Embryo transfer makes it possible to obtain a foal from a mare without her carrying it. We flush the embryo from her uterus about a week after ovulation, then transfer it into a recipient mare, which carries the pregnancy to term.
The original mare, called the donor, does not carry the pregnancy. She can produce a new embryo from the next cycle.
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Which mares is it for?
Above all, embryo transfer makes it possible to obtain several foals from a very good mare in a single season. Each cycle can yield an embryo, and each embryo is carried by a different recipient. A valuable mare thus passes on her qualities faster than at the rate of one foal a year, whether or not she competes.
A sport mare also continues her career while the recipients carry her foals. She is away only on the day of the flush.
Embryo transfer can also produce a foal from a mare that can no longer carry a pregnancy to term, because of her age or her reproductive history, as long as she still produces embryos. Finally, a young mare can have a first foal without interrupting her growth or her work.
How does an embryo transfer work?
The stages of a transfer
- During heatMonitoring the donor. Your mare is monitored and inseminated as for an ordinary pregnancy, through our gynaecological monitoring. Between examinations she can go home and carry on with normal life or her competition season.
- About a week after ovulationThe flush. On the day we set according to the mare's age and reproductive status, we rinse her uterus with a sterile fluid, which we collect in a filter. This is uterine lavage, or flushing. The embryo, barely visible to the naked eye, is then located under a stereo microscope.
- Within the following hoursThe transfer. The embryo is placed in the uterus of a recipient whose cycle is synchronised with the donor's. The procedure is quick, painless, and done with the mare standing.
- From day fourteenPregnancy checks. The recipient is scanned several times during the first weeks.
- After day forty-fiveDeparture. The recipient leaves the centre once the risk of embryonic loss has become low.
Who carries the foal?
To accept the embryo, the recipient's uterus must be at the same stage as the donor's. Both mares must therefore have ovulated at about the same time. We transfer the embryo into one of our recipients, or into one from a partner centre if none of ours is at the right stage on that day.
You can also entrust us with your own recipients. We will then try to synchronise them with your donor. The chance of having a recipient at the right stage on the day of the flush depends on the number of mares available, and it is lower with two or three recipients than with a large group. Your mares are, however, very well suited to a frozen embryo from OPU-ICSI, since that embryo is thawed when the recipient is ready, regardless of the donor's cycle.
What do you take on at forty-five days?
At forty-five days of pregnancy, you lease the recipient until her foal is weaned. During this period she is under your responsibility, as if she were yours. Her upkeep, care and feeding are your responsibility, and you are liable in case of illness or accident. After weaning, you return her to us.
The recipient and the foal she carries can be insured. We provide the information your insurer needs.
The detailed rules, from returning the recipient mare to compensation in case of an accident, are set out in article 7.2 of our general terms and conditions.
What if no embryo is recovered?
It happens. A donor does not produce an embryo every cycle, and the stallion's fertility counts as much as the mare's. We then try again on the next cycle, and each failure tells us how to adjust the monitoring. The choice of stallion can also matter. Semen of low fertility reduces the chance of recovering an embryo, and we discuss it with you.
Can the embryo be frozen?
An embryo obtained after insemination, known as a conventional embryo, tolerates freezing poorly at this stage. We therefore transfer it fresh, into a synchronised recipient. If you want to build up a stock of frozen embryos, OPU-ICSI is the technique of choice. Its embryos, produced in the laboratory, freeze and store very well.
Prices
The flush and the transfer are charged separately, in addition to the donor's gynaecological monitoring. Transfer into your own recipient includes her monitoring. If the embryo goes to a partner centre, transport is extra. From forty-five days, the lease of the pregnant recipient is charged until weaning.
| Embryo collection | 199,41 € | Uterine flush and search for the embryo. |
| Embryo transfer | 132,94 € | Embryo preparation, transfer into a recipient mare or shipment to an external centre, excluding transport costs. |
| Embryo transfer into your recipient mare | 310,19 € | Embryo preparation and transfer into your recipient mare, including gynaecological monitoring of the recipient. |
| Pregnant recipient mare, at 45 days | 3 200,98 € | The recipient mare is entirely at the breeder's expense from day 45 of pregnancy. She can be insured for her value, as can the unborn foal. |
Frequently asked questions
Does my mare have to stay at the centre during monitoring?
No. She can go home between examinations and come back on the day of the flush. We encourage it, she will be better off in her own surroundings.
Can my mare compete during flushing cycles?
Yes. If a treatment is needed, we tell you the withdrawal period to respect under FEI rules before competing.
How long does the recipient stay at the centre?
Until day forty-five of pregnancy. She then goes to you, on lease, until the foal is weaned.
Are you considering an embryo transfer for your mare?
Talk to us as early as possible, so we can plan the donor's monitoring and the flush.