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Equine Reproduction

      Embryo Recovery

            Embryo Transfer

ERS

Equine

   Reproduction

               SVC

 

ERS is the longest, continually in existence

Equine Embryo Transfer Company

in the United States

817 946 5132

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I have four decades experience in equine reproduction and thirty two years experience with Equine Embryo Transfers. My first embryo transfer was performed in 1979. I operate the longest, continually in existence, commercial Equine Embryo Transfer company in the United States.

I have been fortunate, to both be witness to and participate in the evolution of embryo transfer technology for horses, from its experimental infancy to the commonplace reproductive tool it is today.

I have developed several superior pieces of equipment that have produced an embryo recovery and successful transfer rate second to none. These are used exclusively in our program and are not commercially available. This equipment both expedites the flushing process and transfers embryos without traumatizing them.

I have developed protocols that improve the transfer of older (larger) embryos (9-10 day) successfully. Waiting the extra day or two increases the embryo recovery rate especially in the older sub-fertile mare. The older embryo is now just as viable a transfer option as a younger smaller embryo and easier to work with if you understand how to hand them.

Embryo Transfer History

Thirty years ago no commercial embryo flushing media was available. This was made from raw biochemical stocks. There was no filter apparatus. Flush media was recovered into (3) one liter graduated cylinders, allowed to settle and then the fluid siphoned off to a manageable volume. At this point the contents of all three cylinders was searched for the presence of the embryo, one at a time.

The selection of recipient mares matching the donor mare was a twice a day (or more) ordeal. We believed that optimal timing was approximately a 6-hour synchrony between the two mares. The most successful transfer option was a ventral mid-line under general anesthesia. All this was a labor intensive, time-consuming and expensive process requiring elaborate facilities, several trained personnel and the better part of a day.

The first improvement was the adoption of a standing mid-flank surgical procedure using an inverted L block or line block. This coincided with the development of a filter to speed the embryo separating and washing process.

Becoming adapt with the non surgical (trans-cervical) technique, the process  now has lessened the expense and recipient mare wastage.

Our last surgical transfer was performed in 1993. Our success rate on non-surgical transfers exceeds that obtained when the surgical procedure was in place.

Future Considerations & Wish List

A method to do away with the extended artificial photo period necessary in order to start breeding early in the season. A anoestrus reversal agent. Simple would be to change the official birth date from Jan 1 to April 1, but we know that is not going to happen.

Ideal, would be to have a testing method to determine post ovulation, and before the time to recover an embryo, which mares have actually become pregnant and to just flush pregnant mares.

A dependable and "affordable" method of super ovulating the mare and recovering multiple viable embryos is the next step that still needs work and improvement. We now have a drug (E-FSH) that is somewhat usable on young mares but an abomination on the older mare where it would be most useful.