饲粮短期高剂量添加天冬氨酸镁对猪肉品质的影响

本试验研究了在基础日粮中短期添加不同水平的天冬氨酸镁对猪肉品质的影响。试验共分4个处理,每个处理6头猪。处理组镁(天冬氨酸镁)的添加水平分别为0、1 500、2 500和3 500 mg/kg。结果表明:屠宰前7 d饲粮添加天冬氨酸镁提高了猪肉品质,背最长肌肉中镁的含量分别比对照组提高了10.35%(P<0.05)、16.83%和18.61%(P<0.01),血清中镁的浓度分别比对照组增加了14.29%、27.14%和34.29%(P<0.01);显著提高了猪肉的初始pH(6.16~6.50)和最终pH(5.61~5.75)(P<0.05);对肉色评分改善显著(P<0.05);显著降低了滴水损失(P<0.05);但对猪的屠宰率、瘦肉率、背膘厚、眼肌厚度和肌肉中胶原蛋白含量等无显著影响(P>0.05)。回归分析结果表明:当镁的添加量在2 500~3 200 mg/kg时,对pH、滴水损失和肉色的改善作用达到最大,此时血清和肌肉中镁的含量约为0.90 mmol/L和241 mg/kg。     

不同镁源对肉仔鸡机体抗氧化和免疫机能的影响

试验旨在研究玉米-豆粕型日粮在添加不同镁源后对肉仔鸡(4～6周龄)机体抗氧化和免疫机能的影响。试验采用单因素随机分组设计的方法,选取健康4周龄平均体重接近的艾维茵肉鸡144只,随机分配到4个处理组中,每个处理6个重复,每个重复6只鸡。3种镁源分别为:天门冬氨酸镁(MgAsp)、氯化镁(MgCl2)和硫酸镁(MgSO4),每种镁源中镁的添加水平均为2000mg/kg,基础日粮作为不添加镁的对照组。结果表明:①与对照组相比,天门冬氨酸镁都能显著提高血清中总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活性、总谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性和总抗氧化能力(P<0.05);氯化镁能显著提高血清中总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)活性和总抗氧化能力(P<0.05);硫酸镁作用效果不显著(P>0.05);3种镁源均能显著降低血清中丙二醛(MDA)的含量(P<0.05)。②天门冬氨酸镁使肉仔鸡脾脏指数明显提高(P<0.05),氯化镁能显著提高胸腺指数(P<0.05);各处理组对法氏囊指数的变化均无显著影响(P>0.05);天门冬氨酸镁对血清中IgG、IgA、IgM的升高有显著影响(P<0.05)。结论:日粮中添加这3种镁源均能不同程度地提高肉仔鸡机体的抗氧化或免疫机能,其中天门冬氨酸镁在参与肉仔鸡机体的抗氧化和免疫机能上表现的最为突出。     

饲粮中发酵精料添加水平对肉兔生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质及抗氧化能力的影响北大核心CSCD

本试验旨在研究饲粮中发酵精料添加水平对肉兔生长性能、屠宰性能、肉品质及抗氧化能力的影响。选择160只35日龄体重相近的健康伊拉肉兔,随机分为4组,每组8个重复,每个重复5只。对照组(CON组)饲喂基础饲粮,3个试验组则分别饲喂以5%(5%FC组)、10%(10%FC组)和15%(15%FC组)的发酵精料等量替代基础饲粮中基础精料的试验饲粮。预试期7 d,正试期28 d。结果显示:1)3个试验组的生长性能指标与对照组相比均无显著差异(P>0.05)。2)饲粮中添加不同水平发酵精料对肉兔屠宰性能无显著影响(P>0.05)。3)与对照组相比,饲粮中添加5%~15%的发酵精料对肉兔背最长肌的剪切力、pH、肉色、蒸煮损失以及滴水损失等物理性状指标均无显著影响(P>0.05);但随着发酵精料添加水平的升高,肉兔背最长肌肌内脂肪、天门冬氨酸(Asp)含量有增加趋势(0.05≤P<0.10);5%和10%FC组精氨酸(Arg)含量较对照组有提高趋势(0.05≤P<0.10)。4)与对照组相比,3个试验组肉兔血清中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性有提高趋势(0.05≤P<0.10),10%和15%FC组血清中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性显著高于对照组(P<0.05);3个试验组背最长肌中丙二醛(MDA)含量较对照组显著降低(P<0.05),10%和15%FC组背最长肌总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)较对照组显著提高(P<0.05)。综上所述,饲粮中添加10%~15%的发酵精料可提高肉兔的抗氧化能力,改善兔肉品质及风味。     

