Breeding 101

FEATURE

You’ve decided to breed a foal! But before you do, there are a few important basics to consider. To help you on your way, we sourced the expert advice of Mark Wiggett and Jenny Watts, veterinarians at the Agnes Banks Equine Clinic.

What is there about a foal that’s not to adore? Absolutely nothing! Long-legged, frisky and mischievous, there’s not a horse lover among us whose heart isn’t melted by the sight of a foal alongside its dam.

But as appealing as the idea is, if you’re contemplating breeding a foal from your mare there’re are a number of factors you should consider seriously before you put your plan into action. And to be clear, not weighing up your options, and not seeking out expert advice could result in disappointment, not to mention an investment of your hard earned cash that produces nothing in return.

First things first

Horses are seasonally polyoestrous, which means that they have more than one cycle of coming into season (sometimes known as coming into heat) each year. These cycles usually occur in spring and summer when the daylight hours are longest. A mare’s cycle lasts for approximately three weeks, during which time she will be in oestrus - meaning she is getting ready to ovulate and to mate - for up to eight days. To work out when’s the best time to breed your mare, either watch closely for signs of her being in season, or alternatively ask a veterinarian to examine her, possibly through the use of a rectal ultrasound.

Problems with fertility

But before you go ahead with your plans to breed, do you know if your mare is likely to be fertile? Some are more so then others, and rather than waste time and money attempting to get a subfertile mare in foal, it may be wise to get a fertility assessment.

The Agnes Banks Equine Clinic offers advanced techniques in equine reproduction and veterinarians Mark Wiggett and Jenny Watts both have a keen interest in this field. Mark explains that an assessment could include a number of approaches: “We assess the mare’s confirmation and I would probably suggest a uterine culture and cytology (the examination of cells under a microscope). These tests potentially identify if there’s a problem such as a bacterial yeast or fungal infection – and if that’s the case we can treat it with antibiotics or by lavaging the uterus. Essentially, the tests give us a clue as to whether the mare may be fertile and able to carry a foal to term.”

There are occasions when a culture shows no sign of an infection, and that’s when a uterine biopsy might be helpful: “Sometimes a biopsy can give you answers that a culture doesn’t. For example, it can tell you how healthy the uterus is. So if a biopsy does come back abnormal then you may then want to investigate further,” Jenny says. So the take home message here is that even if your mare does have issues that are interfering with her fertility, it’s not the end of the road - there are treatments available that could help overcome the problem.

The next stage

Once you’ve ascertained that your mare is a viable breeding proposition, your next decision will be how best to get her in foal: will you opt for a natural progression, or investigate the option of artificial insemination (AI)?

Paddock Breeding

Given the closer control offered by AI – which has increased the number of mares that can be covered by a single stallion - paddock breeding is not as usual as once it was. It’s a method that

You want to breed a foal? Then one of your first decisions is between paddock breeding, live cover, or artificial insemination (AI).

requires little explanation: a stallion is turned out with one or more mares, and nature takes its course. Some experts believe that the advantages of this method are that little handling is required and there is arguably an increased conception rate.

However, Mark is not a fan of paddock breeding because of the possibility of injury to both mare and stallion, the fact that what you see in the paddock might not actually be mating, as well as the potential for sexually transmitted diseases. Jenny offers further detail on this potential for disease: “If you’ve got a mare or stallion that’s carrying an infection of some kind, when you paddock breed you’re not necessarily treating them for any post-mating infections, so you could actually be increasing infertility problems, and that’s not ideal if you’ve got valuable stock.”

Live Cover

In this situation, the stallion physically covers the mare, but this occurs in a controlled environment. A breeding shed specifically designed for the process is usual, with an area large enough to safely accommodate both the horses and their handlers, and with flooring that provides good footing as well as being easy to clean and disinfect. An advantage of live cover is that there are typically better conception rates. However, the process is significantly more dangerous for the stallion, the mare, and their handlers, plus coordinating the availability of horses, handlers and a vet can be difficult to say the least.

