S2 E6 The Ethics of Horse Breeding: Part 2 of our conversation with Prof Madeleine Campbell

While Prof Madeleine Campbell was in our virtual studio we took the opportunity to record a second episode with her - this one is about the ethical aspects of horse breeding (her previous episode, Ethical Equestrianism, is definitely worth a listen). Without breeding, horse sport would not exist, but ethical consideration has been lacking. Are we breeding the right horses, at the right time, in the right way? Prof Campbell is a registered specialist in equine reproduction, a horse breeder and also a veterinary ethicist (she is Professor of Veterinary Ethics at the University of Nottingham) so she is uniquely qualified to discuss this sometimes controversial topic. We discuss natural cover, whether applying a limit to the number of mares bred to a stallion should be considered, and potential ethical and welfare issues involved in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) in horses. Some of Maddy's publications in this area include: Campbell M. (2014) Does the current regulation of assisted reproductive techniques in the UK safeguard animal welfare? Animal Welfare. 23(1):109-118. doi:10.7120/09627286.23.1.109 Campbell, M. L. H., & Sandøe, P. (2015). Welfare in horse breeding. Veterinary Record, 176(17), 436-440.   Campbell, M. L. (2021). Ethics: use and misuse of assisted reproductive techniques across species. Reproduction and Fertility, 2(3), C23-C28.