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Breeding mares on their foal heat is a strategy used to maximize reproductive efficiency. Since income is generated from selling offspring, yearly foal production is critical to offset maintenance and breeding expenses incurred by the mare owner. With an average gestational length of 333 to 345 days, mares must become pregnant within one month post partum to continue producing foals each year. Mating mares on the first postpartum estrus is one method used to improve the chance of maintaining yearly foal production. Reviewing this topic for us is guest writer, Dr. Margo Macpherson with an excerpt from the chapter Breeding Mares on Foal Heat co-authored by Dr. Margo Macpherson and Dr. Terry Blanchard in the 2nd Edition of Equine Reproduction.

There are many factors to consider before you breed your mare. This Q&A with reproduction specialist, Dr Karen Wolfsdorf of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will help you be prepared. Questions answered include - Where do I start if I want to breed my mare?, Why do I need to get my mare examined by a veterinarian?, What does a pre-breeding exam include?, What can be done if my veterinarian finds a problem at the pre-breeding exam?, How should my mare be prepared for mating? and When do I find out if my mare is pregnant?

Breeding season is upon us and hopefully the phone has been ringing off the hook with mare owners interested in breeding to your stallion. Now is a great time to review and update your frozen semen contracts. We are here to make it easier for you! We have prepared contract templates for either selling frozen semen by the dose or for a frozen semen breeding agreement, both templates are accompanied by detailed notes you can refer to for guidance when formulating your own agreements.

It is a common belief of many veterinarians and breeders that the lifespan of frozen semen within the mare’s reproductive tract is reduced compared to fresh semen. While no experimental fertility trials have been conducted to directly address this question the type of damage that can occur to sperm membranes during the freezing and thawing process theoretically could reduce the longevity of semen. Sperm binding to the lining of the oviduct can extend fertilizing capacity in the mare and there is in vitro evidence that frozen-thawed sperm do not bind as well to the oviductal epithelium. Therefore, it is generally accepted that the optimum time for insemination of frozen semen is in the period from 12 hours prior and up to 6 hours after ovulation. The timing of insemination is a good topic for debate and many mare owners and veterinarians have their preferred method of choice. Generally opinion is split between a one dose post-ovulatory insemination or a two dose timed insemination protocol. Dr. Sandro Barbacini of SBS Italia reviews the pros and cons of both options here.

For some breeds of horses, the most popular choice for marketing frozen semen is to sell by the dose. The mare owner pays in advance for each dose of semen and typically there is no live foal guarantee.This is often the case for imported frozen semen from Warmblood sport horse stallions standing in Europe. However, other breeds use their frozen semen as part of a breeding contract with a life foal guarantee. Much of the Standardbred and Quarter Horse semen we export to Europe and Australia is sold in this manner. At Select Breeders we feel the risk associated with breeding horses, by any means, should be shared by both the stallion and mare owner. Therefore our recommendation has always been to sell frozen semen with a guaranteed contract. We review the pros and cons of both options below and welcome your comments and discussion.

You know the value of your stallion…X amount of dollars, your broodmares…X amount of dollars, and your stallion’s offspring…X amount of dollars. But if asked the value of your stallion’s frozen semen you may answer “I don’t know” or “Priceless.” Why do you need to know the value of your stallion’s frozen semen? Unfortunately, stallions pass away, partnerships dissolve due to sales or divorce, bankruptcies are filed, semen is exported, etc. and in these cases you need to be prepared to handle your frozen semen as an asset. The value of frozen semen can be determined either by the cost of production or the number of breedings that potentially could be sold.

As breeding season is coming to a close, many of you may be wondering what you should do about unused doses of frozen semen that remain in the possession of your mare owners and what you should do with returned semen. Stallion owners often express concern that if frozen semen is sold as part of a breeding contract, unused doses of semen remaining after the original mare becomes pregnant may be sold to a 3rd party or used to inseminate another mare without payment of any additional stud fees. But, if frozen semen is returned, how can you know if the semen quality has been compromised and what should you do with it? Here we offer some advice on how to minimize the amount of unused frozen semen that is outstanding at the end of the breeding season and how to handle the fate of this frozen semen in your breeding contracts and if it gets returned.

The presence of fluid in the mare’s uterus after natural mating or insemination is a normal event that occurs in response to the breeding. This is the result of an inflammatory response that is needed to rid the uterus of any excess sperm or other contaminating agents. The influx of neutrophils (white blood cells) into the mare`s uterus after breeding results in the elimination of sperm, bacteria and other cellular debris and causes the release of prostaglandins, which stimulates uterine contractions. Typically the inflammatory response peaks 12 hours after breeding and by 24 to 48 hours the mares uterus is empty of fluid. However, some mares are more susceptible to prolonged retention of fluid and it may be retained for several days after breeding.

Stallion Owners - welcome to the new SBS website! Below you will find instructions for how to update your stallion's profile on the new Stallion Guide.

Frozen semen offers many advantages to mare owners but it is important to understand that not all frozen semen is the same. You can achieve excellent results with frozen semen IF the semen is of good quality, is provided in adequate numbers and has been processed, stored and shipped properly. All too often mare owners and veterinarians have been disappointed with the results they obtained with frozen semen that may not have been processed properly or was distributed without adhering to strict standards for quality control. The best way for a mare owner to ensure success is to breed to a stallion whose owner or agent is willing to stand behind the product and offer a pregnancy guarantee, just like they would with cooled semen. If that is not the case then make sure that the semen was collected and frozen by a reputable, professional laboratory and that you can obtain objective information about the semen quality. Here are some important questions to ask the stallion owner or semen agent before you sign a contract.