Seasonal Changes in Trace-Element Content in the Coat of Hucul Horses.
Authors: Jachimowicz-Rogowska Karolina, Topczewska Jadwiga, Krupa Wanda, Bajcar Marcin, Kwiecień Małgorzata, Winiarska-Mieczan Anna
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Seasonal Trace-Element Fluctuations in Hucul Horse Coats Coat mineral composition reflects dietary intake and systemic mineral status, making it a non-invasive biomarker for nutritional assessment in horses. Researchers analysed hair samples from 24 Hucul horses across three seasons (autumn, winter, spring) from two facilities in south-eastern Poland, measuring iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and aluminium concentrations alongside feed analysis. Zinc peaked in summer coats, whilst autumn samples showed the highest iron, copper, manganese, and aluminium; winter coats conversely demonstrated elevated iron, manganese, and aluminium but depleted zinc levels. Significant positive correlations emerged between iron–manganese, iron–aluminium, and manganese–aluminium pairs, suggesting coordinated mineral metabolism or shared dietary sources. The marked inter-individual and inter-facility variability observed underscores that seasonal patterns alone cannot predict coat mineral status; future investigations should account for management factors, pasture availability, supplementation protocols, and individual metabolic differences to establish reliable reference ranges for breed-specific nutritional monitoring.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Seasonal changes in forage and feed quality directly impact coat mineral status; monitor feed trace element profiles, particularly zinc availability in winter months
- •Individual horse variability in coat mineral uptake suggests blanket supplementation protocols may be ineffective; consider testing to guide targeted intervention
- •Autumn coat shedding and spring growth phases show distinct mineral signatures that could serve as non-invasive biomarkers for assessing nutritional adequacy in local herds
Key Findings
- •Coat trace element concentrations varied significantly by season, with zinc highest in summer and iron, copper, manganese, and aluminum highest in autumn
- •Winter coat samples showed highest concentrations of iron, manganese, and aluminum but lowest zinc levels
- •Positive correlations existed between iron-manganese, iron-aluminum, and manganese-aluminum in coat composition
- •Substantial inter-individual and inter-stable variability was observed, suggesting multiple factors beyond season influence coat mineral content