weeks thereafter on concentrations of β-carotene, vitamin A and α-tocopherol in plasma, colostrum and milk and plasma of their foals were determined. In addition, effects on fertility were studied. Beta-carotene concentrations increased in plasma and colostrum of β-carotene-supplemented mares compared to control mares (p < 0.05). In mares of both groups, β-carotene concentrations were higher in colostrum than in milk (p &...
Broaddus CC, Balasuriya UB, White JL, Timoney PJ, Funk RA, Holyoak GR.To determine whether it is safe to vaccinate pregnant or postpartum mares with a commercial modified-live virus vaccine against equine viral arteritis (EVA). Design-Randomized controlled study. Animals-73 mares and their foals. Methods: Mares were vaccinated during mid gestation, during late gestation, or 2 or 3 days after parturition with a commercial modified-live virus vaccine or were not vaccinated. Foaling outcomes were recorded, and serum, blood, milk, and nasopharyngeal samples were obtained. Results: All mares vaccinated during mid gestation foaled without any problems; 21 of 22 mares ...
Santos AS, Silvestre AM.Milk yield and composition data from 7 nursing Lusitano mares (450 to 580 kg of body weight and 2 to 9 parities) were used in this study (5 measurements per mare for milk yield and 8 measurements for composition). Wood's lactation model was used to describe milk fat, protein, and lactose lactation curves. Mean values for the concentration of major milk components across the lactation period (180 d) were 5.9 g/kg of fat, 18.4 g/kg of protein, and 60.8 g/kg of lactose. Milk fat and protein (g/kg) decreased and lactose (g/kg) increased during the 180 d of lactation. Curves for milk protein and la...
Caroprese M, Albenzio M, Marino R, Muscio A, Zezza T, Sevi A.A 25-d trial was performed to assess the effects of machine and hand milking on behavior, and milk yield and composition of mares; the trial involved 8 Murgese mares. Milk yield was higher (7.69 vs. 4.91 kg) and milking time was shorter (1.80 vs. 5.40 min) in machine-milked than in hand-milked mares. Machine milking of mares also resulted in a greater fat content of milk (1.63%) than did hand milking (1.06%). Milking system did not affect casein content, nitrogen fractions, or somatic cell counts. No differences in behavioral activities and in response to humans emerged. Results indicate that ...
Berg EL, McNamara DL, Keisler DH.The aim of this study was to characterize concentrations of leptin, IGF-I, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood serum of mares pre-and postpartum, in the milk serum of mares postpartum, and in the blood serum of their foals. Nine pregnant Quarter Horse mares and their offspring were used in this study. Once weekly between 1000 and 1200 h for 2 wk before their predicted parturition date, mares were weighed, assigned a BCS, and blood was sampled via jugular venipuncture. Within 2 h of parturition and before the foals nursed (d 0), blood samples were obtained from the mares and foal...
Inoue Y, Asai Y, Tomita M, Kuribara K, Kobayashi M, Kaneko M, Toba Y.In laboratory animals, man and cell culture experiments, milk basic protein was reported to suppress bone resorption and promote bone formation. However, no studies in horses have previously examined the effect of milk basic protein. Objective: To evaluate the effect of milk basic protein supplementation on bone metabolism in young Thoroughbred horses in training. Methods: Twenty 2-year-old horses in training were used for 90 days in this study. The treatment group was fed a basal diet with 1 g of milk basic protein and the control group a basal diet only. Blood samples were collected on Days ...
Romagnoli U, Macchi E, Romano G, Motta M, Accornero P, Baratta M.The aim of this work is to investigate on plasma profiles of leptin and estradiol 17beta during the interpartum period and leptin concentrations in the milk and in the colostrum during the period from parturition to the successive delivery in mare. Leptin plasma concentration varied from 5.1+/-2.3 ng/ml after the first parturition (week 0) to 3.0+/-0.7 at week 21 (p<0.05), then it increased to maximal level at week 49 (6.9+/-1.0 ng/ml, p<0.05). Leptin concentration in the colostrum and in the milk has been significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in plasma samples at week 1 (milk 8.8+/...
