[Acme Acres]

Originally Posted by Haas Horse Farm

Okay then explain to me why we had to have the water at 125 degrees on one stallion to even get him collected? He likes it hot!!!

Well one that's direct contact with his penis, not his testicles unless you're having to apply a hot pack to his testicles to get him to go and 2nd, the sperm shouldn't be coming in contact with the bladder since he should be thrusting past it when he bells out and is ejaculating.... but our boy likes it just a little bit warmer than that too. Don't ask me. Might as well dump him in the spa.

[easyridertobe]

Thanks for all your info. The mare owner had also never heard of this and ask his vet and he also didn't know any thing about it.

When do you normally AI a mare after foaling? My vet recommened sonogramming at 4 days to determine the ovaluation. Just want to check to make sure he's not wrong again.

[easyridertobe]

Originally Posted by easyridertobe

My stallion bred two mares last year in the hottest temps and one stuck and one did not. I recently had a mare checked to make sure she was in foal and she wasn't so that's the explanation my vet give me. He also said something about the "boys" being external and that was the reason for it taking the two months to replenish. He said once the temps gets into the 90's to forget about breeding until cooler weather. First I had heard so I thought I would ask your opinions. Thanks

Also wanted to state the mare that did not settle was atleast 200 lbs over weight. I've been told it's harder to get an overweight mare to settle? Mare owner did not have the mare checked to make sure she was in foal and now wants her rebred. By not having her checked by a vet it voided the contract agreement. Now the mare is probabley 400 lbs over weight and I refuse to let my stallion try again. The mare is 5 years old.

[Acme Acres]

Being over weight is terrible for a mare! I've seen mares not go into heat because of being so overweight. The three Minis I got are all on a diet until March so they'd be breeding fit. You did the right thing telling them that you wouldn't breed her until she was checked and more so by refusing to breed her when she's that over weight.

As for the foal heat, it's a cr.ap shoot on them getting in foal on it anyways due to the body flushing everything out. It would be better to short cycle or just go on a 30 day if you could. As for the US, it all depends on the mare. We've got a mare that has been consistant in when she came in and when she was ovulating on her first two foals, so we went w/out US on this year's breeding. I don't like to see horses given things (regumate, etc) to get them to stay in foal, etc, so for me, if they stick, they stick. If not, we breed early and deal with it next cycle. So far haven't had anyone not take on the 1st cover. But each and every mare is different.

[Equine Repro]

Originally Posted by easyridertobe

Has anyone heard anything about heat being a factor in a stallions reproduction?

Yes. In some stallions it "can" be a factor. Ever looked at a stallion's testicles during really hot weather? The hotter it is, the lower they should hang. With some stallions, however, they may not be able to keep their testicles cool enough. And obviously, if the stallion himself overheats, there is the possibility that the sperm cells can be damaged. Stallions that are competed heavily during high heat can sometimes have a reduction in sperm quality. It is, however, NOT an absolute.

My vet recently told me not to breed during the hot temperatures due to the stud not being fertile.

See above. SOME stallions may have issues, however most will manage just fine.

He said it took two months for the stud to replenish new sperm after the hot weather goes away. We had triple digit temps for almost a month straight.

He is correct in that it takes about 60 days for a sperm cell to be made. However, even with triple digit temperatures, most stallions will manage just fine. Think of an evaporative cooling system (swamp cooler). The testicles work in a similar manner. They are dropped lower away from the body in higher heat and are brought closer to the body during cooler temperatures. And, sweat plays an important part in the entire process.

Has anyone else been told this? Is this for the stallion only or does the mare do the same?

Healthy animals that are properly conformed should have no issues. Granted, in really high heat and high humidity, some animals may struggle with keeping cool, but for the most part, Mother Nature is pretty good at dealing with things. Nothing is absolute. Overheating in a mare can cause problems, but that is quite rare and it is usually with mares that are already pregnant.

As for the foal heat, it's a cr.ap shoot on them getting in foal on it anyways due to the body flushing everything out.

Well, not entirely true. The mare's uterus will have completely involuted and returned to a pre-pregnancy condition by day 15 post foaling. The embryo does not drop down out of the oviducts until around day 5.5 post ovulation. So, if you breed a mare that ovulates at LEAST 10 days post foaling, the pregnancy rates are comparable to any other breeding cycle. However, if the mare ovulates prior to day 10, you are better off waiting until the next cycle to breed.

Okay then explain to me why we had to have the water at 125 degrees on one stallion to even get him collected? He likes it hot!!!

