Preparation For Embryo Transfer

Proper preparation can make any job easier and more successful. Over the years we have found several suggestions that help facilitate the embryo transfer process. We hope you look this list over and make the following preparations:

In-House Transfer Program

1. We would like you to contact the manager of the stallion to which you intend to breed before bringing the mare. This will allow you to provide us with the proper phone numbers and contacts for ordering semen as well as scheduling of collection days. You should also finalize any breeding arrangements with the stallion manager at this time.

2. Contact your breed registry to make sure you will be complying with their requirements for eventual registry of the resulting foal. Some registries require a permit before the embryo is transferred.

3. We ask that all mares come with leather halters to decrease the chance of injury.

4. We ask that you do not leave a lead rope, blankets, etc.

5. Mares should arrive with a coggins test taken in the current calendar year, if not we will draw one after arrival.

6. Mares that arrive for early breeding (before April 1) should be under lights for at least 8 weeks prior to the planned breeding.

7. We ask that you complete the Broodmare Admission sheet to provide us with a written record of recent vaccinations and dewormings so they do not have to be repeated, and an indication of any special care the mare may require.

8. We would like all non-maiden mares to arrive with clean cultures.

9. Please give us as much notice as possible before bringing your mare so we can be sure to have adequate accommodations for her. Stabling is on a first-come first-serve basis. We are continually expanding our facilities but they do have a fixed capacity. It is impossible to make a reservation and guarantee stall availability at any given point in the future, as predicting when mares will leave is very difficult. Occasionally mares may have to be put on a short waiting list, which we run through relatively quickly. Regardless, good communication regarding mare arrivals is very important. Paddock board is only available between March 15 and September 15.

10. Please give us at least 3 business days notice before picking up recipient mares so that we may have them processed and ready for you. In addition to paperwork this frequently involves transporting them from one of our outlying farms. Notification that is too short may make proper transportation and processing impossible. Remember that we require full payment by the time of discharge.

11. We like to keep mare owners well informed but we generally have over 100 donor mares here at a time and have found that giving a daily play-by-play update to multiple clients is difficult. We welcome your call and the receptionists will try to update you as much as possible with information entered in the medical records. If you require more information Dr. Foss, Dr. Ortis, Dr. Loncar, Dr. Cochran, Dr. Von Dollen or breeding managers Rachel Norbury, Joslyn Holtmeyer, or Emily Yaeger can return your call, although we’ve found e-mail to be quite effective. You can e-mail us at equinemedical@aol.com.