Horse mating: types, preparation, timing. Breeding and breeding horses

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

For the successful conduct of any branch of animal husbandry, including horse breeding, an important indicator is the reproduction of livestock. The success of the entire economy, whether it is a private stable or a stud farm, depends on a properly conducted mating of horses. All possible factors that can affect the final result - getting offspring are taken into account.

Breeding

The question of animal breeding methods in zootechnical science is one of the main ones. Depending on the goal set for the breeders, different options are used. When breeding and breeding horses, the species, breed, and lineage of animals are taken into account. Methods:

1. Pure breeding. The ability of individuals to persistently pass on distinctive breed properties to subsequent generations is a very important biological feature. The improvement and preservation of the breed is the main goal of purebred breeding, where animals of the same breed are used for reproduction.
2. Crossing.

Crossing can be reproductive, the goal is to breed a new breed. Use two (simple reproductive crossing) or more (complex reproductive crossing) source breeds. A complex, lengthy and risky (it is difficult to predict the result) method has helped to breed hundreds of new breeds of farm animals. A striking example of complex reproductive crossbreeding is the Oryol trotting breed.

Adsorption crossbreeding aims to improve local livestock. Local queens are covered by the manufacturer with the required characteristics. Individuals of the first generation are again covered with males of the improving breed, and so on until the fifth generation (after the fifth, the animals are considered purebred and are usually bred "in themselves"). An effective and publicly available method allows for a significant improvement in livestock performance within 4-5 generations.

Industrial crossbreeding stands out. The goal is to use the phenomenon of heterosis. Two types are used:

• simple - involving two breeds; the resulting crosses are no longer used in reproduction;
• complicated, crossbreeds of the first generation are covered with a representative of the third breed, increasing heterosis.

Both options are practiced in the work of meat herd horse breeding.

The goal of variable crossbreeding is to maximize the benefits of first-generation crossbreeds. In essence, it is similar to industrial crossing. Some of the queens remain for further use. Crossbred queens with ½ or ¼ blood are crossed with a purebred sire of the original breed. In this way,manages to maintain the phenomenon of heterosis for several generations. Three-breed variable crossing sometimes ends up breeding new breeds, so the French breeders got the Norman horse.

Introductory crossing aims at the following: to instill in the main breed any qualities without changing the type and characteristics of the improved breed. In this way, many modern breeds of animals were "corrected". A striking example is the Oryol trotter, in whose veins one can meet the blood of an English thoroughbred riding and Arabian breeds.

There is also hybridization. The goals are breeding of new breeds, restoration of lost species. Two types of mating of horses and donkeys are known. A pair of stallion + donkey gives hinnies that are medium-sized and stubborn like a mother, not very hardy. From a pair of donkey + mare, mules are born - obedient and rather large in mother, unpretentious and hardy - in father.

Animal hygiene

There are several methods for mating horses:

• manual;
• cooking;
• mowing;
• artificial insemination.

Each of the above options has its advantages and disadvantages. With different ways of keeping horses, choose the most suitable method.

Horses not younger than 3 years old are allowed in mating. Every year, in horse breeding farms, all livestock are checked for infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases (squatting).

On successful matinghorses are influenced by the following factors:

• feeding and maintenance conditions (malnourished and sick animals are excluded from the random company);
• factory condition is considered the best for mating, too plump mares may not come to hunt;
• mating time; ovulation usually occurs at night, so the best time for insemination is early morning;
• age; a young he althy body is better prepared to bear he althy offspring.

The season for mating horses depends on how they are kept. In herd horse breeding and in the wild, the breeding season mainly runs from early spring (March) to mid-summer (July). With stable maintenance, earlier dates are practiced - January-February. Winter foals are stronger and by the time they go out to pasture they are ready to graze.

Selection of animals

When choosing a pair for mating, many nuances are taken into account. In purebred breeding, not only the quality of the breed indicators is important, but also the origin of the animal. Closely related inbreeding (mating of close relatives) is rarely used. Thoroughbred horse breeding has its own lines of stayers and sprinters, and this indicator is also controlled during selection.

Be sure to pay attention to the size of animals. The queen may be larger than the sire, but a horse mare cannot be covered with a heavy-drawn stallion. In private small farms, outbred mares are often bred with a thoroughbred stallion to improve the livestock. Thoroughbred young animals are not born at the same time; they cannot be used for breeding.

Usually inin a matched pair, both partners have the same breed indicators or they are better in a stallion. The stronger, higher class, physically he althier the breeding sire, the more chances to get good foals from him.

Hunting

Mares are covered when they come into the hunt. The cycle repeats every 16-24 days. Duration can vary from 2 days to 12 or more. After foaling, the female can come to hunt for 3-5 days. To understand when a horse is ready for mating, watching her behavior helps. Signs of hunting:

• at the beginning of the cycle, the animal begins to show anxiety, this is especially noticeable in the presence of males (it does not matter - a gelding or a stallion);
• the external genitalia are slightly enlarged, sometimes contractions of the muscles of the vulva are noticeable;
• mucus is released from the genital slit, its consistency depends on the day of the hunt;
• when a male approaches, the mare assumes a characteristic posture and may urinate.

Not all mares can notice the hunt, there are animals in which it proceeds secretly. In order not to miss the right moment of mating, they use "probes". When they communicate, it immediately becomes clear whether the mare is ready to let the manufacturer in. They begin to cover from the first day, until the female begins to “beat off” the stallion.

