Artificial insemination in horse breeding. How horses are inseminated in a private farmstead and pregnancy progresses Natural mating of horses

Horses mated over a long period of time. As a result, breeds crossed with each other, improvement or deterioration of some characteristics occurred, or completely new breeds were created. As a result of selection, the preservation of purebred individuals also occurred. Therefore, one of the important stages is the mating of horses.

For the process to go as smoothly as possible, the following conditions must be met:

Only healthy animals are allowed to mate;
The female participating in mating must be at least 3 years old.

Under natural conditions, breeding takes place from early spring to July. As a result, young animals are born at the end of winter the following year and receive good natural conditions for growth and development. Sunlight and warmth are important for mares. Since in an animal, under favorable and warm conditions environment The mating process will go faster. In horse breeding enterprises, animals use sunlight stimulation to awaken their instincts and the horses begin to reproduce.

This type of animal also has a hunting period. And it begins with estrus, the duration of which is from 3 to 7 days of each month, if fertilization did not occur in the previous month. The frequency of estrus depends on what the current ambient temperature is, in what conditions the animal is kept, and whether it is healthy. Its duration may vary. The insemination process occurs at the very end of the cycle, when ovulation occurs. The duration of ovulation is 48 hours. In order not to miss this moment, mating takes place on the second day, after the start of estrus and until the very end.

By the behavior of the animal, one can understand that it is in the hunting season, since the female becomes obedient and attracts the attention of the male with peculiar sounds. Once fertilization has occurred, heat begins only after the foal is born. Until the time of hunting, females treat males aggressively, are hostile, and do not allow them to approach them.

Preparing the mare for mating

Hormones influence the process of animals coming into heat. Unlike females, stallions are always ready to mate. While mares can participate in this process only during the hunting period, the rest of the time they do not allow males to approach them. You can find out if you are ovulating in the following way. If during the period of heat the male covers the female, and she fights him off.

For successful mating the best way will be choosing the optimal time for this moment. In addition, the correct selection of partners will allow the fertilization process to be carried out without injury or damage.

The stallion ideally suited for this process is strong, has distinct breed qualities, and is hardy. The better he is, the better the offspring. In addition, they look at the pedigree to prevent the emergence of weak young animals with various genetic abnormalities. A stud stallion should be switched to more nutritious food a month before mating. The diet is selected individually by a nutrition specialist. A good breeding male can fertilize a female that has less high performance productivity. Before mating, the female is examined by a veterinarian, and she is transferred to a special diet. The next step in organizing horse mating is the choice between natural and artificial insemination.

After the female is fertilized, she becomes under the control of a specialist who monitors the health and progress of the pregnancy. Of course, at first glance, this process seems complicated and requires careful understanding. At horse breeding enterprises, personnel involved in the reproduction and organization of this process in the herd undergo special training. Special enterprises are being created where everything necessary for such a process is available and the owner only has to bring his animal and he will receive the necessary help.

Natural mating of horses

Starting from the second year of life, the mare begins to mate. In this case, estrus can occur at an earlier age. But the onset of pregnancy in such an early period is small, since the mare’s body is not yet ready to fully create a fetus. In nature, a female ready for mating shows the male her readiness in every possible way. The limbs are spread wide apart, while the mare makes special sounds. The stallion, seeing the female’s readiness, reacts to her, and his sexual organ begins to increase in size.

The male sniffs the mare, may arch his neck and make sounds, and then begins the fertilization process. If the mare has not yet ovulated, she will repel the male. In this case, the male retreats, but at the same time retains the chosen candidate and does not allow other males to approach her. After this, he can repeat his actions several times.

Wild horses mate by throwing their forelimbs onto the female's back. After several frictions, ejaculation occurs. During one mating period, one stallion can impregnate 150 mares. The young stallion can handle less. But the greater the load on the male, the higher the likelihood that this can lead to health problems. Therefore, they make do with fewer matings.

Herd method

In a herd, mating occurs up to several times during the day. In this case, one male can take on several females. If the number of animals is small, then there will be several stallions per female. Wild horses intuitively time their offspring to ensure they arrive at the best time. Therefore, outside the favorable mating period, fertilization is almost impossible.

Such control ensures the safety of the livestock and species. In addition, only the strongest and most robust males are allowed to reproduce. Thanks to this, their best qualities are strengthened every time and passed on to the next generations.

Mating at home

Mating can be carried out in the following ways: cooking, jointing, manual. One of the most common methods used on small farms is the manual method. It's simple but effective. The process takes place in a small room. The horse stands on the surface at an angle so that the hind end rises above the front. The horseshoes are removed from the hooves and the tail is tied up.

If the female is hostile, her limbs are tied with a special harness, which will not allow the animal to start hitting with its hooves. After this, the stallion is brought to the female. It is important that the people monitoring this process have relevant experience. The animals must get used to each other, sniff, and this will take time. Only after this will they be ready to mate. Sexual intercourse is also under control. The male is guided, not allowing him to stop sexual intercourse prematurely. It is necessary to ensure that the horses do not harm each other.

