- Your veterinarian is one of the most important aspects of a good breeding program.

Even though with artificial insemination it seems the possibility of transmitting infection is no longer present, mares still need to be cultured. Who would want to waste all the time and money involved in one shipment of semen only to find out after the mare didn’t conceive that she had an infection.  She should also have a thorough breeding soundness exam by a qualified equine reproduction veterinarian. 

Another good practice is to have your veterinarian monitor the mares during their cycles. With ultrasound or palpation they can more accurately predict when to inseminate the mare. Timing is critical and to insure a good conception rate on your mares first cycles you need to be aware of what stage they are in. When you are hand breeding it is common to cover a mare on her 3^rd day then every other day till she is out. But it most likely will not be cost effective to do this when shipping semen. 

In the long run it's much wiser to spend a little more money with your veterinarian on your mare’s first cycle then to wait until she didn't conceive.  By this time you've spent collection fees, shipping fees, and you've lost a month.

You may also want to talk to your veterinarian about setting up a schedule for pregnancy checks by ultrasound. This is almost a must. They can tell as early as 16 days (sometimes earlier) whether your mare has conceived. This will give you either piece of mind if she is, or more time to prepare for another shipment if she is not. I always recommend another ultrasound around 45 days to be sure she did not absorb the fetus.

When choosing a veterinarian for your breeding program find out their specialty. Not every veterinarian is the "best" equine reproduction specialist. Some are better with lameness’, others with surgery. If you’re really serious about breeding, be sure they are up-to-date with today’s reproductive practices. Please don't misunderstand me, I’m not saying that if you’ve used a certain vet and really work well with them you should switch to another vet just because "everyone else" is using them for their reproduction work.. Sometimes the trust we develop with our own veterinarian is worth more than anything else.  They know your mare and you.  Just be sure to ask questions and know exactly what the stallion owners will be expecting from you and your vet.

Knowing ahead of time what is expected of you can make the breeding process go a lot smoother for you, your vet, and the stallion owner.  Make sure you know what days they collect, when you have to notify them for a shipment, and what shipping methods are available.  Do they utilize counter to counter, or only overnight shipments.  Keep your breeding contract available for your veterinarian if he has any questions.  Shipped semen can be a very rewarding process, but you need to be prepared.

    - Chris Michelson ©1999-2008

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