[CayceV]

I know this topic has probably been covered before. I am looking for any information people here can give me on embryo transplanting and what is involved in it (more specifically on the recipient mare side).

I am not looking to start a debate on whether it's right or wrong, I am simply looking to gather information. Any help is greatly appreciated

[Blistering Winds]

Equine Repro (member here) you REALLY want to talk to.

here are a few "starts" for you.

Embryo Transfer in Mares


Basically what I was taught and seen done..on the recipient mare....is first they get both the donor and recipient mare cycling using Regumate and possible Prostaglandin shot at the exact same time.

Sometimes HCG is used to "CYCLE" the exact same date on both mares.....

and then, they remove the embryos from donor mare and implant into receiving surrogent mare.

Then, they check to make sure only one took (some vets will implant two embryos....some only one...depends on the vet...and amount of mares being used....)......and my vet here, likes to use regumate to "keep" the receiving mare in "quiet pregnant" state until the embryo takes.

(If I remember right...might be something else other than regumate....)....

Once confirmed that the mare is in foal, life goes on like normal.

[No1Dazy]

You might want to contact Lindsayanne--I know she was doing that on one of her mares.

[Equine Repro]

Originally Posted by CayceV

I know this topic has probably been covered before. I am looking for any information people here can give me on embryo transplanting and what is involved in it (more specifically on the recipient mare side).

What exactly are you looking for? Basically, when planning on doing embryo transfer, mares are synchronized so that the recip mare ovulates, hopefully one to two days AFTER the donor mare. This can be done a number of ways. If dealing with a facility that has a large number of recip mares, they merely give several mares prostaglandin to hopefully get one or two that will ovulate in a timely manner. When dealing with owners that are providing their own recip mares, there are several criteria that it is preferable are in place beforehand. We prefer that recip mares be between four and 10 years of age, have had at least one foal and are in good reproductive health (preferably they have had a culture, cytology and biopsy done). We synchronize the mares using P&E (progesterone and estradiol). While Regumate "may" work on some mares, many mares can and do ovulate in the face of progesterone, consequently it's not as reliable as using P&E.

Costs can and do vary considerably depending on who is doing the work, how much of the work you would be doing yourself, etc...

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

[CayceV]

Well, I have been discussing getting involved in embryo transplanting with my vet. He has expressed an interest in using some of my mares as recipient mares but has urged me to find information on the 'net and from other people who can help me to find out what is involved. I want to know exactly what I'd be getting into. If there's any costs for me, as the recipient mare owner, what my mare would require, etc.

[Equine Repro]

Originally Posted by CayceV

Well, I have been discussing getting involved in embryo transplanting with my vet. He has expressed an interest in using some of my mares as recipient mares but has urged me to find information on the 'net and from other people who can help me to find out what is involved. I want to know exactly what I'd be getting into. If there's any costs for me, as the recipient mare owner, what my mare would require, etc.

Well, as I noted above, you want mares that are between 4 and 10 that have had at least one foal. Personally, I'm okay with maiden mares in that age range, but obviously, you KNOW what a mare that has had a previous foal will do and you KNOW she's capable of carrying a foal to term. Also, it is now recommened that when doing an ET that the recip mare be relatively close in size to the donor mare. It used to be preferred to use draft mares and larger mares, but it has been found that contributes to growth related problems with foals by providing those foals with too much milke...

You'll need to decide exactly how you want to manage the situation. Many breeders looking at ET's will want to be able to take the recip mare with them to manage her care and insure that everything is done "right". Others will be content wiht leaving the management and foaling to others and paying to board the recip mare. You can check with several ET facilities and find what their normal protocol is and what they charge for those services. There are several in the states (I see you're in Canada) and there are a few in Canada, as well.

Hope that helps.

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduciton Short Courses
Equine Reproduction

[CayceV]

Okay, thanks for all the information. Tomorrow morning I'm going to be sitting down my vet for an hour or so to discuss it, so I wanted to be somewhat prepared