Assessment of growth rate in Purebred Arabian and Barbe Foals

The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of sex, breed, month of birth, and year of birth on the birth weight and postnatal growth performance of foals raised under standardized conditions at the Chaouchaoua National Stud of Tiaret, Algeria. A total of 97 foals (69 Arab and 28 Barb) were included in the study. Only live-born foals that survived beyond six months of age were considered. All animals were reared under the same housing, feeding, and management conditions throughout the study. Data were retrospectively collected from the official birth records of the National Stud Farm for the years 2017 to 2021. The following variables were analysed birth weight (in kg), body weight at first and second weighing, average daily gain between birth and body weight at first weighing, and between body weight at first and second weighing. Weaning dates and weighing dates were also recorded. On average, the two weighing were carried out at approximately six-month intervals, allowing for the estimation of growth rates over distinct phases. Analysis of the data by foal breed revealed a highly significant difference (P < 0.005) in birth weight between the two groups. Arab foals had a significantly higher mean birth weight (50.76 ± 5.08 kg) compared to Barb foals (46.82 ± 5.66 kg). This study provides valuable insights into the postnatal growth patterns of foals born at the Chaouchaoua National Stud. These findings confirm that breed significantly influences birth weight and growth rate, with Barb foals outperforming Arab foals in average daily gains.