Premium
Reproductive phenology of Creole horses in Ecuador in the absence of photoperiod variation: The effects of forage availability and flooding affecting body condition of mares
Author(s) -
Carranza Juan,
Yoong Washington A.,
Mateos Concha,
Caño Vergara Belén,
Gómez Chian L.,
Macías Verónica
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12818
Subject(s) - phenology , biology , temperate climate , reproduction , seasonal breeder , photoperiodism , seasonality , pasture , horse , forage , flooding (psychology) , zoology , dry season , ecology , botany , psychology , paleontology , psychotherapist
Horse reproduction tends to be seasonal. The main adjusting factor in their original temperate ranges is photoperiod variation, although it is absent in equatorial areas where horses were introduced by European colonizers. Hence, dates of reproduction in these areas may be influenced by factors affecting mares’ conditions and the success of foaling. Here we study reproductive timing in Creole horses in Ecuador reared in an extensive production system. We found that foaling peaked in August. Mares’ conditions showed one peak in June‐July, before the start of the breeding season, and another in December, and it was highly variable along the year. Mares’ conditions increased after a period of vegetation growth and thus appeared negatively associated with the increment of grass greenness (normalized difference vegetation index data). Seasonal flooding of some pasturelands during March and April appeared to seriously impair mares’ conditions and probably influenced the timing of foaling toward the dry season. Our results evidenced that horse breeding in these equatorial areas tended to be seasonal and point to some key factors that influence phenology by affecting body condition of mares, which may have implications for horse biology and management.