Reproduction in horses encompasses the biological processes and mechanisms involved in the breeding and development of equine offspring. This includes the study of reproductive anatomy, physiology, and endocrinology in both mares and stallions. Key areas of interest include the estrous cycle, ovulation, conception, gestation, and parturition. Researchers also examine factors influencing fertility, reproductive technologies such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer, and management practices that impact reproductive success. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the physiological, genetic, and environmental aspects of equine reproduction.
McIlwraith CW, James LF.Five of 26 pregnant mares observed ingesting locoweed (Astragalus mollisimus) subsequently aborted and another 10 produced foals with various limb deformities. Seven of the foals had deformities of a flexion-extension type and 3 had angular deformities. Four foals were normal. The limb deformities either resolved spontaneously (5 cases) or were treated successfully (in 4 of the other 5 cases). The problems of abortion and limb deformities were attributed to locoweed ingestion on the basis of the mares having eaten the plants, and the similarity of the syndrome to that previously reported in sh...
Betteridge KJ, Eaglesome MD, Mitchell D, Flood PF, Beriault R.Forty nine embryos, twenty unfertilized eggs and five other fresh eggs of 'doubtful' status have been recovered from 58 pony mares in 122 flushes up to 22 days after ovulation. The fresh egg or embryo recovery rate was 78% with surgical methods (or at slaughter) and 40-60% with non-surgical methods of recovery. The fertilization rate was about 70%. It has been confirmed that horse embryos normally enter the uterus as blastocysts 5-6 days after ovulation. Three features of early embryo morphology have become clearer upon comparison with unfertilized eggs of similar ages; early embryos are often...
Klem ME, Kreider JL, Harms PG, Potter GD, Kraemer DC, Godke RA.Thirty-one mares of Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred breeding were utilized in two experiments to evaluate the efficacy of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) for induction of equine parturition and to monitor the effects of this treatment on viability of the resulting foals. Three of five mares given 5 mg PGF2 alpha (im) on day 338 of gestation foaled 19.6+/-8.2 hr postinjection. In the second experiment immediately following 3 daily injections of 10 mg estradiol cypionate (ECP) given on days 326, 327 and 328 of gestation, seven mares were infused (iv) with PGF2 alpha at the rate of 1.3 mg/hr f...
Moudgal NR, Papkoff H.The ability of equine luteinizing hormone (eLH) to promote follicular growth and maturation in hypophysectomized rats has been assessed. A single injection of equine LH has been shown to promote the growth of a large number of antral and preovulatory follicles. In addition, equine LH markedly increased serum estrogen levels and uterine weight. Furthermore, equine LH, like equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG; PMSG) was able to significantly enhance the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into ovarian DNA, an activity shown to be specific to hormones having follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) activity....
Arriola J, Foote RH.Because microfloral content of stallion semen tends to be high, and strains may be resistant to commonly used antibiotics, amikacin was tested with stallion semen and compared with bull semen. Nine ejaculates to stallion semen were incubated at 37 C in egg yolk-tris extender for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h in the presence of amikacin concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000 and 10,000 microgram/ml, with penicillin and penicillin-streptomycin as controls. Averaged over all incubations, spermatozoal motility was 44, 48, 49, 46, 45, 45 and 19%, for increasing concentrations of amikacin, compared ...
Lanneau M, Loir M.Using standardized methods for protein extraction and analysis, the testes of rams, bulls, goats, boars, stallions, rats, cats, hedgehogs, European mink and ferrets were examined for basic spermatid nucleoproteins by electrophoresis. The results suggest that differences exist in the total number of these proteins as well as in the number and amount of the cross-linked cystein-containing proteins. These differences appear to be more family-specific than species-specific.
Meijer P.Two cases of tetany in the horse are reported. The two patients were thoroughbreds. One was eight and the other thirteen years old. The mares were in heat and were brought to the service (stud) station to be mated. Both patients were nursing a foal. One was a four-week-old foal and the other was seven weeks old. The calcium level of the serum had dropped in the two patients, to 4.0 mg and 5.4 per ml. respectively. The magnesium level was 1.0 mg and 1.9 mg per 100 ml. respectively. The animals responded satisfactorily to intravenous infusion of calcium borogluconate and magnesium chloride. One ...
Gibson JA, Eaves LE, O'Sullivan BM.During a 20 month period Enterobacter agglomerans was
isolated from 17 cases of equine abortion. In 8 cases E
agglomerans was isolated in pure culture and in 9 cases it was
isolated in mixed culture from the foetus and/or foetal
membranes. Fifteen cases had histological evidence of foetal
infection and/or placentitis.
The occurrence of E agglomerans in pure culture, associated
with inflammatory lesions in the foetus and foetal membranes,
suggests it to be a cause of abortion in mares.
Squires EL, Todter GE, Berndtson WE, Pickett BW.Thirty-two stallions were used to determine the effect of anabolic steroids on reproductive function. Stallions were assigned to one of the four treatments: 1) .23 ml sesame oil/kg of body weight (BW; control, C); 2) 4.4 mg boldenone undecylenate/kg BW (4E); 3) 1.1 mg boldenone undecylenate/kg BW (1E) and 4) 1.1 mg nandrolone decanoate/kg BW (D). Injections were given at 3-wk intervals for 15 wk. Semen was collected every other day for 3 wk before the first injection and at the same frequency during d 85 through 105 (d 0 = day of first injection). Libido was assessed on the basis of reaction t...
