Each thoroughbred breeding region has unique characteristics, so it is crucial to have accurate information specific to each state. Information acquired from the Australian Stud Book indicates that pregnancy loss is highly variable across breeding regions. To address this pressing issue, it is essential to obtain state-specific information to assist breeders to reduce pregnancy losses.
In determining how best to reduce pregnancy losses, it is important to understand the size of the problem, at what time of year losses occur, at what stage of the pregnancy most losses happen, the major causes of losses, and the influence of the environment on the mares.
Work investigating pregnancy losses in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, completed in 2021 as part of AgriFutures Australia project The pathology and epidemiology of equine pregnancy loss (PRJ-011719), delivered interesting and unexpected results that breeders and their vets can use to plan how to reduce pregnancy losses. To improve the quality of the information collected, this project will continue the case-control study undertaken in that initial project and investigate Queensland studs as well as those in the Hunter Valley that participated in the earlier work.