Position Veterinary Management of the Breeding Stallion

It is the opinion of the AAEP that proper management of the breeding stallion is paramount in obtaining optimum breeding efficiency. Proper management requires close cooperation between the licensed veterinarian and stallion manager. The licensed veterinarian can contribute various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to this partnership. The need to perform any or all of these procedures should only be determined by a licensed veterinarian with a valid VCPR.

These procedures include, but are not limited to: visual, digital, endoscopic and sonographic examination of the reproductive organs; collection and evaluation of semen (i.e., assessment of spermatozoal number, initial spermatozoal motility, longevity of spermatozoal motility and spermatozoal morphology); evaluation of spermatozoal responsiveness to cooling and freezing techniques; evaluation of extender compatibility with semen; obtainment of samples from the reproductive tract for bacterial culture or virus isolation; obtainment of biopsy samples from portions of the reproductive tract for histological evaluation; adjunctive diagnostic techniques (e.g., hormonal assays, sperm chromatin structure assay, spermatozoal function assays, anti-sperm antibody assay and transmission electronic microscopic examination of semen/sperm); medical therapeutic strategies; and urogenital surgery.

A reproduction examination should be carried out by a licensed veterinarian prior to entry of a stallion into a breeding program and periodically during the animal’s  breeding career in order to manage the stallion for maximum reproductive efficiency. Semen collections should be performed by a licensed veterinarian or qualified reproductive technician. Diagnostic tests, medical treatments and urogenital surgery should be conducted only by a licensed veterinarian.

Revised by AAEP board of directors in 2024.