Why choose ICSI?

There are several reasons why in
vitro production of embryos by ICSI
is requested by the equine breeder:

1. Some embryo transfer mares fail to
continue producing an embryo.
2. Failure of the mare to develop a
follicle and ovulate.
3. Cervical or uterine problems that
prevent the mare from becoming
pregnant.
4. The stallion only produces a small
amount of high-quality semen
because of age, disease or injury.
5. The stallion has died, and the
amount of semen is limited.
6. The convenience of scheduling a
single OPU session for busy
performance mares VS the breeding
and flushing schedule necessary for
ET.

how it works

OPU technology consists of the collection of oocytes from donor mares using a transvaginal ultrasound-guided technique. Once collected, the oocytes are placed in culture media to induce maturation. This process mimics the development that would occur naturally within the mare. The oocytes that mature then will be subjected to ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). This is the process of injecting each oocyte with an individual sperm from the desired stallion. The resulting fertilized oocytes are then cultured in the lab to allow development into a stage of an embryo (blastocyst) suitable for transfer.

ICSI is appropriate for mares that are unable to become pregnant for various reasons: chronic uterine disease, cervical disease, physical problems that don’t allow carrying a foal, ET mares that no longer produce embryos, also the performance mare with limited time for breeding management.

Only a small quantity of semen either fresh, cooled or frozen, is needed to fertilize each oocyte during the ICSI session. For this reason, the OPU technique can be successfully applied when limited semen is available or with the stallion that has poor fertility.