不同水平的苜蓿黄酮对育肥猪肉品质的影响

本试验以生长育肥猪为研究对象,探究其基础饲料中添加不同水平的苜蓿黄酮对猪肉品质的影响。试验选取120头“杜×长×大”生长育肥猪随机分成4组(每组3个重复,每个重复10头猪),每组30头生长育肥猪。各组生长育肥猪分别饲喂含有0、0.05%、0.10%、0.15%苜蓿黄酮的基础饲料。预饲期7 d,正式试验期60 d。结果表明,不同水平的苜蓿黄酮对生长育肥猪背最长肌的pH值、大理石纹评分、肉色a*值及肉色b*值未产生显著影响,与对照组相比差异不显著(P>0.05);而试验Ⅱ组和试验Ⅲ组生长育肥猪背最长肌的剪切力显著低于对照组,分别比对照组降低了13.94%、14.19%(P<0.05);试验Ⅱ组和试验Ⅲ组生长育肥猪背最长肌的滴水损失显著低于对照组,分别比对照组降低了23.79%、23.39%(P<0.05);试验Ⅱ组和试验Ⅲ组生长育肥猪背最长肌的肉色L*值显著高于对照组,分别比对照组提高了12.60%、10.68%(P<0.05)。由以上结果可知,在生长育肥猪基础饲料中添加0.10%～0.15%的苜蓿黄酮可以有效降低生长育肥猪背最长肌的剪切力、滴水损失,显著提高了肉色L*值,改善了肌肉嫩度,维持肉色的稳定性,且苜蓿黄酮的最适添加量为0.10%。     

发酵床饲养模式对生长肥育猪肉营养成分的影响

试验选用平均体重为30 kg的杜×长×大三元猪120头,根据体重相近、公母各半的原则随机分为对照组(传统水泥地饲养)和发酵床组,每组设3个重复,每个重复20头猪,试验期为53 d,旨在研究发酵床饲养对生长肥育猪肉营养成分的影响。结果表明,在肉常规营养成分方面,与对照组相比,发酵床组猪背最长肌中粗灰分、钙含量差异均不显著,干物质、粗蛋白质及粗脂肪的含量均显著提高(P<0.05);在肉的脂肪酸方面,发酵床饲养可显著降低饱和脂肪酸含量(P<0.05),部分多不饱和脂肪酸含量显著升高(P<0.05);在生长肥育猪背最长肌组织中氨基酸的含量方面,与对照组相比,发酵床组猪背最长肌中天门冬氨酸、苏氨酸、丝氨酸、谷氨酸、甘氨酸、丙氨酸、蛋氨酸、酪氨酸、赖氨酸、组氨酸的含量均显著提高(P<0.05)。结果说明,发酵床饲养生长肥育猪能提高肉中多不饱和脂肪酸、氨基酸的含量,改善猪肉的风味。     

持续高温应激对肥育猪生产性能、胴体性状、背最长肌营养物质含量及肌纤维特性的影响

本试验旨在研究持续30℃的环境高温应激对肥育猪生产性能、胴体性状、背最长肌质构分析、营养物质含量及肌纤维特性的影响.试验选取8窝共24头体重为(79.0±1.5) kg的“杜长大”三元阉公猪,其中每3头来自同一窝的猪只随机分到3组,每组8个重复,每个重复1头,3组分别为对照组(22℃适温+自由采食)、高温应激组(30℃高温+自由采食)和采食量配对组(22℃适温+采食量配对),试验期21d.结果表明:1)持续高温应激显著降低肥育猪平均日增重(ADG) (P＜0.05),极显著降低肥育猪平均日采食量(ADFI) (P＜0.01).2)3组之间的肥育猪胴体重、胴体长、平均背膘厚和皮厚均差异不显著(P＞0.05),高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌大理石花纹评分在宰后24 h有低于对照组的趋势(P＜0.10).3)高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌的剪切力极显著高于对照组和采食量配对组(P＜0.01).与采食量配对组相比,高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌胶黏性和硬度有降低的趋势(P＜0.10).4)高温应激组和采食量配对组肥育猪背最长肌粗蛋白质含量显著高于对照组(P＜0.05),且2组的背最长肌肌内脂肪(IMF)含量极显著低于对照组(P＜0.01).5)高温应激组肥育猪背最长肌Ⅰ型肌纤维含量有低于采食量配对组的趋势(P＜0.10),采食量配对组的Ⅱx型肌纤维含量显著低于对照组(P＜0.05).由此可见,肥育后期高温应激会改变猪表观肉品质和肌肉营养物质含量.     

