( ADVICE FROM THE VET )
THINKING OF BREEDING FROM YOUR MARE?
By Spring Paddocks Equine Vets - Registered BEVA AI Centre
hinking of breeding from your mare but not sure where to start? This aims to give you the necessary information to decide which method of insemination would be most appropriate for your mare, depending on your individual requirements.
T NATURAL SERVICE
Advantages: • Cost effective
• Good pregnancy rates
• Studs often offer a “no foal – free return” basis • Thoroughbreds to be registered with Weatherby’s must be bred using natural service
Disadvantages:
• Mares with young foals need to travel and be resident at the stud
• Mares are often turned out in groups • Not offered by all stallions
• Increased risk of injury to stallion and mare • Limits choice of stallion significantly
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION Advantages:
• Wider choice of stallion, including those standing abroad
• Less risk of introducing infection to mare or stallion
• Improved pregnancy rates with some problem mares
• Reduced travelling for mare and foal • Safer for the mare, stallion and handlers • Frozen semen is stored on site so can be used at the optimum time
Disadvantages:
• Closer monitoring of the mare’s cycle by ultrasound scanning is necessary • Semen collection and transport costs • Not accepted by the racing TB breeding industry
• Fees for AI normally cover a fixed number of doses of semen and do not guarantee a pregnancy
• Some stallion semen is unsuitable for chilling or freezing
• Chilled semen collection and delivery can be limited by bank holidays etc and some studs will only collect on certain days especially if the stallion is still competing.
Costs of Artifical Insemination (AI) It is generally more expensive to breed from a mare using AI rather than natural service due to the intensive veterinary input necessary.
The following costs should be considered: • Cost of the semen
• Charge made by the stud for collecting and processing the semen
• Transportation costs (including hire of Equitainer or dry shipper, liquid nitrogen tank for frozen semen)
• Veterinary costs will vary according to Veterinary Centres.
Pregnancy Statistics
• The pregnancy rates using natural service and fresh or chilled semen in young healthy mares
are around 60%
• Frozen semen pregnancy rates are slightly lower (40-50%)
• Approx 40% of young healthy mares which are inseminated naturally or using fresh/chilled semen AI, or 50-60% using frozen semen, will not get into foal on the first cycle
• Two or more cycles may be needed and some of the associated costs will then be repeated for each cycle. A few mares may remain barren despite all efforts
Other Considerations
Most mares are suitable for AI with chilled semen, but frozen semen is less likely to be suitable for mares over 15 years of age, those being bred from using the foal heat and mares with a history of reduced fertility. Please note that mares over 20 years of age are less likely to be as fertile.
Once a stallion is selected, check whether chilled or frozen semen is available and when and discuss the suitability of your mare with your Vet following a pre-breeding assessment. Chilled AI may be carried out on your own premises, but as stabling is available at Spring Paddocks, this is likely to be more convenient and significantly more cost effective to bring the mare into the clinic where she can be individually turned out or stabled as required.
Due to the need for more frequent scans, when frozen semen is used in order to ascertain the optimum time for ovulation, it is essential that mares are resident at the clinic.
For natural service the mare will travel to the stud, either as a walk in mare or may be expected to be resident.
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) compile a list detailing the Equine Veterinary Practices which meet their requirements to be classified as a BEVA Accredited Artificial Insemination Centre- ensure you are using an accredited centre, such as Spring Paddocks!
20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 For the latest news
visitwww.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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