ANKARA UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI DERGISI, cilt.63, sa.4, ss.359-363, 2016 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study the influence of three different factors (semen dose, age, insemination time) on fertility were investigated. 48 mares were inseminated with 400x10(6) and 800x10(6) and 1200x10(6) (0,5 ml, French straw) frozen-thawed semen, in breeding season. Each group were randomly divided into two sub-groups, inseminated before (when follicle diameter was 40-45 mm) and after ovulation. The average number of pregnancy rates were 12.5 +/- 9.4; 37 +/- 11.7 and 37.5 +/- 11.4 % at dose groups (400x10(6), 800x10(6) and 1200x10(6)), 37.5 +/- 9.6 and 20.8 +/- 9.7 % at insemination time groups (before and after ovulation), 28.1 +/- 8.2 and 31.3 +/- 11.7 % in age groups (4-11, 12-19), respectively (p>0.05). As a result, for the optimization of fertility related issues such as; insemination time, dose, age have to be identified and solutions need to be revealed for the development of artificial insemination programs in Arabian horse breeding systems. Fertility related studies with frozen-thawed semen are quite limited in Arabian horse artificial programs. Current study is expected to provide important contribution to the artificial insemination programs with frozen thawed semen for Arabian horse breeds as a pioneer study in Turkey. This research will lead to future investigations on local Arabian horse breeding programs.