Mare Care: Breeding Tips
March 14, 2011
Learn the steps for preparing your mare for breeding and get the facts on receiving shipped semen.
So, you’re ready to breed your mare. What steps do you need to take to breed her with shipped semen?
Learn the ropes from equine veterinarian Racquel Rodeheaver of Fort Collins, Colorado. In AQHA’s FREE Mare Care report, Dr. Rodeheaver explains the process of preparing your mare, targeting a breeding date, ordering semen, inducing a follicle to ovulate, receiving and evaluating semen and much more.
For instance, did you know that you should never leave a semen shipping container in the sun? Although shippers are designed to maintain a constant internal temperature through a variety of weather conditions, it’s best to keep it in a cool spot.
Did you know that you should NOT warm up the breeding dose? The semen should go straight from the shipper to the mare.
The Mare Care report is a perfect resource for beginning breeders wanting to breed their first mare.
“First things first,” Dr. Rodeheaver says. “You’ll need a breeding soundness evaluation on the mare to understand exactly what your expectations are going to be for her reproductive health. If you can find out previous breeding history, it’s helpful just to know if she’s ever had problems becoming pregnant or how she has performed reproductively. If a history isn’t available, then that’s all the more reason to do a breeding soundness evaluation.”
Dr. Rodeheaver offers advice for mare owners approaching their target breeding date:
“I look at breeding through a couple of different avenues,” she says. “When you’re dealing with fresh semen, the viability and longevity of the semen is longer. Therefore, your time of breeding and your time to ovulation can be a broader window. Usually, you want your time of ovulation to be within 48 horse of your time of breeding with fresh semen. With shipped, cooled semen you have to narrow that window. You want your breeding time to be within 24 hours prior to ovulation. With frozen semen, it’s even narrower. Because that window becomes narrower, and we’re having to time insemination so closely to ovulation, it requires more intensive management of the mare.
“A normal cycling mare has a three-week cycle: two weeks they’re out of heat, one week they’re in heat. When you see that mare come into heat, that’s when we want to be checking her via ultrasound. I monitor the developing follicle. I check the mare initially every other day, and then at least every day as we get nearer to the time of breeding.”
Get more helpful tips in AQHA’s FREE Mare Care report. Download it today, and share it with your friends!
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13 Comments on “Mare Care: Breeding Tips”
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April 16th, 2009 at 7:03 am
I would like to breed my 8 yr old registered mare and am inclined to use live cover. Please send any information you have regarding breeding and regarding raising the foal.
Thank you,
Pat Merrill, D.O.
April 28th, 2009 at 10:16 am
[...] For more great information, download our FREE Mare Care: Breeding Tips report. [...]
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:27 am
Would it be possible if I can get some infomation on cryptorchid in stallions? I have a stud colt that I would like to breed, but he only has the left testicle down. Is this a genetic trait that can be passed on to the next generation and I read in two different sources that he can breed or he cannot breed I don’t know which one is the truth
Thank you,
Candice Wright
June 18th, 2009 at 7:29 am
[...] Be sure to download AQHA’s Mare Care: Breeding Tips FREE report. [...]
March 19th, 2010 at 3:48 am
PLEASE READ IN FULL.
Cryptorchidism in the Horse
Author: Dr. B. Wright – Veterinary Scientist, Equine and Alternative Livestock/OMAFRA; Dr. Ludovic Boure – Ontario Veterinary College/University of Guelph; Dr. Dan Kenney – Ontario Veterinary College/University of Guelph
Creation Date: 01 June, 2000
Last Reviewed: 01 June, 2000
When one or both testicles (testes) are not descended in the scrotum, the horse is called a rig, ridgling, or cryptorchid. Cryptorchidism is a developmental defect in both animals and humans. It is important in the horse because: the retained testis does not produce fertile sperm but does produce testosterone which gives the stallion its behavioural characteristics; cryptorchid testes are more prone to developing tumors compared to descended testes and the cost of castration is increased.
During the fetal life, the testes move from a position inside the abdominal cavity through a space called the inguinal canal. This process is completed by the time the foal is two weeks of age.
