Pre-Purchase Evaluation of Stallions Acquired from International Markets

Horse owners in obtaining high quality stallions for the purpose of reproduction make substantial investment. The stallion provides 50% of the genetic makeup of the foal crop. New stallions are frequently brought into region every years to avoid breeding the stallion to his own progeny. Veterinarians involved with prepurchase examination of stallion must take into consideration the intended purpose of the stallion regarding athletic competitions, the stallion’s general soundness, and overall reproductive soundness. Evaluation of stallions for athletic purposes should include full physical examination, and also complete lameness exam. Herein importance of series of tests such as hoof testing, flexion tests and radiographs of joints such as the coffin, navicular, carpus, hock, and stifle. Heritable conditions including laryngeal problems, navicular disease, umbilical hernias, and osteocondrosis dissicans (OCD) will be reviewed. Regarding the stallion’s pedigree the inherited diseases such as (PSSM, HYPP, CID, HERDA), orconformational features (Club foot, parrot mouth) will be discussed. The physical examination features, for problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD) would be highlighted. Evaluation of breeding records and desirable semen parameters for stallions of average fertility will be reviewed. The examination of the stallion’s reproductive tract including: ultrasonographic evaluation of the accessory sex glands (bulbourethral glands, prostate, seminal vesicle and ampulla), testicular dimensions and total scrotal width and semen parameters (volume, concentration, percent progressive motility and determination of the percent morphologically normal) along with guidelines, methods of test and preparations of sperm with respect to use in live cover, cooled transported semen or frozen semen breeding programs will be reviewed. Common causes of unsoundness in breeding stallions will be discussed.