Hickstead semen update for North America

[imajacres]

This is the email I sent out to all the people who had been in touch.

Hello all, sorry for the mass mailing.
And as well, sorry for this update.

There is no semen available for North America.
There is some in Europe. Availability status is not clear as of yet.
If you are one of the people who have contacted me from Europe, or Mexico/South America, OR if you have a mare in Europe that you want to breed, you stand a better chance of getting a dose or so.
CHANCE being the operative word here.
Please get back to Francis/me if you are one of these people, and he MAY be able to do something for you in the next weeks.
He cant guarantee anything, but at least it is not 110% no as of now:-).

The European semen cannot be shipped to North America.

Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry.
Take care, Ingrid

http://www.matchmakerequine.com

[Fred]

Ingrid, thanks for the update. Not good news for breeders here in NA.
Such a huge loss.

[Kyzteke]

I would think they also harvested semen from him when he died, but I think that usually just yields another dozen or so doses at the most, and I would guess that might have to remain in Europe, since Hickstead was not in quarantine at the time.

What a terrible loss, indeed.

I also wonder if they harvested DNA from H.

See, here is the exact situation where cloning would be warranted, at least IMHO.

[veetiepony]

Aw, I hope they didn’t “harvest his semen”, and I hope they don’t clone him. He has successful pregnancies, right?

[FalseImpression]

Strange, but last year and the year before, people sounded like they were not that keen on his semen… now… It is very sad, but I do find it “funny” that now everyone wants him. There were only 50 doses available in Europe from what I read.

[EquineLVR]

[QUOTE=FalseImpression;5955127]
Strange, but last year and the year before, people sounded like they were not that keen on his semen… now… It is very sad, but I do find it “funny” that now everyone wants him. There were only 50 doses available in Europe from what I read.[/QUOTE]

Agreed…

[Kyzteke]

@veetiepony;5955076

Aw, I hope they didn’t “harvest his semen”, and I hope they don’t clone him. He has successful pregnancies, right?

Well, they did a necropsy on him, so what is one more “cut”?

I mean, he was already gone…

[dressagetraks]

Would the semen still be good? Don’t cells all around the body, including the testicles, die very quickly with no blood being pumped? On the other hand, I guess the dead horse’s body could be considered kind of like an Equitaner, only heated instead of chilled.

Harvesting semen from a dead animal had never occurred to me.

[Kyzteke]

@dressagetraks;5955401

Would the semen still be good? Don’t cells all around the body, including the testicles, die very quickly with no blood being pumped? On the other hand, I guess the dead horse’s body could be considered kind of like an Equitaner, only heated instead of chilled.

Harvesting semen from a dead animal had never occurred to me.

Actually, the semen stored in the vessels leading to the testes is some of the most potent. Of course, the testes etc. need to be removed fairly quickly (and I really don’t know the exact amt. of time, but it certainly isn’t within minutes), cooled (as in a cooler), then transported ASAP to a vet for extraction and freezing.

Per Dr. Ahmed Tibary of WSU ( a Board certified theriologist), for a young(er) stallion who dies of trauma, this can be some of the most viable semen available.

A vet or ER can be more detailed and give more accurate info, but I know it certainly is possible.

Ditto harvesting eggs from young mares who die young.

[elizabeth_Callahan]

After the stallionhas died, the testicles are removed and the epididymis is flushed to remove the mature sperm. That semen is then frozen - no different from smene gotten form collection. Not a huge amount, and quality can vary , esp of a stallion has not been on a regular collection schedule -. Testicles can be shipped overnight, just like semen to a facility that will process it, so usually 24 hours or so is enought time

[Kyzteke]

@elizabeth Callahan;5955796

After the stallionhas died, the testicles are removed and the epididymis is flushed to remove the mature sperm. That semen is then frozen - no different from smene gotten form collection. Not a huge amount, and quality can vary , esp of a stallion has not been on a regular collection schedule -. Testicles can be shipped overnight, just like semen to a facility that will process it, so usually 24 hours or so is enought time

Thank you for this information.

