Administration of RRR-α-tocopherol to pregnant mares stimulates maternal IgG and IgM production in colostrum and enhances vitamin E and IgM status in foals.
Abstract: This study assessed the effect of a vitamin E supplement given to pregnant mares on immunoglobulins (Ig) levels in foals. In addition, the fatty acid (FA) content and composition of the mares' milk was assessed. Milk α-tocopherol concentrations were compared between pregnant Danish Warmblood mares (n = 17) given a daily oral supplement of 2500 international units (IU) RRR-α-tocopherol in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and a group of unsupplemented mares (n = 17) receiving 170-320 IU vitamin E daily originating from the feed. Milk α-tocopherol was higher in supplemented mares (36.7, 12.4 and 9.8 μmol/l respectively) in relation to control mares (13.1, 6.4 and 5.8 μmol/l on days 1, 2 and 3 respectively; p < 0.001). Milk IgG was higher on days 2 and 3 post-partum (PP) in supplemented mares (1.03 and 0.73 mg/ml respectively) in relation to control mares (0.79 and 0.56 mg/ml respectively; p < 0.05). Milk IgM was higher on days 2 and 3 post-partum (PP) in supplemented mares (0.19 and 0.17 mg/ml) in relation to control mares (0.13 and 0.11 mg/ml respectively; p < 0.05). Plasma α-tocopherol in foals was higher from supplemented mares on days 1, 2 and 3 (5.7, 14.8 and 19.2 μmol/l respectively) in relation to foals from control mares (3.6, 6.1 and 7.6 respectively; p < 0.001). Foal plasma IgM was higher from supplemented mares on day 3 (0.50 mg/ml) in relation to foals from control mares (0.32 mg/ml; p < 0.001). The total FA content in milk was highest on day 1 (21.6 g FA/kg milk) in relation to days 2 and 3 (13.6 and 13.5 g FA/kg milk respectively; p < 0.001). In conclusion, a daily oral supplement of 2500 IU RRR-α-tocopherol increased α-tocopherol content in mare milk and foal plasma, IgG and IgM in mare milk and IgM in foal plasma.
© 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2010-08-27 PubMed ID: 20796079DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01043.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Controlled Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the effects of a Vitamin E supplement (RRR-α-tocopherol) given to pregnant horses on the immune health of their offspring. The findings reveal that the supplement boosts specific immunoglobulins, IgG and IgM, as well as vitamin E in the foals, providing health benefits.
Study Overview
- Researchers carried out a study involving 34 pregnant Danish Warmblood mares divided into two groups. One group received a supplement of RRR-α-tocopherol daily for the last four weeks of their pregnancy, while the second group was not supplemented and received vitamin E daily through their feed.
- The supplement used was RRR-α-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E, given at a daily dosage of 2500 international units (IU).
- The aim of the study was to observe how this supplementation affected the immunoglobulin levels in the newborn foals and the dietary fat content of the mares’ milk.
Key Findings
- The findings of the study indicated that vitamin E, represented as α-tocopherol, was higher in the milk of supplemented mares compared to the milk of the unsupplemented mares. This increase was observed during the first three days post-partum.
- The mares that were supplemented with vitamin E also exhibited higher milk IgG and IgM levels on days two and three post-partum. IgG and IgM are types of antibodies that play crucial roles in the body’s immune response.
- The foals from the group of mares that received the vitamin E supplement had higher plasma α-tocopherol and IgM levels compared to those from the unsupplemented group.
- The study also observed the total fatty acid content in mare milk, finding the highest level on the first day post-partum, then decreasing on the following days.
Conclusion
- The results of the study demonstrated that orally supplementing pregnant mares with 2500 IU of RRR-α-tocopherol daily, can result in increased α-tocopherol content in both mare’s milk and in the plasma of newborn foals. It can also lead to increased levels of IgG and IgM antibodies in mare milk, and IgM in foal plasma.
- This highlights the possibility of the effectiveness of supplementing pregnant mares with vitamin E in boosting the immune status of newborn foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Bondo T, Jensen SK.
(2010).
Administration of RRR-α-tocopherol to pregnant mares stimulates maternal IgG and IgM production in colostrum and enhances vitamin E and IgM status in foals.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 95(2), 214-222.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01043.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Basic Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Copenhagen University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Animals
- Animals, Suckling
- Colostrum / chemistry
- Diet / veterinary
- Female
- Horses / blood
- Horses / metabolism
- Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / physiology
- Immunoglobulin A / blood
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Immunoglobulin G / chemistry
- Immunoglobulin G / metabolism
- Immunoglobulin M / blood
- Immunoglobulin M / chemistry
- Immunoglobulin M / metabolism
- Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Pregnancy
- alpha-Tocopherol / blood
- alpha-Tocopherol / pharmacology
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Blanco-Doval A, Barron LJR, Bustamante MÁ, Aldai N. Characterization and monitoring of changes during lactation in the profile of multiple bioactive compounds of milk from grazing mares. J Sci Food Agric 2025 Feb;105(3):1894-1903.
- Rivero MJ, Cooke AS, Gandarillas M, Leon R, Merino VM, Velásquez A. Nutritional composition, fatty acids profile and immunoglobulin G concentrations of mare milk of the Chilean Corralero horse breed. PLoS One 2024;19(9):e0310693.
- Del Prete C, Vastolo A, Pasolini MP, Cocchia N, Montano C, Cutrignelli MI. Effects of maternal dietary supplementation with antioxidants on clinical status of mares and their foal. BMC Vet Res 2024 Sep 11;20(1):404.
- Blanco-Doval A, Barron LJR, Aldai N. Nutritional Quality and Socio-Ecological Benefits of Mare Milk Produced under Grazing Management. Foods 2024 May 4;13(9).
- Viola I, Tizzani P, Perona G, Lussiana C, Mimosi A, Ponzio P, Cornale P. Hazelnut Skin in Ewes' Diet: Effects on Colostrum Immunoglobulin G and Passive Transfer of Immunity to the Lambs. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 21;12(22).
- Anna M, Łukasz M, Adam O, Chełmońska-Soyta A. Effectiveness of immunization with multi-component bacterial immunomodulator in foals at 35th day of life. Sci Rep 2022 Sep 22;12(1):15795.
- Finno CJ, Estell KE, Katzman S, Winfield L, Rendahl A, Textor J, Bannasch DL, Puschner B. Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid α-Tocopherol and Selenium Concentrations in Neonatal Foals with Neuroaxonal Dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):1667-75.
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