Artificial Insemination

[~Amanda~]

I was wondering how common AI (Artificial Insemination) is in Miniatures? I have only very rarely seen it offered on websites. Most seem to be live-cover?

I know that AI is very, very common in the big breeds. How come it seems so much less common in Minis? Do they have complications with it?

 

[Karin - NaKar Miniatures]

Actually doing AI in minis is quite easy. I have AI'd quite a few of my own mares. In my opinion, one reason it is not done so much is that minis are a lot easier to handle than large horses. The other reason is that the semen doesn't seem to ship well.

 

[~Amanda~]

Miniature semen doesn't ship well? I hadn't heard that before.

 

[Charlotte]

The biggest problem we've found is the mare owner not having the capability to AI or not having a vet that will AI a miniature mare.

And as Karen said, miniatures are so much easier to handle than big horses that almost anyone wanting to breed has their own stallion.

Charlotte

 

[~Amanda~]

That's one of the things I was thinking about.

If/when I have a few mare of my own (if I wanted to breed them), it seems like my options would be very limited due to the lack of AI.

 

[Charlotte]

There are a number of farms that can ship semen. The biggest issue is on the mare's end usually.

Charlotte

 

[cretahillsgal]

I see that you are located in TX. You are in the perfect place if you need to find a stallion. There are ALOT of breeders in TX that would more than likely take your mare to breed to one of their stallions. You could look around and find a stallion perfect for your mare.

 

[~Amanda~]

I'm sure I could ship a mare, but I was always told AI was a lot less stressful. They're at home, they can stay there, and no worries if they have a foal at side, etc.

I understand it can be worked out and such, but it limits stallions by how far you can/are willing to travel, if they take outside mares, and all that. I was just a little surprised. I'm used to 'big ones' where 99% of them prefer AI.

 

[MountainMeadows]

I don't think that most of the miniature stallion owners would have a problem with helping you with AI -- but there are some pretty significant costs involved that you would most likely be expected to bear:

Registering the stallion to AI with the AMHA: $300, not sure if AMHR has a charge

Collecting the Stallion: In my area that is around $200

Shipping the Semen: Again, in my area that is around $200 more

Actual stud fee: ?????

Then on your end you will need to have the mare checked during her cycle to see when she is ready to receive her semen, and then hopefully the stallion owner can accomodate your schedule - this can easily mean 2-3 ultrasounds before she ovulates to determine "when" and then another vet call to actually have the semen placed into the mare -- I don't know about your area, but here a farm call is $100 and the ultrasounds are an additonal $100 ea, then the actual AI'ing around $50 -- so 2 prior to ovulation calls @ $200 ea = $400 then the actual AI procedure another $150 or so = $550 on the mare end

Add it all up $300 + $400 + $550 = $1100 + Stud Fee

So, it can really add up fast! And if it doesn't work you are out all but the $300 registration fee and have to go thru it all ove again.

Stacy

 

[Leeside]

I have the first AMHA registered horse that resulted from an AI breeding. He was foaled in 2001. For quite a few years (and he still may be) he was the only success story of shipped semen. As I understand it, many of the farms who permitted their stallions back in 2000 gave up within a couple of years. The overwhelming reason was the shipping quality, or lack thereof. This is not unique to minis. Several other breeds have difficulty with either fresh or frozen semen. I know of several farms who tried experimenting with different extenders with limited results.

Mountain Meadows is right. AI expenses are not for the faint of heart, or pocketbook. My total expenses - not including a stud fee (collection, shipping, insemination, ultrasounds, farm calls, etc) was $2400. In hindsight, I never would have done it had I know the expenses would have climbed so high. At the time, however, the mare was holding on to an increasingly large follicle. The choice was was to stop calling for additional shipments, or continue on. I opted to complete just once cycle. I am just lucky that she caught the first time around!

 

[kaykay]

We are offering AI on our stallions this year and are really excited about it. I am very lucky that I have a very experienced neighbor that does this on her farm (collection, shipping, insemination etc) She charges a 100.00 collection fee and her shipping is also very reasonable. So for about the stud fee plus 150.00 you can have an AI shipment. To me this is much better then the stress of shipping a mare etc. I think her fee to inseminate a mare is only 35.00.

For stallion owners when you factor in the chances of your stallion getting kicked or ill from an off site mare this is pretty cheap.

All of the inquiries I have had so far are people very experienced with AI so that greatly increases the chances of it working

You do have to have your stallion tested to see if hes a good candidate. So far we have had Feature tested and the results were awesome

She said he is a very fertile turtle and his numbers even after 48 hrs were very high.

for ASPC/AMHR you must have the DNA on file for the stallion and then buy the certificate which I believe is 100.00 and that is for the life of the stallion. The mares must also have DNA on file and the foal has to be DNA'd.

We have had 2 inquiries from overseas where AI is very commonly used even in small equine