Artificial Insemination

Are you planning on breeding several mares with fresh semen, or are you shipping chilled semen, or are you freezing semen for future use? All of these are possible and each horse has his own problems with collection, dilution, and storage. Some semen stores well and has great livability. But some really top horses(big money spent) can’t get the sperm to process and still be a breeder. Horse semen was some of the first to be AIed but has proven to be about the hardest to use. There are some great reproductive vet’s out there and they are not all created equal. The greatest drugs and techniques come out of Kentucky, due to the money spent on the thorobreds. Alot of the Vets will have consultations with clinics in Kentucky to work out any problems. If all goes well it is economical, but all doesn’t always go well. Seems like the less you have invested in the horse the better breeder he is…….go figure.

The Thorobreds can’t ship the semen but they can collect and use the semen fresh on the farm. I used to work with a vet and we were breeding 1000 to 1500 Standardbreds here in Illinois (plus the occasional Paint, Quarter Horse, and draft). I would handle the studs and the vet would do the collecting, then he would do the ultrasounding of the mares and I would AI them. Each stud is an individual with his likes and dislikes and attitude. One day a lady came to us with an 18 hand warmblood that had been shown in dressage at the olympics. We were to colect him and ship the semen off on next day air. He was a great horse to handle and was about 10-11 years old, quiet as a dead hog. This was the first time I had seen this horse but his demeanor was super quiet. Well when I led him into the breeding barn with a teaser mare at the far end, we went the full lenght of the barn in 3 leaps. I still had hold of him but he caught me by surprise. Two days later they were back to collect him again, this time I asked if I could have an educational moment with him. When I walked him into the barn that morning his eyes were on me and we slowly walked to the teaser mare pen, and only when I let him did he pay attention to the mare in heat. He was perfect to handle after that, but they told me after the first session that noone wanted to handle him twice. Studs need to be respected and have manners at all times. Breeding horses might not be rocket science but its close.

Are they giving those mares a hot shot or are they really in tune to the natural cycle?

Kevin

Hi Jason,
My mare was not a Suffolk, she was a Percheron/trakehaner cross. I have always admired suffolks but have never had one. Maybe someday.

I do think the shot can contribute to twinning but there are a lot of factors that can influence the outcome. Where exactly in her cycle the mare is when she is given the shot is one of those factors as well as the number of follicles that are close to maturing. Of course, if you know exactly where your mare is in her cycle you may not need to give her a shot. It is the logistics that will probably determine whether you use it or not. Getting everything in the right place at the right time can be tricky which is why being able to regulate the mare’s cycle is so helpful. The benefits generally outweigh the risks.

Often twinning does take care of itself but not always, which was the case for my mare. We waited as long as we thought safe then went ahead and pinched one of the embryos off.

Overall, I think that AI is often easier and less risky for the mare then live cover is. If I ever breed another mare I would probably chose AI again. The twinning risk is nominal and easily eliminated compared to the other risks associated with breeding.

It seems like you have a good team working with you. I hope it works out well, it sounds as though you have a really nice horse whose genes are well worth preserving.

Spring in Appalachia sounds good too!

QUOTE=Biological Woodsman;17865]Hey Maxwell,

Was your A.I. a Suffolk?

Twining is a problem for sure, but I wasn’t aware that the A.I. was more likely to make twins. Is it the shot that does it more than a natural cover?
I think all these mares will be checked at 17 days and hopefully they can pinch any twins.

We are hopeful to get a few mares in foal with this technique.

If there is room I am going to try to attach a photo of the event. It’s not the best one, I am saving that for an article. The old horse learns fast.
He is 17 now.

Thanks for the post. Off to the woods for a lovely spring afternoon in Appalachia!

The staff has bought new Bull Riding helmets, so I am glad to have the photos of the vet wearing the football helmet. Both these staff members had been injured in the past also.

My new job title is Cheerleader! Go Hokies!

~

Jason

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