Thyroid hormones in milk and blood of lactating donkeys as affected by stage of lactation and dietary supplementation with trace elements

Changes in the concentrations of thyroid hormones in dairy sheep

<b>The aim of the research was to determine the changes in the concentrations of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) in sheep during lactation. The experiment was conducted on 20 Polish Longwool ewes. Milking was begun after the lambs were weaned, on the 57th day of lactation. Sheep were milked twice a day (8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.) until dry. The milk yield of each ewe was checked every 10 days. For determination of thyroid hormones, blood was collected every 28 days beginning at sunset, every 20 minutes for 6 hours. The average milk yield of the sheep was determined based on the individual yields on test days. The highest (P ≤ 0,01) milk yield was obtained in the first month of milking, i.e. April (0,48 ± 0,018 l). Milk yield decreased as lactation progressed. The concentration of hormone T3 was significantly higher (P ≤ 0,01) in the first and third months of lactation (0,72 ± 0,02 ng/ml in April and 0,74 ± 0,02 ng/ml in June) than in September (0,55 ± 0,01 ng/ml). The T3 concentration decreased in successive months of lactation. In contrast, the concentration of the T4 hormone increased with the progression of lactation. Significantly (P ≤ 0,01) the lowest concentration of T4 was found in the first and second month of milking (51,7 ± 9,8 ng/ml, 48,8 ± 7,4 ng/ml). The highest T4 concentration in lactating sheep was noted in August (60,55 ± 10 ng/ml). The research showed that the secretion of T3 decreases with milk yield, while secretion of T4 shows an upward trend as lactation progresses. Therefore thyroid hormones modulate secretion of milk in sheep. </b>

Equine Milk Production and Valorization of Marginal Areas-A Review

The equine dairy chain is renewing the interest toward horse and donkey breeding for the production of milk with potential health promoting properties. The dairy equine chain for human consumption could contribute to the rural eco-sustainable development for the micro-economies of those areas threatened by marginalization. As a part of the whole equine industry, and its possible impact in the modern and future society, the main traits of the equine dairy enterprise are reviewed with a special focus on management of animals and milk. Equine milk compositional and nutritional peculiarities are described as also related to milk hygiene and health issues. Scientific and technical aspects of the feeding management are considered in the frame of the emerging dairy equine enterprise, where pasture is an essential element that allows to match production goals for horses and donkeys, biodiversity preservation, as well as landscape safeguard.

2017 Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association for the Diagnosis and Management of Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy and the Postpartum

BACKGROUND

Thyroid disease in pregnancy is a common clinical problem. Since the guidelines for the management of these disorders by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) were first published in 2011, significant clinical and scientific advances have occurred in the field. The aim of these guidelines is to inform clinicians, patients, researchers, and health policy makers on published evidence relating to the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease in women during pregnancy, preconception, and the postpartum period.

METHODS

The specific clinical questions addressed in these guidelines were based on prior versions of the guidelines, stakeholder input, and input of task force members. Task force panel members were educated on knowledge synthesis methods, including electronic database searching, review and selection of relevant citations, and critical appraisal of selected studies. Published English language articles were eligible for inclusion. The American College of Physicians Guideline Grading System was used for critical appraisal of evidence and grading strength of recommendations. The guideline task force had complete editorial independence from the ATA. Competing interests of guideline task force members were regularly updated, managed, and communicated to the ATA and task force members.

RESULTS

The revised guidelines for the management of thyroid disease in pregnancy include recommendations regarding the interpretation of thyroid function tests in pregnancy, iodine nutrition, thyroid autoantibodies and pregnancy complications, thyroid considerations in infertile women, hypothyroidism in pregnancy, thyrotoxicosis in pregnancy, thyroid nodules and cancer in pregnant women, fetal and neonatal considerations, thyroid disease and lactation, screening for thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy, and directions for future research.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed evidence-based recommendations to inform clinical decision-making in the management of thyroid disease in pregnant and postpartum women. While all care must be individualized, such recommendations provide, in our opinion, optimal care paradigms for patients with these disorders.