What are the risks and benefits of Transported Semen?

Shipped semen requires the mare owner to be responsible for the precise monitoring of the mare's heat cycle. The mare owner needs to determine when the mare comes into heat, and a vet experienced with reproductive ultrasound will need to scan the mare to determine the estimated date of ovulation. The semen is ordered from the stallion owner at least 24 hours in advance, to arrive in time for insemination the next day via FedEx Overnight delivery. The vet inseminates the mare when the semen arrives and then scans her in approximately 16 days post ovulation to determine if there is a pregnancy. If not, semen has to be ordered as soon as possible again before the mare ovulates, which is roughly every 21 days, (or up to 5 days from the preg check scan at 16 days).

Shipped Semen Pros & Cons:

Cons:

With pony mares, it may be difficult to find a vet who can adequately scan them. With larger breed mares it is helpful to know how large their follicles get before they ovulate. Semen is often ordered too early, assuming the mare will ovulate with a 35-40mm follicle, when some mares ovulate with a 50mm+ follicle. Some of our Friesian mares ovulate with a 57mm follicle. It may require a few vet calls and scans before the mare is deemed ready for insemination.

Mares may ovulate on weekends, making the ideal timing of the semen shipment difficult, i.e., if the vet determines she will ovulate on a Monday, the semen has to be ordered Friday for a Saturday delivery and insemination, since there is no FedEx or UPS pick up on Saturday for Sunday delivery. Transported semen should be inseminated within 24 hours of collection for best results. It is better to inseminate the mare early, and hope the semen lives in her reproductive tract until she ovulates, rather than to keep it in the container for a Monday delivery.

Semen shipments can also be delayed, lost, etc.

Transported sperm cells do not live as long as live cover cells due to the stress of collection, the extender, shipping, etc. Live cover cells can live up to 5 days in the mare's reproductive tract, making the chance of conception much greater, and the precise timing of ovulation less critical.

Pros:

You can keep your mare at home. There is no risk of upsetting her with transportation. Some mares get stressed trailering, others aren't bothered at all. It depends on her disposition, trailering experience, distance, etc.

If she has a foal at her side, transported semen reduces the stress on mare and the foal, as well the added risk of injury to the foal during trailering.

Neutral:

Depending on the distance, the cost of transporting your mare and paying mare care during her stay may be more, less, or equal to the cost of the vet calls and pre-insemination ultrasounds, the insemination(s), and semen collection(s) and shipping costs.