STUD MEDICINE

ROUTINE REPRODUCTION SERVICES

    • Pre Breeding venereal disease screening - All breeding stock should be tested for contagious venereal diseases before being used for breeding activities each year.  Studs will specify their own testing requirements but guidelines are set out  by the Horse Racing Betting Levy Board (HBLB) each year.  If you would like to read the 2011 guidelines please contact the office or download them here 
    • Routine management of mares being covered naturally - Scanning to determine the optimal time for covering or setting up your mare to be "walked on" to stud.  Pregnancy diagnosis from 15 days onwards.  We can also perform external scans later in pregnancy to assess foetal development and for pregnancy diagnosis in the smaller patient.
    • Infertility investigations in mares and stallions - We have the experience and training to perform thorough infertility investigations including collection and analysis of semen, uterine biopsy and uterine endoscopy.  Our vets have attended courses in artificial insemination techniques, updates on artificial insemination and advances in reproduction and stallion semen analysis and processing in 2010.
    • Advice and implementation of vaccination, worming and feeding programs for pregnant mares, young stock and breeding stallions.  See our vaccination page  for outlines of reccomended vaccination programs.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

    • We are experienced in artificial insemination with fresh, chilled and frozen semen.  Our AI facility is at Westlands Stud where we also advise the stud on providing a semen collection and shipping service.  The facilities and lab setup on the stud mean it is our preferred option for frozen semen AI and problem mares.  We are able to perform all forms of AI at your premises, however, in certain situations this may not be optimal so we encourage all clients to ring the clinic and organise to talk to one of our reproduction vets before proceeding with AI. 
    • We offer packages for AI at Westlands and on your premises.  If your mare is going to Westlands stud please see the stud website for pre-entry health test requirements.  AI packages at your premises, AI/natural cover packages at Westlands Stud, Mare contract at your premises, Information for mares going to Westlands

 

EMBRYO TRANSFER

We carried out our first successful embryo transfer in 2010 from our first attempt!
We are pleased to offer this service to our clients for the 2011 breeding season.  We strongly encourage any clients who are interested in this service to contact us to discuss the details.  below is a brief synopsis of equine embryo transfer:

The basic procedure involves inseminating the donor mare (the mare you want the genetics from) and then flushing her uterus to retrieve any embryos approximately one week later.  Any embryos recovered are then transferred to the uterus of the receipient mare who carries the foal to term but does not contribute any genetics to the resulting foal.  It is best to have 2 mares available as possible recepients per flush as the recepient mares must ovulate within a certain time of the donor mare for the embryo to successfully implant following transfer. 


equine veterinary practice