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 an d generation interval of a Warmblood population were analysed exemplar y as a basis for future breeding strategy. Records were obtained, for the period 1978 to 1991, from Hanoverian herd registration book. Out o f 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, th e stallions were kept for 4.0 years for breeding and mated with 29.S m ares (s = 34.6) per season. The mean value of stallions mated with les s 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 ave rage reproductive life of such mares were 4.6 years with 2.7 foals bor n within the span of 14 years. The generation intervals for dam-daught er, 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 pro gramme were discussed. Therefore, simulation studies were conducted. T he application of test results for estimating more accurate breeding v alues of sires results distinctly higher selection response (about 25% ) per generation.