Effect of different postnatal care practices on serum gamma globulin concentrations in neonatal foals

Tscheschlok, Lisa; Howard, Judith; Venner, Monika (2016). Effect of different postnatal care practices on serum gamma globulin concentrations in neonatal foals. Pferdeheilkunde, 32(6), pp. 616-622. Hippiatrika Verlagsgesellschaft 10.21836/PEM20160606

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI), estimated using electrophoretic gamma globulin concentrations (EGG), during the first 24 hours of life in neonatal foals given either intensive postnatal assistance to nurse or no assistance for the first twelve hours postnatum. Sixty warmblood foals from the same breeding farm were included in this prospective study. Of these, 40 foals (Group 1) were assisted to stand after one hour and nurse after two hours postnatum. They received colostrum by bottle hourly from two hours postnatum until they nursed unaided, as well as by bottle or nasogastric tube after eight hours postnatum if their general condition declined. A further 20 foals (Group 2) received no initial assistance but were given colostrum by bottle or nasogastric tube twelve hours postnatum if they had not nursed or if their general condition declined. A serum protein electrophoresis was performed from samples collected 6, 8, 10, 12, 18 and 24 hours after birth in each foal. In Group 1, 16/40 foals nursed unaided within two hours postnatum, 16/40 foals were assisted to the dam’s udder, and 8/40 foals received colostrum by bottle. The median time from birth to the first unassisted intake of colostrum was 141 minutes and 149 minutes in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The median EGG concentration was lowest at 6 hours postnatum in both groups. At 10 hours postnatum, both groups achieved a median EGG above 8g/L. The highest median EGG concentration was reached at 12 hours in both groups, after which no significant change in EGG concentrations was observed. No significant difference in EGG concentrations was found between the groups. Moreover, no difference in the proportion of foals with FTPI (defined as EGG <8g/L at 24 hours postnatum) was found between the groups. Findings of the present study suggest that EGG concentrations and FTPI are not significantly affected by the postnatal care practices used in this breeding farm. Further investigations are required to evaluate methods of postnatal care that may considerably impact FTPI in neonatal foals.

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