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Veterinary world2019; 12(7); 1132-1139; doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1132-1139

Retrospective study of the reproductive performance of Barb and Thoroughbred stallions in Algeria.

Abstract: The Barb horse occupies a prominent place in the history, culture, and equestrian traditions of the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). Although many studies on the breed standard and morphometry have been published, there are no studies on its fertility and reproductive potential. Thus, this work aimed to study the fertility of Barb, Arabian Purebred, and Thoroughbred horses in Algeria. Methods: A total of 168 stallions and 1202 mares at the Chaouchaoua Stud farm in Tiaret, Algeria, were included in the study. The reproductive performance during 1592 cycles over 10 consecutive mating seasons (2003-2012) was evaluated. Multivariate analysis with logistic regression was used to analyze the reproductive parameters such as the number of cycles operated, number of pregnant mares, pregnancy rate per cycle, seasonal pregnancy rate, and embryonic mortality rate, and to determine the influence of breed, stallion's age, and year of the study on reproduction. Results: Statistical analysis showed that stallion breed was a significant influencing factor for the number of pregnant barren mares (Odds ratio [OR]=1.72; p=0.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.05, 2.84) seasonal pregnancy rate (OR=1.40; p<0.001; 95% CI=1.29, 1.53). Additionally, the reproductive performance of the Barb stallion was superior to that of the Thoroughbred stallion. With regard to the significant influence of stallion's age of >5 years on the number of pregnant foaling mares and seasonal pregnancy rate, significant interactions were observed between the stallion's breed and age, and the pregnancy rate per cycle: in the Barb breed, the pregnancy rate per cycle increased with the age of the stallion, while in the Thoroughbred, it decreased with age. Moreover, a significant effect of the year of the study on the pregnancy rate per cycle and number of pregnant foaling mares was observed. In contrast, the number of cycles and embryonic mortality rate were not influenced by the breed and age of the stallion, or the year of the study. Conclusions: The Algerian Barb horse attained a similar level of fertility compared with that of the Arabian Purebred and Thoroughbred stallions depending on its age and reproductive performance.
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Publication Date: 2019-07-26 PubMed ID: 31528044PubMed Central: PMC6702567DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1132-1139Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research paper presents a study on the reproductive performance of Barb, Arabian Purebred, and Thoroughbred stallions in Algeria. It investigates multiple reproductive parameters and highlights that the Barb horse’s fertility rate is comparable to that of the Arabian Purebred and Thoroughbred breeds, influenced by the horse’s age and breed.

Study Methods

  • The study was a retrospective analysis of 168 stallions, including Barb, Arabian Purebred, and Thoroughbred breeds, and 1202 mares over ten mating seasons (2003-2012) at the Chaouchaoua Stud farm in Algeria.
  • The researchers performed multivariate analysis with logistic regression to assess various aspects of reproductive performance. These aspects included the number of operated cycles, number of pregnant mares, pregnancy rate per cycle, seasonal pregnancy rate, and embryonic mortality rate.
  • They also examined the influence of the horse breed, stallion’s age, and the year of the study on the reproduction process.

Study Results

  • The breed of the stallion significantly impacted the number of pregnant mares and the seasonal pregnancy rate, with Barb stallions outperforming Thoroughbred stallions.
  • The age of the stallion had a substantial impact on the number of pregnant foaling mares and the seasonal pregnancy rate.
  • In the Barb breed, the pregnancy rate per cycle increased with the stallion’s age, while in Thoroughbreds, it decreased with age.
  • The year of the study influenced the pregnancy rate per cycle and the number of pregnant foaling mares.
  • However, factors like the breed of the stallion, age, and the year of study showed no impact on the number of cycles and the embryonic mortality rate.

Study Conclusions

  • The study concluded that the Algerian Barb horse demonstrated a similar fertility level to the Arabian Purebred and Thoroughbred stallions.
  • The age and reproductive performance of the horse were significant factors in these results, indicating that breed may not be the only determinant of fertility in these horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Aouane N, Nasri A, Bekara MAA, Metref AK, Kaidi R. (2019). Retrospective study of the reproductive performance of Barb and Thoroughbred stallions in Algeria. Vet World, 12(7), 1132-1139. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2019.1132-1139

Publication

Veterinary world
ISSN: 0972-8988
NlmUniqueID: 101504872
Country: India
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 7
Pages: 1132-1139

Researcher Affiliations

Aouane, Nedjma
  • High National Veterinary School of Algiers, Oued Smar, Algiers, Algeria.
Nasri, Abdelkrim
  • National Stud farm of Chaouchaoua, Tiaret, Algeria.
Bekara, Mohamed Al Amine
  • Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University Hassiba Benbouali of Chlef, Algeria.
Metref, Ahmed Khireddine
  • Laboratory of Biotechnology of reproduction, Veterinary Science Institute, University of Blida, Algeria.
Kaidi, Rachid
  • Laboratory of Biotechnology of reproduction, Veterinary Science Institute, University of Blida, Algeria.

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