FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Animal frontiers : the review magazine of animal agriculture2023; 13(3); 96-100; doi: 10.1093/af/vfad003

Lactation in horses.

Abstract: No abstract available
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2023-06-14 PubMed ID: 37324210PubMed Central: PMC10266743DOI: 10.1093/af/vfad003Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the importance of lactation in horses and how mare colostrum provides important nutrients and bioactive factors crucial to a newborn foal’s health. It also provides insights into the structure of a mare’s udder and its low predisposition to diseases, as well as the milk production process.

Mare Colostrum and Its Role for Newborn Foals

  • The research highlights the importance of mare colostrum, the first milk produced post-birth, as a critical source of immunoglobulin G and other bioactive factors necessary for the foal’s health. This includes the foal’s protection from pathogens and establishment of gut microbiota, both of which can significantly influence foal health and growth.
  • Moreover, the nutritious elements in mare’s milk play a crucial part in supporting the foal’s growth and development for the first six to nine months of its life.

Lactation Process in Mares

  • Lactation is considered the most energetically demanding phase for a mare. A foal relies entirely on its mother’s milk for approximately the first month of life, after which it begins to consume other food.
  • Under human management, mares lactate for three to six months, equaling 25-50% of the gestation period. Lactation peaks approximately 30 to 60 days after foaling, where daily milk production can range from 12 to 15 liters, making up 21 to 25% of a foal’s body weight.

Structural Highlights of the Mare’s Udder

  • Mammary glands in mares begin to develop postnatally during puberty, pause, and is completed during the last two months of gestation. This tissue forms lobes (groups) of alveoli or small sacs that synthesize milk. These alveoli then drain into a duct system that collects and route the milk out of the udder during suckling.
  • Each half of a mare’s udder contains two separate mammary gland complexes. Each of these drains into distinct teat cisterns and teat canals. This is distinct from livestock like cows, ewes, and goats where milk produced from a single mammary gland converges at a single teat canal and orifice. By keeping milk from both mammary glands separate, it allows each milk to retain its unique properties until it reaches the foal’s mouth.
  • Additionally, the udder’s structure contributes to a mare’s low rate of diseases such as mastitis.

Cite This Article

APA
Reiter AS, Reed SA. (2023). Lactation in horses. Anim Front, 13(3), 96-100. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfad003

Publication

Animal frontiers : the review magazine of animal agriculture
ISSN: 2160-6064
NlmUniqueID: 101754918
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Pages: 96-100

Researcher Affiliations

Reiter, Amanda S
  • Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
Reed, Sarah A
  • Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.