Fink C, Tatar M, Failing K, Hospes R, Kressin M, Klisch K.Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), a regulatory amine of mucosal enterochromaffin cells plays an important role in the control of gastrointestinal smooth muscle contraction and epithelial secretion. Serotonin has also been associated with gastric ulcers, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. In spite of the high incidence of these gastrointestinal disorders in newborn foals and adult horses, no data are available regarding 5-HT immunoreactive cells (i.c.) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of foals, and for adult horses, data are incomplete and contradictory. In this study, the distribution and r...
D'Auria E, Agostoni C, Giovannini M, Riva E, Zetterström R, Fortin R, Greppi GF, Bonizzi L, Roncada P.As milk represents the main source of nutrition for infants, the question of an effective human milk substitute becomes mandatory when a formula-fed baby is allergic to cows' milk proteins. In this case, formulas containing extensively hydrolysed milk proteins should be preferred, but even such a formula may cause allergic reactions in highly sensitive patients. If there is evidence of cows' milk allergy with IgE-associated symptoms, after 6 mo of age, a soy bean formula may be recommended only when tolerance to soy protein has been established by clinical challenge. In infants with allergic r...
Chavatte-Palmer P, Arnaud G, Duvaux-Ponter C, Brosse L, Bougel S, Daels P, Guillaume D, Clément F, Palmer E.The induction of lactation is performed in ruminants by steroidogenic impregnation, followed by drugs intended to increase prolactin secretion. The aim of this study was to induce lactation in barren mares and to evaluate milk production. Five treated and 5 control mares were used in June and September in year 1, and 12 mares were used in year 2. Mares were administered a vaginal pessary (500 mg altrenogest and 50 mg estradiol benzoate) for 1 week. The 2nd week, another sponge with 100 mg estradiol benzoate was administered, together with 50 mg/100 kg body weight (BW) sulpiride in oil (IM q12h...
Lang KJ, Nielsen BD, Waite KL, Hill GM, Orth MW.The primary objective of this research was to determine the effect of supplemental dietary silicon (Si) on plasma and milk Si concentrations of lactating mares and the subsequent effect on plasma Si concentrations in nursing foals. Additionally, the role of Si on altering biochemical markers of bone turnover was investigated, because supplemental Si may be advantageous in enhancing bone health. Twelve Arabian mare/foal units were pair-matched by foaling date and randomly assigned to two groups, Si-supplemented (Supplemented) or control (Control). Blood and milk samples were taken on d 0, 15, 3...
Batellier F, Duchamp G, Vidament M, Arnaud G, Palmer E, Magistrini M.Milk-based semen diluents are known to be practical and effective in protecting equine spermatozoa during storage before artificial insemination. Milk is a biological fluid with a complex composition and contains components which are beneficial or harmful to spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to test the fertility of stallion semen after long-term storage using different milk diluents (INRA 82 or Kenney's diluent) vs one diluent chemically defined (INRA 96), which is composed of efficient milk components and optimized for sperm survival and storage temperature. The milk fraction used was t...
Barrandeguy M, Parreño V, Lagos Mármol M, Pont Lezica F, Rivas C, Valle C, Fernandez F.Many countries have reported rotavirus diarrhoea in foals. In Argentina it causes important economic losses to the horse industry. In this work we present the results obtained using an experimental vaccine in a farm with enzootic infection of rotavirus. A hundred mares were vaccinated 60 and 30 days before foaling with inactivated rotavirus SA11 (G3P2), H2 (G3P12), Lincoln (G6P1), with aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant; 65 mares were included in the unvaccinated, control group. To evaluate the vaccine, morbidity, duration of the diarrhoea and rotavirus shedding were recorded. Antibody levels were...
