EQUINE INFERTILITY

G.N.Purohit
Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and
Obstetrics
College of Veterinary and Animal science
Bikaner Rajasthan
Equids belong to order Perissodactyla
which includes family
Rhinoceridae
Tapiridae and
Equidae
⚫ Equids Domestic Equus caballus
Feral E.Prezwalski Extinct
Asiatic wild ass
African wild ass
Zebra Plains, Mountain, Grevys
 NORMAL EQUINE REPRODUCTION
⚫ Breeding season

Mares in North Hemisph 15 Feb to 1st Week of July

Mares in South Hemisph August to December

African wild ass All year (Sp Apr and May)

Grevys mountain zebra April to September

Burchells zebra April - May

Estrous cycle
Mare Av. 21 days cycle length 5-7 days
Donkey mares cycle length 5 to 7 days
 Physiological Breeding Season
⚫ 21 day inter-ovulatory interval (estrous
cycle)
⚫ Estrus (heat): 5 – 7 days
⚫ Ovulation: 24 to 48 hours prior to end of heat
⚫ Diestrus: 14 – 16 days
 Mating Behavior
(Estrus signs)
⚫ The mare will allow the stallion to
smell and bite.
⚫ She will
⚫ extend her hind legs,
⚫ lift her tail to the side and
⚫ lower her rump.
⚫ The erect clitoris will be exposed
frequently by contractions (winking)
of the labia.
⚫ The vulva will be elongate and
swollen, with the labia partly
everted.
⚫ The mare should be teased by a
stallion for accurate detection.
⚫ Attempts to fight the stallion indicate
she is not in estrus even though
some other signs of estrus are
apparent.
⚫ Some peculiarities of
reproduction

⚫ Seasonality
Uterus
Cervix
Fallopian tubes
Embryonic signals and
mobility
Ovulation & CL
Teasing program
 Sperm survival and capacitation
48 h max 6 days
⚫ Gestational length Range
from 320 to 360
(mean - 340) days
eCG from endometrial cups
35-90 days forming
accessory CL
P4 from CL low from 120-
300 days of gestation
Placental progesterone 90
day onwards
Gestational hormones
Mammary secretion electrolytes near foaling
 Foaling Night hours Voluntary
postponement of labor
⚫ First stage
10 min-5 hr (Av 1hr)
rupture of corioallantois
⚫ Second stage
15-20 minutes
birth of fetus. Not
beyond 60-70 min.
Third stage
Falling of placenta(within
3 hrs)
Uterine involution
 Normal Equine serum hormone levels
HORMONE Normal value Reprod condition
Progesterone > 4 ng/mL Pregnancy
7.2 + 1.8 ng/mL Day 9 post ovulation
<1 ng/mL Estrus
Testosterone 20-30 pg/mL Normal mare
> 70 pg/mL Granulosa cell T
Estradiol 2.2 + 1.0 pg/mL Day 5 pre estrus
7.1 + 1.6 pg/mL Estrus onset
6.8 + 1.7 pg/mL Ovulation
4.3 + 0.7 pg/mL Mid estrus
Estradiol 17-Beta 5 pg/mL Ovulation
25 pg/mL Day 17 post ovulation
 INFERTILITY TEMPORARY LOSS OF FERTILITY
REPRODUCTIVE FAILURES

I. Shortness of the breeding season

----Long day breeders
----Jan 1 Birth date
----During early season cycles irregular
----Ovulation failures
II. Genital infections and abnormalities
Genital Infections
Infectious Contagious equine metritis CEM
Coital vesicular exanthema (Gen.Pox)
Trypanosoma Equiperdum (Dourine)
⚫ Non infectious
Endometritis
Pnuemovagina
Defects of Perineum
Vaginitis, Cervicitis etc..
Genital abnormalities
Tumors of the genital tract
Congenital abnormalities
Cysts
Chromosomal abnormalities
 III. Irregularities of the estrous cycle

