Mare Reproductive Services
Breeding Soundness Evaluations
Similar to a stallion evaluation, a mare reproductive evaluation is very important when a mare has a poor reproductive history, is being purchased with the intent of breeding her, or has had a previous dystocia (difficult birth) that may have caused trauma to the reproductive tract. It is not uncommon for mares to have underlying problems that were previously undetected. If a mare has any history of fertility problems, a full evaluation may detect a reason for the subfertility and help to better understand the future chances of getting her in foal and maintaining a pregnancy. In an attempt to recognize potential complications, many breeders elect to have a reproductive evaluation done before the breeding season. Certain management schemes can be put in place to help sustain a pregnancy if issues are detected early.
The mare reproductive evaluation at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala includes an examination of the perineal (vulvar) region; palpation and ultrasonography of the reproductive tract; vaginal speculum examination; and culture, cytology and biopsy of the uterus. Shortly after the results are compiled, a full report is provided to the mare owner describing the findings and making recommendations with regard to treatment, breeding procedures, and suitability of the mare for breeding.
Embryo Transfer
The technique of passing an embryo from one mare (donor) into another mare (recipient) has become a viable option for many horse owners. This procedure enables older, genetically superior mares that no longer have the uterine competency to maintain a pregnancy to continue to produce offspring by transferring their embryo into a younger, reproductively sound mare. It can also be utilized when a foal is desired out of a competition mare who can’t be given time off to have a foal on her own or when multiple foals are desired out of one mare the same year, either by the same or different stallions.
After standard breeding procedures, the donor mare needs to be transported to the Equine Medical Center of Ocala 7-8 days after ovulation for embryo recovery. This procedure involves lavaging the mare’s uterus with specialized flushing media and running the fluid back out of the uterus through a filter that will trap the embryo. The embryo can be transferred directly into another mare, can be shipped to a distant location for transfer into a recipient mare, or it may be vitrified (frozen) and stored until the owner wishes to transfer it into another mare.
Breeding with Cooled-shipped Semen
Artificial insemination has become common place in the equine industry, but without proper training and experience, the breeding process can still be rather intimidating to many horse owners and veterinarians. Our reproductive staff is available to work with your mare either at your farm or in our facility. If the mare is brought into the clinic, we evaluate follicular growth, determine the optimal breeding time; order, evaluate and inseminate the semen, and perform post-breeding uterine lavage and antibiotic infusions.
Breeding with Frozen Semen
Because frozen semen has a shorter lifespan in the mare's reproductive tract when compared to fresh or cooled semen, it is essential for frozen semen to be inseminated as close to ovulation as possible. To optimize pregnancy rates, mares should be examined for follicle development several times throughout the day and night (every 5-6 hours). As one could imagine, this becomes very impractical for most veterinarians on the farm. The management program at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala allows mares to be checked for ovulation at least four times per day when ovulation is imminent.
The result is a more accurate prediction of ovulation and insemination timing, and therefore a higher pregnancy rate per cycle. Additionally, a technique called deep-horn insemination is routinely employed to place the thawed spermatozoa in closer proximity to the site of fertilization, rather than just the standard uterine body. Use of this procedure is particularly important if a low dose of frozen semen is being used or if the stallion’s frozen-thawed semen is not of good quality.
Foaling High-risk Mares
For inexperienced or concerned mare owners, we offer a service where mares are boarded at our facility so that experienced staff is on site 24 hours a day to attend and, if necessary, assist in the foaling process.
Dystocias
For mares that are foaling and are having difficulty passing the foal, we offer 24-hour emergency service to help the mare extract the foal. In most cases, we are able to deliver the foal vaginally by anesthetizing the mare and changing the foal’s position. However, there are instances when we are forced to do a Caesarian section to deliver a live foal.
Compromised Fertility
The staff at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala is experienced in the breeding management of mares that have a history of abortion, early embryonic death or failure to conceive. The best chances for a sustained pregnancy may only come when these mares undergo very detailed management practices. Routine ultrasound examinations are very important when assessing ovarian or uterine characteristics. Close attention is paid to follicle growth patterns, impending ovulation, uterine edema, cysts, fluid retention within the uterus and insemination frequency and volume. Management of these mares may include minimizing inseminations, performing uterine lavages and infusions with antibiotics, and administering hormonal treatment.
Reproductive Surgery
Mares can have conformational problems that limit their ability to produce a foal. Although some mares are born with poor conformation (such as a mare that pools urine in the vagina, in which case a urethral extension is needed), many times a difficult foaling will create lacerations that need to be repaired before the mare can maintain a pregnancy again. The staff at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala is able to evaluate and repair these problems. Mare reproductive surgery includes urethral extensions, perineal laceration repair, cervical laceration repair, and ovariectomies.