Not just a number: effect of age on fertility, pregnancy and offspring vigour in thoroughbred brood-mares.
Abstract: Advancing age can adversely affect a thoroughbred brood-mare's reproductive efficiency and influence the commercial and athletic potential of her progeny. Causes for the decline in fertility include decreased oocyte and embryo quality, anatomical defects and endometrial degeneration. In addition, evidence exists that as the age of a dam increases, her foals will be at increased risk of morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period. Health issues can have lasting and deleterious effects on surviving foals, including decreased sale value and reduced athletic performance. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the association between mare age, fertility and offspring vigour in thoroughbred horses.
Publication Date: 2015-03-20 PubMed ID: 25786411DOI: 10.1071/RD14390Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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The research article explores the impact of advanced age on the reproductive efficiency of thoroughbred brood-mares and the vitality of their offspring. Higher age has been found to decrease fertility and the commercial and athletic potential of the offspring due to a range of factors.
Effect of Age on Fertility
- The study asserts that advancing age can have a detrimental effect on a thoroughbred brood-mare’s reproductive efficiency. This reduction in fertility is attributed to a variety of factors, which include decreased oocyte quality, deterioration in embryo quality, anatomical defects, and endometrial degeneration.
Impact on Offspring’s Health
- The research suggests that with the increase in the age of the dam (mother horse), the risk of morbidity and mortality during the neonatal period for her foals amplifies. This increased health risk in neonatal period may have lasting and harmful effects on the surviving foals, causing a decrease in their sale value and a decline in their athletic performance over time.
Commercial and Athletic Potential of Offspring
- The research paper also examines the impact of a brood-mare’s age on the potential value and athleticism of its progeny. It highlights that a mare’s advanced age can adversely affect the commercial potential of her offspring, as the health issues faced by foals due to their mother’s aging, decreases their value in the market.
- In addition to affecting their sale value, the research indicates that these health issues can also reduce the foal’s athletic performance, diminishing their potential future success in races or other competitive measures.
Research Goals
- The primary purpose of this review article is to evaluate the connection between a thoroughbred mare’s age, her fertility, and the vitality of her offspring. By examining this relationship, the study aims to provide insights that can help improve practices in the breeding of thoroughbred horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Scoggin CF.
(2015).
Not just a number: effect of age on fertility, pregnancy and offspring vigour in thoroughbred brood-mares.
Reprod Fertil Dev, 27(6), 872-879.
https://doi.org/10.1071/RD14390 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Claiborne Farm, PO Box 150, Paris, KY 40362, USA. Email:
MeSH Terms
- Aging / physiology
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Female
- Fertility / physiology
- Horses
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal
Citations
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