[Foal diseases and foal loss].

This research investigates the incidence and progression of infectious and non-infectious diseases, as well as mortality, in foals born and raised at the State Stud Marbach/Lauter from 1982 to 1991. The study found that prenatal diseases were the most common, and the rate of infectious diseases increased from the pre- to the postnatal period.

Details of the Research

• The research was conducted on foals that were born and raised at the State Stud Marbach/Lauter between 1982 and 1991. This totalled 462 foals, consisting of 177 Thoroughbred Arabians and 285 German Warmblood foals.
• The investigation followed the foals from birth to weaning, observing the occurrence and progression of both infectious and non-infectious diseases, as well as noting instances of mortality.

Disease Classification and Rates

• The diseases were classified into three groups based on their origin and time of onset: prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal.
• Prenatal diseases were the most prevalent, with 11.25% of the foals affected. Comparatively, the perinatal rate was 1.30% and the postnatal rate was 8.66%.
• Remarkably, the study found that the incidence of infectious diseases increased as the foals grew from the pre- to the postnatal period.

Comparison Between Breeds

• When the researchers compared the two breeds, they found differences in the susceptibility to infectious diseases. Particularly, the Arabian foals were nearly twice as likely to suffer from infectious diseases, with a rate of 9% compared to the Warmblood foals’ rate of 4.9%.
• The research suggests that this higher rate of disease in the Arabians may be due to a lower level of colostral immunoglobulins, substances that are key to a newborn’s immune system, as found in a previous study conducted by the same researchers.

Prevention of Infectious Diseases

• The study underscored the importance of measuring mare colostral and foal serum IgG levels for disease prevention.
• The research also emphasizes the value of paramunisation, a method used to stimulate the immune system, in neonatal and weaned foals as a means to prevent infectious diseases.