Embryo Transfer Step-by-Step
Embryo transfers allow a mare to carry another mare’s foal to term. Learn about the process from beginning to end.
- Topics: Slideshow
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Prepping the Donor Mare
Scrubbing and rinsing the mare's genitalia is important to prevent contaminants from contacting the embryos. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Preparing Equipment for Embryo Transfer
The veterinarians prepare the wand with fluid to flush the donor mare's embryos. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Preparing to Flush the Embryos
The technician and veterinarian ready the extracting wand with fluid in preparation to flush the donor mare's embryos. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Flushing Embryos from the Donor Mare
The veterinarian flushes embryos from the donor mare. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Ultrasound Equipment
Ultrasound equipment helps the veterinarian find and extract the embryos while flushing the uterus. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Removing Impurities
Fluid collected from the donor mare is strained through a series of filters to remove impurities. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Filtering Fluid to Reduce Contamination
Filtering fluid collected from the donor mare during an embryo transfer before inserting into the recipient reduces contaminants. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Preparing the Embryo for the Recipient Mare
After examining the embryo, the veterinarian places it in a pipette to be inserted into a recipient mare. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Transporting Embryos
If the embryos need to be transported to reach the recipient mare, they are loaded into an insulated container. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Transferring the Embryo to the Recipient Mare
Watching the ultrasound monitor, the veterinarian inserts the embryo into the proper location in the recipient mare. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Fertilizing the Egg
The veterinarian fertilizes the egg with sperm in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) chamber. If traditional embryo transfer is not an option for the donor mare due to hostile uterine environment, oviductal damage/disease, or limited sperm numbers, the veterinarian might perform intracytoplasmic sperm injection in which he or she fertilizes the egg with sperm in the lab before transferring the resulting embryo into the recipient mare. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
Evaluating the Embryo
The veterinarian is evaluating the fertilized egg through the microscope. | Photo: Abigail Boatwright
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