MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The MTSU Horse Science Program will offer two-day breeders short courses to help breeders improve or update breeding practices employed at their facilities. The information presented will target breeding farm owners and managers, breeding personnel as well as part-time breeders who would like to be more involved in breeding and foaling their own mares.

Topics discussed in the morning sessions will include reproductive anatomy of mares and stallions, physiology of the estrous cycle and sperm formation, reproductive management of the estrus cycle and pregnancy, foaling management and neonatal care as well as nutritional management of mares, weanlings and yearlings. In the afternoons, the group will split up and receive one-on-one instruction on an as needed basis for stallion handling, AV preparation, semen collection, handling, storage and cooled transport. Laboratories will also include estrus detection, breeding hygiene and artificial insemination.

All lectures and hands-on laboratories will be administered by the MTSU Horse Science Faculty and students. The two-day short courses are scheduled for February 28-29 and March 13-14, 2004. Participants are assured that the methods presented in lab will emphasize safety. The fee is $350 for each person and enrollment is limited to 10 persons for each course. Anyone interested should contact Dr. Bill Day at (615) 494-8849 or e-mail wday@mtsu.edu.