• Home	• FAQs
• Site Map	Weather
• Contacts	Weather

We Accept:

Directory Listings:

Pick of the Best!
Eclipse Communications

Older Broodmares May Require Special Care:

Last Modified: February 3, 1998

Older broodmares often are a major source of income on many horse farms, yet many of these animals often are handled no differently than other, younger mares.

It is not unusual for older mares to produce some of the best offspring in the herd; otherwise, the mares would have been sold many years back, commented Dave Freeman, Oklahoma State University Extension equine specialist.

"Broodmares in their late teens or twenties often require special handling if they are to remain productive and protect the owner's bottom-line investment."

Reproductive efficiency generally decreases with advanced age, especially after the broodmare reaches the late teens in age. Older mares might require twice the number of cycles per conception as compared with young mares.

"Those in marginal body condition regularly skip breeding seasons, producing foals every other year," Freeman explained. "Changes in the physical makeup of the mare's reproductive tract may contribute to lower expected conception rates as a mare advances in age."

Also, older mares often are more susceptible to transportation stress, weather extremes and herd stress, especially during gestation and lactation.

Freeman said routine physical examination of older broodmares should include evaluations of reproductive tract conformation, body condition, weight, teeth condition and the ability to move properly.

The anatomy of a mare's reproductive tract goes through several changes with advanced age. It is common for the external opening of the tract to gradually tilt forward over the pelvis. This tilt increases the chance for fecal contamination to the tract.

"Surgical procedures such as the Caslick's procedure commonly are performed to aid in the prevention of internal infection and inflammation," Freeman noted. "Other problems related to reproductive tract condition and infertility in older mares include urine pooling, accumulation of inflammatory cells and scar tissue."

As a result, comprehensive examinations are critical. Procedures may include palpation, ultrasound, biopsy, cytology and culture.

"It's especially important to conduct late gestation pregnancy checks because the rate of pregnancy loss can be significantly greater in older mares than in their younger counterparts,"

Also, intake may become a problem in older mares, especially if they are challenged when group feeding.

"Aged-horse grain mixes usually are more nutrient dense than rations fed to younger horses because total ration intake often is depressed in older animals, even when not challenged," Freeman said.

Digestion of nutrients such as protein and phosphorus also can be depressed in older horses. Freeman remarked that older mares can be expected to require high-quality, nutrient-dense grain concentrates that are easily chewed if they are to maintain a fleshy body condition. High-quality, immature forages also are necessary to ensure palatability and promote digestive efficiency.

"Total ration - grain plus forages - must provide at least 12 percent protein, 0.3 percent calcium and 0.25 percent phosphorus," he said. "Moreover, energy density of the total ration may need to be increased, so proportionally more grain may have to be fed."

The inclusion of fat-added grain mixes is a popular way to increase energy intake without feeding larger amounts of grain.

Mares with poor body condition, poor teeth conformation or those exhibiting lameness will experience increased herd and nutritional stress when grouped with other mares.

Freeman advised horse owners to safeguard their investment by putting those mares in separate housing that provides heightened protection from windy, wet, cold weather while allowing access to needed water and nutritional sources.

The above article has been provided courtesy of
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.