REPRODUCTION

• ARTIFICAL INSEMINATION
• INFERTILITY EXAMINATIONS
• LAPAROSCOPY
• FOETAL SEX EXAMINATONS

We provide a comprehensive service for breeders, from conception through pregnancy to birth and beyond. Our services include:

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

As semen has become more readily available from stallions worldwide there has been an increase in demand for artificial insemination. We are a BEVA approved Artificial Insemination Centre offering a comprehensive service for A.I. using fresh, chilled or frozen semen.

Fresh/Chilled Semen

We can follow the oestrous cycle, inseminate the mare at the optimum time and scan for pregnancy on your premises.

Frozen Semen

Mares require a short stay at the hospital to enable us to closely monitor the progression of oestrous allowing insemination at the point of ovulation. This is important with frozen semen due to its very short life span.We have facilities for long term storage of frozen semen.

Additional information regarding artificial insemination

Chilled semen has the advantage of higher conception rates and slightly less intensive gynaecological work. It is possible to use semen from the UK and Europe.

Considerations:

• Considerations:
• Check that the stallion’s semen chills and travels well (not all do).
• Find out which days of the week they collect from the stallion and how much notice you will have to given for them to collect and send the semen.
• Find out what you are paying for. How many doses of semen will you get? Are there additional transport costs?
• Semen coming from abroad must come with the relevant health certification otherwise we will not be able to use it.

Frozen Semen has the advantage of allowing the use of stallions that are still competing or that are abroad; the semen can be sent well in advance of the mare being in oestrus avoiding the last minute delivery of chilled semen which may not arrive on time.

Considerations when ordering semen:

• Order from a reputable stud and ask for details on semen quality and post thaw motility. (Some stallion’s semen does not freeze well).
• It is important to know what you are actually paying for. How many doses of semen are included in the price? Will there be extra transport costs?
• Semen that is handled badly during transport may not be viable.
• It is best to have the frozen semen sent to us to store in our liquid nitrogen flask prior to setting up the mare for insemination.
• Semen coming from abroad must come with the relevant health certification otherwise we will not be able to use it.

Mare Considerations:

• We would advise against using frozen semen in mares over 16 years old.
• Older maiden mares may have reduced conception rates.
• Due to the large number of gynaecological examinations needed for accurate insemination with frozen semen, mares with temperament problems are poor candidates.

That said many mares are suitable candidates for insemination with frozen semen. If you are in doubt about the suitability of your mare, we are happy to discuss this with you.

If you need further advice concerning artificial insemination please do not hesitate to contact us.

We require that all mares are swabbed for CEM and blood tested for EVA before examinations are started.

Artificial Insemination At NEH
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INFERTILITY EXAMINATIONS

Mare

• Swabs: culture and cytology
• Uterine biopsy
• Hysteroscopy – examination by videoscope of the internal lining of the uterus.
• Laparoscopy – oviduct clearance using PGE Gel
• Laparoscopy – oviduct clearance using PGE Gel

Stallion

• Examination for breeding purposes/potential
• Ultrasonography of genital organs
• Semen collection and evaluation

LAPAROSCOPY

Laparoscopic surgery can be used to diagnose and treat a variety of infertility problems in both the mare and stallion.

Recent projects have developed a new technique to restore potency to blocked oviducts in the mare.

FOETAL SEX EXAMINATION

Ultrasound examination of the pregnancy allows a determination of foetal sex to a very high degree of accuracy.