Early detection of pregnancy in mares is strongly demanded by owners in order to maximize breeding efficiency and economic investment. The most reliable and earliest available tool for conceptus detection is ultrasonography. Other diagnostics include palpation per rectum and hormonal blood tests (i.e. estrone sulfate in serum or urine; equine chorionic gonadotropin in serum) as these methods are useful when examination by ultrasound (per rectum or transabdominally) is not possible or feasible.

Obtaining a low sperm count from a stallion can be frustrating and the issue may or may not be able to be remedied depending on the cause.  It is best to have a thorough Breeding Soundness Exam performed on the stallion in order to evaluate and determine why he is ejaculating low sperm numbers.  An examination performed by a veterinarian well-versed in reproduction can provide valuable information.  In this brief article, Dr. Elena Martinez de Andino of SBS Veterinary Services discusses two questions to consider when first trying to determine the cause of the low sperm numbers in an ejaculate. 

With the recent addition of Dr. Elena Martinez de Andino, board-certified theriogenologist, SBS Veterinary Services is excited to promote transvaginal follicle aspiration for oocyte recovery (TVA) as one of its available assisted reproductive techniques. Trained at Texas A&M University under the guidance of Dr. Katrin Hinrichs, Dr. Charles Love, and the Equine Embryo Laboratory, Dr. Martinez de Andino has extensive clinical and research experience in TVAs in both reproductively challenged mares as well as fertile mares whose stallion’s semen may be limited or of poor quality. Oocytes collected from TVA are sent to an ICSI lab, and the ICSI-embryos, fresh or vitrified, can be sent back to SBS Veterinary Services for transfer into one of our recipient mares. This procedure is invaluable for production of ICSI-embryos for immediate transfer or for preservation of genetic material (vitrified ICSI-embryos) from mares for future embryo transfer.

To evaluate a mare's potential for reproductive success or failure, veterinarians often perform a "breeding soundness examination" (BSE). As the breeding season approaches, many owners may opt for a pre-breeding BSE to identify and address any potential reproductive issues prior to breeding. This examination is invaluable for estimating the likelihood of a mare successfully conceiving, carrying a pregnancy to term, and delivering a healthy foal. Pre-breeding examinations are usually performed early in the breeding season when the mare has just begun to cycle or, at the very least, is not in anestrus. Furthermore, the BSE provides veterinarians and owners with important information to determine whether a particular mare should carry a foal herself or whether she might better serve as an embryo or oocyte donor, as well as what breeding strategies are most appropriate for the individual mare.

In the equine breeding industry, many different assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) are widely used to aid the management of equine reproduction. ARTs provide options to owners looking to obtain embryos from genetically valuable mares and/or stallions for whom conventional breeding management strategies are insufficient. This article provides a concise summary of several common ARTs, as well as information regarding innovative techniques just entering clinical use.