2010 Oocyte/ICSI Overview
Utilization of oocyte aspiration and Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection offers the following advantages over traditional equine reproductive processes or embryo transfer:
- Production of foals from mares with fertility problems preventing embryo production. Such problems include persistent uterine infection, recurrent anovulatory follicle production, abnormal ovulation or oviductal pathology.
- Production of foals from stallions with limited sperm numbers available. Common applications include frozen semen from deceased stallions or semen from sub-fertile stallions.
- Oocytes (eggs) are collected using trans-vaginal, ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration thus eliminating the requirement of normal oocyte maturation, ovulation and healthy uterine environment.
- Mature dominant follicles or immature follicles can be aspirated for oocyte recovery thus eliminating the need for the mare to have a normal estrous cycle which develops a fully mature oocyte (egg).
The Oocyte Program is set up in a similar manner to the Embryo Transfer Program.
- There is an initial entry fee into the program of $1,700. This is to pay for normal breeding management of the donor mare and maintain and monitor suitable recipient mares, and is a one time fee for the year, regardless of the number of pregnancies achieved.
- Each oocyte collection attempt is $250 and each oocyte transfer surgery is $500.
- Once a recipient mare reaches 30 days of gestation with a viable pregnancy there is a lease fee of $3,500.
