New Study Shows Fertility Control as a Viable Alternative for Wild Horse Management

May 21, 2024

AWHC Contributor

After five years of dedicated research, a groundbreaking report has emerged, showcasing fertility control as a feasible and humane alternative to traditional feral horse management methods. This study, spearheaded by the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign), offers a promising solution to the controversial roundups conducted by the Bureau of Land Management.

Research Findings

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - In April 2019, the American Wild Horse Conservation began testing fertility control on wild horses. This method is proposed as an alternative to the current practice of using helicopters to round up horses, which many consider inhumane. Tracy Wilson, Nevada State Director at the American Wild Horse Conservation, criticizes these roundups for their cruelty and the subsequent issues they create.

The study, led by Dr. Martin Shulman, a veterinary specialist in equine reproduction, evaluated data from AWHC’s fertility control program on free-roaming horses in Nevada’s Virginia Range. The findings revealed a significant reduction in population growth, with a 66% decrease in foaling rates after covering 72.5% of the mares with vaccines.

Implementation and Challenges

The fertility control program involves administering a primary and booster vaccine in the first year, followed by annual boosters. This meticulous process requires extensive tracking of each mare, supported by a comprehensive database documenting every horse's unique features.

Wilson explains, “We have a database and we’ve photo documented every horse on the range. So, every record has photos that show both sides of the face, feet, and special markings like scars. We divide the range up into herd treatment areas, so we know what horses reside in what areas. If they move, that gets changed in the database.”

Run entirely by volunteers, the program aims to allow horses to live naturally in their habitats, avoiding the stress and cost of removal and relocation.

Future Prospects

While the Nevada Department of Agriculture has yet to review the study, they plan to do so within the year, potentially paving the way for broader adoption of fertility control as a humane management strategy.