[Daventry]

@elizabeth Callahan;5955796

After the stallionhas died, the testicles are removed and the epididymis is flushed to remove the mature sperm. That semen is then frozen - no different from smene gotten form collection. Not a huge amount, and quality can vary , esp of a stallion has not been on a regular collection schedule -. Testicles can be shipped overnight, just like semen to a facility that will process it, so usually 24 hours or so is enought time

Yep, this certainly can be done. I have always kept this page in my computers Favorites in case our 24+ year old stallion passes away suddenly. http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/bms/ERL/erl_semenserv.htm UC Davis charges $750. I have been told I just need to Fed-Ex the testicles in an Equitainer overnight to them.

[SpecialEffects]

I hope you don’t mind but I copied your post over to my board. People had been asking.

Thanks for the info.

[Kyzteke]

@Daventry;5956241

UC Davis charges $750. I have been told I just need to Fed-Ex the testicles in an Equitainer overnight to them.

Seriously? I contemplated it when I knew I was going to have to put down my 9 yr old stallion, but I was lead to believe it was more like several thousand!

You mean they extract the semen and freeze it for only $750?

[naturalequus]

[QUOTE=FalseImpression;5955127]
Strange, but last year and the year before, people sounded like they were not that keen on his semen… now… It is very sad, but I do find it “funny” that now everyone wants him. There were only 50 doses available in Europe from what I read.[/QUOTE]

I think maybe I can explain this… or at least here’s MY $0.02 :winkgrin: I wouldn’t have been all that keen on his semen while he was alive, either. As amazing as HE himself was, I wanted to see him prove himself with his get, especially as a very inexperienced breeder with only the one mare to breed and not exactly unlimited financial resources. I want to reduce my risk as much as possible. BUT, now that he is gone, well, you’re more willing to take that risk of using an unproven stallion because it’s sort of a ‘now or never’ deal and he really was that great. Unfortunately the cost of his semen is still cost-prohibitive to me, IF I could even get my hands on some

[Kyzteke]

@naturalequus;5956326

I think maybe I can explain this… or at least here’s MY $0.02 :winkgrin: I wouldn’t have been all that keen on his semen while he was alive, either. As amazing as HE himself was, I wanted to see him prove himself with his get, especially as a very inexperienced breeder with only the one mare to breed and not exactly unlimited financial resources. I want to reduce my risk as much as possible. BUT, now that he is gone, well, you’re more willing to take that risk of using an unproven stallion because it’s sort of a ‘now or never’ deal and he really was that great. Unfortunately the cost of his semen is still cost-prohibitive to me, IF I could even get my hands on some

Not to mention the fact that, with a limited amt. of semen available and no more coming down the pike (so to speak) , ANY Hickstead foal is going to be very, very valuable…marketable for serious bucks.

[naturalequus]

Exactly Kyzteke, and unless I am breeding for myself, personally, then I have to breed for the market (whether or not that is something I would want myself or take the risk on myself), imo.

[Somermist]

[QUOTE=Kyzteke;5955316]
Well, they did a necropsy on him, so what is one more “cut”?

I mean, he was already gone…[/QUOTE]

:yes: At that point, what would be the difference? The loss of the stallion is bad enough, why not try to at least harvest some viable semen.

[Kyzteke]

@Somermist;5956512

:yes: At that point, what would be the difference? The loss of the stallion is bad enough, why not try to at least harvest some viable semen.

Exactly. I bet alot of these folks would lose lunch if they knew how most TBs are buried: head/hoof/heart. That’s all.

It is the rare TB who is actually buried whole…it is a great honor, actually.

[veetiepony]

I understand why it’s done, I just don’t agree with it, especially in this case. At least these last breedings will probably given to top notch mares.