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WHEN FOALING IS IMMINENT

What does a foaling actually look like?  There are 3 stages to parturition:

Stage 1: this stage is the beginning of parturition where uterine contractions begin and the mare may demonstrate colic-like signs.  The colic-like signs should not be violent, but include sweating, cramping, and getting up and down.  These last for about 4 hours before foaling.  The mare may drip and/or stream milk.

Stage 2: this stage begins with the rupture of the chorioallantios (“water breaking”) and ends once the foal is born.  The foal should be born within 5-30min of the water breaking.  Intervention needs to occur if there is a red bag, dystocia, or there is no progression after 30min.

Stage 3: this stage includes the passing of the placenta, or “afterbirth”.  It should pass within 3 hours of foaling. 

Breeding Kirby Penttila Breeding Kirby Penttila

Stallion Semen Freezing

We can start freezing a stallion’s semen as soon as he is sexually mature. For most horses this is any time after 4 years old, but some horses mature earlier or later than others. If your horse is not mature at the time of collection we will be able to see signs of immaturity when examining the sample under the microscope.

It is important to know that every stallion freezes differently, and freezes better in different agents. There are a variety to choose from, and so before performing a commercial freeze, a collection will be “test frozen” with a variety of different agents in order to determine the best agent for your stallion.

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