To determine the microbiome of stallion semen in 7 individuals housed on the same premises. Apart from provindgin informtion of the likely microbila content of stallion semen, this Project should give an idea of whether the microbiome is determined by the individual or by the husbandry conditions

Bacteria colonize the lower male reproductive tract and are transferred to the semen during collection, as well as during processing. Most of these bacteria are normal flora from the animal or from the environment, but a few are pathogens or opportunistic pathogens. When preparing semen for artificial insemination, an extender containing antibiotics is added; the addition of antibiotics is stipulated by regulations on the preparation of semen for commercial use. It might be possible to identify alternatives to antibiotics if it is known which bacteria are present in semen. The objective of the presnt study is to identify the bacteria using a metagenomic approach to provide a complete picture of the bacteriome.