Selection and Preparation of the Mare and

Stallion for Breeding

Abdelsalam Talafha
DVM, Diplomate American College of Theriogenologists
School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
The University of Adelaide, SA 5371
Australia
Introduction - selection criteria

Criteria and techniques used in selection for

reproductive competence

Goal: To produce healthy offspring with minimal

danger to life and well-being of dam
 Selection of the Mare
Breeding Soundness Examination “BSE”
Components of BSE

Reproductive and general history / Records

General physical examination

Reproductive tract examination

Reproductive history : Age

Puberty

• 18 - 24 months

Breeding at puberty

• Higher embryo mortality rates

• Demands of maintenance, growth,
pregnancy
Reproductive history: Age

Maiden mares over 12 y of age

• Reduced fertilization & embryo survival rates

• Poor ova viability
• Embryonic defects
• Increase in age-related endometritis
• Exposure to uterine infections
Reproductive history: Age

Mares in peak athletic condition demonstrate

• Abnormal estrous cycles

• Corticosteroids and anabolic steroids
effects
• 6-18 months rest period to settle
down into non-athletic state
Reproductive history : Age

Ideal age to breed a Not normally

maiden mare advisable to breed

5–6 y. old Over 20 y. old

Reproductive history / Records

Length of estrous cycle / estrus

Regularity of estrous cycles

Showing characteristic signs of estrus

Beginning and length of breeding season

Reproductive history / Records

• Early embryonic death

Problems during • Abortion
previous
pregnancies • Twins
• Dystocia

• Rejection of foals
• Foal birth weight / growth
Post foaling rates
problems
• Uterine infection
• Mammary gland inflammation
 General history

Vaccination
Parasite control
Umbilical hernia
Respiratory problems
Vaginal prolapse
Laminitis
Navicular disease
Tendonitis
General physical examination

All body systems

Blood analysis

Urinalysis

Fecal egg count

Evaluation of conformation
Reproductive tract examination

Perineal conformation
Vaginal speculum exam
Rectal palpation
Ultrasound examination
Uterine cytology
Uterine culture
Uterine biopsy
Reproductive tract examination of

Uterine biopsy: category and

predicted foaling rate (%)

I: 80–100%

II A: 50–80%

II B: 10–50%

III: < 10%

 Selection of the Stallion
Breeding Soundness Examination
 Components of Stallion BSE

Reproductive and general history

General physical examination

Reproductive tract examination

Observation of libido and mating ability

Examination for venereal disease

Semen collection and evaluation

Reproductive history / Records

Start and end of his season

Previous breeding performance

Results of prior fertility evaluations

Reproductive-tract infections
General history

Hind limbs injuries

Injuries to genitalia

Systemic infections

Vaccination

Parasite control
General physical examination

All body systems

Blood analysis

Urinalysis

Fecal egg count

Evaluation of conformation
Reproductive tract examination

Examination of the external and internal genitalia

Libido and mating ability

Immediate interest and interaction with a

mare in estrus

Erection within 2 min.

Mount readiness within 5 to 10 sec. after

erection

Ejaculation on 1st mount

Total breeding time of 2 to 5 min.

Examination for venereal disease

Normal Potentially
Venereal Venereal
nonpathogenic harmful
bacteria viruses
bacteria flora bacteria

Equine
Klebsiella Taylorella
herpes
pneumoniae equigenitalis
virus 3

Equine
Pseudomonas
viral
aeruginosa
arteritis
Semen collection and evaluation

Semen collection using artificial vagina

Ejaculate should be filtered

Gel: 10 - 300 ml

Gel free semen: 20 - 80 ml

Semen evaluation

Color of • Watery grey

normal to creamy
ejaculate white

Normal
semen • 7·2 - 7·7
pH
Semen evaluation: Motility

Velocity

• Scale of 0 to 4

Progressive motility (PM)

• > 60%
• PM < 40% are likely to compromise
fertility
Semen evaluation: Concentration

6
100 – 500 x 10 sperm /ml

9
4 – 14 x 10 sperm / ejaculate
Semen evaluation: Morphology

Morphologically normal (MN) > 70%

Calculation of PM – MN sperm: Example

A stallion produces 90 ml semen

Gel-free sperm = 75 ml
[ Sperm ] = 220 x 106 /ml
• 75 ml x (220 x 106) = 16·5 x 109 / ejaculate
Assuming PM = 75%
• Total # PM = (16·5 x 109) x 0·75 = 12·37 x 109
Assuming MN: 50% of PM
• Total # PM-MN sperm= (12·37 x 109)x 0·50 = 6·18 x 109
Daily Sperm Output (DSO)

Number of sperm that a stallion can produce on a daily

basis

To achieve 75%, 45-day pregnancy rate in 40 mares

by natural cover or 120 mares by AI during a typical
breeding season of 135-150 days

9
• Minimum of 2 x 10 PM-MN sperm in 2nd of 2
sperm collections taken 1 hr apart after 1 week
of sexual rest
BSE - Interpretation

Satisfactory • Pass all tests of BSE

• A problem that precludes his

Questionable classification as satisfactory
• May pass BSE at a later date

• A problem that is not expected to

Unsatisfactory
improve
Types of semen

• Intended for AI at premises other

Transported semen than that on which it was
collected

• Not extended
Raw semen
• Must be used within 10 min

• Extended semen
Fresh semen • Maintained at ~ 22°C
• Used within 4 hrs of collection
Types of semen

• Mixed with extender

Chilled (cooled) • Cooled to between 5-10 °C
semen • Used within 36 hrs after
collection

• Processed and maintained in

Frozen semen liquid nitrogen (-196°C) for long
periods
Semen preservation: semen extender