不同浓度水平胍基乙酸对育肥猪肉品质影响的研究

试验旨在研究日粮中添加不同浓度胍基乙酸对育肥猪生长性能、胴体品质、肌肉品质、脂肪的影响。试验结果表明:(1)生长性能:日粮中添加500、1000、1500 mg/kg胍基乙酸,育肥猪出栏体重、日增重显著增加(P0.05),料肉比显著降低(P0.05)。(2)屠宰性能:育肥猪屠宰后胴体重和瘦肉率极显著提高(P0.01),屠宰率、眼肌面积显著提高(P0.05),第十肋骨处背膘厚显著降低(P0.05),屠宰后胴体重、瘦肉率、屠宰率、眼肌面积分别提高7.5%,3.2%,4.3%,8.7%,第十肋骨处背膘厚降低13.7%。(3)肌肉品质、脂肪:对背最长肌的亮度、红度、黄度影响差异不显著,滴水损失影响差异显著(P0.05),蒸煮损失、剪切力影响差异极显著(P0.01)。对半腱肌的红度影响差异显著(P0.05),滴水损失、蒸煮损失、剪切力影响差异极显著(P0.01),背最长肌滴水损失、蒸煮损失、剪切力分别下降26.6%、30.8%、25.9%,半腱肌滴水损失、蒸煮损失、剪切力分别下降32.7%、15.9%、17.2%。对背最长肌、半腱肌pH_(45 min)的影响差异显著(P0.05),pH_(24 h)的影响差异极显著(P0.01)。对背最长肌粗脂肪影响差异显著(P0.05),对半腱肌中的粗脂肪影响差异极显著(P0.01),背最长肌、半腱肌中粗脂肪含量分别下降20.5%、16.0%。     

构树发酵饲料对湘沙猪配套系商品猪生长性能、胴体品质和肌肉品质的影响

本试验旨在研究构树发酵饲料对湘沙猪配套系商品猪生长性能、胴体品质和肌肉品质的影响。试验选用体重(32.79±0.82) kg的湘沙猪配套系商品猪72头,随机分为3个组,每组3个重复,每个重复8头猪。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验Ⅰ组前期和后期分别添加20%和30%的构树发酵饲料Ⅰ(湘潭某公司生产),试验Ⅱ组前期和后期分别添加20%和30%的构树发酵饲料Ⅱ(江西某公司生产)。试验期103 d。结果表明:1)试验全期,试验Ⅰ组、试验Ⅱ组平均日增重比对照组略有降低(P0.05)。2)试验Ⅰ组的皮厚显著高于对照组(P0.05)。3)试验Ⅰ组和试验Ⅱ组的肌内脂肪和背最长肌中肌苷酸含量显著高于对照组(P0.05),试验Ⅰ组的背最长肌中天冬氨酸、组氨酸、甘氨酸、苏氨酸、丙氨酸、精氨酸、酪氨酸、缬氨酸、蛋氨酸、苯丙氨酸、异亮氨酸、亮氨酸、赖氨酸、脯氨酸、总氨基酸、风味氨基酸、必需氨基酸含量显著高于对照组和试验Ⅱ组(P0.05),试验Ⅰ组和试验Ⅱ组的背最长肌中月桂酸含量显著高于对照组(P0.05),试验Ⅰ组的背最长肌中不饱和脂肪酸含量显著高于试验Ⅱ组(P0.05)。4)试验Ⅱ组的背最长肌中镁含量显著高于对照组(P0.05),3组的背最长肌中重金属砷、汞、镉、铅含量均未超标。综上所述,构树发酵饲料替代部分全价料饲喂湘沙猪配套系商品猪对其生长性能无显著影响,但能显著提高肌内脂肪、氨基酸、肌苷酸和月桂酸含量,改善肌肉品质。     