The descent of the testes through the inguinal ring and into the scrotum is a result of contraction of the ligamentous gubernaculum testis, abdominal pressure and because the testicle is flaccid at this time(1). When examining a neonate foal, one has to remember that the gubernaculum testis is large at birth and along with the epididymis are found ahead of the testicle(1). Therefore, they can be mistaken for the testis(2).
Three different forms of cryptorchidism are observed in horses: under the skin in the inguinal area (high flanker), in the inguinal canal (there are two inguinal rings: the superficial and the deep, the inguinal canal goes from the deep to the superficial inguinal ring) and in the abdomen. In one study of horses, the failure of the left and right testicles to descend into the scrotum occurs with nearly equal frequency. However, the left testicle is found in the abdomen in 75% of cryptorchid horses compared to 42% of right testicles. Bilateral cryptorchids, those with both undescended testicles and monorchid horses, those with only one developed testicle, are uncommon(1). In bilateral cryptorchids, most of the time both testes are abdominal.
Causes of Cryptorchidism
The retention of testes is a complex, incompletely understood process involving genetic, hormonal and mechanical factors. In dogs, it is believed to be an autosomal sex-linked recessive gene(3).
Surgical Techniques For the Cryptorchid Stallion
Until recently, the only surgical technique described for removal of retained testes was laparotomy under general anaesthesia. Recently, laparoscopy under general anaesthesia and laparoscopy while standing have been used to treat cryptorchidism in horses.
Laparotomy is the surgical opening of the abdomen under general anaesthesia by a number of surgical approaches including an inguinal approach with or without retrieval of the inguinal extension of the gubernaculum testis, a parainguinal approach (to the side of the inguinal ring), or, less commonly, a flank approach(1). The inguinal and parainguinal approaches involve the incising of the skin, and blunt dissection down to the inguinal ring. The vaginal process, epididymis and/or scrotal ligament will be identified, the vaginal process opened, and the retained testis exteriorized and emasculated. If these structures are not identified, deeper dissection will be required. Special attention to the closure of the incision will be required since the intestine can eviscerate through the open vaginal process.
Laparoscopy is an endoscopic procedure where a small, fibre-optic, video camera and surgical instruments are introduced into the abdomen through a small incision. This permits the observation of the inside of the abdomen and allows for the performance of abdominal surgeries without a large incision into the abdominal cavity. The main advantages are the small incisions, minimal postoperative pain and the fact that the horse can return to exercise very quickly. Laparoscopy can be used to remove retained ABDOMINAL testes in horses. This procedure is currently being offered by a number of referral centres including the Ontario Veterinary College. Depending on the horse’s temperament and on the surgeon’s preference, the laparoscopic surgery will be performed in a standing position or laying down under general anaesthesia.
Standing laparoscopy is performed under local anaesthesia and tranquilization with the horse restrained in a set of stocks. It is relatively painless and minimally invasive. After sedation of the horse, local anaesthetics are injected to deaden nerve sensation to the flank area and three 1-cm incisions are made through the muscle layers of the flank into the abdominal cavity. These incisions are for the insertion of the laparoscopic camera and surgical instruments. During the procedure, carbon dioxide gas is used to inflate the abdominal cavity to allow for better visualization. Under laparoscopic guidance, the testis is ligated, emasculated and removed.
General anaesthesia laparoscopy involves the administration of general anaesthesia and placing the horse in dorsal recumbency (on its back). Once an adequate plain of anaesthesia is reached, small incisions are made in the abdominal wall. As in the standing laparoscopic procedure, the abdomen is inflated and the retained testis located and removed. The small incisions are closed and the horse recovered from anaesthesia. Both laparoscopic methods involve minimal invasion and pain but require more extensive equipment and specialized training to perform than open surgical procedures. Further information regarding laparoscopic surgical techniques can be obtained by contacting, Dr. Ludovic Boure at the Ontario Veterinary College 519-823-8800 or 519-824-4120, ext. 4037.
