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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Animal Nutrition and Metabolism
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1503117
This article is part of the Research Topic Unlocking the Power of Gut Microbiota to Improving Health and Welfare in Non-Ruminant Livestock View all 3 articles

Changes in blood physiological and biochemical parameters and intestinal flora in newborn horses and mares with angular limb deformities

Provisionally accepted
Yuhui Ma Yuhui Ma 1Yigang Liu Yigang Liu 1*Hai Li Hai Li 2*Tianwen Ma Tianwen Ma 3Yanan Li Yanan Li 3Kai lun Yang Kai lun Yang 1*Gang Yao Gang Yao 1*
  • 1 Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
  • 2 Xinjiang Zhaosu County Xiyu Horse Industry Co., Ltd, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, China
  • 3 Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Angular limb deformities (ALDs) are a common skeletal development disorder in newborn foals. This condition affects the growth and development of foals and severely impacts their future athletic performance and economic value, causing significant financial losses to the horse industry.Placentitis, metritis, and severe metabolic diseases during mare pregnancy are significant causes of ALDs in newborn foals. It has been established that intestinal flora disorders can easily lead to inflammatory and metabolic diseases in the host. However, the incidence of ALDs in foals in Zhaosu County, Xinjiang, a key production area of China's horse industry, remains unclear. Additionally, the relationship between functional changes in foals with ALDs and their mares and changes in their intestinal flora is not well understood. This study investigated the status of ALD in newborn foals through clinical observation and imaging examinations. The results showed that the incidence of ALD in Zhaosu area of China was 4.13%. In addition, by comparing and correlating the physiological and biochemical indicators and intestinal flora of foals and mares with ALD with those of healthy horses, it was found that foals and mares with ALD may promote the occurrence and development of the disease through the "blood marker changes-intestinal flora-ALDs" axis. In addition, by comparing the physiological and biochemical indicators and intestinal flora of foals and mares with ALD with the intestinal flora of healthy horses, it was found that the physiological and biochemical indicators and intestinal flora structure and metabolic pathways of foals and mares with ALD had significant changes. These findings provide a scientific basis for understanding the etiology of ALDs in foals and offer new perspectives for diagnosing and treatment ALDs in newborn foals.

    Keywords: Angular limb deformities, Equine, intestinal flora, Skeleton, Metabolism

    Received: 28 Sep 2024; Accepted: 11 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ma, Liu, Li, Ma, Li, Yang and Yao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yigang Liu, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
    Hai Li, Xinjiang Zhaosu County Xiyu Horse Industry Co., Ltd, Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, China
    Kai lun Yang, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
    Gang Yao, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.