22 Mar Pre-Breeding Management of the Mare
Bloodhorse Magazine has a great article about pre-breeding management of mares. Here is an excerpt:
It is of paramount importance that any mare intended for breeding be in optimal health before the beginning of the breeding season. The mare should have her Coggins test updated, as well as annual vaccinations such as Eastern and Western encepha- litis, tetanus, rabies, and Potomac horse fever. It is probably a good idea to give the mare a booster against rhinopneumonitis and influenza before the beginning of the season as well. If the mare is going to be bred
to a stallion positive for equine viral arteritis (EVA) and the mare does not have a protective titer against the disease, she also will require an EVA vaccination before being exposed to that stallion’s semen. Fecal examinations should be performed, and any parasite infestations corrected under a veterinarian’s supervision.