EQUIVET AUSTRAILA - ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING FOR BROOD MARES

ADVANTAGES
Dry mares will cycle earlier; avoiding the inconvenience of spring oestrus - (heat all the time without forming a good follicle or ovulating) an oestrus (failure to come into heat at all ). Both conditions can be different and expensive to treat.

Wet mares will have their gestation period reduced by about 10 (ten) days while still producing a normal size foal.

Foaling mares will have their foal heat at about 5 (five) days, allowing you to recycle them earlier and cover at 12-14 days.

HOW DO WE DO IT?
The lighting system must achieve the equivalent of 16 hours of daylight per day. In practical terms, this means switching on the lights 1 (one) hour before dusk and switching them off at midnight. A good system will have the lights on a timer which switches the lights off at midnight and opens a gate to allow the mares to go back to their paddocks.

Longer periods of lighting and continuous lighting can be counter productive .

THE GOOD NEWS!
Recent research indicates the amount of light required is not as much as previously thought and the lights can be turned off after thirty-five (35) days. (if you're game). Just enough light to illuminate the area will be sufficient.

RUGS
Rugs will help keep the dry mares stress free during the colder months, therefore, making them able to cycle earlier. Similarly, they reduce the stress for your in foal mares and so will lower the incidence of abortion. You can stable them also of course, but don't be tempted to leave the lights on all night as that will be counter productive