Breeding records for Croatian autochtonous horse breeds as a tool of assisted
reproduction tehniques for biologic preservation purposes
Nikica Prvanović1, M. Cergolj1, J. Grizelj1, N. Filipović3, M. Čačić4, M. Samardžija1, D. Gračner2, S.
Vince1, I. Folnožić1,T. Dobranić1
1
Clinic for obstetrics and reproduction, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Zagreb
2
Clinic for internal deseases, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Zagreb
3
Departement for physiology and radiobiology, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Zagreb
4
Croatian Livestock Center
INTRODUCTION
After dramatical decrease of horse number due to mechanisation in agriculture and socio-economical
changes caused by Croatian Civil War during the last ten years there is obvious and intensive increase
and popularisation of horsebreeding. Number of horses arised from 3373 to 13578 in the last ten years
and there are accurate indicators that it will continue in the next years (1). Croatian goverment
stimulates breeding autochtonous horse breeds by protecting them and giving financial rewards to the
breeders (2). Number of autochtonous horses rises permanently and gives increase of 3% of newborn
authochtonous foals more per year (3). Total number of authoctonous horses rises 11,74 % per year.
Average fertility rate in 2007. for autochtonous horsebreeds consists 80,71% for Posavina mares, 56%
for lipizzan mares, 59,94% for Croatian Coldblooded mares and 5% for Međimurje mares (3)
Unfortunately we don't have any system of reproductive control of mares and stallions used in
reproduction.There is absolutely no data about problem mares, sexually transmited contagious
deseases, cases of abortions etc. Breeders are not educated to recognize problem on time and when
they do so, there is absolutely nobody who they can seek for help. Some veterinary experts are
enthusiastic and like to help but that is not sufficient and good enough when bigger problem arises like
for example cca 500 abortions which happened during 2008 in protected autochtonous Posavina
mares. The majority of croatian autochtonous horses, except lipizzan horses, are kept in woods as
semidomesticated animals living in feral herds. They are collected only during winter months
(november, december, january and february) to help them survive cold weather time. Keeping in mind
all numbered problems it is easy to see why is so difficult to introduce modern methods of assisted
reproduction (artificial insemination, embryotransfer, bank of embryos of very valuable horses) in
our everyday praictice. In the same time it is necessery to introduce such methods to preserve specially
valuable genetic animals and prevent their extinction.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
To help in solving such difficult situation our study gives educational, scientific and practical
perspective. Combination of 10 educational seminars for breeders combined with modified protocol
for collecting and analysing reproductive data during winter 2007 on herd of 32 Posavina mares and
during spring 2008. on herd of 32 lipizzan mares gave good perspective for improvement of breeding
and monitoring reproductive success keeping in mind specificities of traditional way of croatian
horsebreeding. We used combination of clinical (vaginal, rectal and transrectal ultrasound) and
laboratory (bacteriological, serological and cytological) examinations to monitor cyclicity and
pregnancy in both herds. We used protocol for thoroughbred studfarms (4) and modified it using data
obtained on lipizzan studfarm „Piber“ (5) for lipizzan studfarm in our research. All lipizzan mares and
stallions were examined before reproductive season according to modified international protocol (6).
All lipizzan mares were examined twice for pregnancy checking: 18 and 35 days after mating. All
mares were examined at 01. 10. 2008 to definitely confirm pregnancy rate in herd. Herd of Posavina
horses which is kept free in the woods majority of the year, was monitored when it was only possible,
during winter months. We performed pregnancy checking in the herd together with serological and
bacteriological testing for nonpregnant animals. It enabled detection of problem mares and better
preparation for next breeding season.
.It also enabled selection of mares and stallions for future use in assisted reproduction in both herds.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Keeping breeding records for each horse studfarm is important basis for succesfull
horsebreeding in every country. It is esspecially important in protected and endangered breeds. Only
on basis of breeding records it is possible to monitor realistic fertility rate, observe reproductive
problems on time and introduce modern methods of assisted reproduction. Our results are given in
table 1 and 2. Although we significantly improved fertility rate in lipizzan herd only (88% versus
56%), more important is that we improved level of control in both herds and minimised risks of
unknown fertility losses, sexually transmitted deseases etc. Furthermore, fertility rate in our research
for lipizzan horses is practically equal to results obtained at the lipizzan studfarm „Piber“ wich
introduced similar program years ago and follows it strictly (5).
In herd of Posavina horses we improved fertility rate slightly ( 77% versus 72%) but it would be
interesting to follow influence of such program during more years. We are shure that we could
accomplish fairly better results. We also had good attendance of breeders on our lectures performed
for breeders of all protected autochtonous croatian horse breeds (Posavina, Croatian Coldblooded,
Lipizzan and Međimurje horses).96% of members of autochtonous horsebreeds breeders organisations
attended our lectures. We received letters of intent from 12 Organisations of autochtonous horse
breeds who are willing to introduce obligatory education for their members.Our future goal is to create
unique databasis with all autochtonous mares and stallions used in reproduction. We also plan to
organise and introduce obligatory education for breeders to make them capable to recognize
reproductive problems on time and become aware of concrete progress of our project We also plan to
organize veterinary surgeonts in unique net of education and communication connected with similar
associations in EU. This is in the same time the best way to connect our horsebreeding with
horsebreeding of EU by preserving our specificities in the same time.
