Assisted Reproduction Services

Assisted reproduction services offered by the Equine Reproduction Laboratory at Colorado State University include:

• Oocyte transfer
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
• Transported ovaries

Although embryo transfer provides a means of obtaining pregnancies from some mares that might not otherwise be capable of producing offspring, some mares cannot provide embryos for transfer. Mares in which embryo transfer may not be successful include those with:

1. ovulatory failure
2. chronic and severe uterine infection
3. anatomical problems (e.g. cervical adhesions, etc.)

However, these mares could be used as oocyte (egg) donors and continue to produce foals through newer reproductive technologies such as oocyte transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In addition, offspring can be produced from stallions with low sperm numbers and/or poor sperm quality.

The successful application of these technologies requires that oocytes be collected directly from the ovaries of the donor mare. Oocytes are often collected by transvaginal, ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration. After oocytes are collected, they are generally incubated in a culture medium so that they mature to the stage where they are capable of undergoing fertilization.

For more complete details and a fee schedule, please contact the Equine Reproduction Laboratory at (970) 491-8626 (tel) or (970) 491-7005 (fax), or e-mail ERL@colostate.edu.

For more information on services available, contracts and prices, please visit these pages:

Oocyte Transfer (OT)

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

Transported Ovaries (salvaging genetics for deceased mares)