Stallions living together

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I had heard this on another post and I am just wondering if this is even partly true? Is this just during breeding months or all year around?

Would love more information

 

[Riverdance]

I have had all of my stallions living together for several years (year round). During breeding season I take out the stallions I want to use and either put them with their own mares, or into a stallion run for me to bring the mares to him.

I have heard what you have heard, but I can tell you, I have never had a problem with them settling their mares.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Bachelor stallions (herds/groups of stallions) will have reduced GnRH, which results in reduced testosterone and reduced sperm output. Its a feedback loop which allows them to live together without getting all riled

Winter normally reduces fertility as well, due to reduced light, and therefore reduced GnRH. That said, they are certainly not infertile, just reduced. Winter is the prime semen freezing time, when the horses aren't in full time work.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

It doesn't reduce their fertility, it reduces their testosterone (hormone) levels while in with more dominant stallions. I would assume (I'm not a doctor/researcher/scientist) that this is a safety thing, as they'r less aggressive, viewed less as competition, etc., when they're not likely to get mares to breed (younger/older/less fit stallions) and more tolerable for the dominant stallion.

A stallion's peak fertility from all I've read is Spring/Summer. They need a certain amount of daylight (why horses breeding for January foals are kept under light) and they need the stimulation of cycling mares.

I keep my stallions together and three fence jumps, six unexpected foals this past year, from three of the more dominant stallions.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Testosterone is an integral part of spermatogenesis. IE without T, there would be no sperm production.

 

[Farina]

All our stallions live together and we hand breed them all. We have never had any issues of getting mares in foal. We evaluated their sperm and there were nothing exceptional from "normal" stallions.

 

[Tab]

I wouldn't say it reduces sperm production enough that settling a small number of mares is a problem at all.

(This is response to the original post)

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Thanks Nathan for the correct way of wording that.

I really meant to say is it won't make him infertile, just ratchets down the testosterone to about a gelding level WHILE they're in a bachelor herd.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Well, surely it would only reduce the testosterone whilst the animals are actually together, and for a short time afterwards?

I keep my boys together during the winter, and I know a lot of other people that do, as well. Here is the UK it is common practise for Shetlands to be kept this way through the winter, which is where I got the original idea form, and none of us has ever had any problems with fertility.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

It CAN be short term...

It has been shown that stallions who lived in a "true" bachelor herd, ie from birth as they would in the wild, will increase their testosterone production to "normal" levels (those of a herd stallion).

Herd stallions who have lived their breeding lives with a harem, when put in a bachelor situation will never regain their levels to those of a long-term harem stallion once separated again.

In most cases stallions will never regain their full potential once they are insulted in some way. Chemically (Regumate), behaviorally (harem/bachelor), or physically (injury), testicles never regain their full potential.

Of course, reduced T may never be an issue. This isn't to say its a bad practice, or one you'll regret. Its just a random fact that you may never notice or appreciate. Or you may have a sensitive stallion who you notice very clearly. It all depends on the horse and his particular situation.

 

[RockRiverTiff]

Or you may have a sensitive stallion who you notice very clearly. It all depends on the horse and his particular situation.

We have always wintered some of our stallions together without any apparent adverse effects, but last year we got a new stallion that had been used for breeding and then had spent the last several years straight with a stallion that was alpha to him. It definitely affected him; he didn't settle any mares his first year breeding again. Our vet is going to test his hormones in the spring and then is going to recommend a course of action.