REFERENCES:
1. Čačić M, D. Tadić, N. Korabi, M. Mlađenović, M. Čabrajec, M. Matasović, J. Ljubešić, M. Baban,
T. Rastija, N. Prvanović (2008): Zbornik radova 2. hrvatskog simpozija o lipicanskoj pasmini s
međunarodnim sudjelovanjem, Đakovo, 2008, 14-23
2. Zakon o stočarstvu, Ministarstvo poljoprivrede ribarstva i vodnog gospodarstva, Republika
Hrvatska (Narodne novine broj 70/97 i 36/98)
3. Hrvatski Stočarski Centar (2008): Godišnje izviješće 2007, Konjogojstvo. Zagreb
4. Allen W. R, L. Brown, M. Wright, S. Wilsher (2006): Equine Vet. J.vol 39 no 5, 438-446
5. Heidler B, J.E: Aurich,, W. Pohl, C. Aurich.(2004): Body weight of mares and foals, estrous cycles
and plasma glucose concentration in lactating and non-lactating Lipizzaner mares,Theriogenology 61,
883-893
6. HBLB Code of practice (2007), Newmarket, Animal Health Trust
Abstract:
After dramatical decrease of horse number due to mechanisation in agriculture and socio-economical
changes caused by Croatian Civil War during the last ten years there is obvious and intensive increase
and popularisation of horsebreeding. Number of horses arised from 3373 to 13578 in the last ten years
and there are accurate indicators that it will continue in the next years. Our goverment stimulates
breeding autochtonous horse breeds by protecting them and giving financial rewards to the breeders.
Number of autochtonous horses rises permanently and gives increase of 3% of newborn
authochtonous foals more per year . Total number of authoctonous horses rises 11,74 % per year.
Average fertility rate in 2007. for autochtonous horsebreeds consists 80,71% for Posavina mares, 56%
for lipizzan mares, 59,94% for Croatian Coldblooded mares and 5% for Međimurje
mares.Unfortunately we don't have any system of reproductive control of mares and stallions used in
reproduction.There is absolutely no data about problem mares, sexually transmited contagious
deseases, cases of abortions etc. Breeders are not educated to recognize problem on time and when
they do so, there is absolutely nobody who they can seek for help. Some veterinary experts are
enthusiastic and like to help but that is not sufficient and good enough when bigger problem arises like
for example cca 400 abortions which happened during 2008 in protected autochtonous Posavina
mares. The majority of croatian autochtonous horses, except lipizzan horses, are kept in woods as
semidomesticated animals living in feral herds. They are collected only during winter months
(november, december, january and february) to help them survive cold weather time. Keeping in mind
all numbered problems it is easy to see why is so difficult to introduce modern methods of assisted
reproduction (artificial insemination, embryotransfer, bank of embryos of very valuable horses) in
our everyday praictice. In the same time it is necessery to introduce such methods to preserve specially
valuable genetic animals and prevent their extinction. To help in solving such difficult situation our
study gives educational, scientific and practical perspective. Combination of 10 educational seminars
for breeders combined with modified protocol for collecting and analysing reproductive data during
winter 2007 on herd of 32 Posavina mares and during spring 2008. on herd of 32 lipizzan mares gave
good perspective for improvement of breeding and monitoring reproductive success keeping in mind
specificities of traditional way of croatian horsebreeding. It also enabled selection of mares and
stallions for future use in asisted reproduction. We significantly improved fertility rate in lipizzan
herd only (88% versus 56%), but more important is that we improved level of control in both herds
and minimised risks of unknown fertility losses, sexually transmitted deseases etc. Our future goal is
to create unique databasis with all autochtonous mares and stallions used in reproduction. We also
plan to organise and introduce obligatory education for breeders to make them capable to recognize
reproductive problems on time and become aware of concrete progress of our project We also plan to
organize veterinary surgeonts in unique net of education and communication connected with similar
associations in EU. This is in the same time the best way to connect our horsebreeding with
horsebreeding of EU by preserving our specificities in the same time.
Key words: autochtonous horsebreeds, biopreservation, assisted reproduction, breeding records
Appendix 1: TABLES
Table 1: Comparation of reproductive success in two studfarms used in research with average
fertility rate in Croatia for the same horse breeds
Breed
Average fertility rate in Average fertility rate in
Croatia
our research
Posavina
72%
77%
Lipizzan
56%
88%
Table 2: Attendance of members of autochtonous horse breeds organisations on our education
seminars
Breeds
Number of education Attendance
seminars
representatives on the
education seminars
Croatian
Coldblooded 2
of
96%
horse
Lipizzan horse
5
98%
Posavina horse
3
94%
Total
10
96%
Appendix 2: FIGURES
Figure 1: Number of horses in Croatia in the last ten years (according to Annual Report of
Croatian Livestock Center):
9321
10319
11983
7491
4271
3373
1997.
1998.
4464
1999.
5289
5447
2000.
2001.
6313
2002.
2003.
2004.
2005.
2006.
Figure 2: Amount of autochtonous horse breeds in total horse population in Croatia in 2007
(according to Annual Report of Croatian Livestock Center):
Autochtonous
horse breeds
8565; 71%
Commercial horse breeds
3418; 29%
Figure 3: Amount of newborn foals according to category in 2007-comercial versus protected
autochtonous breeds (according to Annual Report of Croatian Livestock Center):
Commercial breeds
; 338; 13%
Autochtonous breeds
2236; 87%