- ICSI makes it possible to continue breeding to the highest producing sire in the industry
- No Chute Fee associated with ICSI
- Can be done without the mare in heat (so can fit show mares busy schedules or perform procedure before the mare has first cycle of the year)
- Success rate for procedure improved considerably- especially when younger mares are used (less than 15 yrs old)
- Able to be perform all donor mare work at Weatherford Equine, which is located in close proximity to the largest cutting horse population in the world.
- Chance for multiple embryos when aspirating immature oocytes. Can transfer all embryos, or can freeze to use another season.
- Can perform procedure year round, and implant the embryos when it’s optimal for the client.
- Dr Ritthaler and Dr Young have extensive experience in managing donor mares, and your mare’s reproductive health is always of utmost importance. Therefore each mare will have an individualized approach to optimize timing and increase chance for success.
- Weatherford Equine manages a high volume of ICSI mares, and also depending on the cycle, breeds and flushes embryos from those same mares during the season. At this time they have not found any negative impact breeding mares with traditional techniques following oocyte aspiration procedures.
- Ballpark cost for immature aspiration and one pregnancy ~$6,500, ballpark cost for typical fresh/cooled semen contract with chute fee, flush and one pregnancy ~$4,000
- If multiple embryos are cultured from one aspiration the additional cost/pregnancy is <$4,000 (less than the cost of traditional chute fee with flush pregnancy)
- For only ~$2,500 more than a typical chute fee and embryo flush you gain access to the most proven genetics in the industry
- Top mares within the industry have been successfully aspirated at Weatherford Equine
- Clinical, gross and histological findings indicate that repeated TVA sessions do not cause peritonitis, adhesions of the ovary or degeneration or inflammation of the ovarian tissues and have a <0.5% incidence of ovarian infection. Follicle growth and oocyte viability appear to be unaffected by repeated aspiration of all visible immature follicles on the ovary…” (College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, USA)