Chronobiological characterization of the first estrous cycle in Brasileiro de Hipismo mares during the postpartum period

This study was conducted on 32 mares during the first 30 d of the postpartum period to characterize the first estrous cycle, assessing ovarian cyclicity by determining plasma progesterone concentration and by transrectal palpation. The total pregnancy rate of the breeding season was 81.25%. The present results show that the incidence of estrus occurring at the beginning of the breeding season were early, long and anovulatory. The mares that did not become pregnant ovulated on average 14.5 d post partum, and those that became pregnant ovulated at 19.6 d post partum (P < 0.05). On the basis of clinical and hormonal data, we divided the animals into 4 groups, all presenting signs of estrus: Group 1, animals that did not ovulate (n = 7) and that presented basal P4 levels (0.01-2.34 ng/ml) during the first 30 postpartum days; Group 2, animals that ovulated and did not become pregnant (n = 13). Group 3, animals that ovulated and became pregnant (n = 8). Maximal P4 levels ranged from 4.40 to 13.50 ng/ml (Group 2) and from 3.70 to 20.50 ng/ml (Group 3). Group 4 were animals that presented high plasma P4 levels before any clinical sign of ovulation (n = 3). The absence of pregnancy could not be attributed to a failure of the corpus luteum, since the groups of mares that became pregnant exhibited similar plasma P4 levels as the group of nonpregnant mares. Our findings demonstrated that mares exhibited differences in the timing of the first postpartum estrus, the duration of the first postpartum estrus and the timing of the first postpartum ovulation according to the month of the breeding season in which foaling occurs under tropical conditions. Furthermore, our results indicate that the foal heat may be used since its utilization did not affect the total pregnancy rate of the breeding season.