Temporal changes in concentrations of branched-chain amino acids in plasma on healthy mares and foals from birth to 24 weeks of age.

This research focuses on the changes in levels of certain amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine) in the blood of healthy mares and their offspring, from birth up to 24 weeks of age.

Research Method

• The study investigated the changes in levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), specifically valine, leucine, and isoleucine in the plasma of seven healthy thoroughbred mares and their foals.
• The period of the study covered from the birth (0 week) of the foals until they reached 24 weeks of age.
• The researchers used automated high-performance liquid chromatography to effectively determine the concentrations of these BCAAs in the plasma.

Findings

• The study showed in the case of foals, the plasma valine concentrations were significantly high at 16, 20, and 24 weeks. The plasma leucine levels were significantly elevated at 1 and 3 weeks, while the plasma isoleucine levels were significantly high from 1 to 24 weeks.
• In the mares, the concentrations of plasma valine were significantly high at 16 and 24 weeks. Meanwhile, the levels of plasma leucine and isoleucine were significantly increased at 16 weeks.

Implications

• The results demonstrated that the levels of plasma BCAAs in both mares and foals differed at various periods after birth. It suggests a fluctuation in the need or utilization of these amino acids at different growth stages.
• Valuable baseline data was collected for the concentrations of BCAA in the plasma of healthy foals and mares from birth until 24 weeks of age. This can serve as a reference for future studies or to assess the health conditions of mares and foals in different environments.