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leighann
Gold Member
Scotland
512 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 4:42:49 PM
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I am looking to AI one of our mares early spring '04 but it's something we have never done before and would like some advice and information on it Have any of you used this method and with what results
Look forward to your veiws and info on this subject.
Leigh-Ann
www.ryovanarabianstud.com
  
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sub
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1919 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 5:50:08 PM
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It can be a lengthy and expensive option, but can also work out fine. Your mare needs to be scanned to find out when she is ovulating (this can take quite a few tries if you cannot tease her to guess beforehand) - once she is, the vet can use the straws of semen. They are sometimes mixed with extender and antibiotics to cover all eventualities.
AI is good for mares who are difficult to get pregnant naturally and if the stallion you want to use is too far away.
Fresh. chilled and frozen semen are available, but check the quality carefully as not all stallions' semen can stand the processes involved. I did have a case of an american stallions semen swimming in circles once it was thawed, that was the 10% if it that managed to survive anyway. According to the stallions owner the quality was second to none! This was all done at an AI station - so no novices were involved. Needless to say, none of the mares inseminated took. But they managed to get in foal to another stallion who's semen was also frozen. |
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razgold
Platinum Member
USA
1576 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 5:56:30 PM
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I overheard a conversation at the Crabbet Convention from an American lady talking about AI. She told another lady not to use frozen semen on old mares. The best sort are first timers or young mares.
It's worth a thought before you go to all the expensive.
Sue.
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Serin
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1792 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 7:55:41 PM
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| When i was thinking about it , i was told to use only chilled Semen and not frozen ........ my mare is evil with the back legs so thats why i was thinking about AI but now she has Arthritis i have decided not to breed from her ( a heartbreaking decision ) but now focusing on getting a ready made foal next year !! keeps away the what if's !!!! |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 8:40:23 PM
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I think you should contact Mirage about her experiences of AI.
Very reputable place, but young mare that had previously had a foal to natural service was there for about 5 months - work out the keep costs and fees to try repeat inseminations - to see just how frustrating this can be when no pregnancy results.
Some of the terms are very heavily weighted in the stallion owners favour, like you can keep having dud semen for as long as it takes for you to give up so long as you have stumped up a mega wodge of non refundable dosh.
Without more gaurantees you could be SERIOUSLY out of pocket. (that is not to say that it is never successful, but it can COST!)
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Chris James
Silver Member
United Kingdom
497 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 8:59:27 PM
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I've used AI for the past two years and have had a very good introduction. I think you have to go to the experts though.
I sent, in 2002 & 2003, an older purebred mare (now 21-year-old) to HM the Queen's coloured stallion Oberon (he is older still - 24?)and as he stands at Twemlows (home of AI in this country) they said that was the only option and they use natural semen. The poor boy had to be woken up at midnight once as my mare had been scanned as ready to go! but it worked - Ok you'll say why not do a natural covering - but they are both older and he is a big boy! I was happy that everything worked out well and she took both times without any trouble. We had a lovely coloured colt in 2003 and look forward (pretty please!) for a foal (filly?) in 2004.
I believe that in the next decade or so, (you've only to look at the commercial cattle market where it has been so for a while) that all horse coverings will be by AI for health (of the horses involved) and safety(for both horses and handlers). If you live near to any of the up and coming AI centres - then go and visit, the wealth of knowledge is fascinating. They can show you the motility of the sperm in the semen sample (so you can compare frozen/chilled/fresh) on a video screen linked to the microscope. Very clever stuff - horse breeding is really moving into the 21st Centuary.
Chris James |
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leighann
Gold Member
Scotland
512 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2003 : 10:03:27 PM
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Thanks for your replys, my vets are very good but are not doing a high percentage of AI. They have also advised me on chilled semen and not frozen. I understand the cost involved but we live in NE Scotland and the mare would have to travel so the cost involved in this would be around £ 500 all round, livery fees and of course the cost of the stud fee £ If i was to send my mare to stud for natural cover she would have a higher chance of pregnancy or do i AI whith expensive vet fees ok the mare would only travel to our local vet hospital for 1 week but would i be lucky and BINGO first time what is the success rate with AI. My problem is not so much the cost as i realise in order to breed quality it costs but would i save time with natural cover or just less stress on the mare with travel ect
The mare will be 4 yrs at the time of covering and is beleved ok as far as health and ovaries ect.