⚫ Long periods of estrum

⚫ Long diestrus periods
⚫ Irregular periods of estrum
⚫ Anestrum
⚫ Delayed Ovulation
⚫ Nymphomania
 CEM
⚫ First reported in England
⚫ Caused by Tayllorella equigenitalis a gram
negative coccobacillus.
⚫ Venereal and other transmission
⚫ Infection and discharge from uterus
⚫ Infection localisation on clitoris
 Genital POX

⚫ Venereal Transmission
⚫ Equine Herpes virus which do not cause
abortion
⚫ Papules on vulva in female and on Glans
and prepuce in male
⚫ Spontaneous recovery in 10-14 days.
 DOURINE
⚫ Trypanosoma equiperdum
⚫ Venereal Transmission
⚫ Dollar plaques on skin post recovery
⚫ Trypanosomes in genital discharges
 ENDOMETRITIS
⚫ Mostly arise due to poor vulvar conformation
⚫ Poor labial muscle tone
⚫ Abnormalities of perineum
⚫ Pathological parturition
⚫ Unhygeinic breeding
⚫ PMIE
⚫ Diagnosis: Physical exam- Rectal & Vaginal
Uterine Cytology
Uterine biopsy
Treatment Antibiotics after sensitivity tests
Episioplasty & Perineoplasty in anatomical defects

VAGINITIS/ CERVICITIS less common, fibrosis of cervix uncommon

Cervical Incompetence Cervix fails to seal Donkey mares
 Genital abnormalities
⚫ Granulosa tumor of ovary common in
mares and donkey mares
⚫ Endometrial cysts in older mares
diagnosed by ultrasonography
⚫ Ovarian cysts uncommon Ovariectomy
recommended
⚫ Mucometra seen in older mares
occassionally.
 Irregularities of estrus cycle
⚫ Long periods of estrous cycle 75% of the
irregularities specially in thin maideen mares
during early season. Cycle length 10-20 days.
⚫ Long disetrus periods Infrequent estrus with
prolonged periods of diestrum or anestrum.
Mares may accept one stallion but refuse
another
⚫ Irregular periods of estrun Psychological estrum
with no ovulation
⚫ Silent estrum Common in fatty or lactating
mares. Heavy drought mares exhibit silent
estrus more commonly.
 ANESTRUM
⚫ Physiologic during winter
⚫ Pathological Emaciated mares
⚫ Gestattional
⚫ Psychological
⚫ Lactational
DELAYED OVULATION Common in shy
breeding mares
Nymphomania Severe and Mild type
Management factors affecting equine
fertility
⚫ Teasing Program Should be done twice
daily
Lactating mares should
be teased separately
Begun 30 days prio to
season
Foaling mares from 3rd
day of foaling
Rectal palpation
Ultrasonography
 Breeding at the optimum time
⚫ Breeding at physiologic season
⚫ Manipulation Artificial Lighting
⚫ Feeding for weight gain during season
⚫ Breeding on the basis of rectal palpation/USG
⚫ Careful breeding of foaling mares
BREEDING PREPARATION
Evaluation prior to season
Washing genitals prior to service & careful
treatment.
⚫BREEDING
MANAGEMENT OF
THE FOALING MARE
 Uterine involution Post partum
ovarian activity
⚫ Follicles are known to
occur on the ovaries of
both mares and jennies
on the day of foaling but
the first postpartum
ovulations are known to
occur by day 13-17.
⚫ Teasing by day 3-5
⚫ Some mares do not show
overt estrus due to
psychologic reluctance in
the presence of a foal.
 Uterine Involution Importance of
assesment
⚫ Condition of uterine involution extremely
important
⚫ Delayed uterine involution follows
abnormal births and its recognition is an
key issue as it affects the decision
whether or not to breed the mare at foal
heat.
Delayed uterine involution clinical signs
slight dullness and mild colic
 Uterine Involution Assessment
⚫ Manual palpation Subjective scoring based on
the size and consistency however, such
assesments are of questionable significance
⚫ Endometrial bacteriology A lack of close
correlation between the recovery of bacteria and
uterine involution limits its use
⚫ Endometrial cytology Presence of fair to
moderate number of neutrophils have no effect
on the fertility of mares mated at the foal heat
(Sertich and Watson, 1992)
 Uterine involution assesment
Ultrasonography
⚫ Finding of intra-
luminal fluid
accumulations appear
to be most important.
Failure to qualify on any one of the below criteria
determines that the mare is no longer a candidate for foal
heat breeding

