[Mineral concentrations in the keratinized tissue on the feet of young Crioulo horses at different stages of growth]

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the mineral profile of Ca, Cu and Zn in the hoof horny capsule at pre and post-weaning and its association with pigmentation, gender and age range of Crioulo foals raised in native pastures in RS. Samples were collected from the epidermis of the Crioulo foal's hoof at two times, 41 pre and 28 post-weaning. The contents of Ca, Cu, Zn Varied in the fetal hoof ( 571.0±139.4, 14.5±7.6 and 130.0±30.5mg/kg, respectively, P<0.05) and definitive (653.0±169.2, 33.8±11.5 and 69.3±36.8mg/kg, respectively, P<0.05), in the pre (620.0±184, 17.2±21.2 and103.0±75.5mg/kg, respectively, P<0.05) and post-weaning (517.5±181, 0.1 and 79.0±41.7mg/kg, respectively, P<0.05).There was a positive association (P<0.05) with a preweaning age for Ca (r=0.5) and Cu (r=0.57) and negative for Zn (r=-0.69, P<0.05). In the post weaning there was a positive association (P<0.05) for Ca (r=0.36) and Zn (r=0.64) and negative for Cu (r=-0.39; P<0.05). Neither pigmentation nor gender affected the mineral profile. It is concluded that there are differences in Ca, Cu, Zn concentrations in the epidermis of foals of the crioulo breed at the pre and post weaning, regardless of pigmentation and sex, where Ca and Cu concentrations increase with age, while Zn concentrations decrease.