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ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF MARES |
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Chine House Veterinary Hospital is a British Equine Veterinary Association approved centre for artificial insemination. We have a number of vets who have undergone further training in Artificial Insemination. We can inseminate your mare with either frozen or chilled stallion semen. Artificial insemination allows you to use stallions which may otherwise not be available to you. This is either because they are competing (so do not cover naturally), they are too far away to make travelling your mare practical or they have died. We have excellent results with AI. In a total of just under 60 mares inseminated by Chine House last year, 68% conceived. For frozen semen this figure was even better at 81% conception. Chilled Semen Once you have chosen your stallion, you must contact the stud and arrange a contract with them. It is important to find out contact details of the stud for when semen needs to be ordered and these need to be given to us when your mare is admitted. Your mare will be admitted at the start of her oestrus period (heat, season). She will then be monitored daily by ultrasound examination to detect when she has a developing follicle. When the follicle reaches 35mm, the semen is ordered for delivery the next day. An injection of hCG is usually given once the order is confirmed which should ensure ovulation within 24 hours of insemination. The mare is then discharged after ovulation providing there are no problems. The mare will then be scanned at 15-16 days post ovulation to check for pregnancy. If she is not pregnant, she can be readmitted for a further cycle. If she is pregnant, we advise at least one further scan at about 25 days. It is important to note that problems can occur if semen is required at weekends when courier services do not offer next day delivery. If the semen is coming from the UK at a weekend, it is often easier for you to organise collecting the semen yourself. If the semen is coming from abroad this can cause real problems as delivery is usually not possible on Saturday, Sunday or Monday and occasionally semen has to be ordered earlier than needed. Some studs on the continent also require 48 hours notice for semen collection which can also cause problems. We also regularly have problems with shipments of semen getting delayed when coming from abroad. If this occurs, often ovulation has occurred by the time the semen arrives and the chances of success are dramatically reduced. If using a stallion from abroad, it is important to check that the semen will be collected at an export approved semen collection centre. The semen must travel with the ORIGINAL of the correct EU certification and this needs to be signed by a vet in the country of origin. If the semen arrives without the correct paperwork, it is illegal for it to be used. If semen arrives without the correct paperwork we will not inseminate your mare. Frozen semen Frozen semen is ordered before the mare is admitted to the clinic and stored in one of our liquid nitrogen canisters at the practice. The number of doses delivered depends on the contract (usually 2 doses are delivered with a further one available if required). If frozen semen originates directly from abroad, the semen must travel with the ORIGINAL of the correct EU certification and this needs to be signed by a vet in the country of origin. If it has come via a storage centre in the UK, this paperwork is allowed to be a copy if the shipment has been split. The procedure for frozen semen is similar to that for chilled semen in that the mare is admitted at the beginning of her oestrus period (season). She is then monitored daily until there is a 35mm follicle. A GnRH injection is then given which should make the mare ovulate within 48 hours. Examination then takes place more often until the follicle ovulates and the mare is inseminated. Depending on the number of straws per insemination dose, half may be inseminated before ovulation and half after ovulation or the whole dose may be given immediately after ovulation. The mare is then checked 12-24 hours later to check for any reaction to the semen. If all is ok, she can go home at this stage. The mare will then be scanned at 15-16 days post ovulation to check for pregnancy. If she is not pregnant, she can be readmitted for a further cycle. If she is pregnant, we advise at least one further scan at about 25 days. The advantage of frozen semen is that there are no problems with the logistics of ordering semen during the mare’s oestrus period. However, it is more expensive per cycle as there is more frequent scanning involved. AI packages We offer competitively priced AI packages to help you budget for the costs of AI. This year we have included an in foal fee payable if your mare is in foal at her second scan (at approx 25 days). This means that if you mare fails to conceive on her first cycle, the costs are kept lower. The prices are as follows: Chilled semen At grass £200 + VAT and £100+VAT in foal fee Stabled £250 + VAT and £100+VAT in foal fee Frozen semen At grass £300 + VAT and £100+VAT in foal fee Stabled £350 + VAT and £100+VAT in foal fee The in foal fee is payable when the mare has her second pregnancy scan at 25days. If the mare does not come back to us, it will be assumed she is pregnant and the fee will be payable. Alternatively you can opt out of the package and pay for all services individually. The package includes: Initial examination to determine the stage of cycle of the mare and one dose of Prostaglandin to bring the mare into season if required. (Any further scans or drugs required to get your mare cycling will be charged extra.) Monitoring by regular ultrasound examinations for the following cycle at Chine House Veterinary Hospital. Insemination of the mare, including liaison with the stud collecting the semen to arrange delivery. Ovulation induction agent. Endometrial swab and culture if required. Post insemination oxytocin injections. Single intrauterine antibiotic treatment post insemination. Up to 7 days keep (either at grass or stabled depending on package). Two ultrasound examinations for pregnancy provided they are conducted at the hospital. Caslick’s operation if required. Not included in the package Post insemination flushing. Livery beyond 7 days. Sedation if necessary. Repeat veterinary work on subsequent cycles (this will be charged at the same rate as the first cycle). Any other treatments which might be required by your mare or any treatment required by foal at foot. All treatment is conducted at Chine House Veterinary Hospital. Any visits will be outside the package. |
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Site created by Mark Boettcher |
Small Animal phone 01509 812446 Equine & Farm phone 01509 812445 Accounts 01509 814505 Fax 01509 816145 Sileby Hall, Cossington Road, Sileby, Leicestershire. LE12 7RS |
