Assessment of growth rate in Purebred Arabian and Barbe Foals
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of sex, breed, month of birth, and year of birth on the birth weight and postnatal growth performance of foals raised under standardized conditions at the Chaouchaoua National Stud of Tiaret, Algeria. A total of 97 foals (69 Arab and 28 Barb) were included in the study. Only live-born foals that survived beyond six months of age were considered. All animals were reared under the same housing, feeding, and management conditions throughout the study. Data were retrospectively collected from the official birth records of the National Stud Farm for the years 2017 to 2021. The following variables were analysed birth weight (in kg), body weight at first and second weighing, average daily gain between birth and body weight at first weighing, and between body weight at first and second weighing. Weaning dates and weighing dates were also recorded. On average, the two weighing were carried out at approximately six-month intervals, allowing for the estimation of growth rates over distinct phases. Analysis of the data by foal breed revealed a highly significant difference (P < 0.005) in birth weight between the two groups. Arab foals had a significantly higher mean birth weight (50.76 ± 5.08 kg) compared to Barb foals (46.82 ± 5.66 kg). This study provides valuable insights into the postnatal growth patterns of foals born at the Chaouchaoua National Stud. These findings confirm that breed significantly influences birth weight and growth rate, with Barb foals outperforming Arab foals in average daily gains.
Downloads
References
Gherissi DE, Aumassip-Kadri G, Benhamadi MEA, Meutchieye F, Jamali YH, Gaouar SBS. African horse genetic resources and breeding strategies for African input systems. In: Ibeagha-Awemu EM, Peters SO, Djikeng A, Rege JEO, editors. African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Cham, Suiza: Springer; 2025. 497-592. doi: https://doi.org/qm9t DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92076-9_11
Chemineau P, Guillaume D, Migaud M, Thiéry JC, Pellicer- Rubio MT, Malpaux B. Seasonality of reproduction in mammals: intimate regulatory mechanisms and practical implications. Reprod. Domest. Anim. [Internet]. 2008; 43(S2):4047. doi: https://doi.org/fmpms8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2008.01141.x
Meliani S, Benallou B, Abdelhadi SA, Halbouche M, Naceri Environmental factors affecting gestation duration and time of foaling of pure bred Arabian mares in Algeria. Asian J. Anim. Vet. Adv. [Internet]. 2011; 6(6):599–608. doi: https://doi.org/cpw6vw DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/ajava.2011.599.608
MartinRosset W, Younge B. Energy and protein requirements and feeding of the suckling foal. In: MartinRosset W, Miraglia N, editors. Nutrition and feeding of the broodmare. EAAP Scientific Series, Vol 120. Leiden, Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers; 2006. p. 221–243. doi: https://doi.org/qm9v DOI: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865840_025
Arfuso F, Assenza A, Tosto F, Giannetto C, Interlandi C, Piccione G, Liotta L. Serum bone metabolism biomarkers in healthy fillies and colts from weaning until one year of age. Res. Vet. Sci. [Internet]. 2022; 150:156–163. doi: https://doi.org/qm9w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.06.018
Dias de Castro LL, Abrahão CLH, Antunes J, Pritsch I, Molento MB. Body development from birth to 18 months of age of Thoroughbred foals in Brazil. Int. J. Plant. Anim. Environ. Sci. [Internet]. 2021; 11:352–362. doi: https://doi.org/qm9x DOI: https://doi.org/10.26502/ijpaes.202110
Pagan JD, Phethean E, Caddel S, McFaull M, Bonner P, Nowara D, Perriam W, Huntington PJ. 117 Factors affecting birth weights in Thoroughbred foals born in Kentucky, United Kingdom, and Australia. [Internet]. 2023; 124:104419. doi: https://doi.org/qm9z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104419
Chatha MA, Ahmad N, Abbas MA, Saadullah M, Khan JA. Effect of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the growth and development of young foals under subtropical conditions of Pakistan. PLoS One. [Internet]. 2025; 20(1):e0310784. doi: https://doi.org/qm92 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310784
Beythien E, Aurich C, Wulf M, Aurich J. Effects of season on placental, foetal and neonatal development in horses. Theriogenology. [Internet]. 2017; 97:98–103. doi: https://doi.org/gbj353 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.04.027
