What does PMU stand for in horses?
PMU Mares and Foals PMU stands for “pregnant mare’s urine”. The urine of pregnant mares is used in the manufacturing of Premarin the female hormone replacement. This industry is located mostly in Canada, in the region of Manitoba, close to the Wyeth-Ayerst pharmaceutical company who manufactures Premarin.
What is the PMU industry?
A BIT ABOUT THE PMU INDUSTRY. Premarin is a popular estrogen therapy produced from the urine of pregnant mares – hence the name (Pregnant Mare Urine) and the acronym PMU. The ranches are based mainly in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Approximately 22 million women in the States used Premarin in 2002.
What does the stall number on a PMU Mare mean?
Pictured above is Peggy, a rescued PMU Mare. PMU factory farmers freeze-brand the stall numbers on the mares. They have no names, just numbers. PMU is used to produce estrogen and hormone-replacement drugs such as Premarin, PremPro and PremPhase, and DUAVEE, a “PremPro-Lite” which contains Premarin.
Should I adopt a PMU foal?
Adopt a PMU foal or adult horse if you have the knowledge and means to care for one. If you are taking HRT or medication for osteoporosis, determine if the drug is developed using PMU.
What does PMU mean in horses?
PMU is used to produce estrogen and hormone-replacement drugs such as Premarin, PremPro and PremPhase, and DUAVEE, a “PremPro-Lite” which contains Premarin. PMU drugs are made by keeping mares constantly pregnant and collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
What breed are PMU horses?
Quarter Horses are the largest breed of registered horses used at PMU ranches. NAERIC's CanAm Sporthorse Program is of particular interest to dressage riders because PMU ranchers breed three-quarter Thoroughbred/one-quarter draft crosses.
Are there still PMU farms?
There are no longer any PMU farms in the U.S. However, there are a reported 19 “pee farms” remaining in Canada although NAERIC's website states: “There are 24 family-owned equine ranches that are members of NAERIC and contracted by Pfizer to collect pregnant mares' urine (PMU).
Are Premarin foals slaughtered?
The vast majority of Premarin mares give birth to a foal every year. Afterward, they are almost immediately impregnated again. If they fail to become pregnant, they are sent to slaughter. If they do become pregnant again, their foals are taken from them at the premature age of just three to four months.
What happens to the foals of PMU mares?
Recently Pfizer, the maker of Premarin, has moved its PMU operation to China and India where there is no humane oversight of their production. Away from American regulation, PMU foals are now sold for slaughter to become sushi.
Are there still PMU farms in the US?
The farms. The number of mares in PMU barns in North America has decreased significantly from an estimated high of 55-60,000 in the late 1990's. There are no PMU farms operating any longer in the United States.
How long is a draft horse pregnant?
340 daysThe normal gestation period of a pregnant mare is about 340 days, give or take ten days.Proper age at first mating1 1/2 - 2 yearsUsual Ovulation24-48 hours before estrus endsCycle returns, if not breed21 daysAverage gestation340 daysRange310-370 days5 more rows•May 28, 2019
How do you collect urine from a mare?
A handy way to cleanly catch urine is to attach a disposable coffee cup to a broom handle and keep it right outside the stall. When your horse begins to urinate, slowly move this apparatus towards their urine stream until it is directly underneath. You can also use a bucket.
What Colour should horse urine be?
Normal horse urine appears colorless, yellow or even cloudy yellow as it is voided. The color and cloudiness change as the bladder is fully emptied. If the urine appears a red, brown or orange color as it is being passed that can indicate a significant problem.
Why was Premarin taken off the market?
A government study of Wyeth's hormone replacement drugs, Prempro and Premarin, was discontinued in 2002 when it became apparent that taking Prempro heightened the risk of breast cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary embolism, and that Premarin increased risk of stroke.
Is Premarin still used today?
Premarin is a highly prescribed orally administered estrogen. It is also available as a topical cream. This estrogenic product is isolated from the urine of pregnant horses (PREgnant MARes' urINe). It has been used for hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women in the USA since 1942.
Is Premarin cruel?
