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Management
of the Stallion prior to the breeding season.
by Jane Marson BSc Hons(Stud Manager
of Heritage Coast Stud)
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The
Stallion's behavioural and physical management must
be thoroughly understood if he is to be prepared for
a breeding season to result in optimum performance.
Areas of
Stallion management to be optimised:-
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Housing
1. Lighting
2. Exercise
3. Housing
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1. Nutrition
1) Diets should be adjusted for individual stallions
according to their breed, condition and energy requirement.
Many stallions are overfed during the breeding season
as it thought that they will require 'more energy'.
However, there is virtually no extra requirement for
the stallion during the breeding season compared to
the maintenance part of the year. A stallion in good
condition can be well managed on good quality hay, access
to a mineral supply and a basic stud mix/nut. Extra
energy can be provided in the form of carbohydrates
but these should be constantly evaluated according to
the condition of the horse.
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Exercise
Stallions just like any other horses are a grazing animal
and is important that they are able to exercise normally
throughout the breeding season. Exercise in conjunction
with a well managed diet can aid the horse in not only
its physical condition to perform well in the breeding
season but also keep its mental attitude balanced. It
is important that the horse be in good fitness for the
breeding season and the requirement of exercise type
will depend on the individual horse.
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Housing
Recent studies have shown that stallions housed or grouped
together can result in intermale effects that can induce
behaviour related subfertility. |
Lighting
Stallions, like mares, are effected by day length although
not to the same degree. They are still fertile during
the short day periods but will have reduced fertility
compared to the natural breeding season. To make sure
your stallion is in optimum condition to start his breeding
season as near to February 14th (optimum date to result
in a mare producing a foal as near to Jan1st as possible)
then you can induce an onset of the breeding season artificially
by introducing lighting periods of the stable during the
short day period.There is some evidence to suggest that
the feeding of Agnus Castrus (Evitex) can induce the same
result by acting on the pituitary gland resulting in an
increase in hormones aiding the fertility of the stallion. |
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Health
For much of the year the stallion is kept isolated from
infections during the non_breeding time> However, when
the breeding season commences the stallion is suddenly
exposed to visiting mares from a variety of locations
that could potentially infect him both with common infections
as well as venereal infections which could be disastrous.
Therefore, it is vital that the stallion himself is
fully tested at the beginning of the season for venereal
infection to provide confidence to the mare owners and
also to ensure that no problem with fertility could
result from the stallion. It is also important that
he is fully vaccinated against equine flu, herpes and
equine viral arteritis (EVA). It is important that the
stud insist on a clean swabs from the mare prior to
coming to the stud. Not only are these precautions good
practice but they also rule out potential problems with
fertility.
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