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Veterinary Sciences
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Horse Reproduction and Fertility
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Horse Reproduction and Fertility

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 July 2025) | Viewed by 18729

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fiona K. Hollinshead

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
2. Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Interests: small animal; equine; exotic; wildlife; breeding management; performance of large-scale working dog colonies; male and female infertility; ultrasonography; semen biology; canine semen cryopreservation; contraception in small animals; isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles; 3D cell culture models of oviductal and endometrial organoids to study disease; canine and feline reproduction and artificial reproductive technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jenny L. Sones

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Fort Collins, CO 80423, USA
Interests: comparative pregnancy physiology; preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction; equine placentitis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Equine reproduction is a rapidly evolving field with novel discoveries made at a fast pace. Both mare and stallion fertility has been extended by refining traditional practice methods as well as advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This special issue welcomes submissions in the field of horse reproduction and fertility with an emphasis on mare and stallion reproductive endocrinology and physiology, genetics, equine pregnancy outcomes, and in vitro production of live foals.

Dr. Fiona K. Hollinshead
Dr. Jenny L. Sones
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • equine reproduction
  • assisted reproductive technologies (ART)
  • reproductive endocrinology
  • physiology
  • genetics
  • equine pregnancy
  • in vitro production

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2163 KB  
Article
Lactobacillus Genus Complex Probiotic-Induced Changes on the Equine Clitoral Microbiome
by Fiona Herzog, Kassandra R. Crissman, Kalie F. Beckers, Guoli Zhou, Chin-Chi Liu and Jenny L. Sones
Vet. Sci. 2025, 12(3), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12030232 - 3 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1297
Abstract
Dysbiosis of the lower reproductive tract (LRT) in mares may play a role in clinical diseases, including endometritis and placentitis. Metagenomic/metagenetic analysis of bacterial DNA can identify organisms that are not readily cultured and, thus, may go undetected. In this study, we tested [...] Read more.
Dysbiosis of the lower reproductive tract (LRT) in mares may play a role in clinical diseases, including endometritis and placentitis. Metagenomic/metagenetic analysis of bacterial DNA can identify organisms that are not readily cultured and, thus, may go undetected. In this study, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) the clitoris of estrual mares harbors a unique resident microbiome, (2) topical Lactobacillus genus complex (LGC)-containing probiotic will alter the equine clitoral microbiome, and (3) early pregnancy rates following clitoral LGC application will not differ significantly from industry standards. Mares (n = 12) in estrus had sterile clitoral swabs collected (0) prior to daily topical LGC for 4 days. Second (12 h) and third clitoral swabs (48 h) were collected following final LGC application. During the next estrus, the mares were bred by artificial insemination. Genomic DNA was extracted and used for 16S rRNA sequencing via the Illumina Miseq platform. Abundance was evaluated via Friedman test with pairwise Dunn’s post hoc comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Compared to time 0, Desulfobacterota decreased and Corynebacterium spp. increased at 12 h and 48 h compared to 0, while Actinobacillus and Fusobacterium spp. increased in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, Mobiluncus spp. and Christensenellacea_R-7_group decreased at 12 h and 48 h compared to 0. LGC changed the beta but not alpha diversity at both 12 h and 48 h. Mares with LGC application achieved an 85% pregnancy rate in the subsequent estrus. Future investigations are needed to understand the role of the LRT microbiome and probiotics in equine breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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8 pages, 1355 KB  
Article
Localization of β-Nerve Growth Factor in the Stallion Reproductive Tract
by Alison Mickelson, Forgivemore Magunda, James Graham and Patrick McCue
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(8), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11080367 - 12 Aug 2024
Viewed by 2381
Abstract
β-Nerve growth factor (β-NGF) is a protein produced in the reproductive tract of camelids (camels, llamas, and alpacas) that has been identified as the ovulation inducing factor in seminal plasma. β-NGF from seminal plasma deposited into the reproductive tract of the female camelid [...] Read more.
