Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala FL was established in 1981 by Dr John L. Peterson and Dr. Johnny Mac Smith. This state of the art, full service equine clinic has become one of the most highly recognized veterinary practices in the United States. The Equine Reproduction Center at Peterson and Smith (PSERC) joined the SBS Affiliate Network in 2000. Based out of their 92 acre facility in Summerfield, FL (20mins south of the main clinic), PSERC offers a full range of equine reproductive services under the guidance of Dr. Phil Matthews.
PSERC has been on the cutting edge of reproductive technology since its inception. In 2003 they were the first commercial veterinary operation in the southeastern United States to produce a live foal from a frozen embryo. With >300 mares,
they maintain one of the largest recipient mare herds in the southeastern United States. This herd of carefully selected recipient mares has allowed them to enjoy an extremely successful embryo transfer program for over 10 years. PSERC can assist breeders every step of the way - from breeding the mare, performing the embryo flush, to transfer and foaling out. They also offer a full range of stallion services including semen freezing, storage and distribution through their affiliation with SBS. Ask about standing your stallion at PSER in 2012!
Continuing the tradition of staying on the cutting edge of technology, PSERC is excited to share with us news of their intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and oocyte transfer programs. The ICSI procedure involves injection of the sperm directly into the egg using a sophisticated microscope with micro-manipulators. The egg is then placed into cell culture, monitored for fertilization and early embryonic development before being transferred into the recipient mare. ICSI offers the advantage of obtaining fertilization from a non-motile or marginal quality semen sample and is also considered in cases where the semen supply may be in limited. It is also an option for mares that are not suitable candidates for embryo transfer.
PSERC celebrated the birth of their first ICSI foal in 2011 (photo above right). Contact PSERC for more information on this new service.
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