Sarwar G, Botting HG, Davis TA, Darling P, Pencharz PB.Preterm and term transitional milks of human subjects and mature milks of human subjects, non-human primates and non-primates were analysed for free amino acids (AA) using precolumn phenylisothiocyanate derivatization and liquid chromatography. Differences in free AA between three types of human milk were small. Milks of pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) contained the highest levels of total free AA (8634-20,862 mumol/l), while the milks of cows and sheep had the lowest levels of total free AA (1061-1357 mumol/l). The milks of human subjects, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gori...
Batellier F, Magistrini M, Fauquant J, Palmer E.Milk-based semen diluents are known to be practical and effective in protecting equine spermatozoa during storage. Due to complex composition of milk, the components which are beneficial or harmful to spermatozoa are unknown. To address these unknowns the effect of various milk fractions on motility of stallion spermatozoa was evaluated. The fractions tested were native phosphocaseinate (NPPC), beta-casein, whey protein concentrate (WPC), alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, microfiltrate, and ultrafiltrate. The standard reference diluents were INRA 82, commercial skim milk, and Hank's salts...
Care AD, Abbas SK, Ousey J, Johnson L.Once lactation is established in mares, there is little change in the ionised calcium concentration in their milk. In contrast, the concentration of PTHrP(1-34) in the milk increases to a maximum level by the end of the second week of lactation, near which it remains for the rest of the lactation. As found in other species, the concentration of PTHrP(1-34) in mare's milk is considerably higher than that in plasma, sampled at the same time. No significant correlation could be demonstrated between the concentrations of PTHrP(1-34) and ionised calcium in the milk except during the last 10 weeks o...
Davis TA, Nguyen HV, Garcia-Bravo R, Fiorotto ML, Jackson EM, Reeds PJ.To determine whether the amino acid composition of milk changes during lactation, we compared the amino acid pattern (concentration of each individual amino acid relative to the total amino acid concentration) of colostrum with that of mature milk in six mammalian species. In the human, horse, pig and cow, the pattern of amino acids changed between colostrum and mature milk: glutamate, proline, methionine, isoleucine and lysine increased; cystine, glycine, serine, threonine and alanine decreased. In these four species, the total amino acid concentration also decreased 75% between colostrum and...
Salonen JS, Vähä-Vahe T, Vainio O, Vakkuri O.The pharmacokinetics of detomidine, a novel analgesic sedative, was studied in the major target species after high (80 micrograms/kg) i.v. and i.m. doses. In addition, drug residues in some organs were determined. Concentrations were measured using a sensitive, detomidine-specific radio-immunoassay method. Rapid absorption following i.m. dosing occurred. Absorption half-lives were 0.15 h (horse) and 0.08 h (cattle). The mean peak concentration in the horse (51.3 ng/ml) was achieved in 0.5 h and in the cow (65.8 ng/ml) in 0.26 h. The areas under the concentration curve after i.m. dosing were 66...
Galan JE, Timoney JF, Lengemann FW.Passive transfer of mucosal antibody to Streptococcus equi was studied in foals during the first 2 months of life. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies were found in sera and nasal secretions of foals shortly after colostrum intake. Titers were highest 2 days after birth; IgG predominated in sera, and IgA predominated in nasal washes. Intragastrically administered 99mTc-labeled IgA was transported from the bloodstream to the nasal mucosa of a newborn foal within a few hours of colostrum intake. Western blot analysis of the specificities of colostral and serum antibodies showed that select...
Batellier F, Duchamp G, Vidament M, Arnaud G, Palmer E, Magistrini M.Milk-based semen diluents are known to be practical and effective in protecting equine spermatozoa during storage before artificial insemination. Milk is a biological fluid with a complex composition and contains components which are beneficial or harmful to spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to test the fertility of stallion semen after long-term storage using different milk diluents (INRA 82 or Kenney's diluent) vs one diluent chemically defined (INRA 96), which is composed of efficient milk components and optimized for sperm survival and storage temperature. The milk fraction used was t...
