A Little About Embryo Transfers
The embryo transfer procedure consists of three phases. The first phase is the synchronization of the donor of the embryo and the recipient mare. The donor is usually a valuable sport or subfertile mare while the recipient is an inexpensive but healthy mare. Synchronization may require the use of hormones such as progesterone, prostaglandin or hCG. To assure good synchronization between the donor mare and the recipient, as the process are not always perfect, two recipients are synchronized for each donating mare. The estrous cycles of the donor and recipient mares must be carefully monitored by daily rectal palpation and/or ultrasound to ensure that the ovulation of the donor and recipient mares occur within 24 hours of each other. Furthermore, the uterus of the recipient mares are checked by histopathology to ensure that they can carry a pregnancy. The reproductive tracts of the donor and recipient mares are further cultured to ensure that they are not infected. The second phase is embryo flushing. Flushing is performed seven or eight days after insemination or breeding and involves lavaging the microscopic embryo out of the uterus, using a special sterile solution. After recovery and identification, the embryo is developmentally graded (poor to excellent quality). The third and last phase of the embryo transfer procedure is the nonsurgical embryo transfer. This is performed by loading the embryo into a uterine transfer catheter in a special nurturing solution. The embryo is aseptically deposited in the uterus of the closed synchronized recipient. Pregnancy can be determined by ultrasonography seven to 10 days after the embryo transfer procedure
A common concern of mare owners is that the recipient mare may in some way have a negative influence on the genetic quality of the foal. However, other than providing nutrition and a safe environment during pregnancy, the recipient mere does not at all contribute to the genetics of the foal. The genetic makeup of the foal is already programmed into the embryo at conception with genetic material only originating from the donor mere and the stallion.
Excellent mare and stallion management, close synchronization of the donor
and recipient mares and trained, experienced personnel is a prerequisite for
a successful embryo transfer program. However, when these requirements are met,
several valuable foals can be obtained (potentially from more than one stallion)
from valuable, performing or subfertile meres during a single breeding season,
allowing maximum utilization of the genetic potential of the mare.
We at HFRC offer a full-service embryo transfer program. By maintaining a herd of recipient mares, we are able to offer 5 different options to the program. Mare owners can choose what option is best for their situation.
Option 1
Embryo shipped to us. Embryo will be transferred into an HFRC recipient mare (if avaliable)
Fee: $2,000.00
Option 2
Donor mare is stabled at HFRC for breeding, embryo recovery and transfer. Embryo will be transferred into an HFRC-recipient mare.
Fee: $2,000.00
Option 3
Donor mare is stabled at HFRC for breeding, embryo recovery and transfer. Embryo
will be transferred into a client-owned recipient mare also stabled at HFRC
Fee: none
Option 4
Donor mare is bred on-farm and then trailered to HFRC for embryo recovery. Embryo will be transferred into a client-owned recipient mare trailered to HFRC for embryo transfer procedures.
Fee: none
Option 5
Donor mare is bred on-farm and then trailered to HFRC for embryo recovery. Embryo
will be transferred into an HFRC-recipient mare.
Fee: 2,000.00
In the event that your veterinarian has experience with embryo recovery procedures, the donor mare can remain on-the-farm for breeding purposes allowing the veterinarian to perform the recovery either on-the-farm or at a nearby clinic. An embryo can then be sent to HFRC via airlines or federal express and transferred into a recipient mare maintained at our facility. If there is no veterinarian that is skilled with this technique, then the mare can be shipped to HFRC where all breeding, embryo recovery and transfer procedures can take place. Owners situated relatively close to HFRC may elect to breed their mare on the farm and then transport her to our facility just for the embryo recovery procedure.
We offer both surgical and non-surgical embryo transfer techniques. The surgical technique exteriorizes the tip of the uterine horn through a 4 to 6 inch flank incision thus allowing a small, sterile straw to deposit the embryo directly into the uterus. An alternative is a non-surgical approach whereby a long implantation pipette is passed into the vaginal cavity of the recipient, guided through the cervix and into the uterus where the embryo is deposited. At HFRC, pregnancy rates are 10 to 25% higher when surgical procedures are utilized therefore this technique is the method of choice.
For those mare owners looking for help, we offer a service whereby experienced staff are on-site 24 hours a day to attend and, if necessary, assist in the foaling process. To aid in identifying the exact time of foaling, we have incorporated the foal-alert system into our management scheme. Simply, a small transmitter is sutured to the vulvar lips of the foaling mare. As the foal passes through the birth canal, two parts of the transmitter separate thus sending a radio signal to a nearby receiver. This in turn emits a loud beeping sound which is heard by the attendant staying in the apartment above the clinic.
To have an Embry Transfer preformed please fill out an appointment form, and
the form below