Energy-related parameters and their association with age, gender, and morphometric measurements in healthy donkeys.
Authors: Mendoza F J, Estepa J C, Gonzalez-De Cara C A, Aguilera-Aguilera R, Toribio R E, Perez-Ecija A
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Energy Metabolism and Body Composition in Healthy Donkeys Understanding how donkeys regulate energy metabolism is crucial for recognising endocrine and metabolic disease in this species, yet their metabolic parameters have received minimal research attention compared with horses—a significant gap given documented haemostatic and endocrinological differences between the two species. Mendoza and colleagues measured nine energy-related variables (glucose, triglycerides, insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, and IGF-1) in 62 healthy donkeys to establish baseline reference ranges and examine associations with morphometric indices (body condition score, neck score, and body mass index), sex, and age. Several hormones aligned with equine reference intervals—notably insulin, glucagon, leptin and IGF-1—but adiponectin and active ghrelin concentrations were markedly lower in donkeys, suggesting distinct metabolic regulation of satiety and insulin sensitivity in this species. Increased neck circumference and BMI correlated strongly with elevated triglycerides, leptin, and IGF-1, whilst males showed higher plasma glucose and larger morphometric measurements independent of body fat accumulation, and younger animals demonstrated lower concentrations of triglycerides and leptin. These findings highlight the importance of species-specific diagnostic criteria for donkeys and provide practical reference ranges for practitioners interpreting metabolic blood work; the newly developed donkey-specific neck scoring system offers a simple clinical tool for assessing regional adiposity and associated metabolic risk.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Donkeys cannot be assumed metabolically equivalent to horses; species-specific reference ranges and diagnostic criteria are necessary to avoid misdiagnosis of endocrine disorders.
- •Neck scoring in donkeys correlates with metabolic parameters and adiposity-related health risks; a donkey-specific scoring system should be implemented for accurate body condition assessment.
- •Gender and age significantly influence endocrine markers and morphometric measurements in donkeys independent of body weight, requiring age- and sex-adjusted diagnostic thresholds in clinical practice.
Key Findings
- •Adiponectin and active ghrelin concentrations were significantly lower in donkeys compared to horses, suggesting species-specific metabolic differences.
- •Donkeys with higher neck scores and body mass indices showed elevated triglyceride, leptin, and IGF-1 concentrations, indicating adiposity-related metabolic changes.
- •Sexual dimorphism was observed across all morphometric measurements and plasma glucose concentrations independent of body condition, suggesting gender-specific endocrine regulation.
- •Younger donkeys demonstrated lower morphometric measurements, triglyceride and leptin concentrations compared to older animals.