This article starts with a review of the literature regarding the normal reproductive physiology of the mare, prolonged luteal phase and medical drugs used within reproduction of the horse, with emphasis on Ovuplant®. The purpose of this article was to measure the progesterone level in blood, of Mares implanted with deslorelin acetate (Ovuplant®). The study was performed at the Department of Clinical Sciences, SLU, in Uppsala. There were seven Mares included in the study. They were divided into two groups, one experimental group (four Mares) and one control group (three Mares).

This article starts with a review of the literature regarding the normal reproductive physiology of the mare, normal luteolysis, different causes of prolonged luteal phase and theories behind these. The article also presents a study where it was examined if treatment with human choriongonadotropic hormone (hCG) during the luteal phase induces prolonged luteal phase in Mares, thus preventing estrus. The study consisted of two parts: one intensive study of eight Mares at the former Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at SLU, Uppsala, Sweden and one field study of seven Mares at a stud farm 70 km north of Uppsala. The Mares in the intensive study were divided in two groups: one with four Mares that were injected with hCG in luteal phase when they had a follicle of minimum 30 mm and a second group with four Mares that were injected with sodium chloride at the same time. These Mares were examined with ultrasonography and blood samples.

The fertility of the North Swedish horse was investigated using a questionnaire. Data concerning altogether 73 North Swedish stallions and 213 Mares used for breeding during the season 2005 were collected and analysed. The survey also included the analyses of 305 breeding case books, especially distributed for this study, from 27 stallions. The aim was to collect information on how the breeding was carried out in the North Swedish horse, and to learn what categories of Mares that were covered and what routines were used in these farms. Breeding statistics from 1999 to 2004 was also analysed to complete the questionnaire.

Retrospective data from two stud farms, in this study named stud farm A and B, including 742 Mares, was statistically analysed. Parameters included in the analysis were type of insemination, date of the first insemination, number of inseminations, the age of the Mares, if the Mares had a foal or not, foaling date, result of pregnancy examination (if it was done), twin pregnancy and treatments given to the Mares. The pregnancy results and the treatments where compiled into a number of frequency tables in which the Mares where arranged according to age, month of first insemination, foal or not and type of insemination. There was a significant difference in pregnancy result between the years at both stud farms (2001 better than 2002). At stud farm A, in year 2001, month (at start of insemination) significantly influenced the pregnancy result.

Weaning is a standard procedure at most studs, and the methods of weaning varies greatly. The method used at the stud in this particular study is supposed to decrease stress. The purpose of the study was to compare the behaviour of foals in group before and after stepwise removal of their Mares. Standardbred foals with their mothers were kept in three different groups at pasture (12, 11 and 11 foals, respectively, mixed sexes). They had free access to silage and the foals were fed concentrate in a creep-feeding area. By the time the foals were 5 months old, the Mares were stepwise removed from the pasture.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect on growth of foals on two different diets, either a forage-based diet or a diet containing approx. 40 % concentrate. The report also includes a review of the pertinent literature on the effects of diet on Mares? milk and growth of horses. The hypothesis of the study was that a forage based diet will result in a similar growth pattern as a diet including more concentrates if the diets contain the same amount of energy, crude protein, lysine, calcium and phosphorous.

This study was performed in order to evaluate if the method of collecting uterine secretion by the tampon-method is representative for use in studies of uterine secretions in Mares. Uterine secretion collected by tampon in six Mares was compared with secretion collected by aspiration, regarded to be a native sample, at the Institution of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SLU, Uppsala. Proteinanalysis was made at the Department of Farmaceutic Bioscience, toxicological unit, Uppsala University. Cytological smears and ultrasonography was used to assess if the tampon had caused an inflammatoric reaction that could influence the protein content of the samples. The results suggest that the tampon and aspirat method do not differ when it comes to proteinconcentration, but the distribution of proteins differ between these different collection methods. This difference could not likely be explained by means of proteins due to an inflammatory reaction from the tampon, since neither the cytological nor the ultrasonographical examination gave any indications of inflammation.

Abortion during late gestation is often caused by placental dysfunction such as placentitis. To prevent this from happening the placenta can be monitored pre partum so treatment can be started at an early stage. Methods for monitoring the placenta include hormonal monitoring, presence of clinical signs of placental dysfunction and ultrasonographic evaluation of the fetus and the placenta. Transrectal ultrasonography provides a very good image of the caudal portion of the allantochorion where an ascending placentitis normally establishes. An increased combined thickness of the uterus and the placenta, CTUP, has been associated with placental failure. This study included ten Swedish standardbred trotter Mares in late gestation. They were monitored by transrectal ultrasonography of the placenta two times with approximately a month in between. CTUP was measured on each examination.

