There might be ongoing debate as to the value of a woman’s colostrum versus commercial colostrum products, but for a foal, nothing is better than a mare’s milk. Colostrum is specialized milk secreted during the first 24 hours following birth and
Breeding season is just around the corner, and you might be one of the thousands of mare owners considering breeding your mare. Before taking the plunge and becoming a full-time reproduction service, you should create a realistic expectation of
If you’re a breeder, frankly, it pays to be in the livestock business. Cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs all make life easy for those trying to produce young stock–they are all facultative-induced ovulators, meaning that matings early in their”P>If you’re a breeder, frankly, it pays to be in the livestock busi
The equine uterus, in a manner of speaking, could be compared to a house. When a house is snug and solid with no broken windows, holes in the roof, drafts, or plugged drains, it is a comfortable place in which to live. If, however, there are
As has been discussed in earlier issues of The Horse, twinning is highly undesirable in the mare. The advent of ultrasound has allowed earlier detection of multiple pregnancies from around Days 14 to 16 post-breeding, and the majority of
The final months of a mare’s gestation period are anxious ones. As an owner during those final weeks, one is filled with anticipation now that the date of birth is approaching. At the same time, there are those disquieting concerns about
Envision this: In his first season, the young stallion fulfills his purpose as a breeding animal. He matures from a rambunctious colt into a skillful stud. So how do you make this dream a reality? As the handler, you want the horse to behave
A mare is at the greatest risk of a deadly complication associated with foaling known as hemorrhage in the 24-48 hours after giving birth. However, it is important to note that hemorrhage can occur at any time during gestation, and that it shoul
This article will describe procedures that should be done before foaling, the events that take place just prior to foaling, what events take place during a normal foaling–along with the normal post-foaling events–and will describe some of
There is virtually no investment in the horse business, short of buying a farm, that equals the investment in a stallion. Whether an individual is buying a horse or several members get together to form a syndicate, the price can run well into th
Each year horse breeders, regardless of the breed they nurture, make their biggest financial decisions when they decide on matings.
In the continuing effort to increase the fertility of horses there comes a new weapon–superovulation. Inducing a mare to ovulate multiple oocytes can translate into producing more foals from selected females. Assisted reproductive technology ca
They gave the muscular Quarter Horse colt an ambitious name: Impressive. He lived up to the name in such dramatic fashion that it became a household word in Quarter Horse circles – especially among breeders and exhibitors involved in showing
The mare has a long gestational period and to be a yearly producer she must be back in foal, on average, 25 days from giving birth. It is important to understand all the processes that take place in the period from parturition to the restoration
A newborn Arabian foal is possibly one of the most beguiling creatures on Earth. Elegant of feature and blessed with beauty, he’s full of promise for the future–and often descended of royal blood and worth many thousands of dollars. Imagine how
When a mare and a stallion meet, love might be in the air…but there’s the potential for danger, too. Particularly when humans get in the middle of it all. In our efforts to orchestrate the best possible combinations of
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