Premarin mares are forcibly impregnated over and over again to continually produce high levels of estrogen for Premarin products; their pregnancies last for 11 months, then they are impregnated again after giving birth – a cruel, physically exhausting, non-stop cycle for mares.
Where is Premarin manufactured?
Premarin, the major brand of CEEs in use, is manufactured by Pfizer and was first marketed in 1941 in Canada and in 1942 in the United States. It is the most commonly used form of estrogen in menopausal hormone therapy in the United States....Conjugated estrogens.Combination ofAHFS/Drugs.comConsumer Drug InformationPregnancy categoryX29 more rows
Is Premarin Made in China?
To make organic Premarin and DUAVEE from mare's urine, Pfizer contracts with PMU (Pregnant Mare's Urine) horse farms throughout Canada and the U.S., and now China.
How many hereditary diseases in horses have similarities to those in humans?
90 hereditary diseasesLike other mammals, the two species share much of the same DNA. Moreover, horses suffer from more than 90 hereditary diseases that show similarities to those in humans.
What does PMU mean in a mare?
PMU Mares and Foals. PMU stands for “pregnant mare’s urine”. The urine of pregnant mares is used in the manufacturing of Premarin the female hormone replacement. This industry is located mostly in Canada, in the region of Manitoba, close to the Wyeth-Ayerst pharmaceutical company who manufactures Premarin.
How many PMU horses are still in operation?
Only 70 are still in operation. PMU ranchers usually chose a specific type of horse to breed, as they have to keep so many mares pregnant in order to collect the urine. Foals are a by-product of this business, so they might as well be foals that can be sold. Some PMU ranchers treat this as a breeding business, as well as a urine production business.
What happens to a foal in the pee line?
And what happens to her foal? It may either be incorporated into the pee line itself, it may be fattened for slaughter, or, with luck, it may be adopted.
What is the job of a mare?
The job is for mares to be pregnant and produce hormones that can be collected for use in certain drugs. The hormones are used for hormone replacement therapy drugs that in humans are believed to relieve symptoms of menopause and control osteoporosis.
How long does a mare stand?
She is fitted with a urine collection bag, and stands, sometimes full-time, for six months of each year. The mare is allowed to eat, but water intake is limited in order to concentrate the urine. span4] In spring, the mare is released to pasture to give birth.
When do mares give birth?
In spring, the mare is released to pasture to give birth. She is allowed to spend the summer with her foal, but after the first frost of fall, she is separated from the foal. If the mare produces urine well and can be impregnated again, she will return to the pee line. Otherwise, she is either sent to slaughter for sale in Europe or Asia for human consumption, or if she is lucky, she may be purchased at auction to be rescued and adopted.
Why are female foals kept on PMU farms?
Female foals are often kept on PMU farms to replace their mothers where they are used and then go to slaughter.
What is a PMU?
Pregnant Mare Urine (PMU) Drugs. Horses are highly sentient animals and deserve to live a natural life. Pregnant mare urine (PMU) is one of the key ingredients in a vast majority of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs, such as Premarin® and PremPro®.
Why is the demand for PMU drugs decreasing?
Thankfully the demand for PMU drugs has decreased due to a study by the Women’s Initiative Health (WIH) that showed an increased risk for a stroke, heart attack, or breast cancer. The decrease does not save the mares who are still imprisoned in PMU farms.
How long is a Premarin horse's life?
Life of a Premarin Horse. They are impregnated continually. They live their lives imprisoned in a pen typically 3½’ wide by 8’ long. Rubber collection bags are affixed between their legs causing painful lesions and infections.
Can you adopt a PMU foal?
Adopt a PMU foal or adult horse if you have the knowledge and means to care for one. If you are taking HRT or medication for osteoporosis, determine if the drug is developed using PMU. If so, ask your physician about alternatives.
How many horses are on a premarin ranch?
Earlier, as many as 70,000 mares on 422 ranches were used for the production of Premarin. Now the numbers are closer to 5,600 horses on 70 ranches, due to decreased demand and effective alternatives becoming available to women. Around 5,000 foals are produced by this industry every year.
