Equilume, a University College Dublin (UCD) spin-out company supported by Enterprise Ireland, is on its way to become a world leader in light therapy solutions to assist global Thoroughbred breeders to maximize the reproductive efficiency and performance in their horses.
Changing horse breeding practices world wide
The Equilume Light Mask, an automated mobile lighting device has been scientifically proven to provide the optimum level of blue light to a single eye of a mare to successfully advance her breeding season.
The company has developed and is now selling the Equilume Light Mask, an automated mobile lighting device which fits comfortably under a horse’s head collar. The Mask has been scientifically proven to provide the optimum level of blue light to a single eye of a mare to successfully advance her breeding season.
The universal birthday for a Thoroughbred foal (born in the northern hemisphere) is January 1st in the year in which a foal is born which contrasts with the natural foaling season of the horse which is from May to October.
This crucial date creates a demand for thoroughbred breeders to advance the onset of their mares’ breeding season to produce early foals, to ensure mature yearlings for sales and precocious two-year olds for racing.
Horses are naturally ‘long-day’ seasonal breeders and daylight is a primary regulator of their reproduction. As days start to get longer in Spring, the inhibitory action of the hormone melatonin on a mare’s reproduction activity is reduced and mares come into season.
Thoroughbred breeders have known about the importance of light on a mare’s reproduction cycle for decades. In order to fool a mare’s reproductive system into activating earlier than in nature, many breeders currently maintain, at a significant cost, their non-pregnant mares indoors, under artificial lighting for 8 to 10 weeks prior to the official start of the breeding season in February.
However by using the Equilume Light Mask Thoroughbred breeders can now still meet crucial industry timelines and at the same time eliminate the requirement to maintain their non-pregnant mares indoors under artificial lighting and save at least $1500 US currency or 1,000 British pounds per mare per season.