Varkovy

This method is used when raising animals in herds. A group of females and one male are taken, specially selected for mating. They are driven into a space specially designated for this, and after several days they are returned back to the herd. If a male is observed to mount only the same female, she is led out of the pen first.

The jamb method

This method allows you to obtain a high percentage of fertilization. The mares are divided into schools and a male is attached to each one, who independently chooses whom to cover. Even if he chooses only the same female, she is left.

Artificial insemination of horses

This process has its advantages. No injuries. Specially selected seed for fertilization. You can buy and use semen from the best stallions. This method is used on large horse breeding farms. The seed must be from good males or purchased ready-made. After quality analysis has been carried out, the sperm is frozen and transported. The introduction of semen into the mare is carried out by a specially trained specialist. Before fertilization, the animal is fixed in a pen, securing its limbs.

Mating horses allows you to maintain the population of this species, and also allows you to obtain new breeds and preserve old ones. The natural instincts of animals have not lost their popularity and are used not only in small farms, but also in large enterprises.

Mating of horses is the most important process in selection for the reproduction of animals and the improvement of existing breeds. Obtaining high-quality offspring involves providing conditions for mating, which includes preparing the mare for the procedure, choosing a stallion, and determining the method of fertilization. The latter includes the choice of either natural breeding or observing horses during the insemination process. And finally, the artificial introduction of semen into the mare.

Harbingers of mating

Puberty in horses occurs at 1.5 years (+/- 6 months). The body develops up to 3-5 years. Mongolian, Yakut and other aboriginal breeds develop later; they reach sexual maturity only at 2.5-3 years.

The stallion is sensitive to the approach of the mare's heat. He begins to court the female in every possible way:

sniffs the genitals;
pinches the neck.

The mare shows the following signs of readiness for fertilization when estrus begins (in other words, extrusion):

raises tail;
spreads hind legs;
tilts the head to the ground (the vulva opens);
squeals quietly.

As soon as these signs appear, the female can be covered. During extrusion, mucus is released from the vagina and frequent urination occurs. This period lasts 1-3 days.

Natural insemination

Mating can occur from early spring to mid-July. A herd usually has one horse and a dozen females. The leader acts as a guard, protecting horses from danger. One of the females (alpha mare) is the most important. She commands the group and determines where the others graze. The alpha mare is given priority by the male over the others.

Males are always ready for mating, and mares only during the hunt. Mating occurs several times a day. Often a horse, in a fit of excitement, tries to jump on an individual that is not ready for fertilization. There will be no conception in such a situation, but this provokes premature estrus.

During natural reproduction in the wild, mating is regulated at the gene level, and the necessary ratio in populations is maintained.

Mating under human supervision

Insemination can occur using different methods (the most common are manual, cooking, and shoaling). The role of a person is to monitor the process and possibly correct actions. Mating is possible when the female begins to estrus (as in the wild).

To begin with, pairs are made according to the necessary qualities for the offspring. The mare is selected to match the stallion or to be stronger and stronger. It is important that the female is not short and frail compared to the male (heavy weight).

You cannot cross purebred representatives of the same species if the result is a purebred breed.

The stallion must be healthy, strong and active, and also suitable for the breed that they wish to reproduce. Repeating mating eight times with a normal female will eventually produce a purebred offspring.

Manual pairing method

A well-known technique that is actively used in stall breeding of horses. In almost 100% of cases, manual mating ends in conception and the appearance of high-quality offspring.

Preparing for mating:

The couple is introduced in advance by allowing them to sniff each other up close (to get used to it).
A small and quiet enclosure is prepared for mating.
The horse is placed in a comfortable position (you can use a special stand), the hindquarters are slightly raised (the hooves are removed in advance).
To prevent the stallion from being injured in the process, a breeding harness with a special fastening method is used.
The mare's tail is secured and the genitals are washed.

Attaching the breeding harness

Once preparations are completed, mating occurs naturally. In terms of time, copulation lasts on average 15 seconds, rarely reaching 25 seconds.

On a note! A pregnant horse carries a foal (sometimes two) for 11 months.

Wark conception

Particularly in demand for herd breeding of animals. The horse is launched into a group consisting of 3-7 females. The area is fenced off, creating a quiet atmosphere, without unnecessary noise and foreign objects.

The stallion realizes that the hunt has begun and begins to fertilize the females. Once the mating is complete, the mares are sent back to their herds.

Joint insemination option

It is expected that all horses will be divided into small schools. Each contains 25-30 females and one horse. The stallion stays among the mares for exactly 24 hours. The herder closely monitors the process, recording the number of inseminated queens.

Rational use of stallions (feeding and providing rest during the day), gynecological examination of horses on the 25-30th day, high sperm retention (50 hours or longer) - this contributes to the fact that up to 60 mares can be given to one horse. The success rate of conception is high.

