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Dr. Haag Tells Results Of Fertility Research Noted German Scientist Gives Address at Recent TCA Meet LEXINGTON, Ky., June 28. Dr. Fritz Haag, who has been doing research here during the past few months on stallion fertility, Saturday revealed some early results of his study which give promise of having a significant effect on thoroughbred production. The German scientist spoke to a luncheon meeting of the Thoroughbred Club of America in the Lafayette Hotel. Dr. Haag has confined the bulk of his work to the chemical characteristics of seminal fluid and during the recent breeding season collected some 2,000 semen samples for study from four leading thoroughbred nurseries and one standard-bred farm. It was in the determination of the concentration of sulpha-hydro compounds in the fluid that he may have made the important discovery. Using 600 samples collected from the beginning of the breeding season in February until May 15, he found that 50 per cent of the mares got in foal when the sulpha-hydro compound concentration was below three; 24 per cent when it was three to six; and none when it was over six. He then went on to say that if the balance of the samples work out in the same way, the next step would be to work out a test to determine this figure which could be made in the breeding shed immediately after a mare has been served. It would then be known, then and there, what chance, other things being equal, the mare had of getting in foal from that particular cover. Dr. Haag also added that it may be possible to control this concentration with medication or other means.
