ASK THE EXPERTS Broodmares Happy New Year and welcome to a new
Equiery column “Ask the Experts”! Periodically throughout the year we will present your ques- tions to experts who advertise within T e Equi- ery related to a variety of topics. We kick off this new feature with the subject of broodmares answering frequenting asked questions related to breeding. Our Equiery experts this month are Dr. Sara Brunsden and Dr. Amy Burk. Dr. Brunsden recently joined Delmarva Equine after completing a resi- dency in theriogenology (reproduction) at New Bolton Center and is looking forward to help- ing expand the practice’s broodmare services.
Dr. Amy Burk of the University of Maryland teaches equine reproduc- tive management as well as other equine related classes. Dr. Burk headed UMD’s Campus Farm breeding program from 2014-2019. Please remember, these
are tips and recommendations. T e Equiery highly recommends consulting your veterinar- ian before breeding your mare.
Q. Is there an ideal age (or age range) to breed a mare? A. Mares are most fertile from 5-10 years of age. After age 15, fertility can decrease dras- tically. You can still have reasonable success breeding older mares; it just may take more ef- fort. – Dr. Sara Brunsden
Q. What sort of steps should be taken to prepare a mare to be bred? A. T e fi rst step I recommend is talking with your veterinarian and making a plan. If you want a foal born earlier in the year, some man- agement changes, such as placing the mare un- der lights, may be needed over the winter in order to prepare for an early breeding. If your
mare has any underlying health concerns, fall/ winter is the best time to treat them before breeding season arrives. T e next step is to decide how to breed your
mare. Artifi cial insemination using cooled shipped semen is the most common method. We can also use frozen semen, though this generally carries lower pregnancy rates. If your chosen stallion is local, fresh semen can also be used. Each method has its own pros and cons, and your veterinarian can help you choose the best method for your mare. Once springtime arrives and your mare comes into heat, schedule an ultrasound appointment with your veterinarian to stage where she is in her cycle in preparation for breeding. – Dr. Sara Brunsden Additionally, a mare may fail to conceive if she is too thin, so making sure the mare is in good fl esh (i.e. not too thin, not too fat) before breeding is important. When shipping a mare to be bred via live
cover as is the case with T oroughbreds, the mare must be up to date on her vaccinations and have a negative Coggins prior to shipping. – Dr. Amy Burk
Q. Is it safe to vaccinate and de-worm a pregnant mare? A. With certain products, yes. Mares should receive their annual boosters 3-4 weeks be- fore breeding and again at 10 months gesta- tion. Broodmares should also be vaccinated for Equine Herpesvirus 1 at 5, 7, and 9 months to prevent abortion. – Dr. Sara Brunsden Broodmares also get dewormed two to three times during pregnancy and then either just prior to foaling or immediately after. T e last deworming is important so that the foals are not exposed to parasites in the milk or the mare’s feces, as feces are commonly consumed by newborn foals during their fi rst week of life. Foals will also require deworming on a sched- ule that is a little diff erent than that of mature horses, so speak to a veterinarian to develop the best deworming plan for your broodmare and foal. - Dr. Amy Burk
Q. Should the mare’s feed and/or forage change during pregnancy? A. Yes. Broodmares in good body condition (5-6 on the Henneke 1-9 scale) can be fed a well-bal- anced diet high in forage with a small amount of concentrate or forage balancer for about the fi rst fi ve months of pregnancy. So, an average 1,100 pound broodmare in early gestation may be of- fered a good quality pasture or ~ 20 pounds of a good quality grass hay each day. Along with that, they are typically off ered ~ 4 pounds of a concentrate formulated for broodmares or ~ 1.5 pounds of a forage balancer each day. After fi ve months, the fetus begins to slowly
increase in size and weight each day so a slight increase in the quality of forage and/or concen- trate is required throughout the months of late gestation. A 1,100 pound broodmare in late gestation may be off ered good quality pasture or ~ 20 lbs of a grass/alfalfa hay and 6-10 lbs of a concentrate specifi cally formulated for brood- mares each day. Avoid grazing mares on tall fescue pastures or
hay because it may contain an endophyte that produces toxins that prevents milk production prior to foaling. Also, avoid overfeeding as too much nutrition may negatively impact the de- velopment of the foal in utero. – Dr. Amy Burk
Q. Any additional supplements recommend- ed for pregnant mares? A. As long as the mare has access to fresh water, good quality forage, and a mineral salt block, I avoid too many extra supplements. – Dr. Sara Brunsden One exception to this is that all horses, even
broodmares, require daily access to a white salt (sodium chloride). Other than that, supple- ments should only be included in the diet to combat specifi c and known problems after consulting with a veterinarian or nutritionist. – Dr. Amy Burk
Q. Is a foaling stall necessary? A. A foaling stall is not necessary, but a safe, dry, and clean
foaling space
is important. continued...
32 | JANUARY 2021 | THE EQUIERY A MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION
800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
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