Oocyte Aspiration
The cutting edge of technology! Oocyte aspiration is the process of removing the oocytes (eggs) directly from the mare’s ovary with an ultrasound guided aspiration needle. Those oocytes are then shipped to an injection lab to to through the ICSI process.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is where a single sperm cell is selected and injected directly into the oocyte, thus fertilizing the egg. Those newly fertilized oocytes are then incubated in specialized media to hopefully develop into transferable embryos. Any resulting embryos are returned to Vista Equine for transfer or vitrified (frozen) for transfer at a later date.
This technology has allowed us to now achieve pregnancies from mares that have been barren for several years as they could not even produce embryos via embryo transfer. It has also allowed mares to produce foals by stallions that are virtually infertile, have extremely limited frozen semen, or stallions that have even been deceased for many years!
Please visit our partners, Genetech at www.genetechvet.com for more information on the ICSI process.
Embryo Transfer
Vista Equine accepts donor mares to be managed onsite by our veterinary team, we also accept embryos shipped in from donor mares managed across the country, and derived from other ICSI labs, and embryos that have been maintained in frozen storage.
Embryo transfer allows your donor mare to produce foals without the strain, risk, or needed time off to carry her own pregnancy. Embryo transfers are an excellent breeding tool and can be done for many reasons:
– Mares that have difficulty getting, or staying, in foal can have successful pregnancies via embryo transfer.
– A mare can produce multiple foals in one year by breeding and flushing multiple cycles throughout the season.
– Your donor mare can maintain her showing or competition schedule while still producing foals. This helps advance her production instead of waiting until she’s retired.
– There is an inherent risk in foaling. Some mares are simply to valuable to carry their own pregnancies so that risk is transferred to the recipient mare.
Breeding Management
Mares bred to carry their own pregnancies with fresh, cooled or frozen semen. All mares are welcome! Vista has bred the smallest mini’s to the largest draft mares from semen shipped in from all corners of the world.
Vista Equine specializes in sub-fertile mare management and we pride ourselves in using the most up-to-date treatments, procedures, and in-house diagnostics to help get those more difficult mares in foal.
Foaling Services
Vista Equine offers 24-hour fully monitored foaling services. You have wrapped up a financial and emotional investment into this new foal and we want to make sure it receives the best start in life!
All foalings are attended and assisted. Should any difficulties arise our veterinarians live onsite to attend to your mare and foal immediately.
All mares and foals are closely monitored after foaling. Foals have their umbilicus treated, are given an enema, antibody levels are tested (IgG), and prophylactic antibiotics are given to help alleviate any challenges in their first few days.
Sales Preparation
Vista Equine is full service! From breeding your mare, to getting the foal on the ground, to preparing it for sale. Yearlings are maintained on a top nutritional program, exercise, and ground training to get them looking their best.
We prep horses to go to the trainer, for private sale, and we attend the following every year:
– Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale – Ruidoso Downs, NM
– Heritage Place Yearling Sale – Oklahoma City, OK
– Los Alamitos Equine Sale – Los Alamitos, CA
– Heritage Place Mixed Sale – Oklahoma City, OK
– NRHA Futurity Sale – Oklahoma City, OK
– Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale – Oklahoma City, OK