Gokbulut C, Aksit D, Santoro M, Roncoroni C, Mariani U, Buono F, Rufrano D, Fagiolo A, Veneziano V.Mebendazole (MBZ) has been licensed for use in horses and donkeys, however there are no data available in the literature regarding its pharmacokinetic disposition and efficacy in donkeys. This study was designed to determine the plasma disposition, milk excretion and anthelmintic efficacy of MBZ in donkeys naturally infected by Cyathostominae. The animals were allocated to three groups, each of six donkeys. One group was untreated control (C-group) and the others were treated using a paste formulation of MBZ administered per os at the manufacturer's recommended horse dosage of 10 mg/kg body we...
Hackett ES, Mama KR, Twedt DC, Gustafson DL.To determine the oral bioavailability, single and multidose pharmacokinetics, and safety of silibinin, a milk thistle derivative, in healthy horses. Methods: 9 healthy horses. Methods: Horses were initially administered silibinin IV and silibinin phospholipid orally in feed and via nasogastric tube. Five horses then consumed increasing orally administered doses of silibinin phospholipid during 4 nonconsecutive weeks (0 mg/kg, 6.5 mg/kg, 13 mg/kg, and 26 mg/kg of body weight, twice daily for 7 days each week). Results: Bioavailability of orally administered silibinin phospholipid was 0.6% PO in...
Patton S, Huston GE, Jenness R, Vaucher Y.Milk fat globules are secreted by envelopment in plasma membrane of the lactating cell. SDS-gel electrophoresis of proteins from this membrane has revealed differences between milk donors in two mucin-like glycoproteins. One of these glycoproteins resolves in 3% acrylamide stacking gel and the other in 4% running gel. The proteins vary in number of bands (one or two) and band mobilities. This polymorphism arises, at least in part, from expression of hypervariable genes. In this study, gel electrophoretic evidence of similar polymorphism in glycoproteins from cow, chimpanzee, horse and human mi...
Koskinen E, Lindeberg H, Kuntsi H, Katila T.Twenty-four Finnhorse mares were examined by rectal palpation and ultrasonography every 6 h during late oestrus to determine the time of ovulation. Milk and serum samples were collected every 6 h after the detected ovulation for progesterone analysis. The progesterone rises took place within 0-54 h and 0-60 h after ovulation, in milk and serum, respectively. Statistically significant differences (p less than 0.05) in progesterone levels were observed for the first time 12-18 h and 18-24 h after ovulation, in serum and milk, respectively, as compared to progesterone levels 0-6 h after ovulation...
Plante G, Lusignan MF, Lafleur M, Manjunath P.Mammalian semen contains a family of closely related proteins known as Binder of SPerm (BSP proteins) that are added to sperm at ejaculation. BSP proteins extract lipids from the sperm membrane thereby extensively modifying its composition. These changes can ultimately be detrimental to sperm storage. We have demonstrated that bovine BSP proteins interact with major milk proteins and proposed that this interaction could be the basis of sperm protection by milk extenders. In the present study, we investigated if homologous BSP proteins present in boar, stallion and ram seminal plasma display a ...
Welsch U, Schumacher U, Buchheim W, Schinko I, Jenness P, Patton S.A specific secretory product of the lactating mammary gland are triglyceride fat globules which are enveloped by a very complex membrane, the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). In different mammalian species (man, rhesus monkey, horse, goat, sheep, cow, grey seal, camel, alpaka) the glycoproteins of this membrane have been analyzed by gel electrophoresis, Western blotting and lectin histochemistry. A remarkable intra- and interspecific variability of these glycoproteins has been detected pointing to so far unknown physiological adaptions, which may play a role in the intestine of the new born. ...
