PERFORMANCE-TEST ON MARES IN-FIELD AND ON STATION .2. PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND BREEDING PROSPECTS

Number of mares mated per stallion, foaling rate, reproductive life and generation interval of a Warmblood population were analysed exemplary as a basis for future breeding strategy. Records were obtained, for the period 1978 to 1991, from Hanoverian herd registration book. Out of the 189.006 registered matings 109.005 foalings were observed within the span of 14 breeding years. During the period between 1978 to 1991,45.4% stallions were mated with less than 10 mares. On an average, the stallions were kept for 4.0 years for breeding and mated with 29.S mares (s = 34.6) per season. The mean value of stallions mated with less than 10 mares per year, was 41.9%. The average foaling rate was 57.7% per year. The foaling rate increased with increase in the artificial insemination practise. In 1990 more than 61 % foalings were observed. The reproductive life of the mares born in 1977 was analysed. The average reproductive life of such mares were 4.6 years with 2.7 foals born within the span of 14 years. The generation intervals for dam-daughter, dam-son, sire-daughter and sire-son were L(dd) = 9.1, L(ds) = 9.2, L(sd) = 10.7 and L(ss) = 10.7 years for each respective path (s = 4.2-4.8). The integration of performance tests on mares in a breeding programme were discussed. Therefore, simulation studies were conducted. The application of test results for estimating more accurate breeding values of sires results distinctly higher selection response (about 25%) per generation.