OK. An idiots guide to AI please. Experts advice.

Enfys

Enfys

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I know what AI involves, but, as a mare owner what would it involve for me?
Especially as I would be considering imported semen. How does that affect registration?
Does the mare have to go somewhere specialising in AI?
Can your own Vet do it? Mine is an equine specialist.

Thankyou.
 
The only info I can give you is what I discussed with my own vet, when I was considering it for my Friesian. He said that his practice (an equine specialist practice) only handled chilled semen, not frozen. It would involve telling him when the mare was in season, he would examine and name the day for impregnation. Then you send for the semen to arrive on the right day. Vet would come, do the deed, and hopefully, mare would become pregnant. Matter of careful timing! He said the success rate is 'better than it was'. Anyone with an AI Technician qualification can carry it out, but the problem is identifying a viable follicle in the mare, so you might as well use a vet. For frozen semen it's more precise apparently. Usually (I gather) the mare stays at the vet's practice while she's looked at several times a day, and the semen reaches just the right temperature! Very precise and lower success rate. There is a practice near me that does it, but I don't like their work. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I can't give you first hand on this as I put it all off for a year. I may well go with chilled semen next year as there are a couple of possible stallions in this country. If you're talking imported semen then you're talking frozen. You need to discuss with your vet before anything else. Good luck, and I'd love to hear how you get on, since, though I trust my vet completely, I don't know if his views are universal.
 
Having looked at AndyPandy's website, it looks like he is the guy to speak to.

Basically, if you're using chilled or fresh semen, then most mares are possible candidates. Frozen semen is a little more unpredicatable, and so younger mares who have already had a foal are considered the best mares to use. (Although I know many people who have used older maidens successfully, and I have a 3yo maiden in foal with frozen semen this time).

You need a good vet, and you'll probably need multiple scans to check that the mare is in the right point in her cycle, and then as the follicle develops to pinpoint the optimum time for insemination. There are several drugs you can use to manipulate her cycle, and to facilitate the prediction of ovulation. An AI technician can do the actual insemination if you require, but I use a vet as they have the drugs and things with them, and can scan to check all is going as planned.

You also need to pray to the gods of international couriers to make sure your semen arrives on time..
 
AP is definitely the person to talk to. Where are you AP? We need you here!

Meanwhile, if you are importing semen from overseas it will be frozen, so you need to check with your vet to see if he/she can handle this. If not, you'd need to find another vet or (perhaps preferably) a good AI centre where you could take your mare. At the moment, I believe using frozen semen requires scanning every 6 hours, so it can be a bit awkward for a 'visiting' vet, especially if he/she is some distance away. But some vets will have the mare at their own premises for AI, so they can monitor things properly.

There are some new techniques that don't require the 6-hourly scans - but not many vets are aware of these yet, I think.

But I'm just waffling here until AP the expert arrives...la la la *drums fingers on desk* C'mon AP, get a move on!
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use an excellent AI centre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AI esp frozen is more difficult and you need a really good centre to maximise chances of conception, with less time and money wasted!
a good place will have at least 85%sucess rate and check your mare is reproductivly sound first.
 
Firstly... thanks everybody for your kind words
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I've been away from the forum for a day or so; so sorry for the delay in replying.

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I know what AI involves, but, as a mare owner what would it involve for me?

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AI will require you to find a good vet or repro centre, getting her scanned to check the progress of her cycling, getting the semen imported at the correct time, having someone who is qualified, inseminate her on time.

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Especially as I would be considering imported semen.

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In this case, I would thoroughly recommend that you use a repro/AI centre which is well versed in the import of foreign semen. The paperwork can be a nightmare - get it wrong, and DEFRA could destroy the semen before you even get your hands on it, and some studs (esp Germans) won't want to send you more/won't give you your money back.

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How does that affect registration?

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I think it depends on each stallion/studbook etc. but you will probably need to get DNA verification done; probably best to ask someone more knowledgable about that.

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Does the mare have to go somewhere specialising in AI?

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She doesn't have to, but if she's a good mare, and you're importing semen (probably at some expense), then it's worth the initial investment to send her to a specialist centre.

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Can your own Vet do it? Mine is an equine specialist.

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Yes, your own vet can do it. HOWEVER - most people know my views on "equine specialist vets"; unless your vet is a well respected STUD VET who genuinely specialises in reproduction and has a good reputation, then don't bother!

