Mare Services
We offer horse owners a broad range of clinical services, ranging from basic reproductive evaluations, breeding management for live cover and artificial insemination with fresh, cooled, or frozen semen, pregnancy examination, embryo transfer, foaling out pregnant mares, and evaluation of problem mares. Success of the program is based on three principles: a detail-oriented approach to diagnostics and therapeutics, trust to do what is right for the horse, and a commitment to client communication. Services can be provided on an outpatient basis (trailer-in appointments) or mares may be dropped off and housed at the facility as needed.
Reproductive Evaluations
The goals of a mare reproductive evaluation are to evaluate the potential of a mare to become pregnant and carry a foal successfully to term, as well as identify reproductive abnormalities that may limit fertility. Reproductive examinations are performed in open (non-pregnant) mares prior to the onset of the breeding season, in problem mares during the breeding season, and in barren mares at the end of the breeding season.
Services include:
- Reproductive history
- Physical examination
- Perineal conformation
- Estrous detection
- Palpation and ultrasound
- Vaginal speculum examination
- Uterine culture and cytology (if needed)
- Endometrial biopsy
- Other tests (if needed)
Treatments for uterine infections can be completed concurrently with breeding management in many cases. A variety of new therapeutics is available to assist mare owners with problem or hard-to-breed mares.
A comprehensive breeding soundness evaluation for pre-purchase (including a veterinary report) is also available.
Breeding Management
Our team can manage mares for live-cover breeding and artificial insemination with fresh, cooled-transported, or frozen semen. We offer reproductive services via outpatient/trailer-in appointments for mares being bred to carry their own pregnancy, as well as mare drop-off for complete reproductive management.
Embryo Transfer and Freezing
Embryo transfer is a reproductive technique that allows valuable mares to produce more than one foal per year, older mares can donate embryos to young recipients, sub-fertile mares can donate embryos which are transferred to reproductively healthy mares, and mares in athletic competition can donate embryos and remain in training.
Our embryo services are offered Feb. 1-July 1, and include:
- On-site donor mare management
- Receiving shipped embryos from your local veterinarian
- Outpatient (trailer-in) embryo recovery
- Transfer into CSU-managed recipient mare
- Transfer into owner-provided recipient mare
- Vitrification (freezing) of embryos
Oocyte Collection
Modeled after current human IVF practices, oocyte collection involves retrieving oocytes directly from the mare's ovaries, providing an alternative for infertility issues in mares.
Services include:
- On-site oocyte collection
- Receiving off-site oocytes for ICSI
- Oocyte collection from deceased mares
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
The intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure involves micro-injection of a single sperm cell into the ooplasm of a mature oocyte. The fertilized oocyte is returned to an incubator in an effort to support development into an embryo reaching transferrable quality, typically within 6-8 days.
Once embryos are obtained and deemed viable, they can be:
- Fresh transferred into recipient mare
- Auto-transferred back into donor mare
- Shipped to another embryo transfer facility
- Frozen for use at a later date
Foaling Management
Our staff of equine professionals will foal out your pregnant mare and provide routine care for the newborn foal to a limited number of mares with potential foaling dates from Jan. 2-June 15
Services include:
- 24-hour monitoring
- Large (24 ft. x 12 ft.) indoor foaling stalls
- Video surveillance in each foaling stall
- Milk calcium screening to predict impending foaling
- Neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) testing pre-foaling
- Foal alert (monitoring alarm to detect onset of foaling)
- Veterinarian attending each foaling
- Evaluation of the quality of the dam's colostrum by specific gravity and refractometry
- Umbilical cord care (navel dipped with Nolvasan® solution 2-4 times per day)
- Measurement of the antibody level in foal's blood at 12 and/or 24 hours of age to detect failure of passive transfer
- Enema administered to newborn foal to decrease risk of meconium impaction
- Mare dewormed after foaling to limit parasite infestation of foal
- Newborn foal and postpartum mare examinations
Additional services available (at an additional cost):
- Supplemental colostrum, colostrum substitute (i.e. Seramune®), or plasma therapy if needed
- Veterinary services for non-routine events (i.e. dystocia, retained placenta, etc.)
- Foal heat breeding services for mare
- CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital nearby in the event of an emergency