🐴 Embryo Transfer in Mares: Breeding Solutions for 2025 🧬🤱

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

If your mare can't carry a foal due to injury, disease, or performance demands, she can still pass on her genetics through embryo transfer. In 2025, this veterinary technique continues to be a powerful solution for high-value or medically compromised mares. 🧠🐎

💡 What Is Embryo Transfer?

Embryo transfer involves:

1. 💉 Breeding the donor mare
2. 🧬 Flushing the embryo from her uterus 7–8 days later
3. 🤱 Placing the embryo into a recipient mare who carries the pregnancy to term

This allows the donor mare to continue her training, recover from injury, or avoid the risks of full-term gestation. ❤️

📋 Ideal Candidates for Embryo Transfer

• 🐴 Mares with chronic uterine infections
• 🩺 Mares that can get pregnant but can't maintain pregnancy
• ⚠️ Mares with arthritis, laminitis, or poor conformation
• 🏆 High-performance mares needing to stay in work

As long as the mare can conceive and hold the embryo for a few days, embryo transfer may be possible. 🧠

🧼 Preparing the Donor Mare

To improve the uterine environment:

• 🧽 Flush the uterus with sterile fluids before and after breeding
• 💊 Administer antibiotics and antifungals as needed

The goal is to keep the uterus healthy enough to support the embryo for 7–8 days—long enough to retrieve and transfer it. 📆

🔬 The Embryo Collection Process

About one week after ovulation:

• 💉 The uterus is flushed with sterile fluid
• 🧪 The fluid is collected and examined under a microscope
• 🧬 The embryo is isolated, rinsed, and transferred to a synchronized recipient

In some cases, multiple recipients are prepared in case the embryo isn’t recovered from the first flush. 🧫

🤰 The Role of the Recipient Mare

The recipient mare must:

• 📅 Be on the same ovulation timeline as the donor
• ❤️ Be young, healthy, and proven to carry foals
• 🧘 Be calm and easy to manage for a successful pregnancy

Good recipient selection is crucial for a successful embryo transfer program. 💡

💸 Cost and Considerations

Embryo transfer typically costs between $4,000 and $8,000, depending on:

• 💉 Number of cycles needed to achieve pregnancy
• 📦 Recipient mare costs (boarding, hormone sync)
• 🧪 Lab and veterinary fees

Despite the cost, embryo transfer is often a smart investment for valuable genetics or performance mares. 📈

🔁 Alternatives: Oocyte Transfer

When a mare can’t get pregnant at all, her egg (oocyte) can be collected and placed into a recipient’s oviduct, followed by breeding. This is an advanced but more expensive option—used when embryo transfer fails. 🧬

📲 Ask A Vet for Embryo Transfer Planning

Interested in breeding through embryo transfer? Visit AskAVet.com or use the Ask A Vet App to discuss timing, synchronization, and donor mare prep with a veterinary reproduction expert. 📱🐴

Dr Duncan Houston and the team can help with ultrasound tracking, embryo flushing, and matching mares to recipient schedules. 💬🧠

🏁 Final Thoughts

In 2025, embryo transfer is a reliable way to breed without disrupting your mare’s lifestyle or risking her health. With proper management, even mares with chronic uterine issues can produce foals. Talk to your vet early—and plan for success. 🐣🐎

Want to breed without a full pregnancy? Visit AskAVet.com to explore embryo transfer today 🐴🧬