| Records |
| Author |
Lucas, Z.; Raeside, J.I.; Betteridge, K.J. |
| Title |
Non-invasive assessment of the incidences of pregnancy and pregnancy loss in the feral horses of Sable Island |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1991 |
Publication |
Journal of Reproduction and Fertility. Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Reprod Fertil Suppl |
| Volume |
44 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
479-488 |
Keywords  |
Abortion, Veterinary/*epidemiology; Animals; Animals, Wild/*physiology; Atlantic Islands; Estrogens/analysis; Feces/chemistry; Female; Fertilization; Gestational Age; Horse Diseases/*epidemiology; Horses; Incidence; Pregnancy; *Pregnancy, Animal |
| Abstract |
Field observations of 400 totally unmanaged feral horses on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, were complemented by oestrogen determinations in faecal samples from 154 identified females over a 4-year period (454 mare-years). Of mares that were sampled throughout the year and subsequently produced foals, 92.1% exhibited elevated faecal oestrogens between 15 October and 30 March. The results confirm that faecal oestrogens are a useful indicator of pregnancy after approximately 120 days gestation. Distribution of foaling resembled that seen in other feral populations, with 95% of births occurring from April through July. The foaling rate for mares aged 3 years or older was 62.0%, with 50.7% of mares foaling in 3 or 4 years. Foaling rates were low (4.1%) in mares bred as yearlings and rose with age to 70.8% in those bred as 4-year-olds. Fetal loss after Day 120 was deduced from faecal oestrogens to be 26.0% overall, with marked variation from year to year (9.6-37.3%) and with age (70.0% in those bred as yearlings, decreasing to 5.6% in those bred as 4-year-olds). Of 58 mares aged 2 years or older that were sampled every year, about half (49.6%) the barren years were attributable to fetal loss after 120 days gestation. All mares conceived in at least 2 of the 4 years, suggesting that pregnancy loss, even after Day 120, is as important as failure to conceive in causing barren years. |
| Address |
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0449-3087 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:1795292 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2247 |
| Permanent link to this record |
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| Author |
Berger, J. |
| Title |
Induced abortion and social factors in wild horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1983 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
| Volume |
303 |
Issue |
5912 |
Pages |
59-61 |
| Keywords |
Abortion, Induced/*veterinary; Abortion, Veterinary/*etiology; Aggression/physiology; Animals; Evolution; Female; Horses/*physiology; Humans; Pregnancy; Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology |
| Abstract |
Much evidence now suggests that the postnatal killing of young in primates and carnivores, and induced abortions in some rodents, are evolved traits exerting strong selective pressures on adult male and female behaviour. Among ungulates it is perplexing that either no species have developed convergent tactics or that these behaviours are not reported, especially as ungulates have social systems similar to those of members of the above groups. Only in captive horses (Equus caballus) has infant killing been reported. It has been estimated that 40,000 wild horses live in remote areas of the Great Basin Desert of North America (US Department of Interior (Bureau of Land Management), unpublished report), where they occur in harems (females and young) defended by males. Here I present evidence that, rather than killing infants directly, invading males induce abortions in females unprotected by their resident stallions and these females are then inseminated by the new males. |
| Address |
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| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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| Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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| Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0028-0836 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:6682487 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4365 |
| Permanent link to this record |
