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Equine Reproductive Services

Download the Equine Services brochure in PDF format.

Services Available

The CREATE Lab provides the following equine reproductive services.

In situations where superovulation (ovarian hyperstimulation) occur in humans and other species, the horse is not likely to respond in similar fashion. In fact, the mare is typically very unresponsive to such techniques. We are thus limited to one oocyte, or embryo under most all of these circumstances.

Recipient animals are the responsibility of the client. Neither the CREATE Lab nor the VTH will provide them.
 

Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination is one of the most common ART procedures in infertility clinics. Depending on the origin of the semen (i.e., fresh-raw, fresh-cooled, cryopreserved) artificial insemination can be of two types : transcervical or intrauterine. The majority of artificial inseminations in referral centers will be intrauterine (IUI), they are simple to perform and for this reason are easily repeatable. The efficacy of intra-uterine artificial insemination in the mare is very good as the cervix presents no barrier to insemination.The key to success is timing of the insemination to co-incide with ovulation.

Procedures:

1. Donor Sperm Collection:

  • artificial vagina
  • epididymal fine-needle aspiration
  • testicular fine-needle aspiration
  • surgical castration
  • (shipped: frozen or fresh, cooled)

2. Artificial Inseminatiuon:

  • transcervical intrauterine
  • surgical intrauterine by laparotomy
  • surgical intrauterine by laparoscopy
     

Cryopreservation of Spermatozoa

The cryopreservation of spermatozoa in liquid nitrogen (LN2) at this University has been performed exclusively for research purposes. The CREATE Lab now offers this service to all species referred to the VTH. There are several general steps involved:

  1. collection and evaluation of semen prior to freezing;
  2. cryopreservation trials to determine the most suitable extender, straw type, and freezing rate;
  3. post thaw semen evaluation after freezing trials to determine viability.

Procedures:

1. Sperm Collection:

  • artificial vagina
  • epididymal fine-needle aspiration
  • testicular fine-needle aspiration
  • surgical castration

2. Semen Quality Evaluation:

  • concentration & volume
  • motility (raw and extended)
  • sperm morphology

3. Cryopreservation in LN2
 

Embryo Transfer

This procedure is currently offered through the VTH for horses. Clients must provide their own recipient animal(s).

Procedures:

1. Embryo Collection:

  • uterine lavage

2. Lavage and Embryo Washing Fluids

  • includes miscellaneous softgoods, catheters, etc.

3. Embryo Transfer to Recipient.