Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 08/12/99; 10:00:00 AM.

Stallion Service Survey 1999

Nationwide U.S. government statistics perked my interest relative to operations which advertised stallions for breeding in Horse Previews Magazine. So I telephoned all the outfits which advertised stallion services so far this year and asked most of them six questions pertaining to "shipped semen." I learned plenty and enjoyed every single conversation. One statistic I can guarantee you: 100% of the horse people love to talk horses!

My survey appears to show that shipping percentages are accelerating dramatically. You can check my 1999 figures against the government's, factor in your individual impressions, and draw your own conclusions. I expect these figures might bring positive meaning to bear on questions you might have about the intended breeding of your horses next season.

1997 & 1998 Breeding Seasons, Nationwide Interviews, USDA

"Of the operations that used stallions for breeding in the previous 12 months*, only 3.0 percent shipped semen within the U.S. and 0.1 percent shipped semen internationally."

*Last 12 months prior to the Equine '98 interview conducted between June 15, 1998, and September 11, 1998. Source: May 1999 National Animal Health Monitoring System, Part IV, USDA, phone: 970-490-8000; e-mail: NAHMSinfo@usda.gov

3.0% Shipped Semen Within U.S.	Nationwide U.S. 1997-1998	0.1% Shipped Semen Internationally
21.5% Shipped Semen Within U.S.	Regional Northwest U.S. 1998-1999	5.7% Shipped Semen Internationally

1998 & 1999 Breeding Seasons, Horse Previews Magazine Interviews
"Of the operations that used stallions for breeding in the previous 12 months*, 21.5 percent shipped semen within the U.S. and 5.7 percent shipped semen internationally."

*Last 12 months prior to the Horse Previews '99 telephone interviews conducted between July 12, 1999, and July 31, 1999 with 158 operations which advertised in the magazine in the first 7 months of 1999.

Horse Previews Magazine Interviews 158 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	74	39	34	9	13	29
NO	84	35	40	65	61	45
TOTALS	158	74	74	74	74	74

A. Did your stallion service operation offer artificial cover in the last 12 months?
Clarification: Other than live cover. Collection with intent to inseminate artificially. Promote the process.
YES 47%

B. Did your operation perform artificial cover locally in the last 12 months?
Clarification: Directed to those who answered YES to Question A. Without transporting (shipping out) semen. Service for owned or outside mares. At the operation or elsewhere, eg. at the local veterinarian's place. Note: 25% of the total 158 operations surveyed did local artificial cover with their own stallion collection in the last 12 months.
YES 53%

C. Did your operation originate shipped out semen within the continental U.S. in the last 12 months?
Clarification: Directed to those who answered YES to Question A. Transport cooled, chilled, or frozen semen out via packet, container, straw, etc. FedEx or Airport, etc. Requiring a recipient, certified or veterinary. Excludes Hawaii and Alaska. Note: 21.5% of the total 158 operations surveyed shipped out semen in the last 12 months.
YES 50%

D. Did your operation originate shipped out semen internationally in the last 12 months?
Clarification: Directed to those who answered YES to Question A. Transported out beyond the continental U.S., eg. Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe. Note: nobody who answered YES to Question D. answered NO to Question C. 5.7% of the total 158 operations surveyed shipped internationally in the last 12 months.
YES 12%

E. Has your operation seriously considered discontinuing your offer to ship out semen in the next 12 months?
Clarification: Directed to those who answered YES to Question A. Five (5) of the 13 who answered YES had shipped out semen but still seriously considered discontinuing the offer of that service. Eight (8) of the 13 who answered YES had offered shipped semen but had not performed any offers. Some who answered YES were moving far off the beaten path and were forced thereby to discontinue shipping out. Those who were about to quit operating answered YES.
YES 18%

F. Does your operation plan to decrease the roll of the veterinarian in the artificial cover process in the next 12 months?
Clarification: Directed to those who answered YES to Question A. Decrease either local (collection, evaluation, extension, AI, etc.) or remote (shipping out, container, facilitation, coordination) process participation by a veterinarian. From the stallion] owner's perspective to save time, effort and expense of veterinarian services. Many who answered NO had gone as far as they could in decreasing the roll of the veterinarian already. A few of the operations are owned by veterinarians. Those who were about to quit operating answered YES.
YES 39%

