Stallion Breeding Management

Although many people do not own stallions that they keep on their farm, there are some farms that have a need for a stallion almost daily. Before you purchase a stallion to keep on your farm, there are some precautions you should take to ensure not only you are safe, but also your stallion, mares, and facilities.

Stallions need to be properly housed in order to be comfortable as well as not to injure anyone. Some stallions do not pose a concern around most horses, but some stallions become highly aggressive during the breeding season. If a farm has more than one stallion, it is important that they be separated from the rest of the horses. Since the main reason to have stallions is for them to breed, they may not be handled as often as other horses. This means they may spend more time in their stall than other horses. Because of this, stallions need to be kept in larger stalls. Typically, wood is the material of choice to build stalls for stallions because it does give slightly if kicked, but is not as loud as metal stalls. In addition, stallions do not need to spend all of their time in a stall; they need exercise. Even if it is just hand-walking, it is important to ensure stallions have exercise, which may help increase semen production.

Nutrition is a key part of a stallion’s health. During the breeding season, stallions typically increase their exercise. Also, their energy will need to be increased meaning they need to be on a good nutritional program to keep their strength up for breeding season. Body condition scoring of stallions can be done by measuring the fat cover on various parts of the stallion’s body, including the neck, shoulder, croup, back, and ribs. Some owners like to supplement with different species of hay, including legumes or grass hay. No matter what the owner chooses, it is important that the stallion receive the proper nutrition not just during breeding season, but all year.

For more information about properly managing stallions, please visit the original article by clicking here and scroll down to the .pdf file titled "An Overview of Stallion Breeding Management." If you have any questions, feel free to contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.