Banner image 2

Embryo Transfer

……. our first ET foal

Embryo Transfer Service

'Westpoint'……. our first ET foal

Embryo Transfer (ET) programmes in association with Fyrnwy Equine Clinics, are available and act as an auxiliary service for those mare owners who would benefit from the opportunity of a surrogate mare carrying their desired foal to full term and nursing it until its weaned A dedicated, purpose built ET unit provides the ideal environment to conduct procedures, thereby ensuring the best success rates.

Background

Embryo Transfer is becoming increasingly popular as a tool in equine reproduction. It is a reproductive technique that involves breeding a mare (the so-called donor mare) to a stallion, usually by artificial insemination and then collecting the resultant embryo (8 days old) by flushing the uterus of the donor mare. The embryo is then transferred into the uterus of a surrogate mare (the so-called recipient mare) to establish a pregnancy and the recipient then carries the foal to term and nurses it until weaning.

It is a non -surgical procedure and poses no increased risk of embryo loss or birth defects.

Developments in embryo techniques have improved success rates and made it more affordable.

Advantages of ET

Performance Career - Embryo transfer allows a mare to produce foals without interrupting a performance career. Early season and well-timed mid-season transfers can work around show schedules.

Multiple Foals - Embryo transfer allows a mare to produce more than one foal in a given year. Two to four foals in a year is realistic for most mares. Through producing multiple foals a breeder can maximize the genetic contribution a mare can make to a breed over her lifetime. A mare could produce multiple foals for one registry or foals for more than one registry.