Seasonal thyroid and lipid profiles in Thoroughbred pregnant and nonpregnant mares (Equus caballus)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine which physiological seasonal thyroid and lipid panel (triglyceride, [TG], total cholesterol, [tCho], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, [HDL Cho], LDL cholesterol, phospholipids, [PDs]) changes occur in 12 Thoroughbred pregnant and six nonpregnant mares over a period of 12 months, from April to March, by into account the lactation stage. Serum total triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels were measured using immunoenzymatic assay kits; the serum lipid panel was analyzed using the enzymatic colorimetric method. One-way ANOVA reported a significant effect of time over 12 months for T3 (F = 5.46; P < 0.001) and T4 (F = 3.98; P < 0.001), in both pregnant and nonpregnant mares, and for triglyceride (F = 2.57; P < 0.01), tCho (F = 2.32; P < 0.01), HDL Cho (F = 5.60; P < 0.0001), and PDs (F = 7.01; P < 0.0001) in pregnant mares. Two-way ANOVA repoted a significant lactating effect compared with nonlactating stage for T3 (F = 8.33; P = 0.006), T4 (F = 6.43; P = 0.003), tCho (F = 10.38; P = 0.0078), HDL Cho (F = 7.64; P = 0.020), and PDs (F = 5.07; P = 0.048). Thus, it appears that under similar environmental condition, nutrition regime, and management system, lactation stage plays a significant role in the seasonal thyroid and lipid profiles in Thoroughbred pregnant mares, with higher T3, T4, and PDs values, and lower tCho and HDL Cho in lactating than nonlactating mares. The physiological values obtained in this study may be used as additional resources to evaluate thyroid and lipid profiles in Thoroughbred pregnant and nonpregnant mares, generating a wished numbers of observation, especially when the additional breed and physiological conditions are considered.