Relationships between early foal health, future performance and their dams reproductive health.
Abstract: The objectives of this study were to investigate: (i) relationships between early foal health and their dams' reproductive health at mating/conception as well as after parturition and (ii) health status during early foal life and its association with performance as an adult. The study included 35 foals showing clinical symptoms indicating septicaemia, sometimes in combination with other disturbances, within their first 18 h postpartum (Group I). Eighty-eight foals that were healthy during their first few days of life were used as control (Group II). All foals were born in the same region of Sweden and during the same period, and were expected to become performance athletes based upon the pedigree of their parents. Cytological and bacteriological examination of uterus at the time of mating/insemination at which the foal was conceived, revealed no difference between dams of Group I and Group II foals. Within 2-3 days after parturition, 29% and 4% of dams (p < 0.001) of Group I and Group II foals had metritis, respectively. At 30 days post-parturition, 64% of the dams of Group I foals and 32% of the dams of Group II foals (p = 0.002) had cytological indication of endometritis, and 57% of the dams of Group I foals and 21% of the dams of Group II foals (p < 0.001) showed bacterial growth upon culture. Altogether 29% of the Group I foals and 7% of the Group II foals were killed or died before 2 years of age (p = 0.001). The majority of the remaining Group I foals were poor performers and some were used just for pleasure riding. It is hypothesized that (i) mares--delivering foals that compromised within their first 18 h postpartum--might have suffered from an ascending infection during late gestation and (ii) health status during early foal life might be associated with their performance as adult.
© 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2009-05-07 PubMed ID: 19416490DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2009.01360.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article investigates the connections between the early health of foals and their future performance as well as their mother’s reproductive health. The findings indicate that issues early in a foal’s life can be an indicator of their later performance and could be linked to infections in the mother during late gestation.
Study Design
- The study was centered around two sets of foals – Group I with 35 foals that exhibited symptoms of septicaemia or other disturbances within 18 hours after birth and Group II consisting of 88 foals that showed no such symptoms.
- All foals were born in the same region of Sweden during a designated period and were expected to be strong performers based on their parentage.
- The researchers examined the uterus of the foals’ mothers at the time of conception and found no differences between the groups.
Post-Partum Health of Dams
- The study also evaluated the post-parturition health of the foals’ mothers, finding higher rates of metritis and endometritis in the mothers of Group I foals.
- Two to three days after giving birth, 29% of Group I foals’ mothers had metritis compared to 4% of Group II.
- At 30 days post-parturition, 64% of Group I foals’ mothers and 32% of Group II foals’ mothers showed signs of endometritis. Furthermore, bacterial growth was found in 57% and 21% of Group I and Group II foals’ mothers, respectively.
Member Loss and Performance Results
- 29% of the Group I foals and 7% of the Group II foals died or had to be euthanized before they reached 2 years of age.
- The majority of the surviving Group I foals were not particularly high performers, with some being used only for pleasure riding.
Hypothesis
- The researchers theorize that the health issues observed in Group I foals within their first 18 hours postpartum could be due to an ascending infection in the mothers during the late stages of pregnancy.
- The early health status of the foals may have a direct correlation with their adult performance.
Cite This Article
APA
Hemberg E, Kindahl H, Lundeheim N, Einarsson S.
(2009).
Relationships between early foal health, future performance and their dams reproductive health.
Reprod Domest Anim, 45(5), 817-820.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2009.01360.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Herrgården, Haddebo Bruk, Hjortkvarn.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Endometritis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Postpartum Period
- Pregnancy
- Reproduction
- Retrospective Studies
- Sports
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