Temporal changes in concentrations of amino acids in plasma and whole blood of healthy neonatal foals from birth to two days of age.

The research investigates the changes in concentrations of 24 different amino acids in plasma and whole blood in newborn horses from their birth up to their second day of life. The study finds significant temporal changes and differing distribution in these amino acids, with some differing significantly in concentration, between mare and foal pairs at birth.

Amino Acid Concentrations at Birth

• The research found significant ‘hypoaminoacidemia’ – a lower concentration of amino acids – for 15 amino acids in the foals’ plasma at birth when compared with the adult mares.
• Seven amino acids displayed higher concentrations in foals than in mares: aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, hydroxyproline, phenylalanine, and proline.
• The concentrations of two amino acids – taurine and tryptophan – showed no significant difference between the mare and foal pairs.

Temporal Changes over 48 Hours

• The study observed significant temporal changes for 19 out of the 24 selected amino acids in the plasma of the neonatal foals throughout the initial 48-hour period post-birth.
• The concentration of 13 out of these 19 amino acids was found to increase significantly by the 48-hour mark.
• No significant temporal changes in the concentration of 5 amino acids (alanine, methionine, phenylalanine, taurine, threonine) were found within the same timeframe.

Comparison between Whole Blood and Plasma

• The temporal changes in concentrations of seven amino acids (alanine, asparagine, glutamine, histidine, hydroxyproline, methionine, and threonine) in whole blood did not differ significantly from those in plasma.
• The temporal changes for concentrations of the remaining 17 amino acids in whole blood were, however, found to be significantly different compared to the changes observed in plasma.
• The distribution of concentrations of 18 amino acids between whole blood and plasma was significantly different.