After mating, the mare is checked with a “probe”. If before the 30th day she does not show desire, then she is considered a foal. For confirmation, rectal examinations are performed on the 32nd day after mating. In the event of signs of hunting, the mare happens again. Too long hunting may indicate possible diseases of the animal's reproductive system. It should be noted that there is a false hunt when a pregnant mare shows signs of it.

Hand mating

Manual mating of thoroughbred horses is one of the most popular and easiest ways to inseminate mares. The probability of fertilization is up to 95%. Given that the human is in direct control of the insemination process, it is very important to follow a few simple rules:

1. The arena for mating is equipped with a short hitching post in the corner of the room. The groom holding the mare will be in a safe zone, and the female will receive an additional breast support.
2. The place for insemination must be quiet, the presence of strangers is unacceptable.
3. It's safer to lead the sire on two cords to two grooms. This will help control the position of the stallion on the mare and prevent him from jumping on her from the side.
4. The mare's tail is bandaged. This will protect the stallion's penis from damage and pollution, and facilitate the process of mating.
5. Before mating, the stallion is unchained. With horseshoes, he can injure the mare.
6. The mare itself is put on a random helmet. That way she won't be able to hit the producer with her back legs.

The prepared mare is brought into the arena, then the stallion is taken out. Until there is a good erection, they hold him, preventing him from jumping on the mare. At the moment of jumping, the cords control the position of the male on the female, forcing him to approach her clearly from behind. After jumping in caseIf necessary, one of the grooms directs the stallion's penis into the vagina. Coitus lasts no more than 12-15 seconds. After mating, the stallion is taken to the stall, and the mare is walked for about five minutes.

One stallion can cover two mares a day. The gap between cages should be at least 10 hours. Mares are bred after 36 hours. The load per sire is from 15 to 40 heads, it all depends on the age and physical condition of the male.

Wood mating

Warming mating of horses is used for herd keeping. It includes several steps:

• in the herd, a group of mares in the hunt is selected and placed in a separate paddock - varok;
• a stallion is selected for the selected queens, he is released into their pen;
• he finds mating mares and coats them:
• the process takes several days.
• after the completion of mating, the stallion returns to the stable, and the mares to the herd.

The load on the stallion is determined by the livestock specialist, based on his age, physical and physiological condition. This method makes it possible to cover mares from different herds with a valuable stallion. At the same time, the producer himself is not exposed to such danger as if he were constantly in the herd. Usually thoroughbred stallions are of great value and are not accustomed to herd keeping.

Mowing mating

Mowing horses does not require human intervention. The herd is divided into several shoals with no more than 20 heads of mares. Each group is assigned one stallion,who is constantly with the herd.

An experienced mare sire himself determines the mare in the hunt and covers it. An unmistakable choice of the best time for mating ensures a high percentage of mares' pregnancy. Mating occurs in conditions as close to natural as possible. The leader guards his little herd. Among the mares, their own hierarchy is established. There is an alpha female, she directs the movement of the group and determines the place for grazing.

With this method, it is impossible to control the pregnancy of females. Only after the foaling does it become clear how successful the breeding season was. On the other hand, foals born in the herd are he althier and better adapted to the herd. The process of "socialization" of young animals occurs naturally with minimal losses. Studs raised outside of the herd cannot become good mowing stallions.

Artificial insemination

For artificial insemination, the "personal presence" of a male person is not required, only sperm is needed. There are several ways to use it:

1. Fresh, almost never processed. The mare must be in the same room as the stallion. It is impossible to transport sperm.
2. Refrigerated, retains its viability up to 30 hours (and up to 48 hours after insertion into the uterus). It can be transported in a specially equipped container that maintains a constant temperature.
3. Frozen sperm can be stored for a long time. It can also be transported in Dewar vessels to neighboring continents. Before using sementhawed, checked for quality and only then used.

The process itself takes little time. It boils down to the fact that a specialist, using the appropriate equipment, introduces early collected sperm from the desired stallion into the mare's uterus.

Artificial insemination of horses is very widely used by all horse breeders in the world. This method has a number of undeniable advantages:

• absolute human control over the mating process;
• dilution of semen allows economical use of seed material of the most valuable producers;
• one dose of sperm is enough to inseminate up to 200 mares, in natural conditions it is physically impossible;
• no risk of STDs;
• Egg fertility is almost 100%;
• offspring from a particular stallion are obtained regardless of its location;
• you can get more offspring from one sire.

It became possible to save sperm for years. Banks have been set up in many countries of the world to save the seed material of the best producers of the breed.

Reproduction in nature

In the wild, horses naturally mate in herds, without any human intervention or control. Animals live in small groups, usually there are up to 10-12 mares per stallion. By external signs and smell, the male determines the female, which is ready for mating. He persistently cares for her and impregnates her until shestarts beating him up. Mares won't let a stallion go until they're two years old.

Animal observations show that the male is able to court several females at the same time. Mating occurs more than once a day. The stallion must be physically strong and hardy. In addition to his direct fatherly duties, he still manages to fend off an attempt on his "harem" by other stallions.

The strongest survive in the wild, so there are always those who want to buy mustangs for household needs. They are hardy, with excellent he alth, large enough, have the ability to develop high speed. Tamed mustangs often take part in various competitions.