Diagnosis and correction of twin pregnancy in the mare

Reproductive Physiology 1. Twin pregnancies result in high rates of abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality. 2. Twins develop subsequent to multiple ovulations. Multiple ovulations are related to breed, parity, and mare history. Multiple ovulations are most frequently seen in Thoroughbred and Draft mares. Multiple ovulations are more common in barren and perhaps maiden mares than in lactating mares, and they are more common in certain individual mares. 3. Equine embryos are motile in the uterus from the time of first detection (Days 9 to 10) until fixation (Day 16). They are frequently located in the uterine body on Days 9 and 10. 4. Twin embryos have a pattern of motility and fixation similar to that of single embryos, and fixation is more frequently unilateral than bilateral (70 per cent versus 30 per cent, respectively). 5. Mares have an efficient natural embryo-reduction mechanism to eliminate excess (greater than 1) embryos resulting from multiple ovulations. Natural embryo reduction is more successful in unilateral than bilateral twin pregnancies (89 per cent versus 11 per cent successful reduction, respectively). 6. After the establishment of endometrial cups (Days 35 to 40), mares that are aborted will frequently not cycle for several months. Management of Twin Pregnancy 1. Breed all mares regardless of the number of preovulatory follicles. Withholding mares with preovulatory follicles from breeding does not decrease the incidence of twin pregnancy, but it decreases the overall pregnancy rate and results in a loss of breeding time. 2. Check all mares for twins, regardless of the number of detected ovulations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)