Suffolk studs

@NovaStew 7390 wrote:

I’m pretty new to horses and animal husbandry, having gotten involved in logging about 5 years ago, and now farming with my team of Suffolks. They are amazing creatures-and with spring coming on, I have been thinking of getting my mare bred. The problem is, I live in Nova Scotia and don’t know of any Suffolk studs around, the closest ones I can find on the American Suffolk horse association website are in Vermont or Quebec-a really long haul. I am wondering if anyone out there has advice on long distance breeding, or knows of anyone with a suffolk stud closer to me? I bought them with the hopes of keeping this old working breed alive into our unpredictable global future, but I guess with such a small gene pool-I should have foreseen this problem.
Thanks for all the great info.
Stewart

Can’t help you in anyway Stewart, but I understand EXACTLY what you are saying. I have a Percheron mare that is the old style, short & thick … not at all the “hitch type” which is apparently becoming the norm today. I would like to have more like her, but I haven’t been able to locate a stallion of that type anywhere even remotely close. I keep thinking that this should be an ideal application for AI, but there seems to be little interest in collecting these studs. I think there is some technical reason that it is more difficult to use AI for horses than it is for cattle, but there is bound to be a way.

I am also looking to preserve the short, thick, easy keeping Red Angus cattle that were common when the breed first came into being as unique breed outside the (Black) Angus association in the 1950’s. I heard about a breeder that had a whole tank of semen that her dad had collected on these foundation bulls, but someone else had already bought it before I heard about it. Point is those genetics were preserved; they are being used today. There has to be someway to do this with horses, because once these old lines are gone they are not recoverable. Same thing with other minor breeds of livestock and poultry. I know there is an organization called the Minor Breeds Conservancy, but am not real familiar with what they do.

Good luck in your quest.

Wow, what a great looking stallion! Anybody have a black or dappled gray version of him hanging out around their place?

Stewart; sounds like it may be a little more expensive than if the stud farm was around the corner from your place, but since you don’t have that luxury this may be an acceptable alternative for you. I’d sure look into it if I were in your position.

Again, good luck.

paul birdsall is the man to talk to. he owns a stud named Herator. keeps him in southern maine, not on his farm. but he’ll help you out.

Novastew,

I must admit that I have never seen any data on this information. I do know that there are a few A.I. conceived horses in this country and England. Not sure if they were from frozen or fresh chilled semen. Maybe the folks at Roanoke A.I. labs can give more information about this method of breeding horses.

I have had many inquiries about A.I. breeding over the years and have never shipped a single one. Natural cover is the only way we have reproduced horses over the years.

This is why we have always had a stallion on the farm. My first Suffolk horse was a stallion in 78 and we have kept at least one since then. Given the cost of the horses it would seem appropriate to own a stallion and work him. As an old man told me once a long time ago, they are the smartest and strongest horses on the farm, why not work them and have breeding just be their part time job?

Good luck with it, Paul Birdsall is an icon in this breed and his horse is proven.

Good luck, don’t wait – they are all getting older every year. It is amazing to me how many open mares there are in this breed. Many live their entire lives and never reproduce….if that was my decision I would only own geldings.
Only around 50 are born annually and registered, so they are hardly keeping up with normal attrition. This is why they are listed on the American Livestock Conservancy as endangered and near extinct….

@NovaStew 7482 wrote:

Thanks for all the responses-I’ve heard of Paul, sounds like a guy I should contact anyway. Jason, in your experience, what is the success rate with A.I. in horses? I’ve heard mixed reviews.

I don’t have any figures, but my vet and I once collected my stallion with a home made collector (trash bag, bailing twine and duct tape, couple of coat hangers) and settled a mare with no problem. Dr. had just been to a seminar that included information of chemical ejaculation procedure and wanted to try it out. Horse Viagra!
The vet has also rec’d semen in Dr. Pepper bottles, and gotten mares settled with the contents. So it doesn’t seem like rocket science. lol, just make sure that pop bottle is real clean, at least as clean as a trash bag! The stallion urinated in the bag first go round, and as I recall, we just hosed it out with water, and tied it on again.
Fun in the country, eh?

I can attest to the magnificence of Jason’s Rudy. I’ve watched him work in the woods and seen him at liberty at home. They both do clean up beautifully. Also have met several of Rudy’s get. You couldn’t ask for prettier or more gentle and willing colts!

Good to see Larry’s stud for sale here. He is a beautiful horse.

Jean

The siblings of Larry’s horses are in the video listed under events and suffolk punches at everything equine. There is his full sister, the yearling, and l think all the others are by the same sire, but different dams.

The horses are 3 yrs (2 of them), 2 years and 1 yrs