For all things there is a time and a season. Nowhere is this more true than in equine reproduction. Nature has established a definite time and season for mares to conceive and bear foals. It is a very sensible approach on the part of
The birth of a long-awaited foal is an occasion to celebrate. But what if the unthinkable happens?
Historically, mares have one of the lowest average conception/birth rates of any of the domestic species (somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70%). Excellent breeding and overall management of mares and the blessing of
Progress in the field of genetics has been moving by leaps and bounds during the past few years. It wasn’t long ago that researchers discovered ways to unravel and study DNA, that elusive strand of genes that inhabits each and
For a successful domestic species, the fertility rate of the horse is surprisingly low. Coupled with an 11-month gestation period and a single offspring per year, producing a foal is a significant investment for any breeder. So, if you’re
Horse breeders noticed that they were having foaling problems with some mares which were grazing fescue grass or being fed fescue hay. Cattle producers reported that steers on fescue pastures or being fed fescue hay appeared to be unthrifty and that
Having a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology, plus being aware of each individual stallion’s sperm production capability, can help the stallion manager to make better decisions concerning proper care of the horse and the number of mares to be booked each breeding season.
Moody. Inscrutable. Temperamental. Cantankerous. Mares seem to get tagged with such stereotypical labels. When your female equine displays inappropriate behavior, you might hear someone snort, Typical mare! Your mare’s nature and individual”P>Moody. Inscrutable. Temperamental. Cantankerou
A small percentage of broodmares will be afflicted with urine pooling, also known as vesicovaginal reflux (VVR) or urovagina. But when it does occur, it is a serious problem that sometimes can only be remedied with surgery. Simply put, urine
(Author’s note: Sera, Inc., who markets oral and IV equine IgG products approved by the USDA, sponsored a roundtable discussion on Biological Solutions for Biological Problems in Lexington, Ky. Participating in the roundtable were: Michelle
It’s getting close to breeding season. What are some tips on getting my stallion, my crew, and myself ready?
My mare suffered a dystocia and the foal had to be taken to a local veterinary hospital for care. The veterinarian termed him a dummy foal, but said his chances of being a normal adult were very good. What can you tell me about a dummy foal?
In humans you tape them. In dogs you can fix them with a cage that fits outside the chest. But in foals, cracked or fractured ribs can be hard to find, present no easy solutions, and can be life-threatening.
Each winter and spring as foals
At what age does a filly go into heat? Our 18-month-old Haflinger/Arab mix shows signs of coming into heat.
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
