TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kuhl, Juliane
A1  - Winterhoff, Nora
A1  - Wulf, Manuela
A1  - Schweigert, Florian J.
A1  - Schwendenwein, Ilse
A1  - Bruckmaier, Rupert M.
A1  - Aurich, Jörg E.
A1  - Kutzer, Peter
A1  - Aurich, Christine
T1  - Changes in faecal bacteria and metabolic parameters in foals during the first six weeks of life
JF  - Veterinary microbiology
N2  - Many foals develop diarrhoea within the first two weeks of life which has been suggested to coincide with postpartum oestrus in their dams. To analyse the pathogenesis of this diarrhoea we have determined faecal bacteria in foals and their dams (n = 30 each), and serum IGF-1 and gamma-globulins for 6 weeks after birth. In addition, effects of beta-carotene supplementation to mares (group 1: 1000 mg/day, n = 15, group 2: control, n = 15) on diarrhoea in foals were studied. Diarrhoea occurred in 92 and 79% of foals in groups 1 and 2, respectively, but was not correlated with oestrus in mares. Beta-carotene supplementation was without effect on foal diarrhoea. In mares, bacterial flora remained stable. The percentage of foals with cultures positive for E. coli was low at birth but increased within one day, the percentage positive for Enterococcus sp. was low for 10 days and for Streptococcus sp. and Staphylococcus sp. was low for 2-4 weeks. By 4 weeks of age, bacterial flora in foals resembled an adult pattern. Concentration of serum IGF-1 was low at birth (group 1:149 +/- 11, group 2:166 17 ng/ml), increased after day 1 (day 7 group 1:384 +/- 30, group 2: 372 +/- 36) but at no time differed between groups. Serum gamma-globulin concentration in foals was low before colostrum intake and highest on day 1 (p < 0.001 over time). In conclusion, neonatal diarrhoea in foals does not coincide with postpartum oestrus in their dams but with changes in intestinal bacteria and is not influenced by beta-carotene supplementation given to mares.
KW  - Foal
KW  - Diarrhoea
KW  - Faecal bacteria
KW  - IGF-1
KW  - Carotene supplementation
Y1  - 2011
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.03.017
SN  - 0378-1135
VL  - 151
IS  - 3-4
SP  - 321
EP  - 328
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -