Umbilical cord blood (UCB) and systemic blood samples were collected from five equine neonates, immediately after birth. Systemic blood samples from their mothers were also collected at the same time, using a vacuum system. The samples were submitted to the following analyses: red blood cell and total white blood cell counts; determinations of packed cell volume and hemoglobin concentration; differential white cell count in blood smears; and determination of erythrocytometric values. Total serum proteins quantification and serum proteins electrophoresis in agarose gel were done. No significant difference (P<0.05) was noted between averages in neonate jugular blood and equine UCB. Equine UCB showed higher values of red blood cell count (9.75x10(6)/µ), hemoglobin determination (14.65g/dl), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (37.23g/dl); but lower values of mean corpuscular volume (40.50fl), total protein (4.37g/dl), alpha-globulin (0.65 g/dl), beta-globulin (1.10g/dl), gamma-globulin (0g/dl), total (5.40x10³/µl), and differential leukocytes count, except for band neutrophils and monocytes counts, when compared to the blood of the mares.
horse; hematology; umbilical cord