β-Nerve growth factor (β-NGF) is a protein produced in the reproductive tract of camelids (camels, llamas, and alpacas) that has been identified as the ovulation inducing factor in seminal plasma. β-NGF from seminal plasma deposited into the reproductive tract of the female camelid acts systemically to stimulate the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary, which in turn induces follicle maturation and ovulation. The objectives of the present study were to determine if β-NGF is present in the reproductive tract of the stallion and identify the specific site(s) of production. The hypotheses were that β-NGF would be present in the stallion reproductive tract and would primarily be localized in Sertoli cells of the testes and the prostate gland. Immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded paraformaldehyde-fixed tissues was performed using a rabbit polyclonal anti-β-NGF antibody on a total of six male equine reproductive tracts, including a one-day old colt, a one-year-old colt, and four adult stallion tracts. Strong immunostaining was observed in the efferent ducts of the testes and the epithelial cells of the prostate, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral glands, and ampullae. Weaker β-NGF staining was noted in Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and spermatogonia within the testes and in epithelial cells of the epididymis. In conclusion, immunohistochemistry revealed that β-NGF is present in the stallion reproductive tract, and the protein is primarily present in the efferent ducts of the testes and in all accessory sex glands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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12 pages, 2680 KB  
Article
Vaginal and Uterine Microbiota of Healthy Maiden Mares during Estrus
by Ana Gil-Miranda, Benjamin Caddey, Daniela Orellana-Guerrero, Hanna Smith, Juan C. Samper and Diego E. Gomez
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(7), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11070323 - 18 Jul 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2922
Abstract
This descriptive cross-sectional study compared the microbiota of the uterus, vagina, clitoral fossa (CF), and perineal skin in healthy maiden mares during estrus. Twelve synchronized, healthy maiden mares (3–4 years old) from one single recipient mare herd were included. Microbial communities were characterized [...] Read more.
This descriptive cross-sectional study compared the microbiota of the uterus, vagina, clitoral fossa (CF), and perineal skin in healthy maiden mares during estrus. Twelve synchronized, healthy maiden mares (3–4 years old) from one single recipient mare herd were included. Microbial communities were characterized by amplifying the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The uterine and vaginal microbiota had significantly lower richness (Chao-1) than the skin (p < 0.05). The uterine and vagina bacterial composition was similar in presence and abundance and could be differentiated from that of the CF and perineal skin. The microbial composition (Jaccard and Bray–Curtis distances) significantly differed across body-site locations (p < 0.05), which explained approximately 14% and 19% of the variation in microbial composition for Jaccard and Bray–Curtis distances, respectively. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant taxa in the uterus and vagina, with higher proportions of Proteobacteria in the vaginal samples compared to the uterine samples. Streptococcaceae and Staphylococcaceae were present in high abundance in the uterine and vaginal samples, while Lactobacillaceae were not (<10%). We demonstrate that the uterine and vaginal microbiota of healthy maiden mares during estrus is similar but both distinct from that of the CF and perineal skin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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16 pages, 1180 KB  
Article
Prevalence of Microbial Isolates Cultured from Endometrial Swab Samples Collected from United Kingdom Thoroughbred Mares from 2014 to 2020
by Rebecca Mouncey, Juan Carlos Arango-Sabogal, Polly Rathbone, Camilla J. Scott and Amanda M. de Mestre
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(2), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11020082 - 9 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4377
Abstract
Determining whether endometrial microbial isolates are pathogens, contaminants, or even part of the “normal” microbiome is extremely complex, particularly given the absence of “gold standard” tests for endometritis. Population-level benchmarking and temporal monitoring can provide novel insights and a wider context to improve [...] Read more.
Determining whether endometrial microbial isolates are pathogens, contaminants, or even part of the “normal” microbiome is extremely complex, particularly given the absence of “gold standard” tests for endometritis. Population-level benchmarking and temporal monitoring can provide novel insights and a wider context to improve understanding. This study aimed to (i) estimate the prevalence of endometrial isolates from swabs of Thoroughbred broodmares in Newmarket, UK between 2014 and 2020; and (ii) evaluate the effects of year, mare age, and cytology findings on isolate prevalence. Generalised linear mixed models with a logit link, both null models and models using year of sampling, mare age, or cytology findings as predictors, were fitted to estimate isolate prevalence. Over the 7-year period, data were available from 18,996 endometrial-swab samples from 6050 mares on 290 premises. The overall isolate prevalence was 35.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 33.0–37.9), and this varied significantly between years. The most prevalent isolates were β-hemolytic Streptococcus (17.9; 95% CI: 17–19) and E. coli (10.3%; 95% CI: 9.0–11.6). Isolate prevalence increased with mare age except for E. coli isolates, and with increasing category of cytology findings except for α-hemolytic Streptococcus isolates. The results provide novel estimates of isolate prevalence and highlight knowledge gaps around potential complexities in the interpretation of findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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Review

