✔ One set fee, agreed before you sign, regardless of the number of successful embryos retrieved.
How does OPU/ICSI work in horses?
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection), a technique for in vitro fertilization in which an individual sperm cell is introduced into an egg cell, is at the cutting edge of equine breeding.
The Stallion Company is in partnership with the world’s best ICSI specialists to get the best results. ICSI is highly efficient in the use of sperm cells from rare and sub fertile stallions and it allows us to harvest many more embryos than standard AI techniques. This allows your competition mare, or your older possibly sub fertile mare, a hugely more effective and efficient way of breeding. You can preserve cherished motherlines, and use semen from the best stallions, even those that may have died many years ago.
ICSI FOR HORSES, STEP BY STEP
Thanks to the precision and experience of our partners, we can report a high rate of success.
OPU Procedure
The OPU (ovum pick up) is performed at one of our partner centres in the Netherlands, Ireland or France. Prior to the procedure, the mare is sedated and then her follicles are punctured, so that several eggs can be collected.
Study
Once the eggs are collected, they are examined to ensure that only the best quality (give you the best chance of getting an embryo) are used for the ICSI procedure. Generally around 60% of the harvested eggs are useable.
Storage
After selection, the best eggs are sent to Italy (by temperature controlled transporter), where we keep our frozen semen.
Maturation
The eggs arrive next day at the ICSI centre, and a solution is added to them, allowing them to mature correctly, so that they can be injected with the sperm cell.
Selection
A couple of days later sperms cells are thawed, quality tested, and then the very best are injected into the egg.
Incubation
Once fertilised, the eggs are incubated for a further 7 days, during which they are regularly checked to ensure that they develop correctly.
Freezing
At the point that the embryo is correctly formed, it will be frozen. You can chose to have your frozen embryos stored in Italy, or any centre of your choice, ready to be transferred into your recipient mare.
Transfer
Once your recipient ovulates, your embryo is thawed and transferred (in the same way as a normal ET).
Why choose The Stallion Company?
✔ We have straws from some of the rarest, and also from the world’s best stallions.
✔ 15 years as one of the worlds top stallion owners, including Kannan, Quintero la Silla, Parco....
✔ We look after everything throughout the process.
