Breeding Question - Page 1

On what day of the heat (on average) do you find that your female is ready for breeding and most fertile? How many people do progesterone tests and how accurate do you find them?

I have always used my own males so things are easier, but this time am going to a stud for two visits so I want to be sure I take her on the proper days. With my own male, last heat she was receptive on days 8 through 14. It's been three years since I bred one of my girls so I feel stupid, my mind is at a loss.

 

Tina

progesterone tests are more accurate then the female herself.

Jason said it best, the one thing I have learnt with breeding... the only thing that is certain in any aspect is progesterone levels.
Every female and every heat cycle is different.
Ive had a female ovulate on day 18, next time she ovulated at day 13. Both succesfull breedings
Find a good repro vet, best advice you will ever get

Dan Juros

I agree Dan a good repro vet will save you a lot of time, money and heart ache

Ditto and ditto to Jason and Dan...... been dooing this for over 20 years and I wouldn't even bother if I couldn't get prgesterone testing...... takes all the guesswork out of it

In Germany, we do one to two progesterone tests before the breeding and one about 3 to 5 days after the mating to make sure that ovulation really occured and not a so-called split heat.
Unfortunately, my vet here in the U.S.  is not really well equipped. For progesterone tests, he has to send the sample away and wait for the results. Even with express shipping, it takes at least 48 hours to get results. I never understood why, because the vet in Germany has them in a couple of hours.

If you are using an experienced stud dog, then sending her early (in the early days of her heat) and leaving her there (at the stud dogs' facility) should cover her just fine - the stud will know when she's ready and cover her in the days just before and after ovulation.  If she's going to an inexperienced stud dog, or if for some reason you need to time the cycle exactly (doing an AI or if you have to travel with the female, only stay for a couple days for the breeding then travel back etc) then progesterone testing is important to time her ovulation and know which days are optimum for breeding.

molly

I agree with Molly to a point, not all experienced studs know, but I have seen a couple who would not touch a bitch till being spot on and often times a good male is much better then a female.
This may sound disturbing to some, but to others like me who have spent thousands on making breedings happen and knowing your bitch is most important, some have a distinct odor to them when ovulating. In my experience it lasts for about 2 days or so.
I agree Silbersee about progesterone after the fact, but normally I would only do this with AI's and such. Even with my bitch that split heats... when the numbers are high generally with the U.S. scale 5-10 is ovulation... when you are breeding and its up at 15, you should be spot on and not require anything else. They can't split after ovulating.

Progesterones are a pain in the ass and are way too costly for what they are but are the only way to go.

Dan

Thank you to all the respondants. You have all answered my question and swayed me the way I was thinking anyway. I will be using a stud who is experienced  but I will not be leaving my girl there so timing is important to the days I visit.

Thanks again
Tina