中草药提取物和维吉尼亚霉素对猪胴体组成和肉品质的影响

选择70 d左右的三元杂交猪120头,分成4组,每组设6个重复,每个重复5头猪。对照组饲喂基础日粮,中草药Ⅰ组饲喂基础日粮添加0.1%～0.2%中草药提取物,中草药Ⅱ组饲喂基础日粮添加0.2%～0.4%中草药提取物,维吉尼亚霉素组饲喂基础日粮添加10 mg/kg的维吉尼亚霉素。饲养试验结束后,每组选择体重达100 kg左右的育肥猪6头,进行屠宰试验和肉质分析试验。结果表明：在活体重差异不显著的情况下,与对照组相比,中草药Ⅰ组和维吉尼亚霉素组的屠宰率没有明显改变,中草药Ⅱ组屠宰率提高4.11%,差异显著(P<0.05);试验各组背膘厚与对照组相比都有所降低,但未达到显著水平;与对照组相比,各试验组眼肌面积依次增加8.38%(P>0.05)、13.63%(P<0.05)和12.28%(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,;中草药Ⅰ组、中草药Ⅱ组和维吉尼亚霉素组的滴水损失分别减少14.34%(P<0.05)、14.70%(P<0.05)和4.66%(P>0.05);肌内脂肪分别提高8.64%(P>0.05)、16.30%(P<0.05)和7.65%(P>0.05);熟肉率有增加趋势,中草药Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组分别比对照组提高了6.10%和7.05%,但差异不显著(P>0.05)。结果提示,饲料中添加0.2%～0.4%的中草药提取物和10 mg/kg维吉尼亚霉素不能显著影响肌肉的pH值、肉色和大理石纹评分,但有降低育肥猪背膘厚度的趋势;中草药提取物能显著提高屠宰率、降低滴水损失、增加眼肌面积并提高肌内脂肪含量;维吉尼亚霉素能显著增加生长育肥猪的眼肌面积,有增加肌内脂肪含量的趋势。     

采食不同饲料试验猪肉质性状比较及运输、宰前应激对其血液生化指标的影响

选择生长发育良好、体重100~110 kg的杜长大商品猪60头,研究采食不同饲料试验猪肉质性状及运输、宰前应激对其血液生化指标的影响。结果表明:饲喂发酵饲料试验猪b(黄度)、24 h L、24 h b分别比饲喂常规饲料试验猪提高7.58%(P0.01)、6.95%(P0.01)、12.41%(P0.01);24 h p H和24 h肉色饲喂常规饲料试验猪比采食发酵饲料试验猪分别提高2.76%(P0.01)、2.00%(P0.05)。采食常规饲料的试验猪血清中皮质醇含量屠宰时分别比运输前后提高38.05%(P0.01)、42.60%(P0.01);白细胞介素-1β屠宰时血清中含量分别比运输前后提高22.79%(P0.01)、13.47%(P0.05);结合珠蛋白运输前比屠宰时高18.92%(P0.05);去甲肾上腺素屠宰时分别比运输前后提高10.48%(P0.01)、11.42%(P0.01);多巴胺运输后和运输前分别比屠宰时高44.70%(P0.01)、28.34%(P0.01);肾上腺素运输前比屠宰时高10.28%(P0.05)。采食发酵饲料的试验猪血清中丙二醛含量屠宰时比运输前提高19.79%(P0.05);促肾上腺皮质激素运输前比运输后高8.38%(P0.05);肌酸激酶运输后比运输前提高53.10%(P0.05);结合珠蛋白运输前比运输后高27.15%(P0.01);去甲肾上腺素屠宰时比运输前提高13.96%(P0.01),运输后比运输前提高9.04%(P0.05);多巴胺运输后分别比运输前及屠宰时高18.05%(P0.05)、56.95%(P0.01),运输前比屠宰时高32.95%(P0.01);肾上腺素运输前分别比运输后及屠宰时高15.69%(P0.01)、9.52%(P0.05)。采食不同饲料试验猪运输前后及屠宰时血液生化指标比较结果,装运前饲喂发酵饲料的试验猪血清中皮质醇和白细胞介素-1β含量分别比饲喂常规饲料试验猪提高14.01%(P0.05)和14.51%(P0.05);运输后饲喂发酵饲料的试验猪血清中总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、皮质醇(COR)、去甲肾上腺素含量较高,与饲喂常规饲料试验猪相比分别提高13.80%(P0.05)、16.99%(P0.01)、11.42%(P0.01);肾上腺素含量饲喂常规饲料试验猪比饲喂发酵饲料试验猪提高9.89%(P0.05);屠宰时血清中皮质醇含量采食常规饲料试验猪比采食发酵饲料的试验猪极显著提高28.04%(P0.01)。     

