vet focus
Pre breeding assessment of mares
This is the time of year when any thoughts of breeding from mares start to come to the fore, however before you do, there are many aspects that need some very careful thought and discussion.
Paragon Veterinary Group, Townhead Veterinary Centre, Newbiggin, Nr Stainton, Penrith, CA11 0HT
Paul May BVMS, MRCVS, Sarah Glenn, and Gregor Hepburn BVM&S, MRCVS
A healthy Irish Draught foal, the result of a well-planned breeding
Equine Page 42
Much of this can involve ‘negatives’, but the ‘positives’ should always be factored in as well. Hopefully the mare will have been a good performer in her discipline and the decision to breed has come at the end of a long and successful career. If her conformation and behaviour are also above average, then she can be expected to make a good contribution to improving her breed or type and is potentially a good prospect from which to breed. All too often however, a mare’s career has been cut short through lameness or because of behavioural problems and the decision has been made to breed, in order to avoid making other more difficult choices. These are mares where some very painful truths must be faced, as breeding from her may be just transferring the problem to the next generation. As a potential breeder, you must ask yourself - are you experienced enough to manage the pregnant mare and the process of foaling? Experienced breeders will tell you that the process of foaling is very dramatic, often taking less than twenty minutes from beginning to end. For those who are used to farm animals giving birth, this is a very different situation. If you call for help, can that help arrive within the twenty minutes that you have to make a difference? Have you got appropriate
facilities to reduce the risk of problems arising? In the North, this means indoor facilities for all but the summer months, and if foaling outdoors, do you have a clean, dry, quiet field? There are also welfare considerations to be addressed in your decision to breed from a mare, as she may be a ‘carrier’ of a recognised abnormality. Where the condition is proven to be genetic, or at least to have a strong genetic basis, choosing an appropriate stallion can make a complete difference to the outcome and often allows the mare to be bred to preserve her bloodlines. As the equine genome is explored more, the number of conditions that can be linked to genetics will increase. Many of the inherited conditions are so- called recessive traits and genetic tests are available that can detect the carriers of the condition. These carrier animals appear to be normal but when bred with another carrier, one in four of the offspring will show the condition. On a positive note, one in four of the foals will be completely clear and in a small gene pool, these carrier to carrier matings are justified to help preserve the blood lines. Good examples of conditions where there has been a good uptake of genetic testing are the foal immunodeficiency syndrome affecting Dales and Fell ponies (and the offspring bred from these ponies),
www.theequinesite.co.uk
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