Gibbs PG, Potter GD, Blake RW, McMullan WC.Milk production was measured in fourteen Quarter Horse mares at seven stages of a 150-d lactation period. Mares were divided into two groups of seven and fed diets containing either soybean meal or soybean meal and urea as nitrogen supplements. Rations were isocaloric, contained approximately 12.5% crude protein and were fortified with vitamins and minerals. Daily milk yield was estimated by the weigh-suckle-weigh method and milk composition was determined from samples taken by hand milking. Average daily milk yield ranged from 11.8 kg in early lactation to 9.8 kg in late lactation. Difference...
Hanák J, Zert Z.The ECG characters were studied in two sires (Manrico and Infernal) and their 26-membered set of progeny as well as in one mare (Victoire) and her five daughters. The confer of some ECG characters from the sire's side as well as from the mare's side to the offspring was demonstrated. The consistency of some ECG characters was particularly obvious in externally dominant Manrico sire and his offspring as well as in the breeding mare and her five daughters (inclination of the electric cardiac axis, intrinsicoid deflexion lag, P wave shape, deep S in the 3rd connection).
Katila T, Oijala M, Kotilainen T, Väisänen K.Four subfertile mares (at least 2 barren years) were used as donors in an embryo transfer program. The embryo recovery rate was 50%, varying between 0-100. The transfer of 9 embryos resulted in the pregnancy rate of 44%. The efficiency of embryo transfer using subfertile mares is low. In this material 20% of flushings resulted in a pregnancy. Fyra subfertila ston (gatt galla i minst 2 är) användes som donatorer i ett program för embryot rans fer. Femtio procent av embryon tillvaratogs (varians 0–100%). Transfer av 9 embryon gav en dräktighetsresultat på 44%. Embryotransfer från subfert...
Willette J, Gerras A, Sledge D, Koch D.A 13-year-old multiparous Quarter Horse mare was presented to the Michigan State University's, Large Animal Emergency service for dystocia. Clinical evaluation revealed a minimally dilated cervix on vaginal examination, with a palpable deceased fetus. Postmortem evaluation following owner-elected humane euthanasia revealed a circumferential, tan, fibrous band at the base of the uterine body that constricted the uterus and was adhered to the left and right ovaries. A routine histologic section of the incarcerating cord attached to the ovary consisted predominately of dense fibrous connective ti...
Pruß D, Oldenhof H, Wolkers WF, Sieme H.The aim of cell preservation technologies is to slow down damaging reactions by lowering the storage temperature. Upon dilution in a stabilizing extender, stallion sperm can be stored at refrigerator temperatures for several days. Cryopreservation allows storage for decades, but freezing and thawing cause damage and viability losses. It is assumed that by storing cells at subzero temperatures in a non-frozen supercooled state, the damaging effects of ice formation can be avoided. In this study, we have investigated if stallion sperm can be stored at -10°C in the absence of ice, and compared v...
Althouse GC, Seager SW, Varner DD, Webb GW.An experiment was conducted to evaluate three commercially available test kits, the Azostix, Multistix and Uric-acid test, for the detection of urine in the equine ejaculate. Azostix, which tests for urea nitrogen, consistently detected urine in the equine ejaculate. Urine contamination was evident when a color change occurred in the reagent pad, going from yellow to green after 10 sec of exposure. The sensitivity of Azostix to urea nitrogen in contaminated samples was 39 mg/dl. The Multistix test kit also successfully detected urine in semen. In the Multistix nitrite pad the color changed fro...
Troedsson M, Concha C, Einarsson S, Holmberg O.From 6 mares with chronic uterine infection, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were obtained from the uterus. In order to recover an adequate number of viable PMNs, 0.1% oyster glycogen was infused into the uterus as a mild irritant 12 h prior to the uterine flushing. Phagocytosis and chemotaxis of the uterine derived PMNs were determined. The supernatant from the uterine flushing was compared with autologous serum for its capacity as an opsonin and chemoattractant. There was a significant increase of both phagocytosis and chemotaxis when autologous serum was used compared with the supernat...
Ginther OJ.Recent findings on the luteolytic process in mares are reviewed and differences from other farm species are noted. It is well known that the luteolysin, PGF2α (PGF), is secreted from the endometrium in the absence of pregnancy in farm animal species. But PGF is a potent chemical and safeguards have evolved so that only the corpus luteum (CL) is affected. The safeguards include a short PGF half-life and secretion in two or three pulses per day. In mares, endogenous PGF travels from the uterus to the CL through the systemic circulation, but the luteal-cell membranes are highly efficient in capt...
Kolus CR, MacLeay JM, Hackett ES.A foal born with assisted delivery developed rib fractures and a diaphragmatic hernia. The hernia was repaired using surgical mesh. The filly was healthy 42 months later. Dystocia is a risk factor for rib fractures and traumatic acquired diaphragmatic herniation. Surgical mesh repair is an option for diaphragmatic defects. Un poulain né lors d’une parturition assistée a développé des fractures des côtes et une hernie diaphragmatique. La hernie a été réparée à l’aide d’un treillis chirurgical. La pouliche était en santé 42 mois plus tard. La dystocie est un facteur de risque ...