How type of parturition and health status influence hormonal and metabolic profiles in newborn foals.
Abstract: Thyroid hormones, insulin growth factor I (IGF-I) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) represent important hormonal and metabolic factors associated with perinatal growth and maturation. Their action could be influenced by the type of parturition and the health status of the foal and therefore the aim of this work is to evaluate their plasma concentrations in newborn foals during the first 2 wks of life. Three groups of subjects were enrolled: 15 healthy foals born by spontaneous parturition, 24 healthy foals born by induced parturition and 26 pathologic foals. From each of the healthy foals, blood was collected at 10, 20 and 30 minutes, 3 and 12 hours from birth, daily from Day 1 to Day 7, and at Day 10 and 14 of life. In pathologic foals samples were collected twice a day from the day of admission at the hospital until the day of discharge or death. Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and IGF-I were analyzed by radioimmunoassay and NEFA by enzymatic-colorimetric methods. In all the three groups a declining trend of T3 and T4 plasma concentrations was detectable, with lower levels in the pathologic group compared to healthy foals. Spontaneous foals showed higher levels of T3 at 7 d compared to induced foals, while T4 levels were higher in spontaneous vs. induced foals before 6 h of life, at three and seven days. IGF-I showed increasing plasma concentrations in all three considered groups. No differences were found between healthy and pathologic foals. NEFA in spontaneous and induced healthy foals showed a declining trend with higher levels during the first hours of life. Pathologic foals presented higher levels compared to spontaneous foals only at 24 h and 10 d. These data suggest that the type of foaling could influence the reference ranges for thyroid hormones. Moreover, pathologic foals showed some hormonal and metabolic differences related to their health status. Above all changes of thyroid hormones levels, early in postnatal life, could be a cause, and not only a consequence, of the diseased condition of these foals.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2011-12-06 PubMed ID: 22153270DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.10.023Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study investigates how the type of birth and health condition of newborn foals impact their hormonal (mainly thyroid hormones and Insulin Growth Factor I) and metabolic (specifically non-esterified fatty acids) profiles. The researchers found that thyroid hormone levels decline in all newborn foals, with unhealthy foals having lower levels. It was also observed that the type of birth may influence the normal range for thyroid hormones.
Research Procedures
- The researchers divided the subjects into three groups: those born through natural birth and healthy, those born through induced birth and also healthy, and those that are diseased. Blood was collected from the foals multiple times at various intervals within their initial 14 days of life.
- The blood samples were then examined for levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), Insulin Growth Factor I (IGF-I), and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). The analysis was done using radioimmunoassay and enzymatic-colorimetric methods.
Results of the Research
- Across all groups, thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) levels showed a decreasing trend, but the sick foals had significantly lower levels compared to the healthy ones.
- Foals that were born naturally had higher thyroid hormones levels at certain periods within the first 7 days compared to those born through induced parturition.
- IGF-I levels, on the other hand, increased across all groups without any difference seen between the healthy and unhealthy newborns.
- NEFA levels decreased among both healthy foals regardless of the birth type, with high levels noted during the first hours of life. Contrastingly, the sick foals had higher NEFA levels only at the 24-hour and 10-day marks.
Conclusions Drawn from the Study
- The findings suggest that the type of birth could have an influence on the reference ranges for thyroid hormones in newborn foals.
- Sick foals showed certain unique hormonal and metabolic changes related to their health condition. The researchers suggest that changes in thyroid hormones, particularly early in postnatal life, may be more than a result of sickness and could contribute to the illness in these foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Panzani S, Comin A, Galeati G, Romano G, Villani M, Faustini M, Veronesi MC.
(2011).
How type of parturition and health status influence hormonal and metabolic profiles in newborn foals.
Theriogenology, 77(6), 1167-1177.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.10.023 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, via G. Celoria, 10 20133 Milan, Italy. sara.panzani@unimi.it
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn / growth & development
- Animals, Newborn / metabolism
- Animals, Newborn / physiology
- Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
- Health Status
- Horses / growth & development
- Horses / metabolism
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
- Parturition
- Thyroid Hormones / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Müller V, Toribio RE, Dembek K, Moraes BSS, Mousquer MA, Curcio BR, Nogueira CEW. Serum cortisol and thyroid hormone concentrations and survival in foals born from mares with experimentally induced ascending placentitis. J Vet Intern Med 2020 May;34(3):1332-1338.
- Peugnet P, Wimel L, Duchamp G, Sandersen C, Camous S, Guillaume D, Dahirel M, Dubois C, Jouneau L, Reigner F, Berthelot V, Chaffaux S, Tarrade A, Serteyn D, Chavatte-Palmer P. Enhanced or reduced fetal growth induced by embryo transfer into smaller or larger breeds alters post-natal growth and metabolism in pre-weaning horses. PLoS One 2014;9(7):e102044.
- Breuhaus BA. Thyroid function and dysfunction in term and premature equine neonates. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1301-9.
- Stoeckle SD, Stage HJ, Gehlen H. Thyroid Disease in Horses-Retrospective Case Series on Patients Examined for Thyroid Disease in an Equine University Clinic (2009-2024). Vet Sci 2025 Nov 27;12(12).
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