A102 Care and Management of the Stallion

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A102 Care and Management of the Stallion
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Sperm Production in the Stallion

• Colts do not become reproductively mature until
  they reach one year old.
• The stallions reproductive capacity will then
  remain constant until he is about twenty one
  years old.
• A mature stallion during the peak of the breeding
  season, will produce up to 150 milliliters of
  semen with a sperm count of around 6 million
  sperm.

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Conditions Influencing Sperm Production

• Season
• Age / Health
• Testicular size
• Frequency of the Ejaculation

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Season

• Although stallions produce sperm throughout the
  year, they are seasonal breeders.
• The best months for testicular size, development,
  and function are May, June July.

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Season

• From Sept. Feb the testicles are regressed,
  especially in November and December where the
  sperm count may be 50 of that during June
  July.
• Adding artificial light during the winter months
  can increase stallion fertility.
• To increase fertility for spring breeding
  starting in mid to late December, the stallion
  should be exposed to 16 hours of light and 8
  hours of darkness a day.

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Supplemental Light

• Artificial photoperiods do lead to early burnout
  and decline in performance at the end of the
  breeding season, but by the end of the summer the
  demand has also declined.

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Age

• Yearling stallions should not be depended upon
  for breeding.
• A two-year-old should settle no more than around
  10 mares per breeding season.
• A three-year-old may settle thirty mares.
• A mature stallion may settle fifty mares if
  carefully managed with a technician present.
• About half this number can be pasture bred.

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Feed Management Exercise

• The breeding stallion should be fed about 1 ½
  pounds of grain and 1 pound of hay per 100 pounds
  of body weight.
• Regular exercise results in increased sexual
  vigor and fertility.

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Methods of Mating

• Pasture Mating
• Technician Assisted Mating

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Pasture Mating

• Reduces labor
• Is convenient for the owner
• Catches the open mares
• Creates a opportunity for a high settling
  percentage
• However, it reduces the number of mares a
  stallion can breed and increases some injury risk
  to the stallion.

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Pasture Mating

• Young stallions should be technician assisted
  mated, then turned out to pasture with older
  mares.
• Pasture mating is primarily done with stock
  horses in range country. Horse owners that are
  concerned about injuries to the mare and stallion
  rarely use pasture mating.

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Technician Assisted Mating

• Is safer for both the stallion and the mare but
  must be carefully done to avoid injury to the
  owner or technician.
• Some sort of pre-breeding staging area should be
  built with the safety of the stallion and
  technician in mind.
• The staging area may be a teasing post, a sturdy
  stall, or heavy built corral.

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Staging Breeding Area
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Technician Assisted Mating

• The stallion and mare are brought within
  proximity of each other but are still separated.
• This commences the hormonal process in the
  stallion and allows the technician to read the
  mare and evaluate were she is in her estrus cycle
  and whether she will be receptive to the stallion.

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Technician Assisted Mating

• A breeding area should also be created to protect
  the stallion and the technician if the mare
  should try to kick.