Stallion Reproduction Flashcards
At what age should the testes be present in the scrotum?
2 weeks post-partum
At what age does a stallion reach puberty?
12-24 months
At what age is a stallion’s maximum reproductive capacity reached?
4 years
At what age may a stallion’s fertility decline?
20 years
What is it about equine testes that makes them prone to torsion?
Their horizontal orientation
How can ejaculation be recognised in the stallion?
Cessation of thrusting, ‘flagging’ of the tail, palpation of urethral pulses in the ventral surface of the penis.
What is the total duration of production of spermatozoa in the stallion?
49-55 days
If semen quality is inaccurate, how long should you wait to retest for recovery in semen quality?
At least 60 days (takes 49-55 days to produce sperm)
What is considered normal scrotal width in a stallion?
>80mm
What is considered the normal progressive motility of stallion sperm?
>60%
How would you measure a stallion’s basal hormonal concentrations?
Collect a blood sample every 30min for 6hrs
What hormonal indications would you see in progressive testicular disease?
High FSH, low oestrogen and inhibin, progressive decline in testoosterone concentration with a rise in LH
What sperm abnormality is present in this semen sample?
Detached heads
What sperm abnormality is present in this semen sample?
Rolled heads
What is abnormal about this sperm?
Coiled midpiece - aka ‘dag defect’