The company that manufactures a drug using pregnant mare’s urine is putting $1 million into an incentive program to boost the value of horses produced in the PMU process.
Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, which makes the hormone replacement therapy called Premarin using pregnant mare’s urine, will double the purse money at competitions for horses that were born on PMU ranches. The company is hoping the extra money will boost the value of PMU stock and improve the industry’s image.
The industry has been criticized for the number of male foals it produces that end up in slaughter plants.
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But Norm Luba, executive director of the Kentucky-based North American Equine Ranching Information Council, said the group wants people to realize the true value of horses produced as a result of the pregnant mare urine collection business.
“We need to reward people who are making an investment by buying our horses and taking them to shows like this,” said Luba, the spokesperson for the group which represents about 450 PMU ranchers, including 260 in Manitoba.
Quality animals
He made the announcement at the Royal Winter Fair in Brandon, Man. Luba said five of the seven six-horse teams competing in the hitch competition were from PMU ranches.
“We know we’ve got quality horses out there. Now we want to say ‘look, there are more of these horses’. “
To be eligible for the extra winnings, events must be approved in a process overseen by a Wyeth-Ayerst appointed committee.
Once PMU ranch bred horses enter open competitions, they are eligible for double the prize money. Documentation as a PMU ranch bred horse will be required.
The program begins Sept. 1, and should be in place for next year’s winter fair and other competitions across North America.
