The horse welfare at markets includes fatigue, fear, fasting, dehydration and injuries. However, the scientific literature contains no readily-available information on the physiology responses of equids sold in livestock markets. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of holding in livestock markets on gas exchange, the acid-base balance, energy metabolism, and the mineral and water balance in 4 types of horses (Equus caballus), donkeys (Equus asinus) and mules ((Equus asinus × Equus caballus). To this end, a total of 1,438 equine were utilized, after classification into six groups, as follows: mules, donkeys, culled horses, charrería horses (Mexican rodeo horses), foals, and ponies. The time intervals evaluated were 1 and 5 h. During the study, the animals received only water ad libitum. The physiological blood indicators assessed were: P_vCO₂ (mm Hg) and P_vO₂ (mm Hg) pressure, pH, glucose (mg/dL), lactate (mg/dL), bicarbonate levels (mmol/L), hematocrit (%), Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺ (mmol/L). The animals that presented the most marked physiological alterations were the mules and donkeys. The mules that remained in the corrals for 1 h presented increases (P < 0.0001) in the values for pO_2, glucose, hematocrit and blood pH, compared to reference values (RV), while the donkeys had increases (P < 0.0001) in glucose and hematocrit values. By the end of the first hour at the exhibition corrals the equine were dehydrated, suffered fatigue, and suffered metabolic and compensatory problems, probably due to the combined effects of a series of factors that include transport and inadequate handling.

One of the principal problems in swine production is neonatal mortality, especially in primiparous sows. Caffeine has been shown to be an efficacious neonatal stimulant that reduces mortality while improving key metabolic indicators associated with hypoxic processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of inducing parturition with a full dose (FD) (175 μg) or split dose (SD) (87.5 + 87.5 μg) of cloprostenol (PGF2α), with and without the administration of a single dose of caffeine (420 mg), on the vitality, clinical status, surface temperature, and weight at weaning of neonate pigs. In this experiment, the duration of farrowing was affected by the induction technique, as the PGF2α SD and PGF2α SD + caffeine treatment groups reduced this time by as much as 100 min compared to PGF2α FD and PGF2α FD + caffeine. The groups that received caffeine presented the best values for the indicators of the neonate performance, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), glucose, surface temperature at 24 h, and weight at 21 days, especially the PGF2α SD + caffeine group. PGF2α FD had the lowest neonate performance and metabolic variables. Inducing birth with PGF2α SD is more efficient, and adding caffeine improves the performance and metabolic variables of piglets born from primiparous sows.

Optimizing farrowing management is crucial in swine production, yet the combined effects of induction protocols and stimulants on the sow remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of farrowing induction using cloprostenol as a single dose (full dose) or split dose, with or without caffeine administration, on the performance, behavior, and hormonal concentrations of primiparous (n = 25) and multiparous (n = 25) sows. Sows were assigned to five treatments: Control (n = 10), PGF2α Full Dose (175 μg) (n = 10), PGF2α Split Dose (87.5 + 87.5 μg) (n = 10), PGF2α Full Dose + Caffeine (420 mg) (n = 10), and PGF2α Split Dose + Caffeine (420 mg) (n = 10). The PGF2α Split Dose and PGF2α Split Dose + Caffeine treatments significantly reduced farrowing duration by up to 100 min in primiparous sows (122.40 ± 82.24 and 136.00 ± 38.33 min, respectively; p = 0.002), and in multiparous sows by up to 76 min (134.80 ± 73.84 and 158.00 ± 44.82 min, respectively; p < 0.05), compared to the Control and PGF2α Full Dose groups. Furthermore, the PGF2α Split Dose induction method lowered the frequency of stress-related behaviors (0.01 and 0.08 for PGF2α SD, and 0.03 and 0.08 for PGF2α SD + Caffeine, for gilts and sows respectively), with sows showing fewer posture changes and maintaining more stable resting positions, particularly the lying lateral posture (0.86 for PGF2α SD and 0.96 for PGF2α SD + Caffeine). Cortisol levels varied by parity, with multiparous sows showing higher prepartum and intrapartum levels, while primiparous sows peaked twelve hours postpartum; estradiol levels remained unaffected by treatments. In conclusion, inducing farrowing with a split-dose prostaglandin protocol is highly efficient, and the addition of caffeine further enhances farrowing performance while significantly improving behavioral welfare by reducing standing postures associated with discomfort in both primiparous and multiparous sows.