FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / A retrospective cohort study on fertility in the Norwegian C...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2015; 57; 77; doi: 10.1186/s13028-015-0161-8

A retrospective cohort study on fertility in the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter after artificial insemination with cooled, shipped versus fresh extended semen.

Abstract: Pregnancy rates with cooled equine semen can be unsatisfactory and show great variation. Information about first cycle pregnancy rates and pregnancy rates per cycle are often lacking from publicly available records. This retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the fertility of the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter. The aim of the study was to compare the breeding results after insemination with fresh, extended with those of cooled, shipped semen among Norwegian Coldblooded trotter mares. First cycle pregnancy rate was the main parameter used to measure fertility. Stud-books were collected from four studs from the years 2006-2010. Statistical analyses were done in Stata using Chi square test and multivariable analyses where different models were compared based on Akaike's information criterion. Results: First cycle pregnancy rate, seasonal pregnancy rate and foaling rate all showed significant differences (P < 0.0001) when comparing mares inseminated at stud with mares inseminated with cooled, shipped semen, favoring artificial insemination (AI) at stud. First cycle pregnancy rate was 55.1 % for mares inseminated at stud with fresh extended semen and 42.2 % for mares inseminated with cooled shipped semen. The overall pregnancy rate per cycle was 84.4 % for AI at stud and 66.9 % for cooled, shipped semen. The parameters stud, mare age, number of inseminations within an estrus cycle and individual stallion were also investigated for influence on fertility. Conclusions: Few retrospective studies include the parameter of first cycle pregnancy rates. Our study does not differ dramatically when comparing seasonal pregnancy rates and foaling rates with similar studies. Fertility parameters for the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter do not differ significantly from most other studies of Coldblooded mares and other mare breeds around the world. But the difference in fertility parameters between AI at stud to AI with cooled semen between our study and others, indicates that higher pregnancy rates in Norwegian Coldblooded trotter may be possible.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2015-11-14 PubMed ID: 26578337PubMed Central: PMC4650285DOI: 10.1186/s13028-015-0161-8Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the fertility rates of the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter horse breed when inseminated with either fresh, locally available semen or cooled, transported semen. The study found significantly higher pregnancy rates when artificial insemination was conducted at the stud using fresh semen compared to using transported, cooled semen.

Study Context and Objectives

  • This research was conducted with the aim of comparing the reproductive success of Norwegian Coldblooded trotter mares when inseminated with freshly extended semen at the stud versus when inseminated with cooled, shipped semen.
  • One of the main measures of fertility used in the study was the first-cycle pregnancy rate. This would give an indication of the success rate of a single attempt at insemination, an important factor for breeders.

Data Collection and Analysis

  • The research, as a retrospective cohort study, relied on historical data, in this case, stud-books obtained from four studs over a period of four years (2006-2010).
  • Several statistical methods were used to analyze the data, including Chi-square tests and multivariable analyses where factors such as stud, mare age, the number of inseminations during an estrus cycle, and individual stallion were considered in assessing their influence on fertility.

Study Findings

  • Notably, the study found significant differences in the first cycle pregnancy rate, seasonal pregnancy rate, and foaling rate when comparing mares inseminated at the stud and mares inseminated with cooled, shipped semen.
  • The first cycle pregnancy rate was 55.1% for mares inseminated at the stud with fresh semen and 42.2% for mares inseminated with cooled, shipped semen. This higher success rate of insemination at the stud suggests that the cooling and transportation of semen may negatively impact its viability.
  • The overall pregnancy rate per cycle was also higher for insemination at the stud (84.4%) than for cooled, shipped semen (66.9%).

Concluding Remarks

  • The research concludes that while the fertility parameters for the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter are similar to those of other horse breeds, the significant difference in fertility results between insemination at the stud and with cooled semen suggests that better pregnancy rates might be achievable with an optimized approach.

Cite This Article

APA
Haadem CS, Nødtvedt A, Farstad W, Thomassen R. (2015). A retrospective cohort study on fertility in the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter after artificial insemination with cooled, shipped versus fresh extended semen. Acta Vet Scand, 57, 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-015-0161-8

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 57
Pages: 77

Researcher Affiliations

Haadem, Caroline Sorknes
  • Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146, 0033, Oslo, Norway. caroline.haadem@nmbu.no.
Nødtvedt, Ane
  • Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146, 0033, Oslo, Norway. ane.nodtvedt@nmbu.no.
Farstad, Wenche
  • Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146, 0033, Oslo, Norway. wenche.farstad@nmbu.no.
Thomassen, Ragnar
  • Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 8146, 0033, Oslo, Norway. ragnar.thomassen@nmbu.no.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Breeding
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cryopreservation / veterinary
  • Female
  • Fertility
  • Horses / physiology
  • Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
  • Norway
  • Parity
  • Pregnancy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Semen Preservation / veterinary

