Project description:The weaning process has been identified as being associated with stress, weight loss and stereotypies. To limit these problems, some breeders wean the foals gradually. This article presents the effects of a progressive weaning on various physiological parameters (cortisol, C reactive protein, length of telomeres) and on the blood transcriptome, among the foals and the mares. Results indicate that a progressive weaning has beneficial short-term effects in foals, and that in the longer term the foals weaned abruptly have compensated this gap. In mothers, the beneficial effects of the progressive weaning are less important.
Project description:The weaning process has been identified as being associated with stress, weight loss and stereotypies. To limit these problems, some breeders wean the foals gradually. This article presents the effects of a progressive weaning on various physiological parameters (cortisol, C reactive protein, length of telomeres) and on the blood transcriptome, among the foals and the mares. Results indicate that a progressive weaning has beneficial short-term effects in foals, and that in the longer term the foals weaned abruptly have compensated this gap. In mothers, the beneficial effects of the progressive weaning are less important.