References

This article includes 26 references
  1. Ciesla A, Palacz R, Janiszewska J, Skorka D. Total protein, selected protein fractions and chemical elements in the colostrum and milk of mares (Short Communication). Arch. Anim. Breed. 52:1–6.
    doi: 10.5194/aab-52-1-2009google scholar: lookup
  2. Csapo J, Salamon S, Loki K, Csapo-Kiss Z. Composition of mare’s colostrum and milk II. Protein content, amino acid composition and contents of macro- and micro-elements. Acta Univ. Sapientiae, Aliment. 2:133–148.
  3. de Halleux V, Rigo J. Variability in human milk composition: benefit of individualized fortification in very-low-birth-weight infants. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 98:529S–535S.
    doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.042689pubmed: 23824725google scholar: lookup
  4. Dzidic A. Studies on milk ejection and milk removal during machine milking in different species. .
  5. Dzidic A, Knopf L, Bruckmaier RM. Oxytocin release and milk removal in machine-milked mares. Milchwissenschaft 57:423–424.
  6. Foley JA, Hunter AG, Otterby DE. Absorption of colostral proteins by newborn calves fed unfermented, fermented, or buffered colostrum. J. Dairy Sci. 61:1450–1456.
    doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(78)83748-5pubmed: 81841google scholar: lookup
  7. Godhia ML, Patel N. Colostrum - its composition, benefits as a nutraceutical - a review. Curr. Res. Nutr. Food Sci. 1:37–47.
    doi: 10.12944/CRNFSJ.1.1.04google scholar: lookup
  8. Hughes K. Development and pathology of the equine mammary gland. J. Mammary Gland Biol. Neoplasia 26:121–134.
    doi: 10.1007/s10911-020-09471-2pmc: PMC8236023pubmed: 33280071google scholar: lookup
  9. Kehoe SI, Jayarao BM, Heinrichs AJ. A survey of bovine colostrum composition and colostrum management practices on Pennsylvania dairy farms. J. Dairy Sci. 90:4108–4116.
    doi: 10.3168/jds.2007-0040pubmed: 17699028google scholar: lookup
  10. Malacarne M, Martuzzi F, Summer A, Mariani P. Protein and fat composition of mare’s milk: some nutritional remarks with reference to human and cow’s milk. Int. Dairy J. 12:869–877.
    doi: 10.1016/s0958-6946(02)00120-6google scholar: lookup
  11. Markiewicz-Keszycka M, Czyzak-Runowska G, Wojtowski J, Jozwik A, Pankiewicz R, Leska B, Krzyzewski J, Strzalkowska N, Marchewka J, Bagnicka E. Influence of stage of lactation and year season on composition of mares’ colostrum and milk and method and time of storage on vitamin C content in mares’ milk. J. Sci. Food Agric. 95:2279–2286.
    doi: 10.1002/jsfa.6947pubmed: 25298151google scholar: lookup
  12. Martin RG, McMeniman NP, Dowsett KF. Milk and water intakes of foals sucking grazing mares. Equine Vet. J. 24:295–299.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb02839.xpubmed: 1499538google scholar: lookup
  13. Morresey PR. Agalactia, dysgalactia, and nutrition of the postpartum mare. In: AAEP Annual Convention, Anaheim, CA, USA; p. 370–374.
  14. Palmeira P, Quinello C, Silveira-Lessa AL, Zago CA, Carneiro-Sampaio M. IgG placental transfer in healthy and pathological pregnancies. Clin. Dev. Immunol. 2012:1985646–1985613.
    doi: 10.1155/2012/985646pmc: PMC3251916pubmed: 22235228google scholar: lookup
  15. Pasquini M, Tommei B, Trenti G, Falaschini A. Pre-foaling period in Trotter mares – 2: variations of protein fractions in pre-colostrum secretion. Ital. J. Anim. Sci. 4((Suppl. 2):427424–427429.
    doi: 10.4081/ijas.2005.2s.424google scholar: lookup
  16. Peaker M, Rossdale PD, Forsyth IA, Falk M. Changes in mammary development and composition of secretion during late pregnancy in the mare. J. Reprod. Fertil Suppl. 27:555–561.
    pubmed: 289836
  17. Pecka E, Dobrzanski Z, Zachwieja A, Szulc T, Czyz K. Studies of composition and major protein level in milk and colostrum of mares. Anim. Sci. J. 83:162–168.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1740-0929.2011.00930.xpubmed: 22339698google scholar: lookup
  18. Perez MD, Calvo M. Interaction of beta-lactoglobulin with retinol and fatty acids and its role as a possible biological function for this protein: a review. J. Dairy Sci. 78:978–988.
    doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(95)76713-3pubmed: 7622732google scholar: lookup
  19. Pieszka M, Łuszczyński J, Zamachowska M, Augustyn R, Długosz B, Hędrzak M. Is mare milk an appropriate food for people? – a review. Ann. Anim. Sci. 16:33–51.
    doi: 10.1515/aoas-2015-0041google scholar: lookup
  20. Playford RJ, Weiser MJ. Bovine colostrum: its constituents and uses. Nutrients 13:265.
    doi: 10.3390/nጁ0265pmc: PMC7831509pubmed: 33477653google scholar: lookup
  21. Polidori P, Rapaccetti R, Klimanova Y, Zhang J, Santini G, Vincenzetti S. Nutritional parameters in colostrum of different mammalian species. Beverages 8:54.
    doi: 10.3390/beverages8030054google scholar: lookup
  22. Puppel K, Golebiewski M, Grodkowski G, Slosarz J, Kunowska-Slosarz M, Solarczyk P, Lukasiewicz M, Balcerak M, Przysucha T. Composition and factors affecting quality of bovine colostrum: a review. Animals 9.
    doi: 10.3390/ani9121070pmc: PMC6940821pubmed: 31810335google scholar: lookup
  23. Salimei E, Fantuz F. Equid milk for human consumption. Int. Dairy J. 24:130–142.
    doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2011.11.008google scholar: lookup
  24. Stelwagen K, Carpenter E, Haigh B, Hodgkinson A, Wheeler TT. Immune components of bovine colostrum and milk. J. Anim. Sci. 87:3–9.
    doi: 10.2527/jas.2008-1377pubmed: 18952725google scholar: lookup
  25. Superti F. Lactoferrin from bovine milk: a protective companion for life. Nutrients 12:2562.
    doi: 10.3390/nሉ2562pmc: PMC7551115pubmed: 32847014google scholar: lookup
  26. Uniacke-Lowe T, Huppertz T, Fox PF. Equine milk proteins: chemistry, structure and nutritional significance. Int. Dairy J. 20:609–629.
    doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2010.02.007google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Shokrollahi B, Choi JY, Won M, Kim ET, Lee SE, Ham JS. Koumiss (Fermented Mare's Milk) as a Functional Food: Bioactive Proteins, Peptides, and Future Perspectives. Foods 2025 Nov 18;14(22).
    doi: 10.3390/foods14223954pubmed: 41300112google scholar: lookup
  2. Kossaliyeva G, Rysbekuly K, Zhaparkulova K, Kozykan S, Li J, Serikbayeva A, Shynykul Z, Zhaparkulova M, Yessimsiitova Z. Chemical composition, physical properties, and immunomodulating study of mare's milk of the Adaev horse breed from Kazakhstan. Front Nutr 2025;12:1443031.
    doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1443031pubmed: 40357039google scholar: lookup
  3. Chen X, Gulbahar K, Ding H, Nie C, Gao X. Comparative analysis of proteomics and transcriptomics reveals novel mechanism underlying the antibacterial activity and immune-enhancing properties of horse milk. Front Nutr 2025;12:1512669.
    doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1512669pubmed: 40135224google scholar: lookup
  4. 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.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04252-zpubmed: 39256763google scholar: lookup
  5. Ulaangerel T, Wang M, Zhao B, Yi M, Shen Y, Mengkh Y, Wen X, Dugarjav M, Bou G. A Comparative Analysis of the Gene Expression Profiles in the Mammary Glands of Lactating and Nonlactating Mares at the Second Month of Gestation. Animals (Basel) 2024 Aug 9;14(16).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14162319pubmed: 39199853google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,780 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.