References

This article includes 14 references
  1. Pickett BW, McKinnon AO, Squires EL, Norris RC. Procedures for collection, evaluation and utilization of stallion semen for artificial insemination.. Bulletin of Colorado State University, Animal Reproduction Laboratory Animal Reproduction Laboratory, Colorado State University; 1987.
  2. Langlois B, Blouin C. Statistical analysis of some factors affecting the number of horse births in France.. Reprod Nutr Dev 2004;44:583–595.
    doi: 10.1051/rnd:2004055pubmed: 15762302google scholar: lookup
  3. Pickett BW, Shiner KA. Recent developments in artificial insemination in horses.. Livest Prod Sci 1994;40:31–36.
    doi: 10.1016/0301-6226(94)90263-1google scholar: lookup
  4. Jasko DJ, Moran DM, Farlin ME, Squires EL, Amann RP, Pickett BW. Pregnancy rates utilizing fresh, cooled, and frozen-thawed stallion semen.. Proceedings of the 38th annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners 1992;649–60.
  5. Sieme H, Schäfer T, Stout TAE, Klug E, Waberski D. The effects of different insemination regimes on fertility in mares.. Theriogenology 2003;60:1153–1164.
    doi: 10.1016/S0093-691X(03)00113-4pubmed: 12935854google scholar: lookup
  6. Katila T, Reilas T, Nivola K, Peltonen T, Virtala AM. A 15-year survey of reproductive efficiency of Standardbred and Finnhorse trotters in Finland-descriptive results.. Acta Vet Scand 2010;52:40.
    doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-52-40pmc: PMC2907380pubmed: 20546559google scholar: lookup
  7. Sairanen J, Nivola K, Reilas T, Katila T. Factors affecting the reproductive performance of Finnish trotter stallions.. Anim Reprod Sci 2008;107:346–347.
    doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2008.05.123google scholar: lookup
  8. Olsen HF, Meuwissen T, Klemetsdal G. Optimal contribution selection applied to the Norwegian and the North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter—a feasibility study.. J Anim Breed Genet 2013;130:170–177.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2012.01005.xpubmed: 23679942google scholar: lookup
  9. Rota A, Furzi C, Panzani D, Camillo F. Studies on motility and fertility of cooled stallion spermatozoa.. Reprod Domest Anim 2004;39:103–109.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2004.00488.xpubmed: 15065992google scholar: lookup
  10. Squires E, Barbacini S, Matthews P, Byers W, Schwenzer K, Steiner J, Loomis P. Retrospective study of factors affecting fertility of fresh, cooled and frozen semen.. Equine Vet Educ 2006;18:96–99.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2006.tb00425.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  11. Loomis PR. The equine frozen semen industry.. Anim Reprod Sci 2001;68:191–200.
    doi: 10.1016/S0378-4320(01)00156-7pubmed: 11744264google scholar: lookup
  12. Crowe CAM, Ravenhill PJ, Hepburn RJ, Shepherd CH. A retrospective study of artificial insemination of 251 mares using chilled and fixed time frozen-thawed semen.. Equine Vet J 2008;40:572–576.
    doi: 10.2746/042516408X281199pubmed: 18267884google scholar: lookup
  13. Allen WR, Brown L, Wright M, Wilsher S. Reproductive efficiency of Flatrace and National Hunt Thoroughbred mares and stallions in England.. Equine Vet J 2007;39:438–445.
    doi: 10.2746/042516407X1737581pubmed: 17910269google scholar: lookup
  14. Morris LHA, Allen WR. Reproductive efficiency of intensively managed Thoroughbred mares in Newmarket.. Equine Vet J 2002;34:51–60.
    doi: 10.2746/042516402776181222pubmed: 11822372google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Brito LFC, Linardi RL, Rosales LAS, Balamurugan NS, Hernández-Avilés C, Ramírez-Agámez L. Evaluation of a Chemically Defined, Long-Term Extender for Liquid Storage of Stallion Semen. Reprod Domest Anim 2025 Sep;60(9):e70126.
    doi: 10.1111/rda.70126pubmed: 41002042google scholar: lookup
  2. Abah KO, Ligocka-Kowalczyk Z, Itodo JI, Ameh G, Partyka A, Nizanski W. Association between sperm DNA fragmentation and fertility parameters in farm animals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Vet Res 2025 Mar 26;21(1):204.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04652-9pubmed: 40133892google scholar: lookup
  3. Medica AJ, Lambourne S, Aitken RJ. Predicting the Outcome of Equine Artificial Inseminations Using Chilled Semen. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 30;13(7).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13071203pubmed: 37048459google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.