Tränare inom hästsporten använder sig alltmer av bromsad intervallträning istället för ren löpträning. En tillverkare av bromsade träningsvagnar är Björs Svets AB med sin Pullert. Pullertvagnen är en fyrhjulig vagn med skivbromsar som regleras med en bromspedal. Beläget i Färila utanför Ljusdal har de under senaste åren utvecklat vagnen tillsammans med hästtränare på såväl amatör- som elitnivå. Den största vikten vid utvecklingsarbetet har legat på att utveckla en så säker och effektiv vagn som möjligt.

Över 90 % av betäckningarna inom Avelsföreningen för svenska varmblodiga hästen (ASVH) skedde med artificiell insemination (AI) år 2011. AI har många fördelar i avelsarbetet då hingsten inte behöver vara på plats när stoet brunstar, möjligheten att välja bland både nationella och internationella hingstar ger en stor valmöjlighet för stoägaren. I Sverige samlas sperma från hingstarna normalt sett tre gånger i veckan genom upphopp på en fantomhäst där ejakulatet samlas i en artificiell vagina. Trots mycket forskning är det fortfarande ca 20 % av hingstarna som lämnar spermier som inte lämpar sig för frysning. Innan nedkylning centrifugeras seminalplasman bort eller späds ut för att reducera inverkan på spermierna. Seminalplasman har positiv inverkan på spermierna vid naturlig betäckning men kan ha negativ inverkan på spermierna under lagring.

This study is a part of a larger project where the aim has been to evaluate different methods to assure the quality in Stallion semen, due to the fact that some Stallions in horse breeding have poor semen quality. The increased use of transport semen requires new methods to ensure good semen quality. In this part of the project the viability and concentration in fresh and cooled semen was examined with NucleoCounter SP-100. A comparison between two different commercially available semen extenders, Kenney?s and INRA 96, was made.

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.

This study is part of a project to evaluate and develop metods to control the semen quality in Stallions. The study was carried out in cooperation between SLU and Flyinge AB. The objective of the study was to analyse -if there are individual differences in sperm chromatin integrety between different Stallions -if there is a correlation between subjectively evaluated sperm motility and sperm chromatin integrity -if sperm chromatin integrity is changed after selection of the semen with a centrifugation method through the silica-spheres, gradient or a single-layer, i.e to use the chromatin integrity analysis as a method to evaluate the selection method. The use of chilled transported semen has increased a lot during the last 10 years, especially among the Swedish warmblood breed. Because the foaling percentage has decreased with the increased use of chilled transported semen, there is a need to develop methods to control the sperm quality. Evaluation of the chromatin integrity could be one way to evaluate the quality of the semen. Chromatin is the DNA in the nucleus of the sperm.

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.