280 Western Live-stock Management 



condition of the sexual organs, or by having the neck 

 of the uterus stopped up with mucus, or excessively- 

 enlarged. The latter ailments are very common, and if 

 the neck of the uterus is closed, it should be opened as 

 above indicated. In inserting the hand, it should always 

 be perfectly clean and lubricated with pure soapsuds. 

 When any diseased condition is suspected, the hands 

 should be absolutely free from any breaks in the skin, 

 such as cuts, scratches, hang nails, and the like. Mares 

 that are in diseased condition should not be bred by a 

 stallion. If it is thought best to breed them, this should 

 be done artificially. A ^'eterina^ian should be called to 

 handle any unusual conditions of the sexual organs, as 

 they require skilled treatment. 



The re-trying system that is practiced in the serving 

 of the mares is to re-try them in three weeks after breed- 

 ing, and then re-try again once a week for four weeks 

 following, or until seven weeks from the time of breeding. 

 Many mares will not re-breed at twenty-one days if they 

 are not in foal, but come in at the fourth or fifth week 

 after breeding. In order, therefore, to be sure that they 

 are in foal, it is necessary to have them re-tried at least 

 four times, instead of once, as many stallion men practice. 



Artificial impregnation. 



Three methods of artificial impregnation are commonly 

 practiced : with the breeding bag, with the impregnating 

 syringe, and with the use of capsules. The object of 

 artificial impregnation is to breed two or more mares 

 from one service of the horse, and in this manner lessen 

 the necessary services of the horse, and increase the number 

 of mares which it is possible for him to breed. When a 

 mare is bred, the horse injects the semen or male fluid 



