Heart rate and salivary cortisol concentrations in foals at birth

C Nagel; R Erber; N Ille; M Wulf; J Aurich; E Möstl; C Aurich

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.013

Heart rate and salivary cortisol concentrations in foals at birth

Vet J. 2015 Feb;203(2):250-2. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.013. Epub 2014 Nov 27.

Authors

C Nagel¹, R Erber², N Ille³, M Wulf⁴, J Aurich³, E Möstl⁵, C Aurich²

Affiliations

¹ Graf Lehndorff Institute for Equine Science, Vienna University of Veterinary Sciences, Neustadt (Dosse) 16845, Germany. Electronic address: Christina.Nagel@vetmeduni.ac.at.
² Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna 1210, Austria.
³ Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna 1210, Austria.
⁴ Graf Lehndorff Institute for Equine Science, Vienna University of Veterinary Sciences, Neustadt (Dosse) 16845, Germany.
⁵ Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna 1210, Austria.

PMID: 25582796
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.013

Abstract

Heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol concentrations were determined in foals (n = 13) during the perinatal phase and until 5 months of age. In the fetus, HR decreased from 77 ± 3 beats/min at 120 min before birth to 60 ± 1 beats/min at 5 min before birth (P <0.01). Within 30 min of birth, HR increased to 160 ± 9 beats/min (P <0.01). Salivary cortisol concentrations immediately after birth were 11.9 ± 3.6 ng/mL and within 2 h increased to a maximum of 52.5 ± 12.3 ng/mL (P <0.01). In conclusion, increases in HR and salivary cortisol concentrations in foals are not induced during parturition, but occur immediately after birth.

Keywords: Equine; Foals; Heart rate; Parturition; Salivary cortisol.

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Newborn / physiology*
Heart Rate*
Horses / physiology*
Hydrocortisone / metabolism*
Parturition
Saliva / chemistry
Stress, Physiological

Substances

Hydrocortisone