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boon
Posts: 2
| Im looking to start AI'ing my mare myself and was just wondering if any of you do it yourself from home and have any tips or advice? Also how much would it be to purchase everything necessary to AI myself? How did you learn to do it yourself?
Thanks! | |
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
   
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | There are several places that offer short courses. That's where most people start. | |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12704
| The machine will run you about 5K for a basic, no frills, probably refurbished unit. If you don't take a course on this you will most likely not be successful. There is more to breeding than the size of the follicle. Most or many stallion owners won't ship without a licensed and experienced vet to do the procedure.
I've used good vets and still have less than a 50% rate (as in it takes 2 or more tries to get it to take). Mare's just don't read the books well and timing is more luck I think. You can only control so much.
You will also be missing the ability to push or pull a cycle without a vet. Or tranquilize a mare if she needs it. The drugs that help with these things are not OTC.
I have contemplated taking the courses at ERC here in VA, but I don't want to hurt any of my mares, or cost myself more $$'s. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 136
| I will say this, unless you are using your own stallions, most breeding contracts state specifically that you have to have a licensed vet check and inseminate. You may want to look into that before buying thousands of dollars in equipment. From experience, AIing is tricky and maybe hard to catch a mare at the right time if you don't know what you are doing. Maybe there is a way of getting certified? idk There is a lot for you to look into. Probably be cheaper in the long run just to have a vet do it. | |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | It's an art. The best way to learn it to immerse yourself at a busy farm and learn the skill. I feel like it would be difficult to really get good and competent at breeding horses with one horse. It's way more than just doing the AI-
Tracking their cycle
short cycling, inducing ovulation
learning to palpate a mare and gauge uterine tone, cervical tone, softness of follicles, identifying a CL. You have to find the uterus and ovaries (which is challenging in the beginner), theres a risk of rectal tear every time you rectally palpate a mare (if you DIY you may have no recourse and insurance prob wouldn't cover it if shes insured)
knowing when to culture a mare- how to culture, how to interpret a culture (AIing yourself will be futile if shes dirty and you don't know it)
What to do if she gets post breeding endometritis- when to lavage, when to give oxytocin, antibiotics? yes no?
Do you have stocks? While plenty of seasoned veteran broodmares tolerate being palpated and AIed without them, it can be dangerous to do all this stuff without a set of stocks.
To do it yourself you'll need:
a basic ultrasound machine with a 5.0 MHz rectal probe
rectal sleeves
nonsterile general OB lube
sterile OB lube
AI pipettes
semen syringes (if semen is sent in whirlpacks)
twitch
stocks (ideally)
^^^that's not including whats needed to lavage or treat post breeding if she gets fluid.
Edited by casualdust07 2019-01-18 11:31 AM
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 Member
Posts: 9
| casualdust07 - 2019-01-18 11:29 AM
It's an art. The best way to learn it to immerse yourself at a busy farm and learn the skill. I feel like it would be difficult to really get good and competent at breeding horses with one horse. It's way more than just doing the AI-
Tracking their cycle
short cycling, inducing ovulation
learning to palpate a mare and gauge uterine tone, cervical tone, softness of follicles, identifying a CL. You have to find the uterus and ovaries (which is challenging in the beginner), theres a risk of rectal tear every time you rectally palpate a mare (if you DIY you may have no recourse and insurance prob wouldn't cover it if shes insured)
knowing when to culture a mare- how to culture, how to interpret a culture (AIing yourself will be futile if shes dirty and you don't know it)
What to do if she gets post breeding endometritis- when to lavage, when to give oxytocin, antibiotics? yes no?
Do you have stocks? While plenty of seasoned veteran broodmares tolerate being palpated and AIed without them, it can be dangerous to do all this stuff without a set of stocks.
To do it yourself you'll need:
a basic ultrasound machine with a 5.0 MHz rectal probe
rectal sleeves
nonsterile general OB lube
sterile OB lube
AI pipettes
semen syringes (if semen is sent in whirlpacks)
twitch
stocks (ideally)
^^^that's not including whats needed to lavage or treat post breeding if she gets fluid.
Thank you. You’re the voice of not just reason, but logic. I don’t think people realize how much goes into getting mares ready for breeding and the work it takes to secure a live foal.
Let’s not forget the risks of multiple pregnancies and knowing which to pinch if they’re caught before and worse, after they attach. If it’s an older mare, you risk an increase for cysts and having to know the difference.
There are GOOD reasons repro vets do intensive internships and invest in expensive UA equipment. Makes me question the ethics and reason behind being involved with breeding horses if you aren’t looking to mare and foal well being above ALL else. In this case, I’m judging. Hard. | |
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