Comparative Study on 15‐Ketodihydro‐PGF_2α Plasma Concentrations in Newborn Horses, Donkeys and Calves

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the plasma profiles of 15-ketodihydro-PGF(2α) (PGM) in healthy neonates of three different species from birth until the third week of life. Twenty-four horse foals, 12 donkey foals, and 9 calves were studied. Blood samples were collected at 10, 20 and 30 min after birth, at 3, 24 and 72 h after birth, and at 7, 10, 17 and 21 days of life. All mothers experienced normal gestation lengths and normal, spontaneous deliveries. All newborns were judged mature and viable. Hormone concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in horse foals 20 and 30 min after birth compared to later samples, and at 10 min in donkey foals compared to later samples (p < 0.05). In calves, higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of PGM were observed 10, 20, 30 min and 3 hours from parturition compared to later samples. These findings may be related to increased fetal placental unit production during parturition, while the relatively high PGF(2α) levels in the days after parturition may be connected with their role in completing organ maturation. Despite the existing differences between these species, the statistical analysis did not discover significant differences in PGM profiles during the first 3 weeks of life in donkey, horse and cattle newborns. The low levels observed 10 days after birth are possibly due to a fast completion of maturational development in these species.

Behavior of Martina Franca donkey breed jenny-and-foal dyad in the neonatal period

“…All the jennies foaled spontaneously and unassisted, at the physiologic term of pregnancy. All the eutocic deliveries occurred between 10:00 pm and 04:00 am, and in all cases, the fetal and placental expulsion times fulfilled the criteria previously reported for normal parturition in Martina Franca donkey breed (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011). The 11 foals were mature, healthy, and viable, with Apgar score, body weight, time for standing, and for first suck within the ranges previously reported for this donkey breed (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011).…”

“…In detail, when the foals' physiologic characteristic. Similar data in donkeys were lacking until about one decade ago, when donkey-related research was performed and data about normal foaling and neonatal physiologic behaviors for the Martina Franca donkey breed were provided (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011). The present study aimed to describe, for the first time, the behaviors of Martina Franca donkey breed jenny-and-foal dyad in the first 24 hours after birth under normal maternal and neonatal physio-logic conditions.…”

“…Those parameters provided the first reference data for normal parturition and neonatal early physiology in the horse, followed by numerous articles that completed those reference data in the subsequent decades. Similar data in donkeys were lacking until about one decade ago, when donkey-related research was performed and data about normal foaling and neonatal physiologic behaviors for the Martina Franca donkey breed were provided (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011). The present study aimed to describe, for the first time, the behav-iors of Martina Franca donkey breed jenny-and-foal dyad in the first 24 hours after birth under normal maternal and neonatal physio-logic conditions.In the present study, because all the 11 jennies and their 11 foals fulfilled the requirements for normal pregnancy length, normal spontaneous, unassisted eutocic vaginal delivery, giving birth to mature, healthy, and viable foals (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011), data obtained from all the 11 dyads were analyzed and reported.…”

“…All the jennies were allowed foaling spontaneously, under sur-veillance, but without interference. Foalings were defined as normal and spontaneous, and donkey foals defined as mature, healthy, and viable, according to the criteria reported for the Mar-tina Franca donkey breed (Carluccio et al, 2008;Carluccio et al, 2015;Panzani et al, 2012b;Veronesi et al, 2011).…”

Serum biochemical profile in Holstein Friesian and Belgian blue calves in the first 48 hours of life

“…The result of these adaptation mechanisms is mirrored by marked changes in biochemical blood parameters and may depend on different factors (Hillman et al 2012). Previous investigations on serum biochemical adaptations in calves (Mohri et al 2007;P erez-Santos et al 2015) did not include the very first hours after birth, although it is exactly during these few hours that many metabolic adaptations take place (Panzani et al 2012;Graves and Haley 2013). The reference intervals established for adult cattle are used to assess the biochemistry results of calves older than one week, but at younger ages, events associated with birth and colostrum intake must be considered, as they might cause physiologic variations at least in some analytes (P erez-Santos et al 2015).…”