Due to the continued growth in the Australian horse industry – and the particular demand for embryo transfer – Dr Pascoe has expanded the Reproduction section of POVH with the development of a major new Specialist Reproduction Centre.
This centre specialises in embryo transfer, chilled and frozen artificial inseminations and problem mares – as well as the chilling and freezing of stallion semen for national and international supply. The Reproduction Centre has also expanded a facility for the standing of client stallions.
“We can offer stallion owners the opportunity to stand their stallions in first class facilities. It takes the pressure off the owners to stand the stallions themselves where they can stand here at our centre. We can collect and ship chilled semen and freeze semen for the owner during the season.”
There has been an extension of yard facilities with 49 small paddocks designed to allow client mares their own individual facilities. There are 12 meshed mare and foal paddocks for their safety. This will allow mares to come to the Centre for Embryo Transfer as well as chilled and frozen semen breedings.
The Specialist Centre offers Ultrasound as well as Video Endoscopes and Laparoscopy which are so important for diagnosis of mares who visit the Centre with a history of long term breeding problems.
As well as specialist diagnostic facilities, the Centre has a custom built laboratory which is designed to custom freeze stallion semen, a new indoor breeding barn and new stabling to stand up to six stallions at the Centre throughout the breeding season.
The centre is also a registered AI Centre which is designed to export both chilled and frozen semen around the world.
Stallion Station
Our new stallion station provides accommodation for up to 6 stallions. Each stallion has its own stall and day paddock. While your stallion is staying with us, we can offer the following services:-
- We can collect and breed mares for your clients at the Centre
- We can collect and ship semen anywhere in Australia or overseas
- We can custom freeze semen for clients to use when they live in a place where semen cannot be shipped easily in time
Stallions
Breeding Suitability Examination:
We can perform a full breeding suitability examination on young stallions prior to starting their stud careers. This examination covers all the requirements of insurance companies for infertility insurance for new season sires.
Semen Evaluations:
- For older horses, or horses which infertility insurance is not required, we can collect semen from the stallion and analyse it for you. The information from this evaluation will allow you, the stallion owner, to make informed decisions on potentially how many mares the stallion will be able to cover in a breeding season.
- For stallions you wish to ship chilled semen, we can perform a number of trials on the semen to access it’s survivability in different semen extenders and the time it lives in the extender. Using this information we can advise our clients on the best extenders to use and how long you can ship the stallion’s semen, making sure that you deliver quality semen to the mare owner at the other end.
Frozen & Chilled Semen
The use of chilled or frozen semen in the equine breeding industry has become very popular, with horse owners realising that they can breed their mare to a stallion just about anywhere in the world without the expense, stress and time of moving their mares or interrupting their competing career.
We can also offer stallion owners the opportunity to stand their stallions in our first class facilities where it will take the pressure off them to stand the stallion themselves. We can also collect and ship chilled semen and freeze semen for the owner during the season.
The Centre has a custom built laboratory which is designed to custom freeze stallion semen, a new indoor breeding barn and new stabling to stand up to six stallions at the Centre throughout the breeding season.
The centre is also a registered AI Centre which is designed to export both chilled and frozen semen around the world.
Artificial Insemination
Our Specialist Breeding Centre is also a registered Artificial Insemination (AI) Centre which is designed to export both chilled and frozen semen around the world. The Centre also specialises in breeding mares with fresh, chilled or frozen semen.
The AI process involves checking the mare’s follicles which hold the egg on a regular basis to pick the best time to order the semen for her insemination. After the mare has been inseminated, we check for ovulation and if this has occurred, we then apply the most appropriate post-breeding treatment to give your mare the best chance to get pregnant to ensure the maximized result for breeding.
Embryo Transfer
Embryo transfer in horses is becoming an increasingly popular way to breed performance horses.
The process of collection of an embryo from a donor and the transfer to a recipient is generally referred to as embryo transfer (ET). Multiple embryo transfers can be performed on one donor mare during a breeding season.
ET also often involves the technology of freezing and thawing of embryos, for which there is a large body of published techniques. Embryos may be transferred shortly after collection (fresh transfer), held cooled for a short period (a few hours or overnight) or frozen after collection for thawing and transfer at a later date.
Problem Breeders
At POVH Repro, we specialise in mares that have become problem breeders.
We offer a full array of specialist diagnostic procedures which include Ultrasound, Video-Endoscopy, Uterine Biopsy and Laparoscopy.
It is important that you can bring as much history on your mare’s previous matings and foalings as possible as this information will be vital in helping to find possible solutions to her problems.