Artificial mating

Before mating, the horse is checked for its ability to inseminate by examining the genitals. The veterinarian determines whether there are defects or problems with the cervix.

A specialist should examine the female’s uterus regularly; for this, they usually take a smear to examine the cavity (this is done for mares at any age). In older horses, a cervical biopsy is additionally performed.

It is not advisable to use an elderly nulliparous mare for artificial conception, since the uterine mucosa is not able to expand, like in young females (treatment of the genital organ will be required).

Seed preparation

The stallion for mating is carefully selected. The horse semen test results should be requested from the stud owner. You need to know what will happen if the horse fails to become pregnant. A number of stud farms offer reimbursement of the price of a horse (or part of the money) in the event of unsuccessful conception.

30 days before mating, the male is sent for examination: the genitals and seminal fluid are checked (several samples are taken at intervals per day). The most accurate and effective data is on the third day of inspection.

Normally, semen activity is rated at least 5 points, and there are 250 million or more sperm per 1 mm of seminal fluid (if there were long breaks after mating). If inspections are carried out constantly, then normally there should be 150-250 million.

To achieve excellent semen quality and improve fertility, it is necessary to provide the horse with the correct diet. The diet includes foods high in vitamins B and A (found in green grass, eggs, vegetables, etc.). For young horses and older ones, reduce sexual activity up to 5 times in seven days.

Artificial insemination of horses is carried out by state stations for breeding and artificial insemination and state factory stables, which are staffed with highly valuable breeding stallions - elite producers. Insemination of mares on collective and state farms is carried out at artificial insemination points, where the sperm of the producer assigned to the farm is transported from the state breeding station or from the state stable. State and collective farms can organize insemination points located within a radius of up to 10 km. State stables place stallions at such points. If farms are located more than 10 km from the point, sub-points are organized in them, where sperm is brought from the main point. To carry out work at the point, the board of the collective farm (directorate of the state farm) allocates an artificial insemination technician, a groom and a cleaner. Insemination of mares at the sub-point is assigned to the technician of the main point. Only technicians who have received special training in courses have the right to carry out artificial insemination of horses. Artificial insemination stations for horses are located in standard or adapted premises. They must have an arena, a laboratory, a washing room, a storeroom, a stable, a room for storing harness and fodder, and a walking area for stallions.

The area of the arena for collecting sperm and inseminating mares should be approximately 50 m2, its height should be 3.75 m, the light area should be 1:10. The floor of the arena is covered with soft asphalt and a drain is made for the liquid. It is recommended to cover the walls with light-colored oil paint. To secure mares during insemination, a wooden or metal machine is installed in the arena. The laboratory for research, dilution and storage of sperm is located in a well-lit, heated room. Its walls are painted with light oil paint. The air temperature in the laboratory during the cold season must be maintained within 18-25°. The washing room should be located between the laboratory and the arena. In it, dishes are washed and sterilized, and the vagina is prepared to receive sperm. In the washing room you must have hot water and a drying cabinet. At subpoints where mares are only inseminated, a heated room is equipped for storing sperm, tools and preparing utensils and equipment, as well as a separate room (manege) for inseminating mares.

Receiving sperm from stallions

Preparation of stallions. A month before the start of the breeding season, stallions are examined for the condition of their reproductive organs and the quality of sperm is checked three times at one-day intervals. The indicators of sperm obtained on the third day of the study are considered decisive. Satisfactory indicators of the quality of a stallion's sperm are the initial activity of sperm movement not lower than 5 points, their concentration in 1 ml of undiluted sperm is 250 million and higher during testing after a long break in mating and 150-250 million sperm with regular sperm collection. Survivability of sperm at a temperature of 2-4°C in a glucose-yolk medium is 6-8 days. Good maintenance, feeding and proper use of breeding stallions increases the quality of their sperm and its fertilizing ability. Stallions at stations and artificial insemination points are recommended to be given one cage per day (six cages per week). Repeated plantings are allowed in exceptional cases. Young and old stallions have their sexual load reduced to four to five cages. The intervals between cages must be at least 24 hours. The stud stallion should not be used as a sample.

Sperm collection device. To obtain sperm from a stallion, an artificial vagina is used, which consists of a frame, a chamber, fixing rings and a sperm receptacle. The frame of the artificial vagina is an aluminum cylinder with a diameter of 13 cm. At one end, the cylinder is narrowed in the form of a neck, ending in a short cylinder of smaller diameter. The length of the small cylinder is 7.5 cm, the diameter is 8.7 cm, the length of the neck is 4.5 cm, and the length of the entire artificial vagina is 54 cm. A pipe with a screw-on nut is inserted into the middle part of the large cylinder. There is a valve in the nut to relieve excess pressure generated during the stallion's eddy. An aluminum handle is also soldered to the large cylinder. A rubber bladder is placed on the metal frame and secured to it with three rubber rings. A rubber sperm receptacle, which is a wide rubber cup, is placed on top of the rubber chamber onto the small cylinder.