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17 pages, 623 KB  
Review
Reproductive Tract Microbiota of Mares
by Ana Gil-Miranda, Jennifer Macnicol, Daniela Orellana-Guerrero, Juan C. Samper and Diego E. Gomez
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(7), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11070324 - 18 Jul 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3292
Abstract
The female reproductive tract microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms that might be crucial in maintaining a healthy reproductive environment. Imbalances in the bacterial community (dysbiosis) and the reduction of beneficial organisms and pathogen proliferation are associated with disease. Endometritis is a [...] Read more.
The female reproductive tract microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms that might be crucial in maintaining a healthy reproductive environment. Imbalances in the bacterial community (dysbiosis) and the reduction of beneficial organisms and pathogen proliferation are associated with disease. Endometritis is a common cause of fertility problems in mares, and it is still challenging to diagnose and treat based on routine culture results of certain microorganisms. Although high-throughput sequencing studies provide helpful information regarding the composition of the reproductive tract microbiota in mares, there are still challenges in defining a “normal” microbiota. The primary objective of this literature review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding the microbiota present in the reproductive tract of mares, including the vagina, cervix, and uterus. The second objective is to describe the relevant factors that can impact the reproductive microbiota of mares, including the estrous cycle stage, the type of species (genera) investigated, season, and geographic location. The rationality of identifying the normal microbiota in the reproductive tract of a mare will likely aid in understanding the impact of the microbiota on the host’s reproductive health and contribute to the treatment and prevention of equine sub and infertility issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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Other

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8 pages, 1105 KB  
Case Report
Birth of a Healthy Monozygotic Twin Foal with Hydrops and a Dead Co-Twin
by Sofie Peere, Emma Van den Branden, Klaartje Broothaers, Ellen Polfliet, Katrien Smits and Jan Govaere
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(12), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11120649 - 13 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1948
Abstract
Transfer of in vitro-produced (IVP) equine embryos is associated with a higher incidence of monozygotic multiple pregnancies, but this remains a rarity. The outcome of monozygotic twin gestation is poor, and good management techniques are lacking. In addition, hydrops conditions are exceptional in [...] Read more.
Transfer of in vitro-produced (IVP) equine embryos is associated with a higher incidence of monozygotic multiple pregnancies, but this remains a rarity. The outcome of monozygotic twin gestation is poor, and good management techniques are lacking. In addition, hydrops conditions are exceptional in horses, with hydroallantois occurring more frequently than hydramnion. Most hydrops conditions will lead to compromise or death of the foal and mare. A 6-year-old multiparous standardbred recipient mare, 332 days pregnant, diagnosed with a monozygotic twin and hydrops with a dead co-twin, gave birth with an assisted vaginal delivery. The dead foal, previously determined at 9 months by ultrasound, turned out to have the dimensions and hair corresponding to an 8-month-old foal. The other foal was born alive and considered healthy and normal-sized for its age. Both mare and foal were discharged from the clinic one week after parturition. This report is the first to describe the birth of a healthy foal born from a monozygotic twin pregnancy in the presence of hydrops, following transfer of a single IVP equine embryo. In addition, it is rare to find a non-macerated, non-mummified dead co-twin after fetal death at 8 months together with a healthy full-term foal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horse Reproduction and Fertility)
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