Stallion Reproductive Services
Breeding Soundness Evaluations
Stallion reproductive evaluations are performed for a number of reasons. Examination of a breeding stallion may be a prelude to the breeding season or prior to purchase. Additionally, a reproductive evaluation is done to assess damage after an injury or if a fertility problem is suspected. A stallion evaluation includes the collection of semen and evaluation for volume, motility, concentration and total sperm numbers. To assess potential pathogenic bacterial growth, a set of cultures is taken from the prepuce, urethra, and semen. In addition, spermatozoal morphology is assessed to determine the structural integrity of the sperm cells. Lastly, the stallion's testicles are evaluated by palpation and ultrasound for consistency, conformation, orientation and size. Once all results are gathered, a full report that provides descriptive details of the findings is provided to the stallion owner. The report makes recommendations on breeding procedures, treatment of any bacterial pathogens, and the general suitability of the horse as a breeding stallion.
Stallion Training for Collection
A breeding phantom is a man-made object that a stallion mounts so semen may be collected. Use of a phantom not only eliminates the need for the stallion to mount a mare in heat, but also reduces the potential for injury and disease transmission. Most stallions can be trained to use the phantom within a short period of time.
We have an adjustable phantom in our breeding room, which has a cushioned, non-slip rubber flooring. Because of it adjustability, the phantom can be tailored to fit various-sized stallions as well as those with injuries that prevent them from properly mounting.
.jpg)
We also accept breeding stallions with behavioral issues that prevent them from breeding efficiently or that cause the stallion to be dangerous to handlers, mares, or themselves. Examples include any of the following undesirable behaviors: sour attitude, over aggressiveness, self-mutilating behavior, slow breeding, inconsistent performance, inadequate erection, failure to ejaculate, and mounting dysfunctions. These and other issues can be evaluated and corrected in most cases, normally by changing methods of handling or managing the stallion. Attempts will be made to retrain and/or find a management scheme that will allow the stallion to be functional at the farm again.
Cooled-shipped Semen
The Equine Medical Center of Ocala provides a cooled semen program that allows stallion owners to offer cooled, transported semen for their breeding operation without needing the knowledge, skills and equipment to do so. Our staff will collect semen from your stallion and ship it to desired locations throughout the United States and Canada. For same-day service, semen can be collected in the morning, delivered by a courier to Orlando International Airport and shipped via airlines to the city/airport of choice. Next-day delivery is routinely done utilizing Federal Express.
Initially, we recommend that each stallion entering a cooled-shipped program be tested with various semen extenders that contain different antibiotics to determine which antibiotic and extender works best for a particular stallion to optimize spermatozoal longevity. This test is performed by collecting semen and storing semen samples at cooled temperatures for up to 48 hours in different semen extenders. Once there is a firm understanding of semen longevity, then recommendations are made as to the best method of shipping the semen, including dilution ratios and the type of extender to use.
With minimal advanced notice, owners can trailer their stallion to our facility, have semen collected, and take the stallion back home while the semen is processed for shipment. Although it is desirable to have stallions trained to the phantom, we do provide jump mares for untrained stallions.
Freezing Semen
The Equine Medical Center of Ocala offers a semen freezing service for those horse owners looking to expand their breeding program and/or preserve their stallion's ability to produce offspring even after injury or death. The first step taken is to determine whether the stallion is a good candidate for semen freezing. This determination is based on the 
findings from a full reproductive evaluation and test freezing. Our freezing program is based on the programmable-cell freezing method utilizing different protocols, including three different types of extenders. If an acceptable protocol is achieved, the stallion is collected every other day and the semen processed and frozen until the desired number of breeding doses is obtained. The frozen semen is cryogenically preserved in a tank filled with liquid nitrogen which maintains a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius.
Frozen semen can be stored at our facility for a monthly fee or shipped to any destination within the United States. For shipping purposes, the frozen semen is packaged in a dry shipper charged with liquid nitrogen which maintains an adequate temperature for 7 to 14 days.
If a horse owner desires to export frozen semen from their stallion to countries other than the U.S. or Canada, the Equine Medical Center of Ocala is a USDA-approved quarantine and collection facility for the export of frozen semen. In this case, the stallion will need to be boarded and quarantined at our facility according to the requirements of the countries to which the semen will be exported.