I hope that everyone had a good year of breeding and showing this season. As the breeding season is basically over, and hey trust me I love those of you who just keep going, I hope we all had a good year. The practice had an 88% pregnancy rate this year, which is about 13% better than the overall average. The practice froze its first embryos this season, which was really exciting. I thank those clients for giving me the opportunity.
I recently came back from a veterinary conference and there are some new techniques available. For those with show mares, we have some new methods for keeping mares out of heat for up to 60 days, and possibly 90, without using daily Regumate. Also, I am going to be utilizing some different methods of deep uterine horn insemination, which I hope will increase our successes as well. The University of Illinois is reporting a successful "grafting" of an orphan foal to another mare. The methods they used are actually not new, as the methods were developed by a reproductive specialist, Dr. Daels. If you have any questions concerning induction of lactation in non-pregnant mares and rearing orphan foals, just give me a buzz. As I hope you all realize, I will be going over the research literature this winter and trying to find more research findings and applying it to this practice, bringing you the most up to date information possible.
I also want to let my clients know that there will be some price increases next breeding season. A number of pharmaceutical costs have risen so those products will increase. Also, a number of the cycle packages and examination fees will change as costs have risen. Please ask if you have any questions.
Justin T. Hayna, DVM, Dipl. ACT
