Survey of biochemical and oxidative profile in donkey foals suckled with one natural and one semi-artificial technique.
Authors: De Palo Pasquale, Maggiolino Aristide, Albenzio Marzia, Casalino Elisabetta, Neglia Gianluca, Centoducati Gerardo, Tateo Alessandra
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Biochemical Profiles in Separated Donkey Foals Dairy donkey production requires separating foals from their dams for extended periods to enable milking, raising questions about optimal nutrition and metabolic wellbeing during these separations. Researchers compared two rearing strategies in forty Martina Franca donkey foals: natural suckling (NS) with hay and concentrates available during the 12-hour daily separation, and artificial suckling (AS) where foals additionally had access to a mechanical milk replacer dispenser until 120 days of age. Weekly blood sampling through the first 26 weeks of life revealed significant differences in several key metabolites between groups, particularly alanine-aminotransferase, aspartate-aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), lipid hydroperoxides, and serum proteins, with both age and suckling technique influencing biochemical profiles. Despite these metabolic variations, neither group developed subclinical or pathological conditions, demonstrating that 12-hour daily separations over 24 weeks do not compromise donkey foal health—an important validation for commercial dairy operations. For equine professionals managing dairy donkeys, these findings suggest that either approach is physiologically sustainable, though the metabolic differences warrant further investigation to determine whether milk replacer supplementation optimises growth velocity or long-term performance outcomes.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Dairy donkey producers can safely implement 12-hour daily separation protocols for milking without causing metabolic stress or welfare concerns in foals
- •Artificial milk replacer availability during separation is optional from a foal health perspective, though it may influence specific metabolic markers
- •Donkeys show greater tolerance to separation-based management systems than horses, making them suitable for dairy production models
Key Findings
- •Biochemical analytes including ALT, AST, ALP, NEFA, lipid hydroperoxides, and serum proteins showed significant differences between artificially suckled (AS) and naturally suckled (NS) groups
- •Daily 12-hour separation of foals from dams for 24 weeks did not result in pathological or subclinical metabolic conditions in either group
- •Donkey foals demonstrated high rusticity and resistance to the stress of separation for milking procedures
- •Both suckling technique and foal age significantly influenced biochemical analyte values throughout the study period