Complications
Complications can arise during normal castration as well as with the removal of retained testes. In routine castrations, horses will experience various degrees of postoperative swelling. Haemorrhage from the surgical sight will be minimal. In the case of excessive haemorrhage or inflammation, contact your veterinarian. On rare occasions, intestinal prolapse, infection of the spermatic cord (scirrhous cord), peritonitis (infection in the abdomen), hydrocele (fluid build-up in the vaginal tunic which surrounds the testes), damage to the penis and continued stallion-like behaviour may occur(1).
Dealing with Stallion-like Behaviour
Sometimes it is necessary to determine whether a horse with no palpable testis, that displays a stallion-like behaviour, is a bilateral cryptorchid, a cryptorchid that has its descended testis removed, or a gelding with behaviour problems. These stallion-like horses can be a major source of frustration and cause aggravation to mares, which are in heat, and a danger to their handlers. In this situation, hormonal assays may be useful and include the analysis of basal plasma or serum testosterone or oestrone sulphate concentrations, testosterone concentrations following human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulation, and faecal oestrone sulphate concentrations. Hormonal concentrations are lower in geldings than in cryptorchids. Unfortunately, none of the hormonal tests are 100% accurate and, often, surgical exploration of the abdomen is necessary. Until recently, laparotomy was the only way to explore the abdomen of these horses. Now laparoscopy can be used successfully for these purposes. Again, its main advantages are that the surgical incisions are small, the postoperative pain is minimal and the horse can go back to exercise soon after the surgery. Contact your local veterinarian for this and other health concerns you may have regarding your horse.
References
1. Searle D, Dart AJ, Dart CM, Hodgson DR. Equine castration: review of anatomy, approaches, techniques and complications in normal, cryptorchid and monorchid horses. Australian Veterinary Journal, 1999, July; 77 (7): 428-34.
2. Trotter GW, Aanes WA. A Complication of Cryptorchid Castration in Three Horses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1981, Vol. 178, (3): 246-48.
3. Hayes HM. Epidemiological features of 5009 cases of equine cryptorchidism. Equine Veterinary Journal, 1986, Nov.; 18 (6): 467-71.
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Today I got a chances to looking Parr and major over with a fine tooth coomb. I have done a lot of training with them to get them two this point. Let me say for one that I have NO USE for geldings. I am a horse breeder. I also do not need the extra cost of gelding 2 Cryptorchid stud colts.
At no point in your email’s did you ever disclose that booth colts are Cryptorchid Stud colts. This is a genetic disorder and will pass on to most if not all of there foals. I have no use for a colt that has Cryptorchidism. Never mind two. APHA regulations state that you are obligated to inform them as well as the person you are sealing a horse if it has the disorder of Cryptorchidism. And Just so you know the testicles do not suck back up.
I have looked into this.
Ignorance’s ( meaning: You did not know ) is not an excuse. If you are going to breed horses you need to know these things. You must also list your stallion that sired these colts as a producer of Cryptorchid colts.
May 28th, 2010 at 6:01 am
[...] AQHA’s FREE “Mare Care: Breeding Tips” report, and learn the steps for preparing your mare for breeding and get the facts on [...]
July 22nd, 2010 at 3:02 am
[...] your mare for breeding and get the facts on receiving shipped semen with AQHA’S FREE Mare Care [...]
July 30th, 2010 at 4:03 am
[...] mares you want to breed and [...]
September 24th, 2010 at 4:03 am
[...] on breeding care from equine veterinarian Racqhel Rodeheaver of Fort Collins, Colorado. In AQHA’s FREE Mare Care report, Racqhel explains the process of preparing your mare, targeting a breeding date, ordering semen, [...]
December 9th, 2010 at 4:01 am
[...] your mare for breeding and get the facts on receiving shipped semen. Download AQHA’s FREE Mare Care Breeding Tips report [...]
February 4th, 2011 at 4:02 am
[...] Evaluation Although a breeding soundness exam is recommended, the cause of infertility still might be missed. The most common mare [...]
March 22nd, 2011 at 7:43 pm
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