Equine amyloid A in the peripartum and neonatal period

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study:

AA concentration was measured in serum from 38 brood mares and 7 control non-pregnant, non-lactating mares at parturition and also in colostrum and milk samples every 12 hours from 0 to 48 hours post partum. AA concentration was measured in neonatal foal serum from 19 of the broodmares every 12 hours from birth until 72 hours post partum. The foals were divided into those with evidence of infection or severe inflammatory disease and those that were normal.

Findings and conclusions:

Specificity of serum AA concentration as an indicator of sepsis in neonatal foals was found to be 60 per cent. AA was present in all colostrum and early milk samples. There was no effect of age, breed, farm of residence, or clinical abnormality on the AA concentration in colostrum or milk. Increased gestation length and induction of parturition were associated with decreased AA concentration in colostrum. Colostral AA concentration was positively correlated with serum AA concentration in normal foals. Inducing parturition did not affect (relative to spontaneous parturition) the temporal dynamics of serum AA concentrations in the normal foal in the first 72 h of life.