Why Is Colostrum So Important?
When a foal is born, its own immune system is still very underdeveloped. The foal cannot immediately fight diseases on its own, but instead receives the protection it needs from the mare's colostrum (first milk).
Colostrum contains abundant immunoglobulins, meaning antibodies, which are transferred to the foal during the first hours of life. This phenomenon is known as passive transfer of immunity (passive transfer). If colostrum does not contain enough antibodies, or if the foal does not receive enough of it, the foal's immune protection remains weak and the risk of illness increases.
What Did the Study Investigate?
Hoffman and colleagues (1999) wanted to find out whether vitamin E supplementation in a mare's diet before foaling could affect:
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The amount of antibodies in colostrum, and through that
- The foal's ability to receive protection against disease after birth.
The study was conducted in mares around the time of foaling (the periparturient period), and the results were presented at the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium.
Findings:
- When mares received vitamin E supplementation in their diet, their colostrum contained more immunoglobulins than without supplementation.
- Foals that drank such colostrum received more antibodies into their bodies.
- In this way, their immune resilience was significantly strengthened during the first weeks of life.
In other words, vitamin E in the diet helped the mare produce higher-quality colostrum—and the foal benefited immediately after birth.
Why Does This Matter?
- A newborn foal is completely dependent on colostrum. High-quality colostrum is a lifeline for the foal.
- If colostrum contains only a limited amount of antibodies, the foal's risk of illness increases significantly.
- Vitamin E supplementation may be one way to support the mare's ability to transfer protection to the foal.
The study showed that vitamin E supplementation in a mare's diet during the foaling period can increase the antibody concentration of colostrum and improve passive transfer of immunity in foals. This can be an important part of giving a foal a strong start in life.
Source:
- Hoffman, R.M., K.L. Morgan, M.P. Lynch, S.A. Zinn, C. Faustman & P.A. Harris. 1999. Dietary vitamin E supplemented in the periparturient period influences immunoglobulins in equine colostrum and passive transfer in foals. Proceedings of the Sixteenth Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium, Raleigh, NC, pp. 96–98.
