The phospholipid membrane of mammalian spermatozoa has a characteristic fatty acid composition. In most mammals, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid; 22:6, a long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, or a LC-PUFA) is the major component of the membrane, although this varies by species as well as by individual (4, 8). Recent research suggests that DHA is important to normal spermatozoa function. The ...

Elevating the level of specific omega-3 fatty acids in equine semen by dietary modification can improve motion characteristics of cooled-stored and frozen-thawed sperm. Stallions, which produce semen that has poor tolerance to cooling and freezing, would benefit most from this dietary modification.

Based on observational studies comparing social organization and reproductive behavior of equids breeding under feral, semi-feral, and domestic conditions, a series of comparisons and findings on reproductive physiology and behavior are presented. Simple changes in management and handling of mares and stallions that can improve reproductive efficiency and fertility or that can overcome specific...

A nested PCR, developed for the detection of equine arteritis virus (EAV) in semen, detected less than 2.5 PFU of EAV per ml of naturally infected seminal plasma. Based on results from testing 88 semen samples from 70 stallions, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 100 and 97%, respectively.

Background: Various frequencies of sperm aneuploidy are reported in sperms of subfertile patients compared to normal individuals. Moreover, sperm DNA damage is shown to be associated with male infertility. In this study, the rate of DNA damage and frequencies of aneuploidy in sperms of subfertile patients was investigated. Methods: Semen samples were obtained from healthy normal and subfertile ...

Stallions (n = 8) were implanted with a thermal sensory device in the muscle of the neck and the subcutaneous tissue of the scrotum and then assigned to either a nonexercise (Non-EX; n = 4) or exercise (EX; n = 4) group. A motorized equine exerciser was used to work EX stallions 30 min/d for 4 d/wk during a 12-wk period from July through October 2010. Temperatures (subcutaneous scrotal, intramu...

The aim of the present study was to investigate and show the differences in blood parameters related with age and sex of Žemaitukai horse breed in Lithuania. According to the blood parameters, they may be assigned to a particular blood type. Haematological parameters [(red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), lymphocytes (LYM), platelet (P...

Pony stallions were given sexual behavior trials in experimental "home" and "novel" environments, similar in all major features except location. In the novel environment, erection latency was increased and erection time decreased. Treatment with an anxiolytic benzodiazepine derivative (diazepam) appeared to block these effects.

Short-term patterns of growth hormone (GH) secretion and factors affecting it were studied in mares and stallions. In Exp. 1, hourly blood samples were collected from three mares and three stallions in summer and winter. Although GH concentrations varied in a pulsatile manner in all horses, there was no effect of sex or season (P greater than .1) on plasma GH concentrations and no indication of...