Robles M, CouturierTarrade A, Derisoud E, Geeverding A, Dubois C, Dahirel M, Aioun J, Prezelin A, Calvez J, Richard C, Wimel L, ChavattePalmer P. Effects of dietary arginine supplementation in pregnant mares on maternal metabolism, placental structure and function and foal growth. Sci. Rep. [Internet]. 2019; 9(1):6461. doi: https://doi.org/qm93 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42941-0
Robles M, Dubois C, Gautier C, Dahirel M, Guenon I, Bouraima-Lelong H, Viguié C, Wimel L, Couturier-Tarrade A, Chavatte-Palmer P. Maternal parity affects placental development, growth and metabolism of foals until 1 year and a half. Theriogenology. [Internet]. 2018; 108:321–330. doi: https://doi.org/gc29kz DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.12.019
Hacan Ö, Tekerli M, Çinkaya S, Demirtaş M. Genetic trends in body measurements at birth for Arabian horse in Türkiye. Arch. Anim. Breed. [Internet]. 2024; 67(4):561–570. doi: https://doi.org/qm96 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-67-561-2024
Rogers CW, Gee EK, Dittmer KE. Growth and Bone Development in the Horse: When Is a Horse Skeletally Mature? Animals. [Internet]. 2021; 11(12):3402. doi: https://doi.org/qm97 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123402
Gücüyener H, Çinkaya S, Erdoğan M, Paksoy Y, Demirtaş M, Çelikeloğlu K, Koçak S, Bozkurt Z, Tekerli M. Gestation length and neonatal viability indicators in Thoroughbred horses in Türkiye. Ankara Univ. Vet. Fak. Derg. [Internet]. 2026; 73(1):41-47. doi: https://doi.org/qm99 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33988/auvfd.1726040
Kentucky Equine Research Staff. Nature versus nurture: Factors that affect growth of horses. Equinews Nutr. Health Daily. [Internet]. Versailles, KY, USA: Kentucky Equine Research. [cited 2 Sep 2025]; 2011. Available in: https://goo.su/51Z9vw
Hamrouni A, Gharbi B, Mezir H, Naouer DM. Comparison of morphological traits between Barb and ArabBarb Tunisian horses and proposal of an initial standard for the ArabBarb. J. Vet. Sci. Anim. Husb. [Internet]. 2024 [cited 12 Aug 2025]; 12(1):104. Available from: https://goo.su/sWqKT3T
Rogers CW, Bolwell CF, Gee EK, Rosanowski SM. Equine musculoskeletal development and performance: Impact of the production system and early training. Anim. Prod. Sci. [Internet]. 2020; 60(18):2069–2079. doi: https://doi.org/qnbf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17685
Łuszczyński J, Pieszka M, Kosiniak-Kamysz K. Effect of horse breed and sex on growth rate and radiographic closure time of distal radial metaphyseal growth plate. Livest. Sci. [Internet]. 2011; 141(2–3):252–258. doi: https://doi.org/dpqhf2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2011.06.009
Fradinho MJ, Mateus L, Bernardes N, Bessa RJB, Caldeira RM, FerreiraDias G. Growth patterns, metabolic indicators and osteoarticular status in the Lusitano horse: A longitudinal study. PLoS One. [Internet]. 2019; 14(7):e0219900. doi: https://doi.org/qnbg DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219900
Silva GC, Nogueira CEW, Scalco R, Pizzi GLBL, Leite TA, Bastos R, Curcio BR. Gestational length of Thoroughbred mares kept in tropical and subtropical climates. Theriogenology. [Internet]. 2025; 234:192–197. doi: https://doi.org/qnbh DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.12.017
Robles M, Hammer C, Staniar B, Chavatte-Palmer P. Nutrition of broodmares. Vet. Clin. North. Am. Equine Pract. [Internet]. 2021; 37(1):177205. https://doi.org/qncb DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2021.01.001
Veronesi MC, Cotticelli A, Pividori I, Giombolini M, Corazzin M, Ellero L, Peric T. From prefoaling to late pregnancy: cortisol, DHEA(S), progesterone, 17βestradiol, and allopregnanolone hair concentration profiles in Standardbred mares. Animals. [Internet]. 2025; 15(3):324. doi: https://doi.org/qnbk DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030324
Köninger M, Von Velsen-Zerweck A, Eiberger C, Löffler C, Töpper A, Visscher C, Reckels B, Vervuert I. Nutrient composition and feed hygiene of alfalfa: Comparison of feed intake and selected metabolic parameters in horses fed alfalfa haylage, alfalfa hay or meadow hay. Animals. [Internet]. 2024; 14(6):889. doi: https://doi.org/qnbm DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060889
Silva GC, Mazzo HC, Dallmann PBJ, Silva RB, Curcio BR, Nogueira CEW. Factors affecting gestation length in mares – literature review. Res. Soc. Dev. [Internet]. 2021; 10(5):e12410514564. doi: https://doi.org/qnbn DOI: https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i5.14564