Here are some of my impressions from the interviews and some of the opinions out there in the various breeding philosophy camps. Eighty-four (84) of the outfits (53%) offered live cover only. Their reasons varied from breed to breed and from operation to operation. The purists viewed their proud stallions as being marginalized in the process of reporduction and chose to protect their bloodline by live cover only, on site, to a limited number of mares. The pragmatists viewed their efforts and expenses unjustified by the results. Some plans were determined strictly by geography and access to adequate veterinary services. Others were thwarted by the significant learning curve for themselves and their stallions.

"They're WalMarting horses!"

"It's too far to drive to the vet's and they aren't equipped to do a good enough job."

"It's too much trouble."

"I don't have the time."

"Our stud is way too old and behind the learning curve for that!"

"I can't learn enough about it in time to do me any good."

"Why depend upon the vet?"

"My stud isn't that popular."

"My interest in the science doesn't justify the expense."

"I hate to do too much as far as manipulation goes."

"The added expense requires 50-plus mares per year."

"It hurts regional breeding."

Can't teach stud to collect.

Can't find a mare ready to arouse the stallion in time.

Motility is a major factor.

The ranch is too far from the vet.

Too many variables increase the room for error.

Time and delivery are too critical.

Complex routine is too much of a problem for the trainer-breeder.

Low stud fee precludes additional costs of Artificial Insemination (AI) or shipping.

AI has reliability problems beyond the control of the smaller operation.

Too much legal and insurance hassle.

Invariably my conversations with the live cover only operations extended into discussions common to my operation (Six mares and a backyard stud who is lucky to get live cover and only dreams of becoming popular enough to ship out to far away lands). The pros and cons of pasture breeding versus hand breeding, inside versus outside, one-person versus two-person, hobbles, tail wraps, etc. There was no consensus, but the trend of opinion was:

Pasture breeding is the preferred method but it is dangerous and few people have the room.

Teasing is the most important and time consuming part of the breeding process.

Inside breeding is preferred if hand breeding is necessary, but many people don't have the facilities.

Opinions on hobbles are pretty evenly split. Some say hobbles cause more problems than they contain ("The mare is not gonna take if you use hobbles!"). Others say custom hobbles, or Scotch hobbles (one hind) are safer.

Some twitch the mare, most use a stud chain on the stallion--over, under, or lip.

Virtually all wrap the mare's tail, eg. Ace Bandage, cloth, black electrical tape, shrink wrap, rag, etc.

Cleanliness to prevent infection was primarily important although washing the stud was not universally recommended.

Protection, Infection, and Cover were the prime concerns of breeding by live cover.

Seventy-four (74) of the outfits (47%) offered artificial cover and 39 performed it (25%) locally. Their reasons for using the scientific method ranged from the grandiose ("What a wonderful opportunity this science has brought us!") to the practical necessity ("I can't cover all the mares without it."). Some of my impressions and operator opinions were:

"AI is too expensive to be wasted on rubes." (This is a quote, rube meaning "unsophisticated.")

"Intend all liver cover but offer AI for unusual seasons or reasons."

"Why breed to the son when you can breed to the sire, unless the sire can't collect?"

"My stallion can't cover all the mares sent to him without the artificial cover process."

"I have to protect my valuable broodmares."

"This wouldn't be happening if it weren't profitable."

"I have jump mare problems."

There is a significant collection training process which varies with the individual stallion.

A quiet, dry (or almost dry) mare is usually needed to collect.

Some operations train the stallion to collect just on the apparatus.

Opinion that local AI has less variables than shipping out.

Opinion that AI is cleaner and safer on horses, compared to live cover.

Opinion that AI is safer on humans.

Opinion that AI offers less stress, injury, and infection for the horses than live cover.

Thirty-four (34) of the outfits (22%) shipped semen; nine (9) shipped internationally. The general conversations in the interviews about shipping out semen naturally devolved to reciept of shipped semen. Some of my impressions and operator opinions or comments were:

Few operations have big herds anymore. The typical horse farm in Washington has 7.26 head per farm; Oregon has 6.38 head per farm; Montana has 6.98 head per farm.