Welsch U, Buchheim W, Schumacher U, Schinko I, Patton S.Horse milk fat globules (MFGs) and casein micelles were studied using freeze fracturing, freeze etching and thin-section electron microscopy, as well as lectin histochemistry, gel electrophoresis, and Western blotting. Horse MFGs were found to be relatively small, their average volume-surface diameter being about 2.75 microns. The MFG membrane is composed of three layers: an inner proteinaceous coat occasionally having a paracrystalline substructure, a unit membrane, and a prominent filamentous glycocalyx. The last is rich in glycoconjugates, as revealed by its binding of various lectins. In a...
Allen WE, Porter DJ.Milk and plasma samples were obtained every 48 hours from eight pony mares for 40 days after foaling. Progestogen concentrations in milk and plasma were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and compared with radioimmunoassay of the plasma. In general the three assays showed similar trends in progestogen concentration changes but absolute values varied considerably. Difficulty could occur in interpreting the results from single samples taken at times when progestogen concentrations were either rising (ie, after ovulation) or falling. ELISA could be used on plasma obtained by allo...
Bell K, McKenzie HA, Muller V, Shaw DC.As part of a study of the 'whey' proteins of various mammals, a comparison is made of the alpha-lactalbumins and lysozymes of the kangaroo and horse. In the milk of the red kangaroo (Megaleia rufa) there is only one alpha-lactalbumin and it occurs throughout lactation, but no lysozyme has been detected. There are two alpha-lactalbumins in the milk of the grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), one, designated alpha-lactalbumin Zone B, is present throughout lactation; the second, designated alpha-lactalbumin Zone A, is present only in late lactation. One lysozyme is also present. The milk of the ho...
Danyer E, Bilal T.The effects of fish oil (40 ml/day) supplementation, with or without synthetic all-rac-alpha-tocopherol-acetate (2,500 IU/day), during the last 65 days before expected parturition were investigated in 15 adult mares (553 ± 24 kg BW) and their foals. Mares were assigned to one of three diets: control (n = 5), control plus fish oil and alpha-tocopherol (n = 4; FO + AT) or control with just fish oil (n = 6; FO). Blood samples were obtained from the mares before a 15-day dietary adaptation period (T1) and from mares and foals the first (T2) and fifth (T3) days post-partum. Colostrum...
Jenvey C, Caraguel C, Howarth GB, Riley CB.Prior to the start of endogenous production of immunoglobulins (Igs), absorption of maternal Igs is important to protect against pathogens in the early neonatal period. It is possible that mare- or foal-associated factors may influence neonatal IgA concentrations. Objective: The temporal relationships among serum and milk IgA concentrations in Thoroughbred mare-foal pairs were explored to determine if periparturient mare- and foal-associated factors contribute to the prediction of foal serum IgA concentrations. Methods: Blood and milk samples as well as complete veterinary records, were collec...
Gibbs PG, Potter GD, Blake RW, McMullan WC.Milk production was measured in fourteen Quarter Horse mares at seven stages of a 150-d lactation period. Mares were divided into two groups of seven and fed diets containing either soybean meal or soybean meal and urea as nitrogen supplements. Rations were isocaloric, contained approximately 12.5% crude protein and were fortified with vitamins and minerals. Daily milk yield was estimated by the weigh-suckle-weigh method and milk composition was determined from samples taken by hand milking. Average daily milk yield ranged from 11.8 kg in early lactation to 9.8 kg in late lactation. Difference...
Pérez MD, Puyol P, Ena JM, Calvo M.The interaction of sheep, horse, pig, human and guinea-pig whey proteins with fatty acids has been studied. Using gel filtration and autoradiography, it was found that sheep beta-lactoglobulin and serum albumin from all species had the ability to bind fatty acids in vitro. Sheep beta-lactoglobulin, isolated from milk, had approximately 0.5 mol fatty acids bound per mol monomer protein, and albumin from sheep, horse and pig contained approximately 4.5, 2.9 and 4.7 mol fatty acids/mol protein respectively. However, beta-lactoglobulin from horse and pig milk had neither fatty acids physiologicall...
