ADVICE FROM THE VET
THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU START:
• Which stallion areyou considering?There areamultitude to choose from. It is wise to choose one that complementsyour mare forthe best chance of adesirable foal.
• Will the semen be chilled, or frozen? And if youare going to use chilled semen, what is the stallion’sseasonal availability?
• Is your maresuitable?Mares with hereditary health conditions, poor conformation or behavioural issuesshould not be considered forbreeding. Fractious maresmay require sedation to makescanning and insemination safefor the vet. Older maiden mares (first time breeders) generally haveamuch lower conception rate than younger mares.
• Breeding canbeanexpensivebusiness,and it is important to ensurethatyou have made appropriate financial provisions, should your mareorfoal requireemergencytreatment. Thereare also stud, foaling and veterinary fees to consider in the breeding process.
• Preparefor multiple cycles. Chilled and frozensemen have reduced motilityrates compared to freshsemen, so don’tbe disheartened if it doesn’thappenthe firsttime around. We usually recommend preparing foratleast three cyclesofAI.
• Thinking forwards, canyou provide asuitable weaning environment foryour foal? Foals should alwaysbeweaned in groups, and never justseparated from their mothers. It maybe necessary to send your mareand foal to a stud forthis to happen safely and naturally.
• Talk the processthrough with your veterinary surgeon. Theyshould offer packageswhich they tailor to the individual needs of your mare.
Mares come intoseason roughly everythree weeks during the spring and summer months and will usually be in season forthree to five days,although this variesvery much from mare to mare. With some mares it is very obvious when theyare in season, and otherslessso. The aim is to admit the maretothe clinic as her season starts,sothat we cantrack her progress and inseminateher at exactly the right time. Ultrasound is keyinexamination of the ovaries
and uterus, and in-season mares arescanned daily. The vetislooking foradominant ovarian follicle, from which the marewill ovulate, and signs of a healthyuterus. Oncethe marehas adominant follicle,and the timing is right, insemination canbe considered. Forchilled semen, this mustbeordered via postorcourier forinsemination the next day. As frozensemen has reduced longevity, around six hours, the maremustbescanned regularly, and inseminated as soon as ovulation occurs. Afterinsemination takesplace, the mare
should be scanned to checkfor ovulation, and forany fluid in her uterus. It is normal formares to haveamild inflammatory response to semen, and mostmares clearthisbythemselves, however some mares requiretreatment to help
18
ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI) IN THE MARE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
by EmilyDouglas-Osborn BVScMRCVS
this
occur.Thismay involveoxytocin injections, uterine lavage and antibioticsifnecessary. Oncethe health of the uterus is confirmed,
the marecan be discharged from the clinic, and return forher scan fourteen days after ovulation. It is recommended that mares
have at leastthree scans: • 14-16 days: This is the earliest scan. It is important to identify ifamarehas atwin pregnancy, as twins in horsesfrustratingly almostalwaysresult in abortion. If the mare has adouble ovulation detectedbythe presenceoftwo CorporaLutea,but only one pregnancyisdetected, the vetmay recommend another scan in 2-3daystoconfirm the absenceoftwins of different sizes.
• 28 days: Theheartbeat scan. This is important to showthat the pregnancyisprogressing normally and is also another opportunity
APRIL/MAY2021For
thelatestnewsvisitwww.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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