The use of hormones in reproductive management of the mare.

This research paper provides an overview of the common use of various types of hormones in managing the reproductive health of horses, stating that these hormones are often used in veterinary medicine without proper scientific evidence to back up their expected effectiveness.

Overview of Hormones Used in Equine Reproductive Management

• The research discusses different hormones frequently used in equine veterinary medicine for reproductive management. These include anterior pituitary hormones, posterior pituitary hormones, placental hormones, steroid hormones and prostaglandins.
• These hormones are administered with the expectation that they’ll bring about certain responses favorable for reproduction. For instance, controlling the reproductive cycle or inducing labor.

Lack of Scientific Basis for Hormone Use

• The study emphasizes the fact that these hormones are often used without a sound scientific basis for their expected activity. This means that while the hormones are expected to influence equine reproduction in certain ways, there’s a lack of concrete scientific evidence to prove that they indeed work as expected.
• This raises concerns about the effectiveness and safety of using these hormones for managing equine reproduction, suggesting a need for further research and validation of their use in equine veterinary medicine.

Importance of the Study and Further Research

• This review paper is important because it raises awareness about a critical gap in equine reproductive management that requires attention from the scientific community. The use of hormones without a solid understanding of their actions can have unpredictable outcomes and potentially harm the animals.
• The discussion presented in the paper suggests the need for increased research efforts to explore the impacts and effectiveness of these hormones in equine reproductive management. With more scientific evidence, veterinarians can make more informed decisions on using these hormones for their intended purposes.