Horse Breeding
How Can We Best Help You?
Please Select the Type of Equine Breeding Service Which is Most Relevant to You & Your Horse(s)
- Artificial Insemination Chilled Semen
- Artificial Insemination Frozen Semen
- Stallion Collection
- Fertility Evaluation
- Foaling Down
- Semen Storage
Artificial Insemination Chilled Semen
Vet Consultation at the Clinic for Horses in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
Have you considered artificial insemination (AI)?
AI using fresh chilled semen has many advantages for your breeding program. Most importantly, AI ensures your mare is bred at the optimum time for conception.
These include:
- Limitless opportunities to breed with high quality stallions outside of your local area
- Allows shy or maiden mares to be successfully bred without the stress of live cover
- The risk of sexually transmitted disease is significantly reduced as mare and stallion are tested prior to collection and insemination
- There is no risk of injury to your mare or stallion during breeding or transport
- Semen count and quality are evaluated at the time of insemination
- Prevents stallion overuse, while increasing the number of mares that can be bred
What are the disadvantages of AI using chilled semen?
AI is increasingly used as part of a successful breeding program. However, there are some limitations that you should consider.
These include:
- The success rate of AI highly depends upon the skills of the veterinarians in charge of your mare and stallion, with poor handling of semen the most common reason for its failure
- AI using fresh chilled semen can be more expensive than other breeding options
- An in-heat or phantom mare is required for semen collection
- To facilitate conception, the mare needs to be closely monitored during ovulation
Your Next Steps
To discuss artificial insemination for your breeding program, call us today on 0488 980 288 to speak with a qualified veterinarian.
Artificial Insemination Frozen Semen
Artificial Insemination Services for Horses in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
Have you considered artificial insemination (AI)?
AI using frozen semen has many advantages for your breeding program. Most importantly, AI ensures your mare is bred at the optimum time for conception.
A conception rate of approximately 60% can be expected when using frozen semen. However, conception rates higher than 75% have been achieved at our practice. The internationally accepted conception rate is 30% per cycle.
How long is frozen semen viable for?
If stored correctly, frozen semen can last indefinitely. Excellent results have been achieved with frozen semen more than 20 years old. However, it’s impossible to predict how well your stallion’s semen will freeze without prior testing.
What are the advantages of AI using frozen semen?
While AI is proven to increase the likelihood of conception for your mare, there are many other distinct advantages associated with AI.
These include:
- Limitless opportunities to breed with high profile national and international stallions
- Allows shy or maiden mares to be successfully bred without the stress of live cover
- The risk of sexually transmitted disease is significantly reduced as mare and stallion are tested prior to collection and insemination
- There is no risk of injury to your mare or stallion during breeding or transport
- Semen count and quality are evaluated at the time of insemination
- Prevents stallion overuse, while increasing the number of mares that can be bred
- Perpetuates the genetic use of a stallion after his death
What are the disadvantages of AI using frozen semen?
AI is increasingly used as part of a successful breeding program. However, there are some limitations that you should consider.
These include:
- The success rate of AI highly depends upon the skills of the veterinarians in charge of your mare and stallion, with poor handling of semen the most common reason for its failure
- AI using frozen semen can be more expensive than other breeding options
- The semen collected may not be suitable for frozen storage
- An in-heat or phantom mare is required for semen collection
- To facilitate conception, the mare needs to be closely monitored during ovulation
Your Next Steps
To discuss artificial insemination for your breeding program, call us today on 0488 980 288 to speak with a qualified veterinarian.
STALLION COLLECTION
Semen Collection Services for Stallions in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
Have you considered artificial insemination (AI)?
AI using frozen semen has many advantages for your breeding program. Most importantly, AI ensures your mare is bred at the optimum time for conception.
A conception rate of approximately 60% can be expected when using frozen semen. However, conception rates higher than 75% have been achieved at our practice. The internationally accepted conception rate is 30% per cycle. Successful stallion collection represents an important part of your breeding program.
At our practice, semen is collected for two purposes, including as part of breeding soundness examinations and for the purpose of artificial insemination.
Most often, semen is collected using a phantom mount, with or without an accompanying live mare in oestrus. A phantom mount ensures the health and safety of both stallion and mare as they don’t come into physical contact.
What preparation does my stallion require prior to stallion collection?
Introductory training to phantom mounts is essential to the safety of your stallion and our staff. If your stallion hasn’t used a phantom mount before, then you should consider training your stallion, so he feels confident during stallion collection.
Stallion collection also identifies any potential breeding problems, as semen will be tested for sperm count and quality, as well as signs of sexually transmittable diseases. If you are aware of any health issues relating to your stallion’s ability to breed or mount, you should disclose them to our staff.
Where will stallion collection be performed?
Stallion collection takes place at our practice using our purpose-built facilities.
Please call us on 0488 980 288 for a quote.
How long will stallion collection take?