But the advantages of the method are definitely there: “The up side is that in some instances you’re getting a large amount of semen deposited hopefully into the uterus, with the added benefit of a dilated cervix. The down side is that you don’t necessarily know the quality of the semen unless you get a post-mating sample, and that can be tricky. Also, the complications with live cover are the same as with paddock breeding in terms of injuries and sexually transmitted diseases,” says Mark.

Another potential issue with live cover is the lack of the semen extender present in chilled or frozen semen. While some vets believe that the

ABOVE: AI is safe, minimally invasive, and allows you to choose the best stallion for your mare (Image courtesy of Exclusively Equine Veterinary Services).

BELOW: A stallion dummy is used to collect semen, which can then be used fresh, chilled or frozen (Image courtesy of Exclusively Equine Veterinary Services).

extender is beneficial for mares, others disagree. “Semen extender is a mixture of antibiotics and other elements that prolong the life of semen. The presence of antibiotics can be helpful for some mares, while others have reactions to it - and they’re the mares that are better off with fresh semen or live cover,” Jenny explains.

Artificial Insemination

AI is now a very common breeding option, one of the main advantages of which is that it removes both the need to transport valuable horses, and the potential for injury inherent in paddock breeding and live cover. The procedure also allows you to choose a stallion that may, for whatever reason, not be available for live cover. It’s minimally invasive and safe for your mare, and can maximise the chances of breeding success as it eliminates uncertainty regarding whether or not the stallion has actually ejaculated, an issue present in both paddock breeding and live cover. Additionally, you can choose the peak moment of your mare’s breeding cycle for insemination.

AI can be performed using fresh, chilled or frozen semen. Fresh semen obviously needs to be inseminated as soon as it is collected, while chilled semen remains viable for some hours following collection. However, organising the transportation of chilled semen so that its arrival coincides with the mare’s ovulation can be difficult. So unless the mare and stallion are located within a relatively short distance of each other, the best option might be frozen semen.

While frozen semen does require an experienced AI technician to ensure successful post-thaw handling, there are definite advantages with the approach as Mark explains: “This technology allows you to send semen to different parts of the country and the world. You can also freeze semen from a stallion who’s going to be castrated to preserve its genetic material. Freezing semen is also an insurance policy in that if a stallion were to die, you’d still have its genetic material stored. From that aspect, they’re the big benefits of AI. On the down side, I think that you have the risk of a lower conception rate with frozen semen.”

Clearly AI has made a considerable difference to equine reproduction, with apparently other new methods on the way. As Jenny says: “I think technology’s revolutionised the way we’re able to breed and I think that it’s a good thing. It allows you to choose the very best stallion for your mare.”

And at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want.

For further information, visit the Agnes Banks Equine Clinic’s website - www. abec.net.au – email clinic@abec.net. au ,or call the team on (02) 4588 5200. Exclusively Equine Veterinary Services in Hatton Vale, Queensland offers a range of reproduction services and can be contacted on (07) 5411 4554 or visit www. eevs.com.au

- BREEDING SEASON Giving your horse the best start in life

What to feed foals

Foals require high fibre; low GI feeds like Barastoc Breed N Grow. Breed N Grow contains all the necessary ingredients and nutrients to produce healthy horses.

Barastoc Breed N Grow

A low to moderate starch feed which has a lower glycaemic index (GI) response to feeding.

High fibre content encourages digestive safety, especially when horses are fed in groups and may consume their feeds at a faster rate.

Safe to feed without chaff.

Pelleted design making it ideal for economical paddock feeding.

Formulated with bio-available Silicon for optimal bone and cartilage development

Uniquely formulated to meet the requirements of mares throughout pregnancy and lactation as well as all phases of growth in the young horse

Contains natural Vitamin E for foal immunity

FOAL RISK FACTORS

Developmental Orthopaedic Diseases (DOD)

DOD’s are a range of conditions that can occur in a growing horse. Including OCD.

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

OCD is an interruption in bone development. During normal bone growth, cartilage is remodelled into bone, however, this process can go wrong, which leads to OCD lesions. One of the causes of OCD is the wrong nutrition, particularly deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances of nutrients. Feeding a high grain diet to achieve the greatest growth in your foals will increase the risk of DOD problems. Feeds that have a lower glycaemic index are associated with a lower incidence of OCD.