Breeding and Reproduction

Horse breeding from planning through foal care

Deep Horn Insemination Technique

In his presentation “Deep Horn Insemination” at the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Bluegrass Equine Reproduction Symposium Oct. 25, John Steiner, DVM, Diplomate ACT, discussed two ways to use minimal numbers of sperm deposited at the tip of the uterine

Read More

Luteal Insufficiency in the Mare

Insufficient function of the corpus luteum (the structure formed after the follicle that releases the egg, or ovulates, and then produces progesterone) has been proposed as a mechanism for early embryonic loss in the mare, but until now there

Read More

Kentucky Farm Managers Address MRLS

President Eric Hamelback gave a sense of urgency as he opened the most recent meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club, saying “we need to make plans for control now.” Hamelback was referring to Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome, a

Read More

The Colicky Foal

The first thing to decide in a foal with abdominal pain is if the colic is surgical or non-surgical, said Bernard. He stressed the importance of observance “before you jump on it” and start taking vitals and administering medications.

Read More

Pilot Study Implicates Outer Portion of ETC

Since the beginning of the mare reproductive loss syndrome in 2001, there have been many theories as to the cause of the problems. Honing in on the extreme number of Eastern tent caterpillars (ETC) in 2001 and 2002, studies have shown that early

Read More

Reproductive Emergencies in the Stallion

 Although uncommon, reproductive emergencies will occur in the breeding stallion and when they do, prompt attention and action must be instituted. Trauma to the external genitalia is always a possibility under natural mating situations

Read More

The Body’s Building Blocks

Like a structure made of tinker toys, protein is composed of smaller pieces–the amino acids. These can be rearranged to form the different types of protein-based tissues in the body. Protein is one of the basic nutrient elements of the equine

Read More

Foal Sex Selection

Sex selection of foals prior to conception is highly desirable for horse breeders. Currently, sperm can be sorted by their X and Y chromosomes, improving odds of sex selection through artificial insemination. Flow cytometry measures DNA in cells

Read More

Chronic Uterine Torsion in Mares

In late pregnancy, mares are susceptible to a dangerous complication called uterine torsion. Accounting for 5-10% of obstetrical emergencies, twisting of the uterus can be fatal to fetus and mare if left untreated. The hallmark of acute uterine

Read More

Find Reproductive Problems

Most of us associated with breeding mares and stallions can’t wait for the season to end and don’t want to think of barren mares and stallions until next year. However, the most opportune time to identify causes of infertility might be missed if

Read More

Breeding Soundness Exam of the Mare

Horse breeding is a time-consuming and expensive business. Therefore, horse breeders must be able to assess the likelihood of a mare being able to conceive, carry a fetus through a pregnancy, and deliver a live foal. While unforeseen problems ca

Read More

One More Piece in MRLS Puzzle

Researchers at the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) have uncovered one more piece in the puzzle that is known as mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). Whatever caused early fetal losses and late-term abortions

Read More

Bluegrass Equine Reproduction Symposium: Stallions

A four-day seminar focusing on reproduction education for veterinarians was hosted by Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary firm in Lexington, Ky., Oct. 23-26 This is the fifth year for a fall seminar hosted by the group, which now alternates with a

Read More

Fall Abortions in Kentucky

Pathologists at the Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) in Lexington noticed that a few more fetal losses were being seen than was usual during August, September, and October. That prompted increased surveillance and reporting,

Read More

More From The Horse

gray horse
helping old horses gain weight
pregnant chestnut mare standing in field
Pferd im herbstlichen Wald

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!

The Horse
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.