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sam72431

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Hi

Sorry if this has been posted loads before, I would like to breed from my mare next year before you ask yes she is well bred and well put together, has had foals before (not with me)

So without including stud fees what sort of money should i be looking to save? I know sometimes it doesnt go all perfectly so what sort of money should I have in reserve? She is insured as well, so costs of natural covering and of AI please

Thanks
 
Most vets have a package deal which seems to cost between £260 and £300, which includes pre breeding swabs, AI, and 3 (I think!) scans throughout the pregnancy.

On top of that is the cost of fuel, foaling fee and any extra "work" that needs to be done to prepare the mare.

If you ring round your local equine vets they'll probably have an AI price list they can email/post to you.
 
AI will depend on which practice you use & their packages but generally it takes 2 goes at about £1500, obviously if they take 1st time (like my last mare) then it is cheaper. Swabs vary with AI so again you have to check with whoever is doing it. If she goes away there are transport & keep charges to go on top. Last year due to having to make 2 attempts it cost over 2k.
 
I would be using Arundel Equine in West Sussex, I think they do AI packages, I'll have a look, so really to be on Safe side I should save £3K? I'm selling my other horse as he has grown too big so once i pay off all my debt I've got a 'spare' £1k so I should be ok! Do you think £3K would be enough?
 
My word! What vet are you using to be charging that much!? Three counties, Meadow Stud and Abbey vets are all around the £300 mark per "go", so shop around if anyone tries to charge you that much!
 
sam72431 said:
I would be using Arundel Equine in West Sussex, I think they do AI packages, I'll have a look, so really to be on Safe side I should save £3K? I'm selling my other horse as he has grown too big so once i pay off all my debt I've got a 'spare' £1k so I should be ok! Do you think £3K would be enough?
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All in yes that should be enough. AI packages dont include stitching if needed, they vary on keep charges, not always included & other "extras". So double check it & the price I included was for 2 goes at AI, keep while there, stitching, travel, etc. Dont let anyone tell you it will be cheap, it is only cheap if you get it right first time around. Mo cost less for that very reason, only 1 AI charge, not as long at the vets so less on keep & less travel costs.
 
I think you are very wise to save 3k, my first foal cost me much more than that to get on the ground!! The second so far has just cost the price of a PG injection, but is likely to be quite poorly if & when born so could end up costing plenty too :o

As every one else has said, check out what the AI packages include, I know my local vets does include scans, it doesn't include the price of call out to do the first scan to see where mare is in cycle.

Also are you planning on her foaling at home? If not some of that 3k should be earmarked for foaling livery at your vets or a good stud, as well as post foaling vet checks for mare & foal :)

Good luck, have you chosen a stallion yet?:D
 
good luck breeding is expensive! you say in original post that she is insured, please check your insurance as most dont cover breeding related vets cover unless insured as a brood mare... worth looking into before you start. most vets offer good stud/breeding packages to include scans etc, again check around.
 
Would shop around a lot more on the AI front.
My 'home' equine vets and the practice I used in Lancs when the mares were at stud there both charge around £300 plus VAT for up to 3 cycles of AI including drugs and scans. I believe Jonathon Pycock (one of the leading AI vets) is a similar cost.

Add into that pre-breeding scan for breeding soundness and clitoral swabs, plus scan at 100 days. I take mine to the vets and it is £30 for a scan, my local vet (mixed practice) did the swabs for me which work out about £50 with the lab fee.

EHV vaccs at 5, 7 & 9 months of pregnancy - my mares are already EHV vaccinated so for me there is only really one extra as they are done every 6 months otherwise. I just do a vacc 6 months after the 9 month pregnancy jab.

Depending on stallion's stud book you may have covering cert charges from the stud book.
Costs of sending the mare away to foal if you don't have the experience to foal at home. Mare needs to go at around 6 weeks prior to earliest likely delivery date (I usually calculate for that at 280 days working on possible delivery from 320 days on) and won't be home until foal is at least 3 weeks old.
Vet check post-foaling
DNA and registration documentation by vet. If mare is not already DNA tested for the stud book you may need to do both.
Stud fee
Mare keep for 18 months
Microchipping of foal
Studbook registration
 
Agree with LynneB re Ed, but just shop around for prices also give John Hennessey a call he also covers your area and is BRILLIANT. :)
 
Thanks everyone it has given me lots to think about, definitely not going into this lightly and I've got a bit of time yet, there are a couple of stallions I'm looking at I like wolkenderry, amoureux or elroon but Im going to go to a few stallion demos there are a few others as well but can't remember there names! Not sure if anyone has any suggestions? My girl is Dutch warmblood, amor on mothers side and sandro on fathers, she moves very well is very elevated but is quite hot so ideally want a stallion that is well tempered not saying she isn't but would like to breed something not so hot, she is 16.2 and fairly chunky she is quite a traditional warmblood and I'd like to breed a more modern type but not any bigger! Quite a particular list I know but I'm not looking to breed anything throw away! Thanks
 
sam72431 said:
Thanks everyone it has given me lots to think about, definitely not going into this lightly and I've got a bit of time yet, there are a couple of stallions I'm looking at I like wolkenderry, amoureux or elroon but Im going to go to a few stallion demos there are a few others as well but can't remember there names! Not sure if anyone has any suggestions? My girl is Dutch warmblood, amor on mothers side and sandro on fathers, she moves very well is very elevated but is quite hot so ideally want a stallion that is well tempered not saying she isn't but would like to breed something not so hot, she is 16.2 and fairly chunky she is quite a traditional warmblood and I'd like to breed a more modern type but not any bigger! Quite a particular list I know but I'm not looking to breed anything throw away! Thanks
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Wolkenderry is beautiful, he is at my trainers yard, very handsome, well put together I would love to breed from him! He is more 'finer' than your traditional WB stunning!!
 
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