Reproductive performance of thoroughbred mares in sweden.
Abstract: During 1997-2001, a total of 430 Thoroughbred mares were mated by one of the two Thoroughbred stallions on a well-managed stud farm in the central part of Sweden. On arrival, a thorough gynaecological examination of all mares was performed. An early pregnancy examination was performed on days 14 and 15 after ovulation. The overall conception rates for the two stallions were 92.2 and 88.8%, and the corresponding live foal rates were 82.6 and 75.2%, respectively. The mean number of served oestrous cycles was 1.60 per mare per conception and 1.86 per live foal. The first and second cycle conception rates are reported for different age groups, mare categories and month of mating. The age of the mares had a significant influence on the live foal rate, being lower for mares >13 years of age. Resorption and abortion occurred in higher percentages among mares >8 years of age. The highest embryonic death occurred among mares with a history of being barren, or with having resorbed or aborted foetuses during the previous season. The month of mating had no significant influence on the first cycle conception rate or the second cycle conception rate. The frequency of twinning was 10.5% and the results of manual crushing of one of the conceptuses was successful in 88.9% of all cases, according to the ultrasound scanning 2 days later.
Publication Date: 2004-04-07 PubMed ID: 15065988DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2004.00482.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study examines the reproductive performance of Thoroughbred mares in Sweden from 1997-2001, focusing on conception rates, live foal rates, cycle conception rates, and factors influencing these outcomes such as mare’s age and history, and the month of mating.
Study Background and Methodology
- The research was conducted on a stud farm in central Sweden, focusing on a population of 430 Thoroughbred mares mated by two selected Thoroughbred stallions within a five-year time frame.
- Upon arrival, every mare was subjected to a detailed gynaecological checkup before mating.
- Pregnancy confirmations were made on days 14 and 15 post-ovulation.
Mating and Conception Findings
- Conception rates yielded by the two stallions were relatively high, with stallion 1 achieving a success rate of 92.2%, and stallion 2 obtaining 88.8%.
- The number of served oestrous cycles averaged 1.60 per mare per conception and 1.86 per live foal, meaning that generally each Thoroughbred mare took approximately 1 to 2 mating cycles to conceive and produce a live foal.
Influence of Mare’s Age and History
- Mare age appeared to significantly influence live foal rates, with lower successful birth rates in mares aged 13 years and older.
- Mares older than 8 years witnessed a notable increase in frequency of resorption and abortion.
- Highest embryonic death was reported in mares who had been barren or who had experienced resorption or abortion of foetuses in previous seasons. This implies that a mare’s previous reproductive history can negatively influence her future reproductive outcome.
Influence of Timing of Mating and Twinning
- The month of mating did not show a clear effect on the first or second cycle conception rates, indicating that conceiving was not season-dependent in the studied population.
- There was a 10.5% incidence of twin conception. Manual crushing of one of the twin embryos was attempted in cases of twinning, and was found effective in 88.9% cases, as validated by ultrasound scanning 2 days later, to manage potential risks associated with twin pregnancies in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Hemberg E, Lundeheim N, Einarsson S.
(2004).
Reproductive performance of thoroughbred mares in sweden.
Reprod Domest Anim, 39(2), 81-85.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2004.00482.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Herrgården, Haddebo Bruk, Hjortkvarn, Sweden.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Estrous Cycle / physiology
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Outcome / veterinary
- Pregnancy, Animal / physiology
- Sweden / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- 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.
- 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).
- Fawcett JA, Innan H, Tsuchiya T, Sato F. Effect of advancing age on the reproductive performance of Japanese Thoroughbred broodmares.. J Equine Sci 2021 Jun;32(2):31-37.
- Carluccio A, Bucci R, Fusi J, Robbe D, Veronesi MC. Effect of age and of reproductive status on reproductive indices in horse mares carrying mule pregnancies.. Heliyon 2020 Oct;6(10):e05175.
- Mantovani R, Folla F, Pigozzi G, Tsuruta S, Sartori C. Genetics of Lifetime Reproductive Performance in Italian Heavy Draught Horse Mares.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jun 23;10(6).
- Aouane N, Nasri A, Bekara MAA, Metref AK, Kaidi R. Retrospective study of the reproductive performance of Barb and Thoroughbred stallions in Algeria.. Vet World 2019 Jul;12(7):1132-1139.
- Duguma A, Lemma A, Hibste A. Effect of breed and other animal-related factors on conception rate to artificial insemination with frozen semen in mares in Ethiopia.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2019 Jun;51(5):1173-1178.
- Müller-Unterberg M, Wallmann S, Distl O. Effects of inbreeding and other systematic effects on fertility of Black Forest Draught horses in Germany.. Acta Vet Scand 2017 Oct 18;59(1):70.
- McGowan C. Welfare of Aged Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2011 Oct 31;1(4):366-76.
- Warriach HM, Memon MA, Ahmad N, Norman ST, Ghafar A, Arif M. Reproductive Performance of Arabian and Thoroughbred Mares under Subtropical Conditions of Pakistan.. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2014 Jul;27(7):932-6.
- 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 Jun 14;52(1):40.
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