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Home / Equine Research Bank / Anim Reprod Sci / Descriptive study of current therapeutic practices, clinical...
Animal reproduction science2017; 188; 74-84; doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.11.011

Descriptive study of current therapeutic practices, clinical reproductive findings and incidence of pregnancy loss in intensively managed thoroughbred mares.

Abstract: Therapeutic practices in equine reproductive medicine have dramatically evolved over the last 20 years but current usage is not described. The aims of this study were to provide a description of medication use and clinical findings of reproductive examinations alongside measures of reproductive efficiency in thoroughbreds. A prospective cohort study was conducted in the 2013 and 2014 breeding seasons. Mare and stallion details, information on veterinary interventions and findings of reproductive ultrasound scans were collected using questionnaires and entered into a custom-designed Microsoft Access database. Descriptive summary statistics were derived directly from the database and using Microsoft Excel. Information was collected from 2246 pregnancies in 1754 mares from 29 stud farms. Ovulatory induction agents were used in 91.8% of cases, oestrus induction agents in 38.4% and covering therapies in 62.7%. Intrauterine antimicrobials were used in 49.6% of mares. Single pregnancies accounted for 83.9% of pregnancies, twins for 15.3% and triplets for 0.7%. The overall incidence of pregnancy loss between days 15-42 was 6.4% (95% CI 5.4%, 7.4%) and 1.6% (95% CI 1.1%, 2.1%) between days 43-65. A further 1.3% of pregnancies were lost by October and 4.5% by birth (including stillbirths). Eighty-three percent of all pregnancies resulted in a live foal. In conclusion, there has been a considerable increase in the use of reproductive therapeutics over the last 12 years. Nonetheless, incidence of pregnancy loss and live foal percentages remain essentially unchanged. Risk factor studies are required to determine if the substantial increase in therapeutic usage is conferring positive benefits.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2017-11-10 PubMed ID: 29146097DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.11.011Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The study overviews the current therapeutic practices, clinical reproductive findings, and incidences of pregnancy loss in thoroughly bred mares. Notably, there’s been an increase in the application of reproductive therapeutics in the past two decades, even though the rate of pregnancy loss and live foal outcomes remain unchanged, instigating a need for risk factor evaluations to observe any positive impacts as a result of this rise.

Study Methodology

  • A prospective cohort study was set up to monitor the breeding seasons of 2013 and 2014.
  • Data collected included details of mares and stallions, notes on veterinary treatment, and results of reproductive ultrasound scans.
  • The data was collected on forms and input into a specially designed Microsoft Access database.
  • Thorough evaluation of the data was carried out using summary statistics straight from the database, as well as by way of Microsoft Excel.

Key Findings

  • Collected information involved 2246 pregnancies across 1754 mares from 29 stud farms.
  • The results showed extensive use of therapeutics: inducers for ovulatory and estrus were applied in 91.8% and 38.4% of cases respectively, whereas covering therapies were used in 62.7% of the cases.
  • Intrauterine antimicrobials were used in about half of the mares (49.6%).
  • The majority of pregnancies resulted in a single foetus (83.9%), while 15.3% resulted in twins, and a small number (0.7%) resulted in triplets.
  • The data highlighted a loss of pregnancy during early stages between days 15-42 at 6.4% and 1.6% in the period between days 43-65. Further losses continued, measuring 1.3% by October and up to 4.5% by birth. This included stillbirths.
  • Despite the loss rates, 83% of all pregnancies resulted in a live foal.

Conclusion of the Study

  • The use of reproductive therapeutics has noticeably increased in the past 12 years.
  • However, despite the increase in use of therapeutics, the statistics of pregnancy loss and percentages of live foals have largely remained the same.
  • The study calls for an evaluation of risk factors to determine if the increased usage of therapeutics has any positive impact.

Cite This Article

APA
Rose BV, Firth M, Morris B, Roach JM, Wathes DC, Verheyen KLP, de Mestre AM. (2017). Descriptive study of current therapeutic practices, clinical reproductive findings and incidence of pregnancy loss in intensively managed thoroughbred mares. Anim Reprod Sci, 188, 74-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2017.11.011

Publication

Animal reproduction science
ISSN: 1873-2232
NlmUniqueID: 7807205
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 188
Pages: 74-84
PII: S0378-4320(17)30543-2

Researcher Affiliations

Rose, B V
  • Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: brose@rvc.ac.uk.
Firth, M
  • Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: marvinfirth@hotmail.com.
Morris, B
  • Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: bmorris@rvc.ac.uk.
Roach, J M
  • Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom.
Wathes, D C
  • Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dcwathes@rvc.ac.uk.
Verheyen, K L P
  • Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: kverheyen@rvc.ac.uk.
de Mestre, A M
  • Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ademestre@rvc.ac.uk.

MeSH Terms

  • Abortion, Veterinary
  • Animal Husbandry / methods
  • Animals
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
  • Horses / physiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Rate
  • Pregnancy, Animal
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors

Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Ashraf R, Rashid S, Rasheed I, Asif S. Early embryonic death in equines and camelids.. Open Vet J 2022 Nov-Dec;12(6):903-909.
    doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2022.v12.i6.16pubmed: 36777062google scholar: lookup
  2. Roach J, Arango Sabogal JC, Smith K, Foote A, Verheyen K, de Mestre AM. Multivariable analysis to determine risk factors associated with abortion in mares.. Reprod Fertil 2022 Nov 1;3(4):301-12.
    doi: 10.1530/RAF-22-0087pubmed: 36374277google scholar: lookup
  3. Salem SE, Sinnott A, Roach JM, Verheyen KLP, de Mestre AM. Mixed-Effects Modelling of the Risk Factors Associated with Multiple Pregnancies in Thoroughbred Mares.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jul 20;12(14).
    doi: 10.3390/ani12141841pubmed: 35883388google scholar: lookup
  4. Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Roberts HC, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Calvo AV, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Carvelli A, Paillot R, Broglia A, Kohnle L, Baldinelli F, Van der Stede Y. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): infection with Equine Herpesvirus-1.. EFSA J 2022 Jan;20(1):e07036.
    doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7036pubmed: 35035581google scholar: lookup
  5. Karam KM, Alebady AS, Alhilfi HO, Al-Delemi DH. Comparative study utilizing different post-breeding treatment regimens in cyclic Arabian mares.. Vet World 2021 Nov;14(11):2863-2868.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.2863-2868pubmed: 35017832google scholar: lookup
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    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00547pubmed: 32984410google scholar: lookup
  7. Shilton CA, Kahler A, Davis BW, Crabtree JR, Crowhurst J, McGladdery AJ, Wathes DC, Raudsepp T, de Mestre AM. Whole genome analysis reveals aneuploidies in early pregnancy loss in the horse.. Sci Rep 2020 Aug 7;10(1):13314.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69967-zpubmed: 32769994google scholar: lookup
  8. Bonometti S, Menarim BC, Reinholt BM, Ealy AD, Johnson SE. Growth factor modulation of equine trophoblast mitosis and prostaglandin gene expression.. J Anim Sci 2019 Feb 1;97(2):865-873.
    doi: 10.1093/jas/sky473pubmed: 30535412google scholar: lookup
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