Confronto retrospettivo di quattro differenti protocolli per il trattamento post-inseminazione nella cavalla

Aim of the study was to compare the effects on pregnancy rates of 4 different post-insemination treatments, by analyzing retrospectively clinical records of 467 mares inseminated with fresh or cooled semen. The treatments consisted in intramuscular administration of oxytocin (10-20 UI TID), associated or not to: flushing with sterile saline, or flushing added with antibiotics or with antiseptics. The pregnancy status of the mares was determined 14 and 40 days after ovulation by trans-rectal ultrasonography. Then, pregnancy rates were compared in repeated breeding mares treated either with flushing or with flushing added with antibiotic or antiseptic. The chosen treatments were correlated to the kind of semen (fresh/cooled) and to the presence of uterine fluid pre and post insemination. Pregnancy rates resulted significantly lower in mares with intraluminal fluid post insemination and it did not differ between the kind of semen nor between treatments. In repeat breeding mares, pregnancy rates were higher in mares treated with antibiotic or antiseptic and did not differ in relation to the presence of intrauterine fluid. In practical sets, identifying mares susceptible to persistent breeding-induced endometritis can be difficult, thus a tendency to over-diagnose and over-treat the mares post insemination could be observed. Particularly, the use of antibiotics should be carefully considered, because of the risk of bacterial resistance and lacking data about their effectiveness.