The artificial vagina is prepared as follows: the rubber chamber is thoroughly washed from talc, then, after drying, it is put on the frame so that the smooth surface of the chamber faces the inside of the vagina, and the rough surface faces the frame. You should not tighten the chamber too much, given that when you subsequently pour water into the artificial vagina, the walls of the chamber fall off. The put on rubber bladder is pressed from the outside to the frame with rubber rings. Then they are disinfected by wiping with cotton swabs soaked in 96° alcohol.

With such a swab, using a long forceps, they wipe the surface of the chamber inside the artificial vagina, the inner surface of the previously washed and dried sperm receptacle, and that part of the surface of the artificial vagina on which the sperm receptacle will be placed. After the alcohol has evaporated, the sperm receptacle is placed on the neck of the artificial vagina. Through the pipe, 1.5-2.5 liters of water heated to 45-60° (depending on the ambient temperature) are poured into the space between the frame and the rubber chamber, with the expectation that the temperature in the vagina is 40-42°. It is imperative to check the temperature immediately before insertion, for which a chemical thermometer is inserted into the open end of the slightly inclined artificial vagina so that it fits snugly against the collapsed walls of the rubber chamber. Using a previously disinfected forceps, the inner tube of the vagina is well lubricated along its entire length with sterile fusible petroleum jelly.

Receiving sperm. To obtain sperm, a mare in heat or a phlegmatic disposition is used. A breeding harness is put on the mare (so that she cannot hit the stallion), and the tail from rib to half is bandaged with a linen bandage so that the hair of the tail does not interfere during mounting. When mounting the stallion, the artificial vagina is held with both hands, pressing it tightly to the mare's croup with right side and tilting the wide end of the vagina 30--36°. With your right hand you need to firmly rest against the sperm receptacle so that when the stallion’s penis pushes, the artificial vagina is motionless. At the moment of mounting, if the walls of the rubber tube of the vagina are very tense, it is necessary to turn the nut of the pipe. This opens the valve located in it, and excess air leaves the artificial vagina. At the end of ejaculation, the sperm receptacle is gradually lowered down so that the sperm does not leak out of the vagina. After receiving the sperm, the sperm receptacle is removed, covered with a sterile napkin and transferred to the laboratory. Here the sperm is immediately filtered through sterile gauze into a graduated beaker pre-warmed to 25-30° and covered with a Petri dish. The gauze with the thick viscous secretion of the accessory sex glands remaining on it is thrown away. Water is poured out of the artificial vagina, the rubber chamber is thoroughly washed from Vaseline and sperm residues with a warm soda solution, and rinsed warm water, wipe with a clean towel and dry.

Horse mating is a natural process that leads to the conception and reproduction of offspring, and therefore the preservation of the species. From the point of view of a horse breeder, the moment of mating is important, since it is an integral stage of selection, allowing the improvement of breeds and the development of new ones.

The process of controlled mating allows the development of new breeds.

The act of insemination itself involves the horse expelling sperm into the horse's genitals. The egg is fertilized and the embryo of the future baby is formed. Reproduction occurs from the first month of spring to mid-July. Horses are bred in warm premises even earlier - in February.

One herd consists of an adult stallion and a dozen mares. The limited number of females is justified: if there are more than the established number, the stallion will not have time to fertilize each one. Mating of wild horses takes place taking into account the same factors, and undomesticated stallions learn to independently calculate their strength as they grow.

The leader is obliged to cover the females and protect the herd. Among the remaining members of the group, an alpha mare is determined, which is responsible for choosing places for grazing and leading the group. She becomes the leader's priority partner. Often horses mark mares belonging to their herd.

By allowing horses to mate naturally, breeders take into account that horses are ready for contact at any time, and mares are ready for contact when the “hunt” comes. Mating of horses occurs more than once during the day. It is possible that the horse will also cover the mare who is not yet ripe for procreation. This sexual intercourse will not bring results and will result in premature estrus in the female.

The advantages of free mating

How do horses mate: with the help of artificial insemination (when the mare is kept on a leash and a horse is allowed to approach her) or free mating in the herd? The second one is more useful. Because then the stallion mounts at the moment when the female is really ready. The foaling rate in such circumstances is high, and the quality of foals, according to livestock specialists, is better.

IN wildlife When individuals interact in a herd, they either move away from everyone else, or, on the contrary, find themselves surrounded by young animals who, without interfering, will observe the process (a kind of learning occurs). Mares for whom the time of hunting has not yet come, or, on the contrary, the time of foaling is already approaching, are also engaged in establishing relationships with the stallions they like, “agreeing” on the next time.

There is definitely contact, a kind of conversation; we can talk about establishing emotional ground before the horses mate in the herd.

The moment of “socialization” is important for young foals. Here, first of all, it means communicating with adults and observing their lives. At this moment, they remember the basic rules of behavior in the herd, ignorance of which can lead to them being beaten or expelled.