⚫ Mare must have a normal presentation at foaling

with no dystocia. This ensure that there are no
haematomas, lacerations or excessive infection.
⚫ Placenta not beyond 14 lb weight unless the foal
weighs above 120 lbs. A heavier placenta
indicates endometritis during pregnancy.
⚫ A mare must have expelled her placenta within 3
hours of foaling.
⚫ By 9 days post foaling no discoloured
vaginal discharge must be seen at the
vulva.

⚫ A mare must have a strong healthy foal

that nurses vigorously for atleast 9 days.
This stimulates oxytocin release and a
faster uterine involution.
Decision to use the first post partum
estrus
⚫ Against the time saving advantage of breeding
at foal heat there are two negative issues to be
examined because of the high fees paid for the
coverings
⚫ 1.Pregnancy rate at foal heat: Alongwith the low
conception rates there are high rates of
reabsorptions with foal heat coverings.

⚫ 2.Subsequent foaling rate of mares diagnosed

pregnant from a foal heat mating
 Foal heat breeding Pregnancy rate
⚫ Lower pregnancy rates probably because of
incomplete uterine involution, fluid
accumulation, infection etc..
⚫ Foal heat mating Early embryonic deaths (50%
mares carry fetuses to term. In ThBred only
20% carry to term)this remains an controversial
issue as some workers report an increased
incidence of EED whereas other suggest that
management differences and year to year
variation account for the observed differences.
Mares that have lost an pregnancy could be
recognised by ultrasonography and mated again.
 Foal heat mating Examination
Procedure
⚫ Examination should include an vaginal
examination, rectal examination and an
ultrasonographic examination.

⚫ Foal heat mating Selection of mares for

breeding
Presence of Inflamation Avoid breeding
mares with clinical evidence of
endometritis
 Any mare with intraluminal fluid should not be
mated. The greater the fluid the lower the chances
of pregnancy
Any mare that had dystocia,
retained placenta or
abnormal foaling should
be evaluated carefully. It
is probably better not to
cover her, while a mare
with severe trauma to the
birth canal should not be
considered at all.
Pregnancy rates in foal heat
matings increase as the
interval between foaling
and mating increases.
 Maximising pregnancy rates at foal
heat
⚫ In case of systemic involvement parentral
antibiotics are indicated
⚫ Non steroidal antiinflamatory drugs are
suggested in case of laminitis.
⚫ Uterine lavage with NSS is suggested in mares
with a retained placenta or endometritis, or
when shipped semen is to be used
⚫ Exercise is suggested to hasten involution.
⚫ Reduce the feed intake of mare on day 7 post
foaling and continue for 1 week to prevent foal
heat diarrhoea in the foal.
 Use of oxytocin and PGs given to
foaling mares to hasten involution
continues to be controversial
⚫ However, such therapies
appear to be beneficial in
combating post mating fluid
accumulations. An alternative
to prevent post breeding
endometritis is to limit the
number of coverings.
Delaying the first postpartum
estrus by giving progestagens
of hastening the onset of
second postpartum estrus by
use of PGs appear to be valid
alternatives for optimising
pregnancy rates in normally
foaling mares.
By P4 therapies the 1st post partum estrus must be
delayed at least 5 days. Altrenogest
0.44mg/Kg/day for 8-15 days followed by PG
⚫ PGs can be given 5-6
days after ovulation
when the dates are
known or 20 days
post partum when
dates are not known
however this would
save only 1 week over
mating during the
naturally occurring
second estrus.
⚫ Examine all mares on day 7-8 post partum
and evaluate for ovulation. Allow mating
at the foal heat unless more than 2 cm of
fluid is present in the uterus OR the mare
ovulates before day 9 postpartum.

⚫ FOAL HEAT COVERINGS MUST BE

PLANNED CAREFULLY IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE VIABLE FOALS.
THANKS