Is this done to perpetuate or improve the species?

Is this done because it is necessary or just because we can do it?

Why use shipped semen unless you can improve the get?

This provides the best alternative for putting the great stallion together with the great mare.

If everything goes right the shipped semen must also be kissed by an angel.

More horses can live cover, less can AI, less can ship cooled, less can ship frozen.

Shipped semen can be risky to the originating stallion's reputation.

Collection can be a hassle.

The tighter the shipping contract the less the complaints to the stallion operation.

Various breeds have different requirements for recipient credentials.

Consensus is that stringent rules are required for successful shipping and reciept of semen.

The expense to the mare owner must be measured against the importance of the bloodlines.

The wait on the mare end is excrutiating after the vet has made the call for semen.

Do you make the call before you give the shot?

Large problems occur on the mare end with recycling.

When is it cheaper to ship the semen than to ship the mare?

If the stallion is within a one day trailer ride, it might be cheaper to transport the mare.

The board on semen is more than just the container.

Shipped semen puts the pressure on to have the best mares.

You have to have the mares because the bottom line is the thing that improves get.

You no longer need the best stallion, now the competetion is to have the best mare.

Frozen semen is a mixed blessing.

Frozen semen of a deceased sire is a speculative nightmare.

Speculation on frozen semen has mind boggling legal aspects.

There are major insurance considerations with frozen semen.

Frozen samples may solve the timing problems with shipped semen.

Which scientific technique will dominate, chilled or frozen?

There was no significant difference in the statistics from Question E. about the roll of the veterinarian in the artificial cover process. Less wanted to decrease the roll than increase it or let it remain the same. My impressions of the comments are below:

"If you don't do a lot of it, let the vet do it."

"The further away I get from the vet, the closer I get to the attorney."

"The smaller the outfit, the higher the likelihood of a total vet operation."

"The vets are just going to have to learn the curve." (The scientific knowledge learning curve.)

"We have to improve the cooling process."

The pressure on the veterinarian to specialize is tremendous.

Many vets encourage operators to attack the learning curve themselves and more teach the knowledge base because they don't have the time to specialize.

The steepness of the learning curve involves a significant educational process which stifles veterinary competition to keep prices down.

Trainers, Stables, Ranches and Veterinarians are all stretching for a profit.

There is demand for sexing embryos.

There is demand for shipping of cooled and frozen embryos.

There is demand for DNA targeting which ads more and more complexity to the shipping process.

Mixed comments about the advent of the "Stallion Station" concept:

• They are too new to properly evaluate.
• They are proliferating all across the northwest, from Billings and Livingston to the west coast, and south throughout the region.
• Larger operations are mostly in favor of the idea.
• If you can't afford to ship it and you can't afford to travel, this is an alternative.
• Questions arise on quality of care and preference to Stallion Station owner's stallions.
• Board at the vet's is higher than board at the ranch, but the Stallion Station is in between.
• Will there be a special license issued for Stallion Stations?
• Will an ultrasound technician who is not a licensed veterinarian evolve from this concept and will a special license be issued to the technician?
• Can this concept reduce the burden of legal responsibility associated with artificial cover?

Below is a sectionalized rendition of the interviews.

Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, British Columbia Area Codes 360, 425, 253; 541; 307; 250 14 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	8	2	3	1	3	5
NO	6	6	5	7	5	3
TOTALS	14	8	8	8	8	8

Montana Area Code 406 21 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	13	8	8	0	2	8
NO	8	5	5	13	11	5
TOTALS	21	13	13	13	13	13

Idaho Area Code 208 42 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	23	10	11	5	3	9
NO	19	13	12	18	20	14
TOTALS	42	23	23	23	23	23

Washington, Long Distance from Spokane Area Code 509 38 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	11	6	3	0	3	3
NO	27	5	8	11	8	8
TOTALS	38	11	11	11	11	11

Washington, Spokane, Local Telephone Exchange Area Code 509 43 OPERATIONS
QUESTIONS	A	B	C	D	E	F
YES	19	13	9	3	2	4
NO	24	6	10	16	17	15
TOTALS	43	19	19	19	19	19

- Bob Howdy, PhD.

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