EQUILIFE REPRODUCTION CENTER offers a full range of equine reproductive services performed by Dr. Koen Carrein.
We accept mares to be bred with fresh, cooled or frozen semen to carry their own foals as well as embryo donor mares to be bred and flushed.
We provide the kind of detailed care for your mare that will maximize her reproductive efficiency through nutrition, preventative healthcare and a low stress environment. Our highly experienced and well trained staff, focused solely on reproduction, treats each mare as an individual and recognizes her particular needs or difficulties. We welcome the challenge of managing mares that have previously been reproductively unsuccessful. Our experience and expertise allows us to achieve the highest possible success rates.
We provide seasonal care for your mare as well as year round care for recipient mares.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the job, it can also be the most difficult.
We operate a foaling program with attention given to all details. The Sigloo foaling alarm is used for all late term mares. At birth, any abnormalities receive the immediate attention of the onsite veterinarian.
New foals receive umbilical care, enemas, and imprinting. The foal is observed for adequate nursing and good health. If there are any indications; a blood test (IgG) is performed on the foal at 18 hours of age to determine if adequate levels of antibodies were received from the colostrum. The foals are halter broke and led within a few days of birth.
Special foals with not one, but two,very special mothers.
The Embryo Transfer begins with breeding the donor mare (the mare „donating“ the embryo). She is monitored to establish the exact ovulation date. At the same time, the recipient mares (the mares potentially „receiving“ the embryo) are also monitored.
Seven days after the ovulation date the donor mare’s uterus is flushed. The fluid from her uterus is run though a special filter cup designed to isolate the embryo. The flushed fluid is thoroughly searched for an embryo under a microscope. A 7-day embryo is approximately ¼ to ¾ millimeter in size. It is just visible to the naked eye. As soon as the embryo is found it is washed and transferred into a waiting recipient mare
It’s also possible to bring your own recipient mare. In this case we synchronize the cycle of your recipient and donor mare.
If requested we can provide year round care for the pregnant recipient mare.
Frozen semen is stored in special cryogenic liquid nitrogen containers which maintain semen at -196° C. It is estimated that frozen semen will last thousands of years if maintained properly in a nitrogen tank. The advantage of frozen semen vs. cooled semen is that it can be stored on site until needed.
