Download Horse Breeding Procedures and Management

Horse Breeding
Procedures and
Management
By: Anthony Watson
First Examine Mare before breeding
Age
 Breed
 Conformation
 Disposition
 Hereditary disorders
 General Health
 Nutrition
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Problems that may exist?
Look for abnormal discharge (blood or pus from vagina)
Mares affected with skin disease and parasites
 Mares suffering from high fevers, strangles, influenza,
shipping fever, and pneumonia
 Mares that have recently suffered from retained
afterbirth
 Mares that have suffered lacerations in foaling
 Mare that stay in heat
 Mares that are extremely thin or fat
 Mares that have severe unsoundness that is hereditary
 Mares that have uterine infections
 Mares should have access to adequate food and water
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– (Most of the above also apply to the stallion)
Breeding Procedures
Natural Mating (Pasture Mating and Hand
Mating)
 Artificial Insemination (AI)
 Embryo Transfer
 Cloning (New technology)
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Natural Service
Mare Serviced by Stallion Naturally
 Mare must be in estrus to conceive
 At times natural service is hard to
manage, especially when Mare and
Stallion are kept separate (Hand Mating)
 Natural Service could be dangerous if the
two are kept together (Pasture Mating)
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Hand Mating

The best way to breed mares
– Allows breeder to record breeding dates and
project foaling dates
– Guards against injury to both the stallion and
mare
– Helps prevent disease transfer
Pasture Mating
What are the advantages and
disadvantages?
Artificial Insemination
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Semen must be collected
Breeding can take place without the stallion
present
Safer for mare, stallion, and horse owner
Disease transfer is decreased
Breeding dates and foaling dates are noted
AI Technician needed or the horse owner needs
to be certified
Easy way to select and use good genetics
AI Procedures
AI Procedures
AI Procedures
AI Tools
Embryo Transfer
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Most commonly done in cattle but can be done
in horses.
Eggs are flushed from animals, then placed in
recipient animals
Flushed animal is known as the donor animals
and the recipient animal is the one in which the
fertilized egg is placed.
Eggs must be fertilized first before flushing
The eggs can be frozen or implanted
Embryo Transfer Contd.

Owner can choose the sex of his/her
animal
Cloning
Producing genetically identical individuals
 Done by splitting the embryo into two
halves.
 The other method is by taking an
unfertilized egg and removing the genetic
material, then one cell removed from
another embryo and fused into the
unfertilized egg.
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Questions?

Any questions or comments on breeding
methods?
Pregnancy of the Mare
Give Proper Nutrition (May need to house
away from other horses)
 Keep providing regular dental and hoof
care

– Shoes should be removed a couple weeks
before foaling to protect foal
Mare should continue to receive exercise
 Control Parasites by what?
 Vaccination Program

Vaccination of the Pregnant Mare
Rhinopneumonitis Vaccination – infect the
respiratory tract of the animal and can
cause abortion.
 Tetanus
 Influenza (4 weeks prior to foaling)
 Vet may recommend vaccinations for
strangles, rabies, anthrax,etc.

– Consult vet over your pregnant mare
Abortion
Abortion – the expulsion of the fetus at
any point prior to the time the foal can
survive out of the uterus
 Can occur as late as the 10th month
 Estimated that 20-30% of equine
pregnancy ends up in abortion
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Abortion Contd.
Abortion can be caused by infectious
diseases or noninfectious diseases
 There are several infectious diseases that
can cause abortions that we will discuss at
a later time if possible.
 Noninfectious Causes

– Twinning
– Hormonal Failure
– Nutritional Deficiencies, Accidents or Injuries
Signs of Approaching Parturition
2-6 weeks away – udder starting to
distend from body
 7-10 days – muscular shrinkage or falling
away at top of buttocks near tailhead
 4-6 days – teats are beginning to hold
milk
 1-4 days – wax on the end of the teats
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– Vulva starts to become swollen and loose
looking
Waxing of Teats
Signs of Approaching Parturition
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Hours away – milk may leak from teats,
restlessness, sweating, urinating
frequently, lie down and get up several
times, biting at the sides of the flanks,
switching of the tail
– Foaling can take place quick with sometimes
showing no signs, be prepared 30 days in
advance
Preparing for the Foaling Process
1 month before foaling – booster
vaccinations
 7-10 days before – locate a place for the
mare
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– Clean, Dry, and away from other animals
– If using a stall disinfect the stall with lye
water
– Make sure stall has plenty of clean bedding
The “Big Day”
1.
2.
3.
Rupture of the chorioallantois (water
bag) which causes a large amount of
fluid to be passed out the vagina.
Next you will see the amnion (inner
membrane) surrounding the foal.
During a normal birth the foal will be
coming front feet first with their heels
down followed by the nose
The “Big Day”
Process should not take more than 30
minutes.
 Most mares do foal lying down but some
will choose to stand
 If a mare does not make adequate
progress or you see that the foal is coming
backwards you should contact the
veterinarian immediately
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The “Big Day”
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If you see the mare is making no progress
and the veterinarian cannot be reached
you need to provide assistance to the foal
and mare.
– Make sure your process is clean, quiet, gentle,
and you apply what knowledge you have
The “Big Day”
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If parturition is delayed the fetus often
dies from twisting or knotting of the
umbilical cord.
– This stops fetal circulation or lack of oxygen
to the fetus or both
After the Foal is born
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Check for breathing and that all
membranes have been removed away
from the foals nostrils and mouth
– If the foal is not breathing you may need to
apply artificial respiration.
Dip Navel with iodine/water solution
 Make sure foal receives colostrum 30
minutes to 2 hours after birth
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After the Foal is born
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The placenta (afterbirth) should be
expelled as soon as the mare gets up.
– If placenta is not shed it should be tied to the
mare’s tail so that it is not stepped on by the
mare or foal. The mare should shed it no
longer than 3 hours after foaling, if she has
not shed the placenta call the vet. The vet
will more than likely administer oxytocin.
After the Foal is born
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Feed the mare lightly for the first few
days.
– Rule of thumb – ½ normal amount
Administer luke warm water at low levels
several times throughout the day not
allowing her to gorge.
 Stall should be lightly cleaned after birth.
 Lastly, make sure the foal has a bowel
movement within 4-12 hrs. after birth
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After the Foal is born
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Hopefully, you now have a healthy mare
and foal after 336 days of work and
careful management.