How long do horses stay in stalls?
The mares are kept for approximately six months through the winter in standing type stalls, with urine collection harnesses attached to them. The stalls range from four to five feet wide, depending on the weight of the mare. Mares may be given daily turnout, depending on the ranch, while the barn, equipment and harnesses are cleaned.
Is PMU vilified?
Mention the PMU industry, and most horse lovers react negatively. It’s vilified by much of the equestrian community, and the horses that result as a “by-product” are looked on with pity. In some roundabout way, I suppose I am grateful to the PMU industry, as without it I would not have my fabulous mare. So, armed with questions, I sat down to do some research into the accusations that swirl around this industry, in an attempt to separate fact from rumor.
Can PMU horses be successful?
That said, PMU horses bought and given an opportunity at a career can do as well as any other horse, with some becoming incredibly successful.
What is a PMU horse?
PMU horses can be almost any horse breed; the most productive horses (most urine) are usually bigger breeds like Draft horses or draft crosses so they tend to dominate the total number. My horse “Dream” is 75 % Quarter Horse and 25 % Percheron. Dream looks like a slightly bigger Quarter Horse and his size works for me very well as I am 6’ 3”, ...
What does PMU stand for in horses?
PMU stands for pregnant mare urine, the product that is collected to make the menopause drug. Pregnant Mares mean foals will result.
Who uses PMU horses?
Celebrities like Tom Selleck (A big man) and some Trainer/ Clinicians like Dennis Reis also tall, favor the PMU horses. Many TV and movie Westerns such as Monte Walsh and Crossfire Trail use the PMU horses.
Was Dream a real rodeo?
That was a real Rodeo but Dream was for the first time in his life clean and standing on his feet like a horse should. He even had a new fancy halter. Dream’s name was given to him in a contest supported by our Advertisers and Visitors at our websites.
What is a PMU?
PMU is used to produce estrogen and hormone-replacement drugs such as Premarin, PremPro and PremPhase and DUAVEE, a “PremPro-Lite” which contains Premarin. PMU drugs are made by keeping mares constantly pregnant and collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
How many mares are on PMU lines?
There are reportedly 90,000 mares currently on PMU lines in China. Almost 15 years after the WHI, Pfizer is still making around $1 billion a year from their PMU products – the vast majority of which comes from the U.S. market. Many women, even some doctors, are not aware today of the potential dangers of these drugs.
How are PMU mares treated in Canada?
Their water intake is often regulated to produce maximum estrogen-rich urine. The mares are continually attached to plumbing which is designed to fit over their urethras. It is held in place with movement-restricting body straps. When mares can no longer adequately “produce,” most are sold for slaughter. Most of their surviving foals are either pulled and raised as “Pee Line” replacements or slaughtered for food.
When were PMU drugs first approved?
PMU drugs were first approved by the FDA in 1942 followed by PremPro, PremPhase, PMU creams, patches and the latest PMU drug, DUAVEE which hit the market in 2014. PMU drugs contain impurites and unknown properties that cannot be identified. Bio-Identical hormones are regarded by many medical professionals to be much safer while not involving the use and abuse of horses to produce them. There are numerous other doctor-recommended medications on the market that women can use to effectively treat the symptoms of menopause that are safely produced in laboratories—and whose ingredients can be completely identified. Note: Equine Advocates is not endorsing or recommending any particular medication. All questions of a medical nature should be taken up with your doctor.
Why are mares regulated?
Their water intake is often regulated to produce maximum estrogen-rich urine. The mares are continually attached to plumbing which is designed to fit over their urethras. It is held in place with movement-restricting body straps. When mares can no longer adequately “produce,” most are sold for slaughter.
What are the risks of PMU?
The 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)—a major landmark study—concluded that the use of PMU drugs increases the risks of breast cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and dementia. At the time, many doctors in the United States and Canada stopped prescribing PMU drugs once the dangers were fully known.
Is PMU safe for horses?
PMU drugs contain impurites and unknown properties that cannot be identified. Bio-Identical hormones are regarded by many medical professionals to be much safer while not involving the use and abuse of horses to produce them.
