Health and wellness evaluation and monitoring of donkey foals

The subject of "Health and Wellness Evaluation and Monitoring of Donkey Foals" involves the utilization of ultrasound to identify structural changes in the umbilical cord of newly born donkey foals, clinical assessment of SAA levels in newborn donkey foals and lactating female donkeys, and the analysis of donkey colostrum and milk. In addition, the health status of newborn donkey foals is evaluated through three stages of metabolomic analysis of donkey milk, which includes feeding of probiotic supplements. First, umbilical infections can cause serious health problems in equine foals, making early diagnosis critical. This study aimed to evaluate the umbilical remnants of donkey foals during the first week of life using ultrasonography. Fifteen healthy donkey foals were included, and ultrasonographic measurements of the umbilical vein, arteries, and urachus were taken at 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days after birth using a portable ultrasound machine and a 5-7.5 MHz multifrequency linear probe. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess any differences in measurements over time, with a significance level of p < 0.05. The study found no significant differences in the measurements of the umbilical remnants over time, but a correlation was observed between body weight and the left artery at T0. The regression of the umbilical remnant during the first week of life was slower than in equine foals but comparable to results observed in calves. Therefore, these findings highlight the importance of considering the different regression timing when assessing donkey foals with umbilical remnant diseases in their first week of life. Meanwhile, the first post-partum period in equids requires close monitoring of biochemical parameters and inflammatory markers such as serum amyloid A (SAA). However, there is limited information on SAA levels for donkeys during this stage. To address this, a study was conducted on 50 donkeys, including jennies and foals, to assess routine biochemical profiles and SAA levels. Results showed that jennies had higher alkaline phosphatase levels and lower bilirubin and cholesterol levels at 30 days of lactation compared to post-partum. Neonatal donkey foals had significantly higher levels of various biochemical parameters within 48 hours of birth, while older foals at 30 days showed higher levels of phosphate and triglycerides. Notably, SAA levels were significantly higher during the peripartum period in jennies and newborn donkey foals compared to those recorded in lactating jennies and older foals at 30 days after birth. These findings highlight the importance of assessing SAA levels in donkeys during the peripartum period and one month after foaling to monitor their health status during this critical stage of adaptation to extrauterine life and lactation. Furthermore, donkey milk, which played a significant role in ancient times, has regained its popularity as a functional food in the modern era. The increasing demand for donkey milk is strongly linked to its suitability for infants who cannot be breastfed and individuals with cow milk protein allergies. Donkey milk is also similar in composition to human milk, making it a suitable alternative. The use of probiotics to improve the health and productivity of dairy livestock has shown promising results. This study analyzed colostrum and milk samples from 20 healthy Ragusana jennies using 1H NMR analysis, identifying 65 metabolites including sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, nucleotides, and others. The study found that 18 metabolites showed different concentrations in colostrum and milk, with some metabolites decreasing while others increased during lactation. In addition, the study revealed that probiotic supplementation affected the concentration of 15 metabolites in milk, highlighting the potential of nutritional interventions to improve milk quality and quantity. The findings of this study suggest a conserved metabolic response to lactation across different mammalian species, with similarities observed in the metabolome between donkeys and women. Additionally, the changes in metabolic fingerprint between colostrum and milk indicate that donkey milk is tailored to support foal development. However, further research is needed to evaluate the generalizability of these findings to other breeds and species. The objective of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the health condition of neonatal donkey foals. This will be achieved by employing a three-fold approach, evaluation of the health status of neonatal donkey foals, which will aid in the development of effective management strategies to improve their well-being and productivity. It is worth noting that the study will focus on a specific breed of donkeys, and further research will be needed to ascertain the generalizability of the findings to other breeds and species.