Artificial insemination services

Whilst artificial insemination is not a cheap option there is a general agreement that it possesses a number of distinct advantages over natural breeding. The main advantage is that the best stallion for your mare can be used irrespective of location and enables the use of sires that have proven themselves able to pass on desirable characteristics to their progeny. Mares with have a foal at foot, or mares with an injury not detrimental to foaling but that prevents them from supporting a natural covering can all benefit from AI. More importantly the use of AI can prevent the transmission of infection and lessen the risk of injury to the stallion, mare and handlers.

Based on the success of inseminating our own mares and the new facilities we are now able to offer a full AI service to clients looking to breed from their mares. This service is offered in conjunction with our local veterinary practice North Park Veterinary Group.

Studwork is predominantly carried out by Jon Herrod-Taylor B.Vet.Med MRCVS and Senior Equine vet at North Park. Jon graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1980 and has worked predominantly with horses since the early 90's. He has been practicing AI using chilled semen for 15 years and adds to his experience by attending regular update and clinical refresher equine courses. Jon is ably supported by his sister Bryony Herrod-Taylor B.Vet.Med MRCVS with AI and other equine duties. Bryony graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1991 and has worked with horses within mixed practice since graduation and is now spending more time with equines and companion animals. Lorna is also a DEFRA approved AI technician and a member of the Association of Equine Artificial Inseminators.

Advantages of Artificial Insemination

• Increased choice of stallions
• Semen can be delivered direct to the centre
• Reduced risk of injury to both horses and handlers
• Less problems with non-venereal uterine infections than with natural covering

Services Available at the Centre

• Artificial insemination with fresh or chilled semen
• Foaling in large Monarch foaling boxes each with an individual CCTV cameras and mares fitted with a foaling alarm
• Advice on stallion selection
• Arrangement of delivery of fresh / chilled semen from throughout the UK
• Arrangement of importation of chilled semen from Europe (at an additional fee)

Facilities

• Extensive turn-out on fresh pastures annually rotated as part of our farming operation.
• Large foaling boxes with individual CCTV
• Foaling alarms
• Secure stocks and foal handling pen
• All-weather sand turn-out pens for newborn foals to establish themselves before moving onto small "nursery" paddocks
• Top quality forage made on site