Horses are ready for contact at any time, and mares are ready when the “hunt” comes

Horse courtship takes a long time, since they must have a preliminary “agreement”, otherwise nothing will happen. At the same time, crossing horses under such conditions becomes inconvenient, since the process is difficult to control and takes a long time.

An experienced stallion (coaler) can understand by the smell of the mare whether it is time to cover her. This is important because the mare comes into heat in advance, 2-3 days before the due date. The stallion’s ability to take into account the timeliness of intercourse is also useful in that he covers a significant number of mares in the herd without wasting extra energy on it.

According to some livestock specialists, free mating can threaten the younger generation of foals with injury, but this is not the case. Free mating of horses makes adult horses less aggressive, and the cubs are not in danger. Adult animals teach young animals by example, which is useful for subsequent adaptation in the herd. Stallions raised outside the group do not undergo a course of “socialization”, and therefore are not suitable for the role of shoals. Their main mistake is that they begin to cover all females indiscriminately.

Methods of controlled mating

There are three options for ensuring the mare's foaling. At will, horse breeders resort to:

manual insemination method;
joint method;
Warm knitting.

Each of the above methods of reproduction has positive and negative aspects. For stalled horses, the option of manual insemination is more relevant, while the second and third methods are designed for horses kept in a herd.

Manual insemination

Using this method, the mare’s desire to begin mating is determined using a “probe.” It is understood that the female is held in one place and the stallion is carefully allowed to approach her. If the time for mating has not yet come, then she will begin to behave quite aggressively towards the male, kicking and biting.

If the result is the opposite, the mare is prepared for intercourse:

the tail is bandaged;
The external genitalia are washed with slightly heated water;
A special harness is put on the legs to prevent the mare from kicking.

A separate arena or open area is allocated for intercourse itself. To fertilize the female, the horse continues mounting until the ejaculation of sperm is complete. If the mating is not successful enough, the horse walks on the reins for a third of an hour and then the intercourse is repeated.

When the action is completed, the stallion is rubbed on the legs, croup and dorsum. Afterwards he retires to the stall. Reproducing in this way, the horse breeds no more than two females per day.

There are at least three options for ensuring a mare's foaling

The jamb method

Mating option for mares with the highest percentage of foals. One group of animals is divided into a number of subgroups - schools. For each school, a stallion is allocated, who breeds any mares of his choice. Even if it is just one horse, the horse breeder does not interfere.

Varkova knitting

The use of varkovy mating, like shoal mating, is important if animals are kept in herd conditions. The horse breeder selects suitable mares and transfers them to a specially designated paddock. Then he looks for a stallion and sends him to the same pen until the breeding period is over. Afterwards the animals return to their original places.

Artificial insemination

It is typical for farms and stud farms to use this type of insemination, since heredity and breed are extremely important there. With artificial insemination, it is understood that livestock breeders take seminal fluid from the producer, determine its condition and quality, freeze it, and control the subsequent introduction of biomaterial into the mare’s vagina.

This method has certain advantages:

one valuable sire will be able to participate in the fertilization of a much larger number of mares;
there is no risk of spreading sexually transmitted infections;
obtaining offspring from a valuable producer does not depend on its location.

How to spot heat

An experienced stallion senses that the mare is approaching the moment of heat. In anticipation of intercourse, the horse shows the mare a lot of attention (expressed in light pinching in the neck and sniffing the genitals).

Stallions sense that mares are approaching heat

At the moment of the onset of estrus, the horse takes a specific position:

tail raised;
hind legs spread;
the body is slightly inclined towards the ground.

These “symptoms” are accompanied by the opening of the vulva, copious discharge mucus and frequent urination(“flickering”) A special smell emanates from the genitals.

Inexperienced fillies, feeling for the first time a previously unfamiliar need for intercourse, may suddenly subside. This should not be a cause for concern.

Other indicators of the onset of estrus include the following:

restlessness and agitation of the mare;
desire to actively communicate with other horses;
interest in a stallion;
swelling of the vulva, its periodic contraction, accompanied by the opening of the genital slit;
at the beginning of the period and its end, a viscous yellowish substance is secreted from the genitals (at the middle stage of the hunt it is liquid and transparent).

The hunt can last 1-3 days. Successful breeding of horses is almost guaranteed if coating occurs on the second day after the start of estrus. If the next day the mare is still “playing”, then there is a point in breeding again.

Insemination act

The male's penis becomes tense and increases in size. The horse jumps on top of the mare, “hugging” her with his forelimbs, and performs mounting (insertion of an erect penis into the vagina followed by ejaculation). The coitus process does not exceed 12-16 seconds in duration. If everything goes well, the mare becomes pregnant.

Mares at least three years old and not suffering from physical illnesses are suitable for mating.

