Artificial Insemination

OVERVIEW

Artificial insemination involves regular ultrasound examinations of your mare’s reproductive system to identify the best timing for a single insemination with fresh, chilled or frozen semen.

Frozen semen can be shipped to our facility and stored in our liquid nitrogen tanks, for safe keeping indefinitely until required. Fresh semen can be collected from resident or walk-in stallions and used on-site. Chilled semen can be shipped from all over Australia with TNT and Toll offering overnight delivery. Same day delivery to our local Toowoomba-Wellcamp airport is available from Sydney and Melbourne airports.

Your mare will receive a thorough breeding soundness examination on arrival to optimise your chances of success. Many mares have underlying issues that reduce their chance of conception and result in no pregnancy and cost to the owner.

AI Procedure

On arrival at our breeding centre your mare is scanned and a breeding soundness evaluation is conducted. This includes assessment of the vulva, vaginal cavity, cervix, uterus and ovaries. Any potential problems are reported to the mare owner; this may include poor vulval conformation, fluid pooling, and uterine infections to name a few. Treatment and management of these problems are discussed with the owner prior to breeding.
Once your mare has the green light for breeding the reproductive tract will be scanned regularly to optimise best breed time.
If using
- Chilled semen: Will be ordered prior to ovulation of the mare with the aim to inseminate the mare 12 hrs prior.
- Frozen semen: Can be delivered to our facility at any time during the year. We ask all frozen semen arrive prior to the mare coming into oestrus to reduce the disappointment of not being able to inseminate if there is an issue with couriers and delivery.
- Fresh semen: Collected on site with the mare being inseminated 6-12 hrs prior to ovulation.
Post breeding scans and treatments are administered as required. This may include oxytocin to help remove excess fluid, uterine lavage to clean any debris after breeding, and antibiotics to maintain an optimal environment. Mares are welcome to stay at our breeding centre until their 14-day scan or can return home approximately 2-3 days after insemination.
At 14 days the mare returns for her pregnancy scan. If twins are present at this stage ablation of one sac is performed as twins in horses are not deemed viable.