The Evaluation of the Fertility in Stallions Used for Natural Breeding.

The success of horse breeding is depending on the fertility of the stallions and on the fertility of the mares. It is important to assess the clinical examination of a stallion and the quality of its semen in order to prevent the transmission of numerous diseases and to appreciate the fertility of the animal. The main purpose of this work was to establish a protocol for the evaluation of the fertility of the chosen stallions. We were interested in realizing a general clinical examination and of the genital apparatus, a detailed laboratory exam of the collected semen and the pregnancy rate in broodmares. This study was conducted on eight adult stallions. After a general clinical exam, the semen was collected and evaluated macroscopically and microscopically by using the photometric method device Spermacue (Minitub). The fertility of each stallion was assessed by the pregnancy rate of the brood mares (n=5 for each animal). All the examined stallions were clinically healthy. The average of the semen volume was 74 ml, the average concentration of spermatozoids was 120 million/ml. The viability of the semen and the motility of the spermatozoids was 50%. Only 3 stallions presented subfertility. For the assessment of the fertility in stallions it is mandatory to realize a complete clinical examination and also to test the immunity of the animal. In the present research work, we demonstrated that the exam of the semen is the most important step for evaluating the fertility of the stallions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]