PSXIV-8 - Gender Differences and Reference Intervals of Concentrations of Chemical Elements in Hair from the Mane of the Bashkir Horses in the South Ural Biogeochemical Province

Abstract: The main purpose of the study was to establish gender differences and reference intervals for the concentration of chemical elements in hair from the mane of horses bred in a biogeochemical province, the South Urals of Russia. The studies were carried out on physiologically healthy stallions and mares of the Bashkir breed (n=120; age 3-7 years). Hair samples were taken from the manes of horses. The elemental composition of samples was estimated from 13 chemical elements (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, I, Mn, Pb, Se, Sr, Zn, Si) by ICP AES and ICP MS. Reference intervals for the content of chemical elements in animal hair were calculated in accordance with the recommendations of Poulsen et al. (1997; 2.5-97.5 percentile). It was found that the concentrations of Al, Co, Fe and Pb in the hair of stallions significantly (Р≤0.05) exceeded those of mares. The content of Zn, on the contrary, was greater in stallions than in mares. Due to the fact that the elemental composition of the hair of stallions and mares was significantly different, the reference intervals were calculated for each gender group separately. For mares, these values were (mg/kg): Al (41.14-186); CD (0.0049-0.0189); Co (0.039-0.138); Cr (0.389-1.97); Cu (4.66-6.61); Fe(70.99-263); I (0.161-0.333); Mn (2.7-7.66); Pb (0.078-0.265); Se (0.129-0.292); Si (7.88-16.93); Sr (1.53-4.5); Zn(118-156); for stallions: Al (121-226); CD (0.0053-0.0125); Co (0.073-0.187); Cr (0.362-0.887); Cu (5.18-7.01); Fe (210-338); I (0.128-0.502); Mn (2.43-9.15); Pb (0.234-0.928); Se (0.168-0.356); Si (5.25-13.13); Sr (2.44-3.8); Zn (147-193). It is proposed to use the obtained values as physiological standards for assessing the elemental status of the Bashkir horses bred in the South Ural biogeochemical province.