Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Stallion Stud Pricing Explained

By Ashley Kantter


You have narrowed down your stallion decisions and are ready to join the legions of breeders across the country. If you could only crack the breeding terminology. Breeding isn't as straightforward as picking stallions at stud out of a catalogue. No, breeding is way more complicated and sometimes taking the 1st step might be the hardest. Have no fear though, we are here to help explain some of the more common terms you will encounter which choosing a stallion.

Stud Charge

The stud charge is the most significant part of a stallion's price. The price is mostly set according to the standard of the stallion. High quality , high placing young can increase a stallion's stud charge as well as a stallion with an impressive pedigree and show record.

Booking Charge

A booking fee is a reservation that signifies that you want to breed your mare to that stallion. Booking charges are particularly beneficial when certain stallions are breeding to a limited number of mares. The fees generally begin at GBP 128 and may be included in the stud fee or billed as another charge.

Fresh, Frozen or Live Cover?

How do you breed your mare when the stallion lives on the opposite side of the country? You can choose a live cover, which is expensive and requires that you ship your mare to the stallion in order for her to be covered. Or you can select fresh semen or frozen semen which is then sent to you. Before you select, contact your breed society to discover what's authorized. For instance, the Jockey Club only recognises Thoroughbreds conceived through live cover.

Live Foal Guarantee (LFG)

The live foal guarantee is more commonly known as LFG. It suggests that the stallion's owner guarantees that you are going to have a foal after your mare has been bred. Take care, LFGs don't have the same meaning from owner to owner. For example, some owners believe that an LFG implies that your mare will become pregnant (and if she loses the foal you have no recourse) whereas others accept that the LFG means that the LFG is in effect until your foal stands and nurses. If, for who knows what reason you don't have a foal in the end, your compensation may go from receiving another breeding at no extra cost or a total refund. LFG is sometimes termed NFFR - No Foal Free Return by some studs.

There you have it. The A to Z of stallion charges has been given to you. Your research is done and the simple part is complete. You now have many restless nights and vet visits before you, but at the end it's going to be all worth it. Good luck!




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