商会自治的基石——商会自治规范研究

在现代法律秩序中,商会自治规范是制定法的基础和必要的补充,甚至在某些方面替代了制定法;商会自治规范主要包括商会组织规范、行为规范、惩罚规范以及争端解决规范等;其效力仅及于其内部成员;商会自治规范和制定法之间存在冲突,但也存在整合的基础。     

癸氧喹酯干混悬剂含量测定的改进

采用高效液相色谱法测定癸氧喹酯干混悬剂的含量,在2-250μg/mL范围内,峰面积的常用对数与进样量浓度的常用对数呈良好的线性关系,R^2=1(n=5),平均回收率为99.24%~99.51%,RSD在0.05%~0.28%。此方法分析时间短,样品前处理简便、定量结果准确,重现性好,结果满意,为其质量控制提供了依据。     

猪毛色遗传的研究进展

本文概述了猪的毛色类型、猪的毛色遗传模式,着重综述了猪毛色基因分子基础的研究进展,指出存在问题并就未来发展方向做了思考。     

Comparison of 2 methods of centesis of the bursa of the biceps brachii tendon of horses

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Centesis of the bicipital bursa using an 8.9 cm long spinal needle has been reported but the alternative of employing a 3.8 cm long hypodermic needle requires validation. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 2 different methods of centesis of the bicipital bursa and to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonographic imaging to determine the location of solution administered when centesis of the bursa is attempted. METHODS: For Trial 1, 6 clinicians, who had no previous experience of centesis of the bicipital bursa, attempted to inject a solution composed of an aqueous radiopaque contrast medium and physiological saline solution (PSS) into the bicipital bursae of 2/12 horses using the previously described distal approach to inject one bursa and a proximal approach to inject the contralateral bursa. The bicipital tendon and bursa were examined ultrasonographically before and after injection; and both shoulders were examined radiographically to identify the location of the medium. In Trial 2, another 6 clinicians, also with no previous experience of centesis, repeated Trial 1, using 6 horses, but the radiopaque contrast medium was mixed with air instead of PSS. RESULTS: Accuracy of centesis using the proximal approach was 39% and that of the distal approach 28%. Ultrasonographic examination of the shoulder allowed the location of solution and air to be accurately predicted in all 12 shoulders examined. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians who have had no previous experience performing centesis of the bicipital bursa are unlikely to be successful in centesis using either approach. Radiographic examination after injecting a radiopaque contrast medium may be necessary to assess the success of centesis especially if bursal fluid is not obtained during centesis. Injecting air along with the radiopaque contrast medium provides more accurate ultrasonographic confirmation of centesis and better radiographic definition than does injection without air.     

不同样本商品蜂蜜中硒含量的测定

用硝酸和高氯酸消化蜂蜜,使硒游离出来,在微酸性环境下,硒和2,3-二氨基萘(DAN)生成有较强荧光的物质,用环己烷萃取,在激发波长378nm,荧光波长518nm处测定其荧光强度。蜂蜜中硒含量范围:0.10～0.82μg/g。表明:蜂蜜应视为天然富硒营养品。     

乳酸杆菌益生作用机制的研究进展

乳酸杆菌作为益生菌广泛用于人和动物。本文综述了乳酸杆菌改善宿主健康的机制。乳酸杆菌可通过产生抗菌物质如乳酸、过氧化氢、细菌素,或者通过竞争营养或肠道黏附位点来抑制致病菌;通过诱导黏附素的分泌或阻止细胞凋亡而增强肠道的屏障功能,从而保护肠道。文章重点讨论了乳酸杆菌表面成分（表面蛋白、脂磷壁酸和肽聚糖）与肠道受体（Ｃ型凝集素受体、Ｔｏｌｌ样受体和 Ｎｏｄ样受体）,阐述了他们结合后启动免疫调节信号,调控肠道免疫功能以发挥改善健康作用的机制。     

Effects of size of ingestively masticated fragments of plant tissues on kinetics of digestion of NDF

