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Equine veterinary journal2009; 41(2); 179-185; doi: 10.2746/042516408x345116

Diseases in neonatal foals. Part 1: the 30 day incidence of disease and the effect of prophylactic antimicrobial drug treatment during the first three days post partum.

Abstract: Neonatal diseases have been grouped and analysed but up-to-date statistically significant information about the incidence and prevalence of diseases in foals is limited. Since the 1950s it has been a common management practice to administer a 3 day course of antimicrobial drugs to neonatal foals. This was shown to significantly reduce the incidence of infections (Platt 1977). Since then management practices have improved and it is widely believed that prophylactic antimicrobial drugs are no longer necessary in foal rearing. Objective: To determine the 30 day incidences or prevalences (depending on case definition) of various diseases and conditions in the neonatal foal and ascertain the influence of a prophylactic 3 day treatment on the frequency of infections. Methods: The population consisted of Thoroughbred foals born on stud farms in the Newmarket (UK) area in 2005 (n = 1031). Depending on the stud farm's practice in the use of prophylactic antimicrobial drugs, 2 groups of newborn foals (treated and untreated) were identified and followed for 30 days. Results: The 30 day incidences of infectious diseases under study were between 0.2% (osteomyelitis) and 5.85% (systemic disease with diarrhoea). The overall incidence for 'total infectious diseases' was 8.27%. The most commonly observed noninfectious condition was limb deformities (12.11% of all foals). There was no significant difference in the incidence of infectious diseases between the 2 groups. Conclusions: Infectious diseases are still an important problem in neonatal foals requiring further investigation as to which factors other than antimicrobial prophylaxis are relevant for disease prevention. Conclusions: The results provide an up-to-date overview about the frequencies of various neonatal foal diseases. They do not support the traditional prophylactic use of antimicrobials to prevent infectious diseases in healthy newborn foals. However, it should be noted that this study was not a randomised controlled trial and therefore does not provide the strongest possible evidence for this conclusion.
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Publication Date: 2009-05-08 PubMed ID: 19418748DOI: 10.2746/042516408x345116Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research article studied the incidence of different diseases and conditions in new born foals over a thirty day period, and the effect of prophylactic antibiotic treatment administered for three days post-birth. The study concluded that infectious diseases remain an issue in newborn foals but preventative use of antimicrobials did not show a significant reduction in the incidence of those diseases.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The study aimed to determine the prevalence of various diseases in newborn foals over 30 days and examine the influence of a prophylactic three-day antibiotic treatment on the frequency of infections.
  • A population of Thoroughbred foals born on stud farms in the Newmarket (UK) region in 2005 was observed with two groups identified, treated with antibiotics and untreated.
  • The study tracked both groups over 30 days to analyze results.

Study Findings

  • The study found incidences of infectious diseases ranging from 0.2% (osteomyelitis) to 5.85% (systemic disease with diarrhoea) with the overall rate of infectious diseases marked at 8.27%.
  • Non-infectious conditions were also observed, the most common being limb deformities which constituted 12.11% of all observed foal illnesses.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that infectious diseases remain a significant problem in newborn thoroughbreds, urging further investigation into factors beyond antibiotic prophylaxis relevant to disease prevention.
  • Despite popular practice, the results did not back the traditional preventative use of antimicrobials in healthy newborn foals.
  • The researchers highlighted that the study was not a randomized control trial, hence while it provides valuable insights, it does not represent the strongest possible evidence to fully back its conclusions.

Cite This Article

APA
Wohlfender FD, Barrelet FE, Doherr MG, Straub R, Meier HP. (2009). Diseases in neonatal foals. Part 1: the 30 day incidence of disease and the effect of prophylactic antimicrobial drug treatment during the first three days post partum. Equine Vet J, 41(2), 179-185. https://doi.org/10.2746/042516408x345116

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 41
Issue: 2
Pages: 179-185

Researcher Affiliations

Wohlfender, F D
  • Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland.
Barrelet, F E
    Doherr, M G
      Straub, R
        Meier, H P

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Animals, Newborn
          • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
          • Antibiotic Prophylaxis / methods
          • Antibiotic Prophylaxis / veterinary
          • Female
          • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
          • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
          • Horses
          • Incidence
          • Infection Control
          • Infections / epidemiology
          • Infections / veterinary
          • Male
          • Postpartum Period
          • Prevalence
          • United Kingdom / epidemiology

          Citations

          This article has been cited 10 times.
          1. Goodman-Davis R, Figurska M, Cywinska A. Gut Microbiota Manipulation in Foals-Naturopathic Diarrhea Management, or Unsubstantiated Folly?. Pathogens 2021 Sep 4;10(9).
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            doi: 10.3390/ani10122309pubmed: 33291496google scholar: lookup
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          6. Galvin N, Corley K. Causes of disease and death from birth to 12 months of age in the Thoroughbred horse in Ireland. Ir Vet J 2010 Jan 1;63(1):37-43.
            doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-63-1-37pubmed: 21851741google scholar: lookup
          7. Chen LT, Wesdorp E, Jager M, Siegers EW, Theelen MJP, Besselink N, Vermeulen C, Zomer AL, Broens EM, Wagenaar JA, de Ridder J. Bacterial cell-free DNA profiling reveals the co-elevation of multiple bacteria in newborn foals with suspected sepsis. iScience 2025 Dec 19;28(12):114005.
            doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114005pubmed: 41476946google scholar: lookup
          8. Penazzi L, Pagliara E, Nervo T, Ala U, Bertuglia A, Romano G, Hattab J, Tiscar PG, Bergagna S, Pagliasso G, Antoniazzi S, Cavallarin L, Valle E, Prola L. Dietary supplementation of new-born foals with free nucleotides positively affects neonatal diarrhoea management. Ir Vet J 2025 Mar 1;78(1):7.
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          9. Shnaiderman-Torban A, Meltzer L, Zilberman-Daniels T, Navon-Venezia S, Cohen A, Sutton GA, Blum SE, Amit S, Steinman A. Infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in hospitalized neonatal foals: Can colonization predict infection?. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e17299.
            doi: 10.1111/jvim.17299pubmed: 39980458google scholar: lookup
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            doi: 10.1128/microbiolspec.ARBA-0018-2017pubmed: 29932044google scholar: lookup
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