Prebreeding season/prepurchase examination of the stallion: testicular ultrasonography, semen evaluation, and considerations

The stallion breeding soundness examination (BSE), as initially contemplated by the Society for Theriogenology, was intended to serve as a tool for selecting stallions that under good breeding management and mare fertility, were expected to efficiently render at least 75% of > 40 mares pregnant when bred naturally or 120 mares when bred artificially in 1 breeding season. Since its initial introduction 38 years ago, major changes in the equine breeding industry have occurred. Yet, the original purpose of the BSE has remained somehow unchanged and a BSE still provides to both practitioners and owners valuable information regarding the reproductive potential of the stallion and reproductive management options that could be implemented for optimizing fertility of a particular stallion. This manuscript discusses some aspects of BSE that warrant special considerations, due to their implementation under field conditions and their interpretation regarding the potential fertility of stallions. ...

Stallion, breeding soundness, testes, semen quality, fertility