To study the passive immunity transference to the new born foal via colostrum, the total serum protein of 27 foals, being 13 females and 14 males, born from multiparae and primiparae mares was estimated. The blood samples were colected at 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 hours after the first suckling. The total protein values increase significantly between 6 and 12 hours after the first suckling, being not influenced by the sex of the foal. The total protein values of new borns from multiparae mares were significantly higher than primiparae mares at 12 hours after the first suckling and was mantained in the same levels for 30 hours. It was concluded that the newborn Arabian foals had the highest immunoglobulin absortion between 6 and 12 hours after the first suckling and it is higher in foals born from multiparae than from primiparae mares.
foal; Arabian breed; passive immunity
