can someone explain the follicle and ovulation business please? slightly confused...

[project]

I am just a bit confused, for each cycle how many follicle mature?
I thought 1 oestrus = 1 follicle = 1 egg?
Is it normal for a mare to have more than 1 follicle? does that mean increased risk of twins?
if more than 1 follicle what happens at ovulation? actually even more stupid question: what happens to the follicle at ovulation?

sorry if this might sound a bit stupid...

 

[Deli]

My mare was inseminated Tuesday and produced 2 eggs. She has a history of twinning - which then had to be squeezed.

 

[sarahhelen1977]

On Thurs we had a mare scan with 2 follicles at 39 and another at 35mm. I'm pretty sure that it's normal for several follicles to develop, one becomes dominant and the others recede (or not in the case of multiple ovulations, which then can result in two or more pregnancies)

 

[Spring Feather]

I had a mare scanned last week and she is still having transitional heats for some reason. She had 7 reasonable sized follicles. None appeared to be of use for breeding on but there was one smaller one lurking in the background which we kept an eye on. It was the right shape and progressed beautifully and the mare was bred when the mare was on the cusp of ovulation. Many of the 'bum' follicles that are produced during transitional cycles won't amount to anything so no use breeding unless you have at least one good follicle. Trying to breed with less than suitable follicles is just a waste of money imo but some people with less experience will give it a go only to be disappointed when the mare doesn't fall pregnant.

 

[Thistle]

Once ovulation has occurred a corpus luteum (yellow body) forms which is the 'scar' where the ovulation has occurred. This temporarily produces hormones which supress further ovulation and maintain the early pregnancy.

Of course nature doesn't always co operate and sometimes a second ovulation can occur.