Blood volume and rate of growth in Standardbred foals.

The research article delves into the study of parameters of body size and blood volume in 45 Standardbred foals across their first 400 days of life. It was found that body dimensions and blood volume increased with age, with the initial 100 days showing the most significant growth rate, and blood weight could be more accurately predicted using girth and length than age.

Study Participants and Timescale

• The research involved 45 Standardbred foals.
• The study was conducted over the initial 400 days of the foals’ lives.

Growth Patterns and Predictions

• Body dimensions like body weight, chest depth, girth, and length exhibited a curvilinear increase as the foals aged.
• The first 100 days saw more rapid growth compared to the following 300 days.
• Body weight could be more accurately anticipated by employing body girth and length rather than just the age of the foals.

Blood Volume and its Correlation with Age and Body Size

• The total blood volume of the foals showed a proportional increase as they aged. Impressively, the resulting plasma and red cell volumes, calculated as functions of body weight, were high at birth and then subsequently plummeted during the initial months.
• Stability of these values (plasma at 57ml/kg and red cell volumes at 44ml/kg) was noted from the 100th day onwards.
• Interestingly, the study found that the prediction of plasma volume and red cell volume could be done using body size parameters other than just body weight.