This year, we decided to breed three warmblood mares we own to a pony stallion that is halfway across the country. He has had a 100 per cent conception rate in the past, apparently, and his offspring are stunning. Well, after three breeding attempts each with these three mares, none are in foal despite our vet saying for 8 of those 9 breedings, conditions were ‘textbook’ for getting them in foal. None of them have any hint of infection.
Our vet is an experienced repro vet; in 10 years, he has never failed to get our mares pregnant each season and we’ve produced an average 10 foals a year by AI by many different stallions. Last year, he got 10 in foal - 8 of them on the first cycle and the other 2 on the second (and one was an 18-year-old maiden).
There was no semen report included with the first shipments of this year’s stallion choice; with the second shipment, our vet checked the semen and the numbers were okay but not spectacular. One shipment had 30 per of the swimmers alive, but they were moving in circles. The last shipment was the best at about 70 per cent, and one mare got bred that day and ovulated within 24 hours. But when we went to breed a second mare at 72 hours after collection, all the swimmers were dead.
The stallion owner says the stallion, who has about 45 foals on the ground, has never failed to get a mare in foal before and that four or five mares that used shipped semen this year (but a few hundred, not 1,500 miles away) are in foal. She won’t give a refund, but will honour rebreedings next year, but after all this year’s vet costs, I don’t know that we’ll be able to try again next year and I’m apprehensive that the same thing will happen.
Her vet tells us the extender is one of the best you can buy and he says the stallion ships well, though he only included a semen report once, after we requested one.
All these mares are in great health, two are in their prime (11 and 12) have had their shots and all have been bred before. We know the history of two, who have had five foals each and except in one case, catch first cycle.
It’s been sooo discouraging. Does anyone have any idea what might be up or what to do?
The fact that your timing seems to be spot on would unfortunately make me suspect that there could possibly be an issue with the semen.
Err…why would you use the same collection and at 72 hours post collection? While there are definitely many stallions that perform well at 72 hours, it’s definitely not ideal, especially if you’re having issues to begin with. Was a culture and cytology done on all three mares? Are they being followed for ovulation and for fluid?
Percentage of progressively motile sperm, while important to know, it is just one part of the equation. You can have 100% progressive motility, but if you only have 1 million sperm, chances are you’re going to be in trouble. You want between 100 million and 500 million progressively motile sperm, so you need to know the total sperm numbers shipped, as well as the progressive motility in order to determine that. 30% certainly isn’t anything to sneeze, especially if they shipped you 2 billion sperm!!
Good luck!
Hi Kathy
Normally we wouldn’t do 72 hours. Eight of the 9 breedings were done on the day we received the shipment. Two mares were coming in almost identically - we were sent two doses then one mare wasn’t quite ready. So we had the extra dose, it was on the weekend when it’s difficult to get courier service arranged so we thought we’d check to see if it was still viable.
Around here, cultures/cytologies aren’t normally done unless it’s live cover or there’s reason to think the mares have an infection. The vet says none of these mares are showing the least sign of infection, but it’s worth considering, I suppose. All were followed for ovulation and fluid and everything looked good.
I’ll find out what the one semen report we received said and what our vet found on the last shipment.
We’re just trying to solve this so we don’t encounter similar problems next year so your suggestions/ideas are welcome. In 10 years, we’ve bred about 100 mares and never had a year like this.
Okay…all legitmate reasons, but toss that one out of your stats. While it’s LOVELY to see good motility at 72 hours, it’s not the best semen to use. Additionally, even if you “do” have motile sperm, they may have long since capacitated and are past their good 'til date.
Around here, cultures/cytologies aren’t normally done unless it’s live cover or there’s reason to think the mares have an infection. The vet says none of these mares are showing the least sign of infection, but it’s worth considering, I suppose.
Uhhhh YEAH!!! Mares that have an infection don’t typically show any sign. It doesn’t flash a bright light on the ultrasound, it doesn’t grab the vet’s hand when he’s palpating…it doesn’t necessarily SHOW ANY sign. Kick your vet! Just because he/she doesn’t see anything, does NOT mean that there isn’t something brewing in there. Breeding one cycle and no pregnancy, step it up and do a cytology at least. Second cycle and no pregnancy, start doing some investigative work. While poor semen is definitely a consideration, having done this long enough, when mares don’t settle, it’s time to start looking at what’s being done and what’s not being done. What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different outcome?
All were followed for ovulation and fluid and everything looked good.
I’ll find out what the one semen report we received said and what our vet found on the last shipment.
Even without a semen report, it’s not that difficult to figure out at least some of the information. A sperm count can be done with a hemacytometer and thereby figure out what the total sperm numbers are. Ask the stallion owner/manager if they have done a complete semen evaluation using a variety of extenders at the beginning of breeding season. Just because they are buying the “best” extender, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the “best” extender for their stallion.
We’re just trying to solve this so we don’t encounter similar problems next year so your suggestions/ideas are welcome. In 10 years, we’ve bred about 100 mares and never had a year like this.
Start with having a reproductive exam done on the mare INCLUDING a culture AND!!! cytology!! A biopsy on a mare that has had several foals and is over 10 may be appropriate, as well.
Hope the above helps! Good luck!
Like Kathy I consider a cytology to be part of the standard data set collected before breeding.
I do a cytology on everything but foal heat mares fwiw. Certainly I would do one after three missed cycles (I would personally do one after even one missed cycle). It is something that is quick, cheap, and easy to do and will give you useful information to help you rule out a mare side problem the same day (or within minutes when done in house).
Good luck. Kathy has given you very good advice above that will help you figure out where the problem is.
I have to agree. In my opinion, the INRA extender is one of the top extenders to use…but for example, one of our stallion’s sperm absolutely hates it. 
Our other two boys love it. And like Kathy mentioned, what one stallion ships in well one year may change to something completely different another year.
While I agree that a cytology and biopsy should be done on the mares to rule out any problems with them, no semen reports coming with the semen would be a red flag for me…that it might be a problem with the stallion. Maybe it’s just me, but a diligent Stallion Owner or vet who is collecting and processing properly should automatically be including a semen report for the Mare Owner and their vet. Like Kathy mentioned, are you getting 30% of one million or 30% of 1 billion - big difference between the two!!
When you’re talking about 3 mares bred 3 times each, not one mare bred 3 times, that sends up a red flag to me for the stallion. At 30% and no progressive motility - swimming in circles doesn’t count for forward, progressive motility, I would suspect - very highly - the semen or the extender. As noted, just because it’s ‘the best on the market’ doesn’t mean squat. Is this the first time that particular extender has been used with that stallion? And not checked? That’s a red flag.
I agree with Kathy and Waterwitch that at least a cytology, and probably a culture should have been done, but 3 mares infected and unbreedable??
If this SO and vet are sending out semen untested with a brand new extender that doesn’t agree with the semen, hmmmmmmmmmmmm 
:mad:
:(:no:
