Efectos del transporte en el metabolismo de equinos

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of the duration of the transport period on the acid-base equilibrium, energy profile and blood gases of 146 creole equines (CE), 66 of them females and 80 males. Animals, were divided into three treatment groups according to three different transport periods: 52 CEs were not transported and their data were considered as the baseline level (GB); while 49 were transported for two hours (h) (T2), and the other 45 for 11 h (T11). A marked hemodynamic profile decrease (P < 0.05) in blood pH from group T11 (7.23 ± 0.01) and gave rise to a condition of acidemia. Also, a significant increase (P<0.05) was observed in the concentrations of pCO2, glucose and lactate, as well as in the percentage of hematocrit in group T2 compared to group T11. The conclusion reached on the basis of these results was that transport periods greater than 2 h cause hyperglycemia, hypercalcemia, hyperlactatemia, hyperpotasemia, metabolic acidosis and a more severe degree of dehydration in creole equines.