Totally agree Yvonne - we had a run of good luck for a few years but then a HUGE bill, mares scanned 40 plus times and neither in foal and one returned with an infection.
That's when we made the decision to do it at home and as stated in a previous thread 100% success rate - ok long way until foals on ground but at least we have now had 4 scanned in foal with heartbeat - 3 of ours and one (from frozen semen) at another stud (with the help of their super vet)
Similar experience here. Only tried AI three times, two with fresh semen, away at the stud and one with chilled at an AI centre. The two mares at stud hated all the invasiveness and being away from home. One held on the last attempt and the other didn't and went back next again year, again, 3 failed attempts until I insisted I stay with her during the inseminations and take her home again every day and bring her back the next till she'd ovulated. It worked. In the end I did get two foals but it was just so expensive both in monetary terms and time and effort. The third mare held first time at the AI centre. She had a wonderful vet who knew exactly what he was doing. That was a good experience and everything went according to plan and she duly delivered a lovely filly. Since then I have avoided AI and these mares have been served naturally at home with our own stallions. All three have held first time on each occasion and have since had five foals so far between them naturally. It must be very discouraging for those who don't get the foal they tried for at the end of the day. At least we did get three out of three by AI but way too expensive.
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Posted - 11 Jul 2008 : 2:25:12 PM
and neither in foal and one returned with an infection
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