Assessment of the breeding prognosis of mares using paired endometrial biopsy techniques

Paired endometrial biopsy samples were taken from 530 subfertile mares, before and after treatment (where indicated) and a period of sexual rest. Prognoses were made after each biopsy (Categories 1A-4A before treatment and Categories 1B-4B after treatment), using histopathological criteria similar to those described by Kenney and Doig (1986). Eighty-seven per cent of the mares were assigned to first biopsy prognosis Category 3A. The second biopsy prognosis produced a more even population distribution (10, 47, 40 and 3 per cent respectively for Category 1B, 2B, 3B and 4B mares). First biopsy Category 3A and 4A mares produced mean foaling rates of 51 and 40 per cent respectively. None of the 14 second biopsy Category 4B mares delivered a live foal (12 were barren, one aborted and one suffered early foetal death). This study supports the hypothesis that a breeding prognosis assigned on the basis of two endometrial biopsy samples, taken before and after specific uterine treatment, where indicated, which takes into consideration the mare's ability to respond to treatment, is likely to be more accurate than one assigned after a single biopsy sample.