Ingestively masticated fragments were collected and sized via sieving. Different sizes of esophageal masticate and ruminal digesta fragments, and ground fragments of larger masticated pieces were incubated in vitro, and undigested NDF remaining at intervals of up to 168 h of incubation was determined. The ruminal age-dependent time delay (tau) for onset of digestion of NDF was positively correlated (P < 0.004) with the mean sieve aperture estimated to retain 50% of the fragments between successive sieve apertures (MRA). Degradation rate of potentially degradable NDF (PDF) and level of indigestible NDF were not related (P > 0.10) to MRA of masticated and ground fragments. Estimates of tau were positively related to MRA, with slopes of bermudagrass < corn silage < ruminal fragments of corn silage. It was concluded that fragment size-, and consequently, ruminal age-dependent onset of PDF degradation of a mixture of different fragment sizes results in an age-dependent rate of degradation of the more rapidly degrading of two subentities of PDF. Models are proposed that assume a tau before onset of simultaneous degradation of PDF from two pools characterized as having gamma-modeled age-dependency and age-constant rates. The ruminal age-dependent pool seems to be associated with the faster-degrading pool, and its rate parameter increases with range in MRA in the population of fragments. Conceptually, the ruminal age-dependent rate parameter for PDF degradation seems to represent a composite of several effects: 1) effects of the size-dependent tau; 2) range in MRA of the population of ingestively masticated fragments; and 3) subentities of PDF that degrade via more rapid age-dependent rates compared with subentities of PDF that degrade via age-constant rates. The estimated fractional rates of ruminative comminution of ingestively masticated fragments (0.060 to 0.075/h) were of a magnitude similar to the mean fractional rates of PDF digestion (0.030 to 0.085/h), which implies that ruminative comminution may be first-limiting to fractional rate of PDF digestion. The in vivo roles of ingestive and ruminative mastication of fragments on PDF degradation must be considered in any kinetic system for estimating PDF digestion in the rumen. These results and others in the literature suggest that the rate of surface area exposure rather than intrinsic chemical attributes of PDF may be first-limiting to degradation rate of PDF in vivo.     

Mechanism of Action of Probiotic Function of Lactobacilli

乳酸杆菌作为益生菌广泛用于人和动物.本文综述了乳酸杆菌改善宿主健康的机制.乳酸杆菌可通过产生抗菌物质如乳酸、过氧化氢、细菌素,或者通过竞争营养或肠道黏附位点来抑制致病菌;通过诱导黏附素的分泌或阻止细胞凋亡而增强肠道的屏障功能,从而保护肠道.文章重点讨论了乳酸杆菌表面成分(表面蛋白、脂磷壁酸和肽聚糖)与肠道受体(C型凝集素受体、Toll样受体和Nod样受体),阐述了他们结合后启动免疫调节信号,调控肠道免疫功能以发挥改善健康作用的机制.     

Evaluation of serum concentrations of biomarkers of skeletal metabolism and results of radiography as indicators of severity of osteochondrosis in foals

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether serum concentrations of biomarkers of skeletal metabolism can, in conjunction with radiographic evaluation, indicate severity of osteochondrosis in developing horses. ANIMALS: 43 Dutch Warmblood foals with varying severity of osteochondrosis. PROCEDURE: 24 foals were monitored for 5 months and 19 foals were monitored for 11 months. Monthly radiographs of femoropatellar-femorotibial and tibio-tarsal joints were graded for osteochondral abnormalities. Serial blood samples were assayed for 8 cartilage and bone biomarkers. At the end of the monitoring period, foals were examined for macroscopic osteochondrosis lesions. RESULTS: Temporal relationships were evident between certain serum biomarkers and osteochondrosis severity in foals during their first year. Biomarkers of collagen degradation (collagenase-generated neoepitopes of type-II collagen fragments, type-I and -II collagen fragments [COL2-3/4C(short)], and cross-linked telopeptide fragments of type-I collagen) and bone mineralization (osteocalcin) were positive indicators of osteochondrosis severity at 5 months of age. In foals with lesions at 11 months of age, osteochondrosis severity correlated negatively with COL2-3/4C(short) and osteocalcin and positively with C-propeptide of type-II procollagen (CPII), a collagen synthesis marker. Radiographic grading of osteochondrosis lesions significantly correlated with macroscopic osteochondrosis severity score at both ages and was strongest when combined with osteocalcin at 5 months and CPII at 11 months. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The ability of serum biomarkers to indicate osteochondrosis severity appears to depend on stage of disease and is strengthened with radiography. In older foals with more permanent lesions, osteochondrosis severity is significantly related to biomarker concentrations of decreased bone formation and increased cartilage synthesis.