The majority of vets do not focus on reproduction, and so are not the best people to use for breeding. They don't have time to keep up with the latest developments and often say ridiculous, outdated things like "this mare will only take using natural cover" (this is so pre-1960s; if I hear it again I think I will smash my head into the nearest wall).
 
And even vets who apparently do have a good reputation at a very large pratice and are their 'reproductive specialist' can talk c**p to be honest. A good vet is essential, we have been very lucky with ours here and down in Sussex, and have generally had a very high success rate with chilled semen.
Will be using frozen next year with some of our mares as to be honest I'm fed up with relying on the 'gods of international couriers' and the stress that involves
 
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And even vets who apparently do have a good reputation at a very large pratice and are their 'reproductive specialist' can talk c**p to be honest.

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And also, as some people who know me from other forums will know - even if you do send your mare away to a specialist centre, they don't always look after them as you would like. Can't complain about the repro bit though, just the not feeding her..
 
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'gods of international couriers'

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Tell me about it! We gave up too and went with frozen this year although for that we were charged the full stud fee again!
Two mares vets bill of £440 and no semen! and no compensation!
 
Just had a look at AP's website - what a great service - I think we will be very interested in using the stallion phantom training next year...

Interesting to read about post-castration/morten semen collection as well - didn't realise that was possible!
 
I spent the earlier part of this year with a mare on my farm who was being bred via imported semen.

I am guessing you will be using chilled semen, as this mare had used on her. THAT was a nightmare! Having it shipped from California and collected and rushed up to the farm - all worked out in the end but there was a lot of frantic running around.

I believe the breed society was Oldenburg and the foal would have been eligible to be registered and graded as the mare and stallion already were.

The mare was bred at our farm - didn't take. She was then bred at our farm again with the vet scanning and monitoring....once again she didn't take. Then she went to stay at the vet hospital where she was scanned and monitored far more frequently......she STILL didn't take. Then the owner sold her.

There is a big reproduction clinic in Ayr, which isn't too far away from you, however I am unsure as to whether they purely do embryo transfers or will facilitate AI for regular breeders. They are probably the best around from what I have heard.

Good luck.
 
Tia I think (could well be wrong) that Enfys may be looking at semen imported from overseas, rather than from the US, in which case it would be frozen.

Sorry you had such bad luck with that mare - what a shame.
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But I think that providing the semen is high quality and freezes well, with expert stud vets the chances of getting a mare in foal with AI are now just as good as covering in hand. (Again could be wrong - AP would know!)

At least with frozen semen there isn't so much last-minute panic as with chilled, as it can be shipped well in advance and stored until needed.
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...I think that providing the semen is high quality and freezes well, with expert stud vets the chances of getting a mare in foal with AI are now just as good as covering in hand.

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Well; as I have said previously - the only reason you should use natural covering is if you want lower conception rates (or if you're restricted to natural covering for studbook registration requirements).

Well managed artificial insemination programmes now have greater success rates than natural covering systems. This includes use of frozen semen.

As an example of some "good" frozen semen: I've got some straws in one of my tanks that I froze a few months ago. It has a post thaw motility of 75-80%. That is in line with a lot of chilled and even fresh batches of semen. I've had 100% success with this particular semen.

Enfys; I have no idea how far these folks are from you, but maybe they will be able to help you out:
Atlantic AI Services
P.O. Box 2389
Wolfville
NS B4P 2N5
Canada
Telephone: (720) 272-5998

Good luck!
 
Nova Scotia is about 1,000 miles away from Enfys unfortunately.

Enfys I checked out the place in Ayr and they are very close to you - I believe they are quite expensive though however they do offer custom breeding for mares.

http://www.equineembryos.com/
 
In am now expecting my 2nd foal from frozen semen, the first batch I imported myself fom Canada, the second came from the USA via an import company in Italy.

There are all sorts of pitfalls tests VAT etc when you go it alone, so I would recommend using a good company if you are thinking outside EU. Also sometimes US and Canadian breeders use bigger straws which require different defrosting techniques and are longer so some storage containers wont take them!

Extended semen can be used from most of europe via a good courier. Best advice send your mare to a good AI centre. Mine scanns every day till folicle develops injects to bring on ovulation then scans every 2 hours for all inclusive price including scans of £180 plus £6 per day mare keep. (Pembers Hill Stud if you want to research) For difficlut mares or problem semen they can use an edoscopic technique to get the semen right to the erupting egg.

Hope this helps, give it a go but do your research in advance.
 
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