ARTICLE ARTIKEL

The use of electrochemically activated saline as a uterine instillation in pony mares

C H Annandale^I; M L Schulman^I; R D Kirkpatrick^II

^ISection of Reproduction, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IIRadical Waters, PO Box 6482, Kyalami,1685 South Africa

ABSTRACT

Twelve pony mares were randomly assigned to either a control or a treatment group and inseminated with fresh, raw semen from a single stallion of known fertility in a cross-over trial design. Pregnancy was diagnosed by transrectal ultrasound 12-14 days post-ovulation and then terminated by administration of a luteolytic dose of cloprostenol. Treatment mares received a uterine instillation of 100 ml of electrochemically activated (ECA) saline 4-12 hours post-insemination. Control mares received no treatment post-insemination. Per cycle pregnancy rate was 58.3 % in the control group and 50 % in the treatment group. There was no statistical difference (P = 1.000) in pregnancy rate between the 2 groups. The principles of ECA and applications of ECA saline are discussed.

Key words: electrochemical, endometritis, fresh semen, mare, saline

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Received: August 2007
Accepted: March 2008

* Author for correspondence: E-mail: henry.annandale@up.ac.za