Stallion collection varies from stallion to stallion. Depending on the purpose of stallion collection, this process may be performed several times.
What does stallion collection cost?
Please call us on 0488 980 288 for a quote.
Your Next Steps
To find out more about stallion collection or to make an appointment, call us today on 0488 980 288 to speak with a qualified veterinarian.
FERTILITY EVALUATION
Fertility Evaluation Services for Mares and Stallions in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
Put simply, not every mare or stallion is fit for breeding.
Evaluating your mare or stallion’s potential for breeding with a breeding soundness examination is the first step towards a positive pregnancy.
If you don’t properly evaluate your mare or stallion’s breeding soundness, you may encounter difficulties when attempting to breed. This can not only result in significant financial loss, but increase the risk of injury or illness to your mare or stallion.
What’s involved in a breeding soundness examination?
Firstly, a veterinarian will conduct a physical examination of your mare or stallion. Any horse used for breeding should be in healthy body condition, with a well-balanced diet, regular worming, vaccinations, dental and hoof care. This physical examination will also identify any musculoskeletal problems that may inhibit your stallion from mounting or worsen during pregnancy for your mare.
Secondly, a veterinarian will evaluate the breeding soundness of your mare or stallion. For mares, this will involve ultrasound of the reproductive tract. For stallions, this will involve testing for sperm count and quality. This testing will also signify any health issues that may prevent your horse from breeding, such as hereditary conditions that may be passed onto the foal.
How long will the breeding soundness examination take?
Most breeding soundness examinations take up to one hour. However, semen testing may take several days before results are returned.
Where will the breeding soundness examination be performed?
Breeding soundness examinations usually take place at our practice using our purpose-built facilities. If you require a breeding soundness examination off-site, please call us on 0488 980 288 for a quote.
Will my mare or stallion require any follow-up care?
If any health problems are found during the breeding soundness examination, your mare or stallion may require further treatment before they can be safely and successfully bred.
FOALING DOWN
24/7 Foaling Down Services in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
The prospect of a sound, healthy foal is very exciting.
Foaling Down Service
Predicting the exact foaling time for your mare is made easier with our foaling down service at our purpose-built clinic in Hatton Vale. Most mares arrive 2-3 weeks prior to their due date to ensure they settle in and build up antibodies for the new environment to pass onto their foal.
Your mare is cared for daily, with the support of our veterinary team. A qualified veterinarian with experience in foaling down is on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and fitted with foaling alarms to ensure delivery goes smoothly for your mare.
Prior to foaling, your mare’s pH levels in your mare’s colostrum will be checked daily to determine her foaling time. When the pH drops to 6.2, foaling is imminent. If your mare or foal encounter any problems during foaling, our capable veterinary staff are on-site to assist without any delay.
Common Foaling Problems
At our clinic, we receive a high number of maiden (virgin) mares who are foaling down for the first time. With their first foal comes an increased risk of problems.
Aside from birthing problems, some maiden mares reject their foal or won’t allow their foal to nurse. Nursing within the first two hours of life is crucial to the health of your foal. Our team closely monitor your foal until they nurse, and both mare and foal show no signs of distress.
During foaling, there are a number of problems that can occur. Without swift support, the consequences can be devastating. These include:
- A red bag situation where the placenta is being delivered before the foal
- Only one hoof appears, but no other hoof or nose of the foal
- The nose of the foal appears first
- The hoof appears but it’s upside down
- The water breaks but no foal within 20 minutes
- The mare is foaling, but has stopped for more than 10 minutes
Your Next Steps
To find out more about our foaling down service, call us today on 0488 980 288 to speak with a qualified veterinarian about your mare. For after hours emergency assistance, call 1300 641 007.
SEMEN STORAGE
Semen Storage for Stallions in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
Semen storage is an important investment within your breeding program.
Depending on your requirements, fresh semen can be chilled for up to 48 hours and frozen semen can remain viable indefinitely if managed correctly.
At our practice, we have the facilities to safely and securely store semen. We have achieved a 90% conception rate using chilled semen and higher than 75% using frozen semen. The internationally accepted conception rate is 30% per cycle.
What’s involved in storing chilled semen?
Once semen has been collected, it is tested against a range of extenders to determine the best extender for your stallion. This will ensure your stallion’s semen remains viable for up to 48 hours. The extended semen is then transported in an Equi-tainer (similar to a vacuum flask) or Salter box (styrofoam), which gradually reduces the temperature to 4-5 degrees during transport.
What’s involved in storing frozen semen?
Once semen has been collected, it has to be constantly maintained in nitrogen tanks to ensure it remains viable indefinitely. While semen more than 20 years old has been used successfully at our practice, it is advised you consider insuring the semen in storage. All care but no responsibility is taken by our practice to correctly maintain the semen and our nitrogen tanks.
Your Next Steps
To find out more about semen storage, call us today on 0488 980 288 to speak with a qualified veterinarian about your stallion.