Hess-Dudan F, Vacher PY, Bruckmaier RM, Weishaupt MA, Burger D, Blum JW.Concentration of (total) globulin was relatively stable in blood plasma of mares, but rapidly decreased in colostrum to very low levels within 2 days after parturition. In foals, after intake of the first colostrum, globulin increased within 1 day in blood plasma, but remained at lower concentrations than those measured in mare plasma. Concentrations of immunoreactive insulin (iI) were high during the first 2 months of lactation in blood plasma of mares and then decreased, were high in first colostrum and then decreased drastically, and remained at low concentrations up to weaning in blood of ...
Martin RG, McMeniman NP, Dowsett KF.Six lactating mares were fed either a low protein diet or the same diet with added urea ad libitum over 71 days. The quantity consumed by the mares, milk intakes of their foals, milk composition, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), mare liveweight changes and foal growth rates were measured. The mares were unable to consume sufficient quantities of either diet to meet their nitrogen requirements and all lost weight. Adding urea to the diet significantly increased PUN in mares and foals, raised urea concentrations in the milk, decreased the mares' feed intake and significantly increased their weight lo...
Care AD, Abbas SK, Ousey J, Johnson L.Once lactation is established in mares, there is little change in the ionised calcium concentration in their milk. In contrast, the concentration of PTHrP(1-34) in the milk increases to a maximum level by the end of the second week of lactation, near which it remains for the rest of the lactation. As found in other species, the concentration of PTHrP(1-34) in mare's milk is considerably higher than that in plasma, sampled at the same time. No significant correlation could be demonstrated between the concentrations of PTHrP(1-34) and ionised calcium in the milk except during the last 10 weeks o...
Broaddus CC, Balasuriya UB, White JL, Timoney PJ, Funk RA, Holyoak GR.To determine whether it is safe to vaccinate pregnant or postpartum mares with a commercial modified-live virus vaccine against equine viral arteritis (EVA). Design-Randomized controlled study. Animals-73 mares and their foals. Methods: Mares were vaccinated during mid gestation, during late gestation, or 2 or 3 days after parturition with a commercial modified-live virus vaccine or were not vaccinated. Foaling outcomes were recorded, and serum, blood, milk, and nasopharyngeal samples were obtained. Results: All mares vaccinated during mid gestation foaled without any problems; 21 of 22 mares ...
Dockalova H, Baholet D, Batik A, Zeman L, Horky P.Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) provides several possible benefits for horses, namely anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. Silybin exerts also pronounced effects on energy metabolism, that could be useful for sport horses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of milk thistle seed cakes (in the form of a granulated mixture with barley) on blood biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, LDH, the total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, TAG, BHB, NEFA, creatine kinase, l...
Batellier F, Magistrini M, Fauquant J, Palmer E.Milk-based semen diluents are known to be practical and effective in protecting equine spermatozoa during storage. Due to complex composition of milk, the components which are beneficial or harmful to spermatozoa are unknown. To address these unknowns the effect of various milk fractions on motility of stallion spermatozoa was evaluated. The fractions tested were native phosphocaseinate (NPPC), beta-casein, whey protein concentrate (WPC), alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, microfiltrate, and ultrafiltrate. The standard reference diluents were INRA 82, commercial skim milk, and Hank's salts...
Doreau M, Boulot S, Barlet JP, Patureau-Mirand P.The yields and composition of milk from nursing mares were studied during the first two months of lactation in 11 mares of heavy breeds (784 kg). Daily yield increased from 21.7 to 24.6 kg between weeks 1 and 8 of lactation. Fat, protein, gross energy and Ca concentrations significantly decreased when lactose content increased during this period. Individual variations were higher for yield than for composition. Casein, whey protein and non-protein N (56, 34 and 10% of crude protein, respectively) and amino acid composition did not vary between weeks 1 and 8 of lactation.
