Avaliação do perfil bioquímico de equinos submetidos a provas de três tambores.

Equestrian sport is recognized worldwide for showcasing athletes with great abilities, and hence why this practice is constantly growing in search of the best animal performance in competitions. Understanding and characterizing the animal's physiological mechanisms are of great importance for assessing its performance. On this basis, the present study was developed to examine the serum biochemical profile of horses subjected to barrel racing competitions. The study involved 15 horses that perform in these events. Three blood samples were collected: the first before the competition; the second immediately after a run, performed at a gallop; and the third 30 min after the end of the stride. In each collection, 2 mL of blood were harvested in a vacuum tube containing EDTA and 2 mL in a tube with fluoride, after local antisepsis, by jugular vein puncture. The material was used for analysis of chloride, total calcium, urea, creatinine, creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein (TP), glucose and lactate. Data were analyzed using the Scott-Knott test for mean comparison. The biochemical indices of urea, creatinine, TP, lactate and glucose increased during physical exercise. Serum concentrations of AST-GOT, CK and total calcium did not differ significantly between the analyzed periods. Chloride concentration decreased significantly at T3. A run of barrel racing causes serum biochemical changes in horses, mainly a significant increase in plasma lactate concentration, but the studied variables showed responses in line with those physiologically expected of the body in response to physical exercise, without harm to the animal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]