Demographic parameters of thoroughbred horses in Morocco

The study of demographic parameters related to thoroughbred horses concemed the analysis of stallions and mares performance recorded in the Moroccan Stud-Book and in the Regional Stud farm books of El Jadida. The generation interval for thoroughbred was estimated to 10. 7 years. This high value is essentially due to the advanced age at first mating which is 8 years for males (n=126) and 7.3 years for females (n=638). The age at culling or at death was 14.6 years for males (n=76) and 13.5 years for females (n=510). Furthermore, a stallion produced 7 .8 foals per year, of which 1.2 thoroughbred foals and 6.6 Crosses (Thoroughbred x Arabe-Barbe). The average number of foals produced by a stallion and a mare during their active sexual lifespan were 48 and 3.3 foals, respectively. The sex-ratio was estimated to 0.48 and the fertility of mares was estimated to 0.55.

Key words: Horse-Thoroughbred-Demographic parameters-Reproduction-Generation interval