SUMMARY This pilot study tried to answer the question however the present animal welfare regulations for horses regarding lying hall area requirements are adequate for horses older than 24 months. The study was carried out at one of the largest stud farms for standard bred horses in Sweden. Mares in late pregnancy with an initial mean age of 10 years was used in a behaviour study. The influence of varying space per animal in a loose-housing system on behaviours like the horses' lying hall use, standing, resting, moving behaviour and threats was studied. The behaviour at three different horse densities ? 18 Mares, 13 Mares and 8 Mares (7.4 m2, 10.3 m2 and 16.7 m2 per mare, respectively) ? was recorded by use of video.

Kvarstående betäckningsinducerad endometrit är ett stort problem inom hästnäringen och så även andra typer av endometrit. Detta är den främsta orsaken till infertilitet hos ston. Vissa ston är nämligen oförmögna att klara av den inflammatoriska reaktion som normalt följer av betäckning (för att eliminera sperma och patogener) eller så drabbas de lättare av kroniskt infektiös endometrit, oavsett betäckning. Det finns otaliga förslag till förklaringar till varför de inte kan hålla uterus fri från inflammation såsom defekta myometriekontraktioner, stoets reproduktionshistoria eller anatomiska aspekter (t.ex. pneumovagina, otillräckliga mekaniska barriärer eller en horisontell uterus).

Outdoor housing of horses? best fulfils the horses? need for physical activity and it is an alternative to the more cost and energy demanding indoor housing in stables. Furthermore, if outdoor housed horses have access to shelter they can generally cope well with adverse weather conditions such as high or low ambient temperature, heavy rain or strong winds. In this study, the daytime shelter-seeking behaviour of three groups of horses housed outdoors was studied during the summer. The aim was to evaluate whether shelter use is related to weather variables (e.g., ambient temperature and wind speed) and insect harassment. The shelter-seeking behaviour was studied for three different groups of horses: Group 1) eight individually housed horses in paddocks that had access to three different shelter types (C: closed on three sides with roof, R: open on three sides with roof, W: closed on three sides without roof), Group 2) 25 group housed Mares with foals on pasture with access to shelters C, and Group 3) ten Mares without foals on pasture without access to shelter. Each group was studied for eight days.

Swedish horse breeders have generally very few Mares producing a few foals a year and the breeders have relatively few traditions, little knowledge and experience to breed foals successfully. It is therefore important to provide adequate information about new findings in horse nutrition. However, there is not much research about feeding the suckling foal to ensure a sound growth. Current feeding recommendations in the literature seems to be different. This gives a confusing message and the information is difficult to apply. This paper reviews some publications in the area of feeding the suckling and weaning foal. Most authors stress that it?s important to start feeding the foal early in life.

The purpose of this thesis was to analyze conception and foaling results of Swedish warmblood and Standardbred trotters using breeding statistics during the years 2000-2006. Key issues in this thesis were: Have the conception and foaling results of stallions changed during the period 2000-2006? What is the effect of the use of various breeding methods? Is testicle size correlated with conception and foaling results? How important are age, breed and level of inbreeding of the stallion for conception and foaling results? Breeding statistics were available for 537 Swedish Warmblood stallions and 305 Standardbred trotter stallions. To be included in the analyses, a stallion must have mated at least ten Mares in total over the period 2000-2006. This criterion was met by 313 Swedish Warmblood stallions and 272 Standardbred trotter stallions.

The purpose of this study was to examine vitamin A and E in equine nutrition and especially in relation to forages. A literature review was conducted to examine factors that influence the level of vitamins present in forage, the vitamin A and E requirement of horses, and the absorption of vitamin A and E in horses. The influence of DM level on alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene content in ensiled forage was investigated in a controlled ensiling study using baled silage and haylage. The results from the ensiling study were combined with data of vitamin A and E concentrations collected from literature. Calculations were done to theoretically establish how well the vitamin content in ensiled forage can cover the maintenance requirements of vitamin A and E in horses.

I denna rapport beskrivs det arbete och de analyser som lett fram till ett designförslag på en dykväst anpassad till en kvinnlig användare. Konceptet har utvecklats på företaget Mares (HTM Sport S.p.A) i Rapallo och ska användas för vidare utveckling och detaljkonstruktion av den dykväst anpassad för kvinnor som företaget planerar att introducera på marknaden 2006. Problematik som kvinnans ergonomi och biometri, trender inom sporten och livsstilstrender generellt har analyserats för att uppnå bästa möjliga resultat. Arbetet har genomförts med hjälp av metoden systematisk problemanalys. Den nya produkten tillfredsställer inte bara den kvinnliga användarens behov av passform före, under och efter dyket, utan är också användaranpassad genom val av material och färger.