UK Equine Showcase Presents Young Horse Research
- Topics: Article
The UK Equine Showcase held Jan. 20 focused on young horse heath; here is some research presented during the course:
Common Infectious Diseases of the Young Horse
Young horses are more susceptible to infectious diseases because of the nature of the equine placenta: No maternal antibody is transferred directly to the foal in utero, according to David Horohov, PhD, William Robert Mills chair and professor at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center.
A foal’s cell mediated immune system is known to be competent, but naïve, said Horhov. Foals are born with an immature immune system that has to develop to produce antibodies on its own over time. However, the initial ingestion of colostrum (the mare’s antibody-rich first milk) allows for passive transfer of immunoglobulins, which provide almost immediate immunity against various infections, all dependent upon quantity and quality of the maternal antibodies
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