Baker SJ, Gerring EL.Water, saline and a saline/Intralipid mixture (lipid concentration 1.25 per cent) emptied very rapidly from the stomach in neonatal pony foals, and obeyed an apparently exponential pattern. Cisapride did not significantly modify the emptying of the saline/Intralipid mixture. Equine milk emptied more slowly. The data indicated that the lipid component of milk was not an important factor. Milk caused deviation from an exponential pattern in two of four foals: an initial lag phase appeared, which could represent a phase of intragastric processing. However, the rate was still rapid compared with r...
Elferink AJW, Entiriwaa D, Bulgarelli P, Smits NGE, Peters J.Processed milk and milk products produced from bovine milk, commonly contain β-casein A1 (βCA1) and β-casein A2 (βCA2). Since the presence of βCA1 is linked to milk intolerance and digestion problems, A2A2 milk, which only contains βCA2, is proposed as a healthier alternative. To support this health claim, the purity of A2A2-milk has to be guaranteed. In the presented study, a multiplex immunoassay, able to distinguish between βCA2 and βCA1, was developed and real-life applicability was shown on raw milk samples from genotyped A1A1, A1A2 and A2A2 cows. Because of its ability to discrim...
He HY, Liu LL, Chen B, Xiao HX, Liu WJ.Donkey milk has high nutritional and medicinal value, but there are few researches in donkey milk traits, especially on genome. The whole lactation of 89 donkeys was recorded and it was found that Xinjiang donkey had good lactation performance while great differences among individuals. In our previous study, four genes including , , and were identified as milk-associated with Chinese Kazakh house, based on Equine 670k Chip genomic analysis. And then 15 SNPs of the four key genes were conducted for genotyping in Xinjiang donkey in this study, one of Chinese indigenous breed, 14 SNPs were succ...
Chavatte-Palmer P, Arnaud G, Duvaux-Ponter C, Brosse L, Bougel S, Daels P, Guillaume D, Clément F, Palmer E.The induction of lactation is performed in ruminants by steroidogenic impregnation, followed by drugs intended to increase prolactin secretion. The aim of this study was to induce lactation in barren mares and to evaluate milk production. Five treated and 5 control mares were used in June and September in year 1, and 12 mares were used in year 2. Mares were administered a vaginal pessary (500 mg altrenogest and 50 mg estradiol benzoate) for 1 week. The 2nd week, another sponge with 100 mg estradiol benzoate was administered, together with 50 mg/100 kg body weight (BW) sulpiride in oil (IM q12h...
Martin RG, McMeniman NP, Dowsett KF.Intakes of milk and milk nutrients were determined for 8 foals at 11-18 days of age and for 10 foals at 30-44 days and 60-74 days of age while sucking grazing mares. Water intakes (sources other than milk) of the foals were determined at 30-44 days and 60-74 days of age. Five of the 10 mares were fed a protein supplement (24% crude protein) in addition to grazing during the stud season. The protein supplement did not influence foal intakes of milk and milk nutrients, milk composition, weight gains of the mares or the growth rate of the foals. Foal milk intakes increased (P less than 0.05) from...
Laitinen J, Remes E, Hänninen O, Alanko M, Simanainen V.The milk progesterone profiles of four mares were followed daily for four to five weeks after foaling. Progesterone was determined by direct radioimmunoassay using iodinated progesterone as the labelled antigen. The milk progesterone concentration varied from 1 to 5 nmol/1 (0·3 to 1·6 μg/1) during the first 10 days after foaling. The first ovulation took place at about the tenth day. During the luteal phase milk progesterone levels rose dramatically, reaching a maximum level of 30 to 45 nmol/1 (9·4 to 14·2 μg/1) within five to 10 days, and then fell to low levels unless pregnancy followe...
