A QUICK GUIDE TO A.I.     OUR BREEDING CONTRACT

Preparation; Firstly, we would advise that your mare is 'swabbed' by your vet when she is well in season. It is important that she has a clear swab result before you use A.I. especially if she has missed a year or has had a difficult foaling. Your vet should also handle her to check the activity of her ovaries. It is possible that you may have time to cover her in this cycle after you have got the results of her swab (usually 24 hours). If you know your mare, you will know the length of time that she stays in season. This can vary from year to year and from Spring to Autumn. Once you have an idea of her cycle, it will not be too difficult to get the vet to check her within a day or two of when she is due to be covered.

Booking; When your mare has been swabbed, call us at Coolcorron Stud to make a reservation for her during her cycle. You will need to inform us which stallion you want to use, give us the particulars of the mare and forward stud fee.

Vet Visit; The next step is to have your mare examined by your vet to identify at what stage her egg/follicle is at. This may require more then one examination as follicles can take several days to come close to ovulation. The follicle goes through a period of being small and soft, after which they grow firm and then become larger and soft again close to ovulation - the right time for covering. The size of the follicle will vary depending on the size of your mare's ovaries. The above is important in order to avoid the early follicle stage being mistaken for the later stage of the mare's season. Your vet will also be able to tell you whether her cervix is relaxed which is a good indicator that she is well in season.

In the event that she is not ready for another couple of days, you will have to have your vet check her again. As soon as your vet says your mare is ready for covering in the next day or so, let us know.

Ordering the A.I.; Ring us by 11.00 am any day and we will organise a courier for the container. The courier will bring it to your nearest bus/train station where you will need to arrange to have it collected. If time is of the essence you can collect the container directly from the Stud.

We send one insemination dose to you. This is because the semen does not last in the container. If the mare doesn't ovulate as expected, you can get a fresh insemination dose. The only additional cost is the transport, the stud fee does not alter.

Every collection is checked before it leaves the stud. It is transported in a chilled container which is designed to keep the semen at the correct low temperature. The container must not be opened until the vet is ready to inseminate. The envelope on the container gives you and the vet some additional advice that should help with the insemination. It also contains a form the vet must sign to verify the covering of your mare, the conditions of the stud fee and a copy of your invoice.

Lastly; Check that your mare goes out of season. This is vital because she may put up another follicle that shouldn't be missed. Also, take care to return the container immediately by post/train to us, letting us know in advance when it is due to arrive.