Horses are long-day seasonal breeding animals with reproductive activity generally occurring in the spring and summer (Daels and Hughes 1993). A period of anoestrus generally occurs in mares in the winter months (Sharp and Davis 1993). Similarly, seminal characteristics and sexual behaviour of stallions roughly coincide with the natural breeding season of mares, but many stallions are known to be sexually competent all year round and therefore less seasonal than mares
Puberty is the period of transition from a state of reproductive
immaturity to a state of full reproductive competence (Cameron
1990). An animal is defined to have reached puberty when it is
able to release gametes and to manifest sexual behaviour (Hafez
1993). Onset of puberty in the female may be defined as the time
of the first ovulation, which can be determined by measurement of
plasma progesterone. In many species, including horses, a
progesterone concentration greater than 2 ng/ml is indicative of a
luteal phase following an ovulation (Roberson et al. 1991; Suttie
et al. 1991; Nachreiner and Hyland 1993; Bergfeld et al. 1994).
Puberty in male animals cannot be determined with the same
degree of accuracy, because it represents a process of development
rather than a definable single event. However, puberty has been
defined as the time when the testes become androgenically active,
producing testosterone concentrations greater than 0.5 ng/ml
(Naden et al. 1990a), with spermatozoa appearing some time after
the onset of puberty (Skinner and Rowson 1968).
There are few data on age, weight and time of year of puberty
in Thoroughbred horses. A major difficulty with interpretation of
such data as do exist is the wide variety of detection methods and
descriptions of the onset of puberty resulting in inconsistencies
between studies. For example, age at puberty in pony fillies is
10–24 months (Wesson and Ginther 1981) and 15 months (Palmer
and Draincourt 1983); in Thoroughbred fillies it occurs between
12 months (Adams and Bosu 1988; Camillo et al. 2002) and
14 months (Nogueira et al. 1997); and in Quarter Horse fillies it
occurs between 21 and 24 months (Naden et al. 1990b). Puberty in
colts, as determined by semen characteristics, occurred at
12–15 months in Welsh Pony colts (Skinner and Bowen 1968) and
at 14–24 months in Quarter Horse colts (Naden et al. 1990a).
In seasonal breeders, there is evidence for the involvement of
both photoperiodic cues and degree of maturity (defined as weight
as a proportion of expected mature weight) in the onset of puberty.
Regardless of season of birth, sheep reach puberty in the autumn
and winter-born lambs are therefore older at puberty than springborn
lambs (Foster et al. 1985). In lambs born in late summer and
autumn, puberty onset is delayed until the following autumn,
Horses are long-day seasonal breeding animals with reproductive activity generally occurring in the spring and summer (Daels and Hughes 1993). A period of anoestrus generally occurs in mares in the winter months (Sharp and Davis 1993). Similarly, seminal characteristics and sexual behaviour of stallions roughly coincide with the natural breeding season of mares, but many stallions are known to be sexually competent all year round and therefore less seasonal than mares
Puberty is the period of transition from a state of reproductive
immaturity to a state of full reproductive competence (Cameron
1990). An animal is defined to have reached puberty when it is
able to release gametes and to manifest sexual behaviour (Hafez
1993). Onset of puberty in the female may be defined as the time
of the first ovulation, which can be determined by measurement of
plasma progesterone. In many species, including horses, a
progesterone concentration greater than 2 ng/ml is indicative of a
luteal phase following an ovulation (Roberson et al. 1991; Suttie
et al. 1991; Nachreiner and Hyland 1993; Bergfeld et al. 1994).
Puberty in male animals cannot be determined with the same
degree of accuracy, because it represents a process of development
rather than a definable single event. However, puberty has been
defined as the time when the testes become androgenically active,
producing testosterone concentrations greater than 0.5 ng/ml
(Naden et al. 1990a), with spermatozoa appearing some time after
the onset of puberty (Skinner and Rowson 1968).
There are few data on age, weight and time of year of puberty
in Thoroughbred horses. A major difficulty with interpretation of
such data as do exist is the wide variety of detection methods and
descriptions of the onset of puberty resulting in inconsistencies
between studies. For example, age at puberty in pony fillies is
10–24 months (Wesson and Ginther 1981) and 15 months (Palmer
and Draincourt 1983); in Thoroughbred fillies it occurs between
12 months (Adams and Bosu 1988; Camillo et al. 2002) and
14 months (Nogueira et al. 1997); and in Quarter Horse fillies it
occurs between 21 and 24 months (Naden et al. 1990b). Puberty in
colts, as determined by semen characteristics, occurred at
12–15 months in Welsh Pony colts (Skinner and Bowen 1968) and
at 14–24 months in Quarter Horse colts (Naden et al. 1990a).
In seasonal breeders, there is evidence for the involvement of
both photoperiodic cues and degree of maturity (defined as weight
as a proportion of expected mature weight) in the onset of puberty.
Regardless of season of birth, sheep reach puberty in the autumn
and winter-born lambs are therefore older at puberty than springborn
lambs (Foster et al. 1985). In lambs born in late summer and
autumn, puberty onset is delayed until the following autumn,
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