Many years ago, I read the work of Patrick Concannon. I even called him once to clarify the information about breeding timing he offered in his published work — he was a very kind man.
The breeding clock in his work begins the day LH surges — that is Day 0 or LH0 and we count the days from there. He describes LH0 as follows:
“On the day of the LH surge, serum progesterone increases abruptly, i.e., at a rate greater than over the previous 2-3 days. The increase may be from 0.4 to 0.8 ng/ml, from 0.7 to 1.2 ng/ml, or from 0.8 to 2, 3 or more ng/ml. Neither the magnitude of the increase, nor level attained, is predicable, consistent or diagnostic. However, an increase in progesterone of some magnitude occurs consistently, and is almost always followed by a further increase on one or both of the next two days.” (SOURCE)
Ovulation, which takes place over several hours, can begin as soon as 38 hours after the surge (LH2) and so eggs can potentially begin to be fertilized by LH3.
We know sperm can live quite a while, and so it does not hurt to have them hanging out and waiting for eggs. BUT the eggs are not as hardy and may only be viable for a day or two. We cannot, therefore, let eggs hang out waiting for the sperm to slog their way to the rendezvous.
My experience is that breeding based on an ovulation value of five (plus two days) risks late breedings.
I prefer to use Concannon’s work to time breedings, which means I start the clock at LH0. I keep testing to confirm ovulation but I do not base breedings on ovulation numbers/date — I stick to the timing LH0 offers, which can be different (earlier) than suggested based on ovulation.
Concannon, in that same article noted above, offers that natural breedings, “with most bitches and males of reasonable fertility, mating anytime between 2 and 5 days after the LH surge (1-4 d post ovulation) should be satisfactory, especially if there is a repeat mating 1-2 days later.”
Capella was bred on LH3 and LH4 to a male who is unrelated to the father of her previous litter. Perfect timing per Concannon’s work.
While we were hanging out between breedings, Starry G got to watch her dad, Deuce, take Best of Opposite in Veterans Sweeps.
