Thanks to the latest equine assisted reproduction techniques, obtaining embryos from your high-value stallion or mare is now possible. OPU-ICSI is a procedure performed in the Ovohorse laboratories that offers more advantages than the reproduction techniques currently in use, such as insemination or embryo transfer. OPU (Ovum Pick Up) refers to follicular aspiration in mares, i.e., the extraction of oocytes to perform fertilization in the laboratory (ICSI).
The estrous cycle or interovulatory interval in mares allows monitoring and selecting the most suitable time for follicular aspiration (OPU). In other words, the mare does not need to be in her ovulation phase, as this is achieved through process synchronization and medication administered by the veterinarian.
OPU-ICSI can be performed at any stage and up to twice a month, maximizing the number of embryos per year. Once embryos are generated, they can be vitrified and preserved indefinitely in liquid nitrogen within a genetic bank. Vitrification allows for embryo transfer at any time while maintaining the qualities of the remaining embryos for future pregnancies.
VENTAJAS DE LA OPU-ICSI PARA CONSEGUIR EMBRIONES
The OPU-ICSI procedure is ideal for stallions or mares with reproductive issues or subfertility. One of the advantages of this technique is that it only requires one sperm and one egg to achieve fertilization (ICSI), which leads to the formation of the equine embryo. In contrast, more traditional techniques require larger amounts of biological material, such as a semen straw.
Semen straws are the tools or devices veterinarians use to store/freeze sperm for use in fertilization. If we only have a limited amount of sperm from a unique stallion with reproductive issues (such as low sperm quality or poor sperm motility) or if the stallion has already passed away, the straw cutting method is the best option to carry out artificial fertilization and produce high-value foals. In this regard, one of the main advantages of this procedure is that it allows better utilization of biological material (semen) than traditional reproduction techniques like Artificial Insemination, which require thawing an entire straw.
Do you own a breeding farm and want to produce offspring from your most prized stallion? At Ovohorse, we have one of the largest and most prestigious semen banks nationwide. Contact our team at info@ovohorse.com for more information.
