Due to concerns resulting from last year’s foal losses attributed to Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS), the Kentucky Department of Agriculture today filed emergency regulations regarding procedures that are followed when breeding an imported mare in the state.

State Veterinarian Don Notter, DVM, met with an equine advisory committee comprised of scientists and researchers from the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Center, and area veterinary practitioners to make the amendments to the procedures. In addition, the group called in practicing veterinarians with experience in dealing with CEM.

“The long and short of it is, whenever we breed an imported mare, the stallion was required to be scrubbed and treated (following breeding), and remain out of service for a minimum of 12 hours (to allow optimal time for the cleaning agents to work),” explained Rusty Ford, of the state veterinarian’s office. “The stallion will no longer be required to stay out of service following the cover of an imported mare,” he added.

The regulations were amended because of concerns expressed by Central Kentucky breeding farms. Due to the foal losses, there are a greater number of barren mares available to be bred, and farms are looking for every safe opportunity to have those mares covered. With the 12-hour waiting period, farms were going to lose valuable breeding time