Embryo recovery results in Hispano-Arabe horse and Spanish donkey breeds

Abstract This study was carried out as part of an embryo preservation program undertaken among Hispano-Arabe (H-a) mares and Spanish (Andalusian and Zamorano-Leones) jennies, both considered to be endangered breeds. Over the course of six years, 61 donor mares and 17 donor jennies were monitored and inseminated with chilled semen from 17H-a stallions and six jackasses. A total of 199 uterine flushings (140 in mares and 59 in jennies) were carried out and the embryo recovery rate was recorded and the effect of various factors such as embryo quality and size, flushing effluent quality and individual effects were analyzed. The ovulation rate was significantly lower in donor mares (1.12) than in jennies (1.86) (p 0.05), and it was influenced by photoperiod (p