The hunt can last 1-3 days

How to properly prepare a stallion for mating

Feed your horses regularly and provide them with a complete diet, but in no case overfeed: obese animals are rarely able to reproduce healthy offspring.
Examine the stallion's genitals and perform a semen analysis.
Collect information about the origin of the male, find out whether he has hereditary diseases.

Pairing

This point concerns artificial mating and is important when breeding purebred offspring. If you are independently selecting a pair for a mare or stallion, please note that:

both partners should have a similar height, or they select a mare a little larger than the stallion (but not vice versa! a heavy draft horse and a small fragile horse is an unfortunate combination);
both individuals must meet established standards of behavior, external signs, thoroughbred (horse breeders sometimes breed a thoroughbred stallion and a non-pedigreed mare, but the result is no thoroughbred horses, so their offspring cannot be used for subsequent breeding);
for mating, a strong, hardy horse with high-quality characteristics is selected (for mares, such increased requirements are not necessary if the selection of the inseminator was carried out taking into account significant parameters).

Summary

Mating horses requires responsibility from livestock breeders and compliance with a number of rules. To get healthy offspring, you should not ignore them.

After checking the diluted semen under a microscope, they immediately begin inseminating the mares, which must be fully prepared by this point. The next mares should already be placed in the pens for insemination.

The seed must be introduced into the uterus of mares as soon as possible because outside the body (in a beaker or glass) it loses the ability to fertilize an egg every minute.

Mares are inseminated using one of the following methods:

A) with a prepared hand, insert a hard or soft catheter through the cervical canal into the uterine cavity and horns;

B) a solid catheter with a rubber tip is inserted through the vaginal speculum into the cervical canal.

We use the first method in our work and recommend it because it has many advantages compared to the second.

These advantages lie in the fact that with a hand inserted into the vagina, we determine the signs of all sexual conditions in the mare, including heat and sexual pathology, while without inserting the hand into the vagina, these signs escape; it is impossible to characterize the cervix in terms of shape , size, density, strength of erection, degree of closure or opening, patency of the canal, condition of the mucous membrane, it is impossible to determine the condition of the posterior part of the endometrium and the nature of the vaginal and uterine mucus. When inseminating mares, the inseminator-gynecologist must capture and analyze all vaginal signs.

The only advantage of the second method is that it allows you to prepare (wash) mares less thoroughly and inseminate them somewhat faster. But this advantage is not significant, since inserting a hand into the vagina of mares does not take much time.

Mares can be inseminated with equal success using soft (rubber) and hard (hard rubber, plastic) catheters.

It is important that catheters are always kept perfectly clean and prepared correctly (according to instructions) for use.

It is convenient because it can be used to inject seed into the mare’s uterine horn and even into the top of the horn. This catheter is easy to keep clean; in addition, it is completely safe in the sense that it cannot injure the mucous membrane of the mare’s genital tract.

Rice. 15. Solid curved polished plastic catheter (length 60 cm).

You can successfully use a glass catheter of exactly the same shape and size, proposed by veterinarian Krivoruchko. This catheter is modeled after ours. The procedure for inseminating mares is as follows. Having prepared their hands properly, the inseminator-gynecologist and his assistant come to table No. 1, check the cleanliness of the syringe and catheters. The inseminator's assistant draws the appropriate dose of diluted semen into a sterile syringe. The inseminator takes in left hand catheter, with his right hand wipes it from the outside first with an alcohol swab (from vase No. 1), then with a saline swab (from vase No. 2), takes 1-2 alcohol swabs and the same number of saline swabs in his right hand and goes to the machine, where she stands ready for insemination mare. The latter is held firmly in front by a groom or herdsman. The mare's tail, laid on her back, is held by another groom (herder). The assistant inseminator with a syringe filled with seed stands at the side of the inseminator. The head of the station is located nearby with an insemination diary.

Approaching the rear of the mare, the inseminator asks the head of the point for her number or nickname, in which horn the follicle is, what is the degree of maturity of the latter, examines the external genital parts of the mare, wipes them first with alcohol, then with a saline tamron and, making sure that they are clean (otherwise the mare wash again), inserts the left hand with a catheter into the vagina,

Quickly determines the nature of the mucus, the condition of the cervix, etc. and, if everything is normal, advances the catheter into the cervical canal and further into the uterine cavity, directing it in the direction where the follicle is maturing. When the catheter is inserted into the uterus, the inseminator tells the assistant “ready.” An assistant, attaching a syringe to the opening of the catheter, pushes the seed into the body cavity and uterine horns with the movement of a piston.

After this, the inseminator says (approximately): mare No. 400, four crosses, 25 ml of semen injected, dilution 1:4, score 4/5P.

The head of the station notes all this in the appropriate columns of the diary against the name of this mare and writes down the name of the stallion with whose semen she was inseminated (Table 16).

