Pre-breeding examinations
A pre-breeding examination involves a general health check and a more detailed gynaecological examination. The mares vulval conformation is noted, her uterus and ovaries are palpated and ultrasound scanned with any abnormalities or concerns being recorded. It may be necessary at this stage to take a swab or biopsy of the mares uterus if any problems are discovered.
Artificial Insemination
Artificial insemination is the normal method of non-thoroughbred breeding throughout Europe and North America. In Australia the technique has rapidly become established for performance horse breeding but it is desirable that it is carried out under experienced veterinary supervision to ensure a high standard of practice and good conception rates.
Artificial Insemination has several advantages:
- Increased choice of stallions ·
- The semen is delivered to the clinic, so your mare dose not have to travel to the stallion
- The injury risk to mares, stallions and handlers is eliminated
- The risk of infection to the mare from venereally transmitted diseases is greatly reduced
- Mares precluded from natural covering due to previous injuries can be artificially inseminated
- Older mares that may be more susceptible to non-venereal uterine infections after natural covering have a better chance of conceiving if they are inseminated
Fresh or chilled semen remains the easiest and most successful method of artificial insemination. However, frozen semen allows access to many foreign stallions.
Embryo Transfer
We offer an embryo transfer program using a non-surgical technique. This involves removing a 7 day embryo from the donor mare and transferring it to a surrogate mare who will carry the pregnancy to term. The donor mare is then able to continue her competitive career with the minimum of interruption.
Embryo transfer is a very attractive option for many competition mare owners, and we are happy to discuss the advantages, costs and realistic pregnancy rates with interested owners
Foaling Services
We provide a foaling service and routine neonatal care. Our foaling services includes , milk calcium testing to predict impending foaling, Foal Alert® foaling monitoring system to detect onset of foaling, veterinarian present during foaling, umbilical cord care, antibody level measured in the foal’s blood, and mare and newborn post-partum examinations. Additional services include supplementation of colostrum or plasma, treatment of unexpected events such as dystocia or retained placenta and foal heat breeding.
Pregnancy Testing
Once the mare has ovulated she will come out of season and start to reject the stallion.
She is then examined on day 14 -15, (the day of ovulation is day 0). On day 14, the embryo is spherical in shape and only 13 -18mm in diameter, this scan therefore is more time consuming than any of the others since it is essential to examine the whole uterus thoroughly for the presence of a pregnancy. It is also crucial to identify the presence of twins. Mares are not designed to carry twins and 91% of all twins are aborted in the last few months of pregnancy. If twins are found on the day 14 scan it may be possible for the vet to "pinch" one of the embryos resulting in its death. This is quite a tricky procedure and is better carried out at this stage because the embryos are still free to "roll around" in the uterus.
The next pregnancy scan is carried out between days 24 and 27, for normal development of the pregnancy and confirms that there are no twins.
The third scan is performed between at 45 days when a heart beat should be visible. Once the mare has undergone her three positive pregnancy scans she is allowed home but it is recommended that the mare owner's vet examines her in the following spring to confirm that she is still pregnant.
Day 14 Day 33
Stallion Services
Please discuss you stallion needs with us
