Comparative Assessment of Oxidative and Antioxidant Parameters in Mule and Horse Neonates during Their First Month of Extrauterine Adaptation.
Authors: Riccio Amanda Vallone, Costa Barbara Kolecha, Alonso Maria Augusta, Affonso Fernanda Jordão, França Danilo Souza, Nichi Marcilio, Belli Carla Bargi, McLean Amy Katherine, Boakari Yatta Linhares, Fernandes Claudia Barbosa
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
Newborn foals and mules experience a significant physiological shock after birth as they transition from the protected intrauterine environment to one rich in oxygen, triggering oxidative stress and free radical generation that must be carefully balanced by the body's antioxidant defences. Researchers measured oxidative damage markers (TBARS and carbonyl groups), antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase), and bilirubin levels in both species at multiple timepoints from immediately post-parturition through 30 days of age. Mule neonates demonstrated consistently lower lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and bilirubin concentrations alongside higher glutathione peroxidase activity compared to foals, whilst both species showed progressive decline in lipid damage markers over the observation period and a marked spike in glutathione peroxidase activity by day 30. These findings suggest mules and foals employ distinctly different metabolic strategies for managing oxidative stress during the critical neonatal adaptation period, which may have implications for understanding species-specific vulnerability to neonatal disease and informing preventative management strategies. Practitioners working with newborn equines should consider that mules' apparent superior antioxidant capacity may confer different nutritional and pharmacological requirements during the early neonatal period, though further investigation into the clinical significance of these biochemical differences is warranted.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Mule and horse neonates may require different monitoring protocols for oxidative stress markers and antioxidant capacity during their first month of life, as they demonstrate distinct physiological adaptation patterns.
- •Lower bilirubin levels in mule neonates suggest potentially different hepatic function or hemolysis patterns compared to horse neonates; veterinarians should adjust reference values and clinical assessment accordingly.
- •The progressive decrease in lipid peroxidation markers and increase in antioxidant activity over 30 days provides a baseline for detecting abnormal neonatal adaptation in both species.
Key Findings
- •Mule neonates demonstrated significantly lower TBARS concentrations (lipid peroxidation marker) compared to horse neonates throughout the 30-day observation period.
- •Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was consistently higher in mule neonates, with a substantial increase at day 30 in both groups.
- •Bilirubin levels were notably reduced in mule neonates compared to horse neonates during extrauterine adaptation.
- •Mules and horses exhibit distinct oxidative and antioxidant capacity patterns during the first month of life, suggesting different adaptation mechanisms to extrauterine conditions.