Gestation length and neonatal viability indicators in Thoroughbred horses in Türkiye

Year 2025, Issue: Advanced Online Publication, 1 - 7

Özlem Gücüyener Hacan , Yavuzkan Paksoy , Samet Çinkaya , Mustafa Demirtaş , Koray Çelikeloğlu , Serdar Koçak , Zehra Bozkurt , Mustafa Tekerli , Metin Erdoğan

https://doi.org/10.33988/auvfd.1726040

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of environmental factors on gestation length and neonatal survival indicators in Thoroughbred horses. Data used in the study were obtained from 201 mares and their foals raised at the Adana Seyhan Covering Station, İzmit Covering Station, and Karacabey Boarding Stud Farm of the Turkish Jockey Club. The traits including gestation length, parturition duration, birth weight, time to first standing, and time to first suckling were analyzed. The least square means were determined as follows: 336.71±1.56 days for gestation length, 11.57±0.82 min for parturition duration, 49.42±0.67 kg for birth weight, 62.80±3.06 min for time to first standing, and 77.64±3.90 min for time to first suckling. Gestation length was significantly affected by foal sex (P<0.01) and year of birth (P<0.05). Farm (P<0.001), birth year (P<0.001), and birth weight (P<0.05) significantly influenced parturition duration. Birth weight was also significantly affected by dam age (P<0.05) and birth month group (P<0.01). The time to first standing was significantly affected by farm (P<0.01), while both farm and year of birth (P<0.001) significantly influenced the time to first suckling. In conclusion, the study showed that environmental factors have significant effects on gestation and neonatal viability indicators in Thoroughbreds. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights for enhancing breeding management practices in horse breeding farms.

Keywords

Foal , Gestation length , Neonatal livability , Thoroughbred horse

Project Number

18.KARİYER.285

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