Effect of seasons and sex on the physical, hematological, and blood biochemical parameters of Noma horses

• Published in: Journal of Equine Science Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 21 - 25
• Main Authors: ONO, Tetsushi, INOUE, Yoichi, HISAEDA, Keiichi, YAMADA, Yutaka, HATA, Akihisa, MIYAMA, Takako SHIMOKAWA, SHIBANO, Kenichi, KITAGAWA, Hitoshi, OHZAWA, Emi, IWATA, Eri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Japanese Society of Equine Science 2021; Japan Science and Technology Agency; The Japanese Society of Equine Science
• Subjects: Body size; Cholesterol; Creatinine; Dermatitis; Energy consumption; Heat stress; Heat tolerance; hematological and biochemical parameter; Hematology; Horses; Kinases; Laboratory tests; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Noma horse; Parameters; season; Seasonal variations; Sex; Summer; Urea; Winter; season; Noma horse; hematological and biochemical parameter; sex
• ISSN: 1340-3516; 1347-7501
• DOI: 10.1294/jes.32.21

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of seasons and sex on body size and hematological and biochemistry parameters of Noma horses, a native Japanese breed. Body size was larger in winter than in summer. Laboratory testing variables, including erythrocytic parameters and urea nitrogen, total cholesterol, and creatinine kinase levels, were higher in winter, while the eosinophil count was higher in summer. These seasonal differences may be related to increased energy consumption of horses due to heat stress. The higher eosinophil counts may have been related to the dermatitis observed in summer. Stallions tended to have smaller bodies compared with mares. Future studies are necessary to investigate the effect of stress in seasonal and sex-based groups.