—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 16. 1977
96
Research develops
methods to control
horse breeding
NEWARK, Del. - It’s
possible for horse breeders
to control estrus-or heat
and ovulation in mares so
that breeding is done at the
owner’s convenience.
According to Mel Reit
nour, extension equine
specalist at the University
of Delaware, researchers in
Colorado have found that
artifical light and nutrition
can affect the onset of the
breeding season. He cites
research using the hormone
prostaglandin to induce heat.
Reitnour says that the
Animal Reproduction
Laboratory at Colorado
State University (CSU) has
been researching an
estrusinducing technique in
which mares are given in
jections Of prostaglandin two
weeks apart. When the in
jections were given to a
group of mares at CSU, he
said, about 80 per cent came
into heat within six days
after the second injection. A
majority was in estrus two or
three days after the second
injection.
The research is aimed at
providing owners with a
method of “appointment
breeding” in which the time
of breeding is precisely
controlled and the need for
estrus detection would be
eliminated. However,
prostaglandin is effective
only in mares with a func
tioning corpus luteum on an
ovary.
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In addition, he explained
that prostaglandin may have
some short-term side effects
-such as sweating or in
creased respiration rates
but that these symptoms
should disappear after a half
hour to an hour. The
prostaglandin won’t ad
versely affect a foal or a
mare’s future breeding
ability.
According to Reitnour,
CSU also is researching the
use of progesterone com
pounds for estrus control.
Such a compound could be
added to a mare’s ration and
. used early in the breeding
season when mares may not
be cycling normally.
Other methods that can be
used to hasten the breeding
season are artifical lighting
and increasedfood intake for
mares in thin condition.
Mares can be stimulated
with light, according to
Reitnour, beginning in
November or December by
putting a 200-watt bulb in a
12-by-12 foot stall. The
combination of natural and
artificial light should total 16
hours to which artificial light
can be added in mornings,
evenings or both.
Reitnour added that
bringing mares into the
breeding season on the thin
side and then allowing them
to gain weight may help
them come into heat early.
However, while this
technique seems to hold
Grange
• WASHINGTON, D. C. -
The leader of the nation’s
oldest and second largest
farm organization says he
and his organization were
pleased with the Secretary of
Agriculture’s announcement
that a food reserve would be
created out of the surpluses
of wheat and rice. “A surplus
is no longer a surplus when it
becomes a part of a well
managed reserve program,”
John W. Scott, master of the
National Grange said, “and
we believe the Secretary is
making the right moves by
establishing a farmer-owned
4-H fair set
MEDIA, Pa. Hie 4-H dabs
of Delaware County will hold
their annual Spring Fair on
Friday and Saturday, April
22 and 23 at Granite Run
Mall in Media. The fair will
feature club exhibits and
demonstrations on such
topics as needle craft,
sewing, rabbits, poultry,
beekeeping and indoor
gardening. There will be
stage performances and a 4-
H fashion show on Saturday.
The event is free and open to
the public.
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promise, it hasn’t been
researched extensively.
they go togeth
okays reserve program
and farm-stored food
reserve program.”
Scott believes that the
wheat loan level should be
raised above the present
level, but not over $2.75 per
bushel if we are to remain
competitive in world
markets. “The loan level,
plus the annual prepaid 20
cents per bushel storage
payment, win aid farmers in
preventing a disastrous
decline in farm income,
especially if we continue to
have favorable weather for
the 1977 crop. At the same
time it will keep stocks in the
hands of farmers to meet
consumer needs and export
needs if we have unfavorable
weather during the three
year period of the reserve
loan agreement,” Scott
added.
The Grange leader had
met with the Secretary
shortly after his con
firmation and encouraged
the Secretary at that time to
establish a reserve program
immediately by announcing
a multiyear reseal loan
program for wheat, which
would include a storage
payment and forgiveness of
interest payment, as a
method of financially aiding
wheat producers.
The Grange, in testimony
before the Senate and House
Agriculture Committees,
had urged a higher loan rate
for wheat and feed grains,
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but Scott said, “We can
understand the Secretary’s
and the Administration’s
concern, but we will work
with Congress in arriving at
the best set of guaranteed
and loan support prices to
meet the needs of American
agriculture. We honly hope,”
Scott concluded, “that the
reserve program is so
structured that all of the
grain in storage does not
come back on the market at
one time, as has been
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reported by some ne«r
sources. This would be
worse disaster thjJ
prolonged lower marks
prices. We have submitted!
plan that would let th
market price increase
determine the amount 0
grain that would be pulle
from storage. This protect
the farmer’s market whuj
tie has stored for and assure
the consumer of priQ
stability, without the drastu
swings.”
MILLS