Dynamics in development and some reproductive traits of Thoroughbred horse population in Bulgaria

Radka Vlaeva, Georgi Barzev, Stanimir Dimitrov

Abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the dynamics of development and some reproductive traits of Thoroughbred broodmares in Bulgaria. The analysis of the reproductive characteristics of the broodmares bred in the national stud “Kabiyuk” covers a period of eleven-year breeding seasons (2000–2012) and includes 248 nrs. mating of a total of 51 nrs. individual mares. The study of the population size covers much longer period (1960–2009) and involve stallions and mares bred in three main stud farms in Bulgaria – “Kabiyuk”, “Klementina” and “Stefan Karadzha”, as well as few private farms. The influence of the private farms at the beginning of that period is insignificant. The number of broodmares in the initial period is 95, bred mainly by the national stud farms and at the end of the period it is 113 nrs. mainly bred by private owners. The analysis of the reproductive performance includes five main traits: age of first covering (year), age of first conception (year), age of first foaling (year), gestation length (days) and lifelong number of foals for a mare. The average age of first covering was 4.29 ± 0.46 years, minimum of 4 and maximum of 5 years. Average age of first conception was 4.52 ± 0.55 years (min. 5 and max. 6). The age of first foaling vary between 5 and 7 years, average of 5.50 ± 0.55 years. Mean value for gestation length was 339.66 ± 9.40 days with minimum of 332.00 and maximum of 364.00 days.

Keywords: reproductive traits; Thoroughbreds

Date published: 2018-10-04