2004
was our busiest season yet, with the reproductive care of 124 broodmares
being undertaken by Hobgoblins Stud Equine Reproduction Centre.
Pregnancy rates were 86 % for chilled and just under 60% for frozen
semen inseminations, which was pleasing given that a number of the mares
which we treat are referred by other Veterinary Practices as “problem
mares”. The vast majority of mares were competition (particularly
dressage and showjumping) mares, with our number of Quarterhorse clients
continuing to grow and a definite increase in eventing mares. The surge
in interest in breeding eventers was spearheaded by the arrival at
Hobgoblins of Chamois IV a month after she had successfully completed
Badminton – she has now returned home to her owner, Fiona Dowding, in
foal for the first time in her teens! Our embryo transfer work also
expanded this year, and we are thrilled to be able to report what we
believe to be the first Quarterhorse ET pregnancies in the UK – both by
Sterling Quarterhorses’ World Champion stallion Nijomi Sonny Reb. On the
stallion side, 2004 saw the opening of our frozen semen export centre,
and we have seen a steady increase in the number of stallion owners
freezing their horse’s semen for both UK and European markets.
Those
of you who have visited the stud during the past few months will have
seen the new foaling box (complete with CCTV), wash-down area and
office, and the vast number of maintenance improvements which have been
undertaken during the year by Chris Clarke and Faith Jones-Darlington.
Chris and Faith have also been responsible for the care of all the
horses at Hobgoblins during the year, and we are delighted that they
will both be with us once again in 2005.
As
ever, clinical work during the stud season has driven the research work
being undertaken by Madeleine Campbell, and this September we have begun
a clinical trial investigating the effects of airport x-ray radiation on
the fertility of shipped semen, which is being sponsored by
Hamilton-Thorne (makers of Equitainer) and is running in collaboration
with the Royal Veterinary College.
Part of the fun of
the Stud’s work is supporting the stallions who stand at
Hobgoblins in their competition careers. This being an Olympic
year, we made the trip to Athens to cheer on Bjorsell’s Briar,
who was the highest placed stallion and finished 7th overall
in the individual dressage. In September, Heidi Troniseck’s
stallion Lenski became a UK National Champion when ridden to
victory by Amy Stovold in the Medium Restricted.
Looking ahead to the 2005 stud
season, we will be implementing a number of managerial
changes which we hope will offer an improved service to
our clients. The most apparent of these will be a more
responsive telephone answering system which will no
longer be reliant upon the Vet’s arm not being in a mare
at the time you call! Past experience shows that the
off-season goes around remarkably quickly, and to this
end we enclose flyers for semen freezing (most easily
done during the winter months) and for the barren mare
clinics, which are a new innovation which will be
running for the first time this winter. Details of all
of the arrangements for the 2005 season, including the
stallions at stud, will be in the Stud Brochure which
will be distributed in early 2005.
End of
Season Newsletter