Table 16

Entry in the insemination diary

Then the inseminator returns to room No. 1, washes his hands and catheter with clean boiled hot water from the washstand, wipes them with a separate towel, wipes his hands and catheter first with an alcohol and then a saline swab, takes several alcohol and saline swabs in his right hand and goes to inseminate the second mare. The inseminator is followed by his assistant with a syringe again filled with semen. After the second mare is bred and recorded in the diary, they move on to the third mare, etc.

When all the mares assigned to a given stallion by breeding selection have been inseminated, proceed to obtaining semen from another stallion and inseminating the corresponding mares, following the described procedure.

It is advisable to carefully stir the seed from time to time with a glass rod, as the live substances gradually settle.

According to our observations, large doses of seed are more effective than small ones. The surface of the endometrium, due to its folding, is very significant, especially in mares soon after foaling, as well as in mares with a stretched, hypertrophied and atonic uterus.

During natural mating, the seed enters directly into the uterine cavity of mares in large quantities (from 30 to 300 ml).

It is also known that during natural mating in mares, the cervix is open and the entire uterus is relaxed to receive the seed; after a few minutes, the uterus contracts vigorously, due to which the seed is distributed in a thin layer over the entire surface of the endometrium, quickly reaching the top of the horns. It is clear that a small dose of semen (5-10 ml) is not sufficient to cover the entire surface of the endometrium and reach the top of the horns and oviducts.

A) for mares of the first year of mating and single mares (small uterine size) at least 15 ml, and preferably 20;

B) suckling mares soon after foaling (large uterus) - at least 20 ml, and preferably 25-30;

C) old mares with an atonic, distended and hypertrophied uterus - at least 30 ml, and preferably 40-50;

D) mares that are difficult to fertilize (multiple coatings, 3-4 sexual cycles in the breeding season), with a significant number of leukocytes in the cloudy vaginal mucus, need to be injected with 60-100 ml of semen so that the latter can overcome phagocytosis. To do this, you need to dilute the seed as much as possible, but within acceptable limits, so as not to reduce its fertilizing ability.

The practice of manual and school mating has shown that it is advisable to assign multi-cyclic mares, which are difficult to fertilize and do not have clear signs of sexual pathology, to stallions that produce a lot of good semen.

Small mares need to be injected with slightly less semen than large mares, since in small mares the uterine cavity and endometrial surface are much smaller than in large mares.

However, in cases where the seed is brought to the top of the horn on the ripening side with a hard polished catheter, reduced doses of seed (10-12 ml) can be used without reducing fertility. In this case, the seed, even in small quantities, quickly reaches the oviduct.

In 1938, we injected seed into the uterine horn of 56 mares using such a catheter and obtained a pregnancy rate in 93% of cases.

Subsequently, reduced doses of semen were injected into the apex of the uterine horn in a large number of mares with positive results.

We used the same dosage of seed, both whole and diluted, in all ratios.

The catheter can be inserted not only into the cavity of the uterine body, but also into the cavity of the horns and even into their apex, if it:

Absolutely clean and sterile and passes completely freely, without any pressure or pressure on it.

When inseminating mares without monitoring the maturation of the follicle, taking into account only external signs of heat, the seed must be injected only into the uterine cavity to a depth of 10-15 cm no more.

When inseminating mares with a preliminary rectal check of the state of follicular maturity, the seed can be injected deeper into the uterine horns and even into their apex.

Old atonic mares with an enlarged and stretched uterus need to inject semen in an increased dose and as deep as possible into the horn on the side of the ripening follicle.

As for other normal, as well as single and young mares with good tone and erection of the uterus, there is no need to inject seed deep into the horns of the uterus, especially with large doses. But even for such mares it is better to inject the seed, especially in small doses, into the horn on the side of the ripening follicle. This is conveniently done with a solid, curved, long, polished catheter of our sample (Fig. 15).

In the insemination log, we always noted which mares were inseminated at the top of the horn. In these mares, the fertility rate was 10.3% higher than in other mares. This gives us the right to recommend insemination of mares into the cavity of the uterine horns and even into their apex.

There should be no dust at the place where mares are inseminated (in the arena or on the area near the pens). To do this, the arena or area is watered in advance with water, but so much so that the mares do not slip.

At the end of the insemination, foremen remain at the point, with whom the head of the point enters the results of the test and insemination of mares on the time board and draws up an order for the next day.

Herders (grooms) also remain at the point with mares brought for treatment or vaginal examination.

For this purpose, you need to have a so-called “gynecological machine” away from the insemination site. After insemination is completed, mares requiring treatment and examination are brought into this pen. Therapeutic and gynecological work is carried out by a gynecologist. In addition, he needs to carry out systematic work to identify mares with hidden sexual diseases. To do this, he, together with the head of the station, must regularly review the list of mares on the report board and call for a gynecological examination:

A) mares that foaled 15-20 or more days ago, but do not come into heat;

B) old and poorly nourished mares, in which various postpartum complications can be expected more likely than others;

C) mares after difficult and prolonged labor and those who had retained placenta.

Single mares should be examined before mating and insemination.

