Recent News for Breeding Basics
Article
Foal IgG (Antibody)
February 01, 1999
The foal is born with a functional immune system (if all is normal), but has a general absence of immunoglobulins to aid in the defense against infection. The foal acquires his initial immunoglobulin protection from the mare's first milk, which... Read More
Article
AAEP Convention 1998 Wrap-Up
February 01, 1999
Wonder where your veterinarian was the first week in December? If he or she is at the top of the game as an equine practitioner, you probably could find him or her enjoying the weather in Baltimore, Md., site of the 44th American Association of... Read More
Article
Effects Of Weaning On Growing Foals
January 22, 1999
Every foal must be weaned from its dam at some point. However, when and how the weaning process is undertaken may have significant effects on the growing horse. One of the physiological responses often noted at weaning is a... Read More
Article
Feeding The Orphan Foal
January 01, 1999
Every breeder dreads finding himself or herself with an orphan foal--a baby left alone when his dam dies of foaling complications or from a later, unrelated injury or illness; or a foal rejected by his mother or for some reason, unable to nurse.... Read More
Article
Fetal Development and Foal Growth
January 01, 1999
Foals born to mares which do not receive proper nourishment during gestation could be born weak and be susceptible to more health problems than the foal born of a well-fed mare. ... Read More
Article
Regulating Estrus in Mares
December 01, 1998
When a mare is left to her own devices reproductively, she will fall into a rhythm with Nature. When the days are short, dark, and cold, her reproductive system will shut down. When the longer, warmer days of spring arrive, her reproductive system ... Read More
Article
Genetic Testing: The Secret World Of Genes
December 01, 1998
Genetic testing in horses helps us learn about their physical characteristics, diseases, and much more.... Read More
Article
First Sex-Selected Filly Born
August 21, 1998
Through the collaborative efforts of Colorado State University, USDA, MoFlo, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cytomation the world's first sex-selected filly was born August 6, 1998. The filly, Call Me Madam, was... Read More
Article
Twin Lipizzans Born At Tempel Farms
August 07, 1998
The rarest of the rare has happened at Tempel Farms, home of the prized Tempel Lipizzan stallions. Twin Lipizzan foals have been born—an improbable occurrence that takes place in fewer than one percent of all horse births, and is made even more... Read More
Article
Weaning Strategies
August 01, 1998
No one looks forward to weaning time. There's nothing quite as heart-rending as the sound of a panicky foal, galloping up and down the fence line calling desperately for the mother who's been taken away--unless it's the sound of his dam calling... Read More
Article
Center For Reproductive Technology Founded
March 27, 1998
The possibility of human cloning and other advancements in assisted reproductive technologies have recently captured a niche on the news agenda and focused ethical issues for a national debate. But these same advancements hav... Read More
Article
Do Genetics Affect Racing Performance?
March 27, 1998
We know some Thoroughbreds are faster than others. But why? Some are back at the knee. Some are sounder than others. Some are more susceptible to infectious diseases than others. But why? These, and countless other questions, were... Read More
Article
Cosmetic Alteration Of Arabian Horses
March 02, 1998
Surgical alteration of any Arabian horse to enhance its appearance is not in the breed's best interest.... Read More
Article
The Sub-Fertile Stallion
March 01, 1998
When we consider that foaling rates overall range somewhere in the neighborhood of 55-60% it becomes instantly obvious that simply covering a mare and getting a foal are not a sure thing. The problem is not always with the mare. ... Read More
Article
Foal Sharing
February 01, 1998
Foal sharing, by definition, is an agreement under which a mare owner puts up the use of a mare while the stallion owner puts up the use of a season. Together, the two partners own the resulting foal with no currency having changed hands for a stud... Read More
Article
Predicting Foaling
February 01, 1998
Eleven months is a considerable length of time to anticipate the birth of a foal. A great deal of hope, excitement, dreams, and financial investment can accompany the arrival of a newborn. Because of the long wait, most owners want to monitor th... Read More
Article
Sub-Fertile Mares
February 01, 1998
A broodmare which fails to conceive or carry a foal to term can be an emotional and financial liability. For the backyard breeder, the liability might be primarily emotional, when that special mare you wanted to produce your next trail horse or... Read More
Article
Does Frozen Semen Really Work?
February 01, 1998
It has been more than 40 years since Canadian investigators reported the birth of the first foal from the insemination of a mare using frozen stallion semen. Since then, the technology of semen freezing has evolved tremendously. On a... Read More
Article
Oxytocin And Maternal Recognition Of Pregnancy In Mares
January 09, 1998
It is well established that early conceptus loss (the embryo and its associated extra-embryonic membranes) is a major source of reproductive inefficiency in domestic animals. Early pregnancy in all mammals is characterized by a high fertilizatio... Read More
Article
Estrous Cycle Primer
January 01, 1998
For all things there is a time and a season. Nowhere is this more true than in equine reproduction. Nature has established a definite time and season for mares to conceive and bear foals. It is a very sensible approach on the part of... Read More
Article
Newborn Knowledge
January 01, 1998
Final preparations will need to be made so that the newborn foal gets the best chance at life.... Read More
Article
Mare Breeding Soundness Examination
December 01, 1997
Historically, mares have one of the lowest average conception/birth rates of any of the domestic species (somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70%). Excellent breeding and overall management of mares and the blessing of... Read More
Article
The Orphan Foal
December 01, 1997
The birth of a long-awaited foal is an occasion to celebrate. All of the planning, breeding dates, pregnancy c... Read More
Article
Advances In Semen Sexing
December 01, 1997
Rens, Welch, and Johnson of Beltsville, Md., reported significant improvements in their flow cytometric semen sexing procedure at the American Society of Animal Science's meeting. The sexing of sperm with the Beltsville method is based o... Read More
Article
Genetics Primer
September 01, 1997
Progress in the field of genetics has been moving by leaps and bounds during the past few years. It wasn't long ago that researchers discovered ways to unravel and study DNA, that elusive strand of genes that inhabits each and... Read More