Leigh-Ann
www.ryovanarabianstud.com
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 09:30:14 AM
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Hi Chris, you were lucky with Twemlows having the stallion there. I know they have not been as succesful with semen that was not 'hot off the horse', (which is what Arab breeders have to have, chilled or frozen.)
If AI is to become the norm for horses, each stud would have to have an AI vet on hand to get fresh samples to achieve the same fertility rate as natural service. I have heard as much from a lecture given by Twemlows and Leahurst, Liverpool Universities Equine centre.
If you still have to travel your mare to stud to get the best conception chance, it defeats some of the reasons why mare owners would want to use it, which is to avoid the journey!
Stallion sperm does not divide into the hundrends of straws that bulls do for cattle, so for best results its one 'collection' per service. They do not know yet why some stallions sperm is still viable after chilling / freezing and others are not.
Chris, I think you are right about the more valuable stallions only becoming avialable by AI, but this certainly is not at present being reflected in reasonable stud fees!
Just a thought, will it lead to 2 tier Arabs, the top tier by AI and the lesser horses being risked with natural coverings?
At present there are a large percentage of stallions to mares, is this because we as breeders want to keep our mares at home, especially if they have a foal at foot?
leighann, haven't you picked up on Mike possibly having his colt at stud? You could almost hack ( yes it is 40 miles!) over to him? |
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Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1919 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 11:45:57 AM
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success rates with AI varies between stallions. Some have a 99% hit rate whilst others have alot less. The vet/ AI station / stallion owner should be able to tell you about the success rates for your chosen stallion.
I worked at an AI station for a few years and we froze most of the stallions semen, but would do a collection on the day and use fresh semen for the visiting mares. We had a 100% success rate with our own stallions semen (6 stallions in all) but imported semen was another story. We failed to get even 1 mare pregnant with one particular stallions semen (mentioned in earlier post) and we tried 6 or 7 mares, buth ours and visiting.
You should use an experienced vet or AI station to inseminate your mare, sometimes its the lack of experience and inseminating at the wrong time that causes the failures. |
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Valentine Arabians
Gold Member
United Kingdom
586 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 5:32:56 PM
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Hi,
We have had several mares AI'd, using frozen and washed semen with no problems. Our foundation mare was sent to Twemlows (Genus)in Shropshire last spring and although it was expensive, it has paid off and we are thrilled with the outcome.
If you would like more details, please do not hesitate to contact me direct - lizdownes@valentinearabians.com.
I am hoping to do an AI course at Twemlows, when next they have one, so I will then be licensed to perform AI's myself.
Liz
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Woodlay
Gold Member
United Kingdom
566 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 6:14:39 PM
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I have had semen collected from Ali Bey (by Twemlows) - for use in Europe - and all mares inseminated so far with frozen semen have been tested in foal. Obviously a lot depends on the quality of the semen, luckily for me Ali is exceptionally fertile, and the semen freezes well. Some stallions although very fertile do not freeze well.
I cannot speak highly enough of Twemlows, they are totally professional.
However good the semen is, it all depends on the vet's capabilities with AI.
Annie |
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leighann
Gold Member
Scotland
512 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 10:32:26 PM
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I understand about sending the mare to exprienced AI stations but my problem is the distance to travel, so if i was to send my mare to an AI station i am as well to send her to stud for natural cover. So do i take the gamble with my vets who are very capable but i don't want them to learn and gain experience at my expence Nothing is ever garanteed but learning from other peoples experinces helps
Leigh-Ann
www.ryovanarabianstud.com
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MO Moor
Silver Member
United Kingdom
351 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2003 : 10:37:12 PM
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This year, i used AI for the first time and my mare concieved very well on her 2nd insemination. Call it beginners luck, but i would be happy to use it again. Some quite influential factors for my mare were timing of insemination as there are about 3 options, the mares state of mind and of course, semen quality.
I think that AI benefits outway the scepticism for many reasons. On a
personal basis it aliviates my fears of sending mare and foal to a stud for covering. It also opens the breeding market to a worldwide coverage which allows me to breed exactly, not near to.
To each their own and its good to hear so many peoples opinions and experiences.
k mckenzie |
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