The practice offers a full range of reproductive services to clients wishing to put their mare in foal.

Pre-breeding checks

Whether going for natural service or artificial insemination, the practice recommends a veterinary examination of every mare at the start of the breeding season. This usually involves an ultrasound examination of the mare's reproductive tract and helps identify potential problems before commencing breeding such as endometritis or uterine cysts. Uterine swabs or biopsies may be taken if required.

CEM swabs

Most studs require a laboratory certificate to say the mare has been swabbed and is negative for contagious equine metritis (CEM), caused by the bacteria Taylorella equigenitalis. This involves a simple clitoral swab and we recommend this before natural covering and AI.  Our new (2010) packages include the cost of a pre-breeding CEM swab.

Cycle manipulation

Some owners whose mare is going to stud wish to minimise the time their mare spends away from home. Mares who are difficult to detect in season may be either examined with ultrasound to detect their seasons prior to travelling to the stallion, or can be brought fairly reliably into season at a set time using a regimen of medicines.

The practice is happy to advise mare and stallion owners on all aspects of natural service.

Artificial insemination (AI)

The practice has considerable experience with artificial insemination, both with chilled and frozen semen. Each year the number of mares put in foal in the Highlands via artificial insemination is growing.

Chilled semen is currently the most common method used for equine artificial insemination in the Highlands, and carries a good success rate. Because semen is less damaged by being chilled than being frozen, the sperm live longer in the mare and exact timing of insemination is less important than with frozen semen, necessitating less intense scanning.

Frozen semen is becoming more popular - and is making the geographical location of the stallion even less important. The practice each year inseminates mares with frozen semen flown in from continental Europe. Because frozen mare semen is more delicate than chilled, the insemination has to take place very close to ovulation and this means that mares have to be scanned as often as every 4 - 6 hours. Mares which are to be inseminated with frozen semen will need to be liveried with us, at our clinic, partly because of the frequency of scanning but also because the  semen container, which is kept cool with liquid nitrogen, cannot be moved off the premises.

Mare owners should feel free to call one of the vets for a chat about which option is most appropriate for them - and get advice on the specific nuances of AI in the North of Scotland, such as what time of year to begin, courier deliveries in the Highlands etc.

Packages are available to mare owners that include all ultrasound exams (including a 14d & 25d pregnancy scan) and drugs used for routine cycle manipulation. Details and prices are available on request.

Pregnancy diagnosis

We recommend ultrasound examination for pregnancy at day 14 following covering, whatever method is used. Following this, mares are sometimes scanned at later dates to check foetal health and viability, and the vets are happy to advise clients what might be appropriate for their mare.

Later in pregnancy blood tests or rectal examination can be offered for pregnancy diagnosis.

Foal medicine

Our vets principally involved with the reproductive work part of the practice have worked stud seasons in busy equine practices where there have been a large number of foals. A veterinary examination of any newborn foal (and the mare's placenta) is always recommended.

The practice keeps hyper-immune plasma for immunodeficient foals, which can be crucially important in the surprisingly common situation where a foal has not received adequate colostrum.

For more serious orthopaedic problems in foals the practice is able to offer consults with our visiting surgeon.

Stallions

The practice has equipment for collecting and evaluating semen from stallions. Stallion owners interested in this service should contact one of the vets for more information.

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