Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, Napoli, 80137, Italy.
BMC Vet Res. 2024 Sep 11;20(1):404. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04252-z.
The peripartum period constitutes a delicate physiological moment in mares showing a transient state of oxidative stress. Diet supplementation with antioxidants during pregnancy in women appears to have a beneficial effect on mother and neonate health. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of diet supplementation with a commercial product containing a mix of antioxidants (Oxyliver, Candioli) on the length of gestation, weight, and haemato-biochemical parameters in Italian Salernitano mares and their newborn foals. Eight late-term pregnant mares were randomly divided into two groups: Antiox group receiving 30 g/day of antioxidants, and Car group receiving the same amount of carrot powder, from 290 to 320 days of gestation. The following parameters were evaluated in mares: weight, colostrum composition, haemato-biochemical parameters, progesterone, and cortisol blood concentrations, along with blood oxidant/antioxidant status. Assessments were conducted at specific time points: immediately before the start of diet supplementation (T0), 15 days after (T1), at the end of diet supplementation (T2), within 8 h after parturition (T3), and 10 days post-partum (T4). Foal parameters such as weight, haemato-biochemical values, cortisol concentration, and blood oxidative stress variables were assessed within 8 h of birth (TF0) and at 10 days of age (TF1).
Pregnancy was shorter in the Antiox group (P < 0.05) compared with the Car group; the foals' weight increase of group Antiox (40%) was higher (P < 0.05) compared to those of the Car group (28.6%). The colostrum of the Antiox group exhibited higher levels of Brix, total solids, protein, nonfat solids, casein, urea, density, free fatty acids, and glucose, while lower levels of fat and lactose were observed compared to the Car group (P < 0.05). Mares' serum albumin at T1 and T3, creatinine, glucose, total proteins, total bilirubin, AST, and ALT at T3 were lower in Antiox than in the Car group. No significant differences were found in foals.
While the limited sample size and the potential variability of evaluated parameters, the observed outcomes suggest that Oxyliver supplementation in mares might safely decrease gestation length and enhance liver function, thus potentially improving colostrum quality and offspring development.
围产期是母马表现出短暂氧化应激状态的一个微妙的生理时刻。在女性怀孕期间，饮食中补充抗氧化剂似乎对母婴健康有有益的影响。本研究的目的是评估在意大利萨莱诺马雷怀孕期间饮食补充含有抗氧化剂混合物的商业产品（Oxyliver，Candioli）对妊娠时间、体重和血液生化参数的影响及其新生驹。将 8 匹妊娠晚期的母马随机分为两组：抗氧化组（Antiox）每天接受 30 克抗氧化剂，胡萝卜组（Car）每天接受相同量的胡萝卜粉，从妊娠 290 天至 320 天。评估母马的以下参数：体重、初乳成分、血液生化参数、孕酮和皮质醇血浓度，以及血液氧化/抗氧化状态。评估在特定时间点进行：在开始饮食补充之前（T0）、15 天后（T1）、饮食补充结束时（T2）、分娩后 8 小时内（T3）和产后 10 天（T4）。评估新生驹的体重、血液生化值、皮质醇浓度和血液氧化应激变量在出生后 8 小时内（TF0）和 10 天龄时（TF1）进行。
Antiox 组的妊娠时间较短（P<0.05），与 Car 组相比，Antiox 组驹的体重增加率（40%）较高（P<0.05）。Antiox 组的初乳中 Brix、总固体、蛋白质、非脂固体、酪蛋白、尿素、密度、游离脂肪酸和葡萄糖含量较高，而脂肪和乳糖含量较低，与 Car 组相比（P<0.05）。Antiox 组母马在 T1 和 T3 时的血清白蛋白、T3 时的肌酐、葡萄糖、总蛋白、总胆红素、AST 和 ALT 均低于 Car 组。新生驹未发现差异。
虽然样本量有限且评估参数的变异性较大，但观察到的结果表明，马补充 Oxyliver 可能安全地缩短妊娠时间并增强肝功能，从而可能提高初乳质量和后代发育。