Most stallions need the AV to be between 113 and 130 degrees fahrenheit in order to get them to ejaculate. So, your stallion is completely normal. A couple things here, however. The sperm are NOT being stored at 125 degrees, it's just the temperature of the lumen of the AV and necessary for stimulation of the stallion. Secondly, it is STRONGLY recommended that teh glans of the stallion's penis be at or beyond the end of the water bladder of the AV to avoid the semen running over the hot lumen of the liner. There is indeed temperature shock that occurs to sperm cells that do come in contact with the hot lumen.

The vets all said it was due to the heat. I don't think the repro center that collected him tested at each collection, but I'll ask Suzie (second shipment was what Penny caught from). It was 115*+ when we tried to breed Queenie.

You had stated that the shipments you had previously received were at 50% for one shipment and 80% for another. What were they shipped in? Disposable shippers? Disposables have a REALLY difficult time keeping semen at the appropriate temperature when the ambient temperature is extreme (really hot or really cold). Even Equitainers will struggle when it is really, really hot. We STRONGLY recommend that disposables not be used during temperature extremes to avoid jsut that kind of problem.

Secondly, any time a shipment of semen is sent out, it "should" be checked. Not doing so is irresponsible on the part of whoever is shipping the semen. A complete sperm count should be done for every shipment in order to know exactly what the semen needs to be extended to (a final concentration of 25 to 50 million/ml). And, without evaluating it, there's no way to know whether or not the darn stuff is even motile. ASK questions before booking to a particular stallion to be sure that he is being managed appropriately. It could be the cheapest and most financially smart thing you've ever done in your breeding program <smile>... Vet bills add up really quickly when someone is shipping you substandard semen merely because they aren't extending it appropriately for that particular stallion.

Hope that answers at least a few of the questions raised here <smile>...

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

[easyridertobe]

Thanks for all the info.

Originally Posted by Equine Repro

Yes. In some stallions it "can" be a factor. Ever looked at a stallion's testicles during really hot weather? The hotter it is, the lower they should hang. With some stallions, however, they may not be able to keep their testicles cool enough. And obviously, if the stallion himself overheats, there is the possibility that the sperm cells can be damaged. Stallions that are competed heavily during high heat can sometimes have a reduction in sperm quality. It is, however, NOT an absolute.



See above. SOME stallions may have issues, however most will manage just fine.



He is correct in that it takes about 60 days for a sperm cell to be made. However, even with triple digit temperatures, most stallions will manage just fine. Think of an evaporative cooling system (swamp cooler). The testicles work in a similar manner. They are dropped lower away from the body in higher heat and are brought closer to the body during cooler temperatures. And, sweat plays an important part in the entire process.



Healthy animals that are properly conformed should have no issues. Granted, in really high heat and high humidity, some animals may struggle with keeping cool, but for the most part, Mother Nature is pretty good at dealing with things. Nothing is absolute. Overheating in a mare can cause problems, but that is quite rare and it is usually with mares that are already pregnant.



Well, not entirely true. The mare's uterus will have completely involuted and returned to a pre-pregnancy condition by day 15 post foaling. The embryo does not drop down out of the oviducts until around day 5.5 post ovulation. So, if you breed a mare that ovulates at LEAST 10 days post foaling, the pregnancy rates are comparable to any other breeding cycle. However, if the mare ovulates prior to day 10, you are better off waiting until the next cycle to breed.



Most stallions need the AV to be between 113 and 130 degrees fahrenheit in order to get them to ejaculate. So, your stallion is completely normal. A couple things here, however. The sperm are NOT being stored at 125 degrees, it's just the temperature of the lumen of the AV and necessary for stimulation of the stallion. Secondly, it is STRONGLY recommended that teh glans of the stallion's penis be at or beyond the end of the water bladder of the AV to avoid the semen running over the hot lumen of the liner. There is indeed temperature shock that occurs to sperm cells that do come in contact with the hot lumen.



You had stated that the shipments you had previously received were at 50% for one shipment and 80% for another. What were they shipped in? Disposable shippers? Disposables have a REALLY difficult time keeping semen at the appropriate temperature when the ambient temperature is extreme (really hot or really cold). Even Equitainers will struggle when it is really, really hot. We STRONGLY recommend that disposables not be used during temperature extremes to avoid jsut that kind of problem.

Secondly, any time a shipment of semen is sent out, it "should" be checked. Not doing so is irresponsible on the part of whoever is shipping the semen. A complete sperm count should be done for every shipment in order to know exactly what the semen needs to be extended to (a final concentration of 25 to 50 million/ml). And, without evaluating it, there's no way to know whether or not the darn stuff is even motile. ASK questions before booking to a particular stallion to be sure that he is being managed appropriately. It could be the cheapest and most financially smart thing you've ever done in your breeding program <smile>... Vet bills add up really quickly when someone is shipping you substandard semen merely because they aren't extending it appropriately for that particular stallion.

Hope that answers at least a few of the questions raised here <smile>...

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction