born later seems not to matter

[Roguelet]

Here's my 2 cents: I think that a foal gets a better start in life when it is born in April, May or June. After all, that is more when nature intended (and I have to think that nature is more on point here than man.)

Also, a mare doesn't have to be manipulated into coming into heat to have a later foal, because she's cycling naturally anyway. While I don't think heat manipulation necessarily has a detrimental effect on the resulting foal, it does support the "nature intended" comment.

A foal born in January, February, March, and even early April here this year, would have been born in frigid temperatures, chilling winds, and nasty storms, with tons of snow and ice on the ground, or mud, to the point of greatly reducing or completely eliminating their turnout... taking away natural sunlight, fresh air, fresh grass, the ability to safely run, buck and play in a large area, etc. Foals born now, however, immediately get to bask in the sun, get fresh air, run around on grass, etc.

I don't think that anyone is ever going to convince me that the second option does not create a better initial environment for a foal, and I also don't think that anyone is ever going to convince me that a foal's initial environment does not somewhat affect it long-term... even if it's just a little bit.

[zinn21]

Roguelet wrote:

A foal born in January, February, March, and even early April here this year, would have been born in frigid temperatures, chilling winds, and nasty storms, with tons of snow and ice on the ground, or mud, to the point of greatly reducing or completely eliminating their turnout... taking away natural sunlight, fresh air, fresh grass, the ability to safely run, buck and play in a large area, etc. Foals born now, however, immediately get to bask in the sun, get fresh air, run around on grass, etc.

That is the case in the mid west, north and northeast but not in Florida or Southern Ca. and to a certain extent Northern California in terms of weather. Heat cycle manipulation would be the same in all areas based on artificial lighting required to manipulate in all areas about equal. If your take is correct it might reveal comparable statistical results for foals born early in warm weather regions with their cold weather April/May foals or similar results for all regions based upon artificial manipulation of heat cycle being a negative.. If your theory is correct it should identify Jan/Feb/March foals, in general, as statistically disadvantaged..

[st. louis kid]

You can get a lot better deal on a stud fee by breeding late in the year. Farms are wheeling and dealing right now.