The gynecologist registers all medical and gynecological work.

With the onset of hot weather (June-July), many flies, dangerous from a sanitary point of view, may appear in the artificial insemination room. You need to wage a merciless fight against them, using sticky (non-poisonous) agents and glass flytraps. Flies should be driven out of the room and it should be darkened. During insemination, it is especially necessary to protect semen, catheters, dishes and instruments from flies, covering them all with glass, gauze or clean towels. The catheter and other objects that come into contact with the seed should be wiped with alcohol or other swabs more often.

Currently, control of flies indoors is very successful using hexachlorane preparations. These drugs must be used carefully according to the instructions so as not to cause the effect of hexachlorane on the living creatures. It is best to use hexachlorane preparations for periodic partial whitewashing of the walls of the room away from the table on which work with the seed is carried out.

When carrying out mounting during the natural covering of mares, in addition to observing the cleanliness of its implementation, it is necessary to pay special attention to the following.

Did the stallion release the seed?

Did the semen enter the uterine cavity?

The cage is complete only if the stallion has released semen and it has entered the uterine cavity in sufficient quantities. Therefore, it is necessary that the stallion and mare occupy a comfortable position during mating, for which they are placed in accordance with their height and in every possible way help them maintain balance, especially during the ejaculation of semen. It is very important that the stallion sits on the mare until the end.

In cases where doubt arises whether the stallion has separated the seed or not, according to all the rules of gynecology, a vaginal examination of the mare is immediately performed using a speculum. If it turns out that there is no seed in the vaginal cavity, the cervix is closed, immediately through the mare’s rectum the uterus is vigorously massaged from the top of the horns to their base. At the same time, cover the body of the uterus with your hand, lift it slightly and carefully press it against the pubic fusion. Slowly and consistently perform this manipulation 2-3 times. Excess semen is quickly squeezed out of the uterus into the vagina.

If after such a single or double massage of the uterus there is no seed in the vagina, then the stallion did not separate the seed.

The presence of semen in the vagina after uterine massage indicates that the stallion has released semen.

For the purpose of such a check, some force the same stallion to immediately do a secondary mounting. This technique does not always manage to correctly resolve the issue, since a sexually strong stallion that is not overloaded with cages can do two cages in a row with separation of the semen, and a weak stallion, after an inadequate cage, may refuse to re-mount.

There are such cases: the stallion mounted normally, but after the exit of his penis from the mare’s vagina, a significant amount of semen spills onto the ground. Such cages very often indicate that the seed did not enter the uterine cavity (unsuccessful cage, the cervix is closed, thick-walled or lopsided due to rupture, etc.).

If, when checking such a cage (vaginally with a speculum and rectally) using a uterine massage, it turns out that there is no seed in the uterus, and the follicle has fully developed or is ovulating, then the mare must be immediately bred again or artificially inseminated so as not to miss the critical moment of heat.

During the busy months (May-June) of manual mating, two or three mares in heat with a developed follicle are often identified under the same stallion on the same day.

If such cases are not frequent (1-3 times a month), then a sexually strong stallion with good feeding can cover all three mares during the day without much fatigue or disruption of sperm production.

In such cases, it is necessary to check the mares 3-4 times a day for the degree of follicle maturity and, first of all, to calibrate the mare in which the moment of ovulation is closest.

The interval between stallions should be at least 5-6 hours. But if the stallion is sexually weak or old, then it is advisable to use the so-called mixed mating, i.e. natural mating and artificial insemination.

For this purpose, all mares with a developed follicle are checked vaginally by hand for the condition of mucus, mucous membranes and the cervix. A mare in full sexual norm is assigned to cover to obtain excess semen using the vaginal method.

The coating is carried out in compliance with all rules of sanitation and animal hygiene.

If the mare retains excess semen after coating, it is necessary to obtain it as quickly as possible by massaging the uterus and pressing through the rectum, which can always be done.

The resulting semen, after testing it for purity, density and mobility, is inseminated to all other mares in heat with a mature follicle.

When carrying out a mixed mating, it is convenient to obtain all the ejaculate and, moreover, in its pure form, using a rubber condom for the stallions.

Mixed mating, when carried out correctly, makes it possible to inseminate all mares in heat during the most intense days of the breeding season, protects stallions from sexual fatigue, impaired spermatogenesis, and reduced fertilizing ability, and makes it possible to use the best sires with greater load.

When carrying out manual mating, one cannot ignore the height and live weight of mares and stallions. We know facts when small Arabian stallions could not introduce seed into the uterine cavity of large mares and the latter were not fertilized only for this reason.

We know of facts when small mares, as a result of being covered by large stallions, experienced vaginal ruptures with subsequent loss of the ability to fertilize and bear fruit, and in in some cases even with fatal consequences.

If there is a large discrepancy in height, live weight and development of the external genitalia (length of the vagina and penis) between mares and stallions, it is better to use artificial insemination.