• Protect sperm against cold shock

Lipoproteins
by stabilizing cellular membranes

Glucose • Source of energy for sperm

Antibiotics • Eliminate bacteria growth

Osmolarity • 350 mOsm/L

pH • 6.5 to 7.2
Semen preservation: Chilled Semen

• Within 2 - 5 min
Semen mixed with 37°C extender
after ejaculation

• Dilution 1:1
For immediate AI
extender : semen

Semen storage > 2 - 4 hrs • Dilution 4:1

• 25 - 50 x 106
Finale conc. in extended semen
sperm / mL
Insemination volume (IV) for fresh extended semen

 IV (mL) = PMS dose ÷ (SCe x %PM)

 PMS dose: 100 – 500 x 106

 SCe: sperm concentration in extended semen

(25 - 50 x 106 )

 %PM: progressively motile sperm in ejaculate

Insemination volume (IV) for fresh extended semen

6
 Example: [ sperm ] = 220 x 10 /ml, PM = 75%

 IV = 500 x 106 ÷ (50 x 106 x 0.75) = 13.3 ml

6
 (500 x 106 ÷ 220 x 10 ) 2.3 ml semen : 11 ml

extender

 = dilution 1 ml semen : 5 ml extender

 Typical IV 10 – 30 ml
Semen preservation: chilled semen

Extended semen fertilizing capacity

• Refrigerated temp: 24 - 48 hrs

• 72 - 96 hrs (highly fertile stallions)
• Room temp: 12-24 hrs

Airport security x-ray at 10 μSv

• No adverse effects of on sperm motility,

morphology, or fertility
• Mares delivered normal foals at term
Semen Preservation: Frozen semen

Dilution and centrifugation

Freezing extender

Packaging

Freezing

Storing

Thawing

Insemination
Semen Preservation: Frozen semen

0.5-mL straw labeled with

• Stallion identification
• Breed registry
• Registration number
• Semen-processing location and date
• Freezing extender used
Longevity of sperm motility
Raw semen
• Room temp.
• PM > 10% at 6 hrs
Chilled extended semen
• Stored at 5°C
• Examined at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hrs
• PM > 40% when warmed to 37°C after 24 h
Frozen sperm
• Thawed at 38°C
• PM > 15% after 2 hrs
Minimum standards for stallion semen for AI by “World
Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH)”

Fresh Semen

• Minimum of 300 x 106 PM

Chilled Semen: Extended / Fresh

• Sperm dose: Minimum of 300 x 106 PM at time of

portioning
• AI: within 12 hrs of collection
• PM: > 35%
• Storage conditions maintained
Minimum standards for stallion semen for AI by WBFSH

Chilled Semen: Extended / Transported

• Sperm dose: minimum of 600 x 106 PM at

time of portioning
• Max. volume: 40 cc
• AI: 24 - 36 hrs after collection
• PM: > 35%
• Storage conditions maintained
Minimum standards for stallion semen for AI by WBFSH

Frozen Semen

• Minimum of 750x106 PM per AI dose post-

thawing
• Volume dose: dependent on
manufacturing process (0.5 or 5 ml
straws)
• PM: > 35% post-thawing
Back to our Example using WBFSH standards
6
 Gel-free sperm = 75 ml, [ sperm ] = 220 x 10 /ml,
9
PM = 75%, Total # PM in ejaculate = 12·37 x 10
 This ejaculate can be used for
9
 Fresh and fresh extended semen =(12.3 x 10 ) ÷
6
(300 x 10 ) = 41 mares
9
 Chilled transported semen =(12.3 x 10 ) ÷ (600 x
6
10 ) = 20 mares
Back to our Example using WBFSH standards

9
 Frozen semen= (12.3 x 10 ) x 0.35 post-thaw
motility ÷ (750 x 106 ) = 6 mares

 If you want to be more hard on stallion, consider

% MN sperm in your calculations, i.e. 20, 10 and
3 mares, respectively, assuming 50% MN sperm
in ejaculate
Timing of insemination

Fresh semen
• 24 - 36 hrs pre-ovulation

Chilled semen
• 12 - 18 hrs pre-ovulation

Frozen semen
• 6 - 12 hrs pre-ovulation
• Up to 6 hrs post-ovulation
Preparation of the Mare and
Stallion for Covering
Body Condition

Ideal body condition score (BCS) at mating

• 5-6 (scale 1 - 9)
• Good covering of flesh
• Ribs, vertebrae, backbone felt with some
pressure
Mare and stallion Preparation - Management
Introduction to breeding surroundings &
procedures
Exercise

Social interaction

Hoof care

Dental care

Parasite control

Vaccination
Introducing Stallion to Covering

3 years
• 1st breeding
4 years
• 50 mares / season
• Inconsistent fertility
rates and libido
5 y until his 20s
• 50–100 mares /
season
• Up to 3 mares / day
Introducing Stallion to Covering

During 1st season

• Limited to 10 - 15 mares spread out over
season
• Not more than 1 mare / day
References

 Juan C. Samper, Jonathan F. Pycock, Angus O. McKinnon. Current

Therapy in Equine Reproduction. 2007. Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis,
Missouri.
 Juan C. Samper. Equine breeding management and artificial
insemination. 2nd edition. 2009. Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis,
Missouri
 Steven P. Brinsko et al. Manual of equine reproduction. 3rd edition.
2011. Mosby Elsevier, Maryland Heights, Missouri
 www.vetmed.lsu.edu/eiltslotus/theriogenology-5361/
 www.equine-reproduction.com
 www.drostproject.org
 www.ivis.org
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Petra -
JORDAN