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Dietary supplementation with high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in EO-3, has a multitude of beneficial health benefits in equine reproduction. Supplementation improves broodmare health; foal health, immunity, and development; and even a stallion’s reproductive parameters. But did you know that without such fatty acids, the equine embryo—an already delicate entity—likely wouldn’t make it from conception to reality?

“The entire equine reproductive process is rife with potential pitfalls, making one wonder how mares ever become pregnant at all,” said Laura Petroski-Rose, B.V.M.S, a veterinarian for Kentucky Equine Research.

Consider, for example, the miraculous journey of an egg released from the mare’s ovary. After being expelled from the follicle on the ovary, the unfertilized egg travels down the mare’s oviduct towards the uterus. To support the egg on its travels, the oviduct and uterus secretes fluid containing proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids, including linoleic, stearic, oleic, and palmitic acid.

As the egg journeys down the oviduct, these fluids support the transport, maturation, fertilization, and development of the embryo—which is the product of successful fertilization of the egg with a single sperm cell. As recently described*, the equine embryo has an “extraordinarily long preimplantation period of 40 days,” meaning the embryo migrates around in the mare’s uterus for well over one month before finding the perfect place to implant and develop.

During that time, the embryo uses the uterine fluid, primarily the fatty acids, for nutrition. In addition, the developing, migratory embryo communicates with the mare through this fatty acid-rich fluid for “maternal recognition of pregnancy.” Interestingly, the composition of the fluid changes during the preimplantation period to ensure the embryo receives adequate nutrition in the uterus, and to protect the developing fetus by responding to any inflammation in the uterus.

“Clearly, fatty acids within the mare’s reproductive tract have significant influence on embryonic growth and development, translating into reproductive success. This is only one of the many benefits of supplementing broodmares with EO-3, a marine-derived fish oil product rich in both EPA and DHA,” noted Petroski-Rose.

*Drews, B., V. Milojevic, K. Giller, et al. 2018. Fatty acid profile of blood plasma and oviduct and uterine fluid during early and late luteal phase in the horse. Theriogenology. 114:258-265.

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