Results from an embryo transfer programme with Mangalarga mares in Brazil

Abstract

Summary Sixty Mangalarga mares aged two to 28 years were used as donor mares in an embryo transfer programme. They were inseminated on alternate days during oestrus with fresh extended semen collected from a fertile Mangalarga stallion. Non‐surgical embryo recovery was performed on Day 7, 8 or 9 after ovulation (Day 0), using three consecutive uterine flushes of 500, 250 and 250 ml of Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline. Embryos were transferred surgically to recipient mares between Days 4 and 9 post ovulation. The overall embryo recovery rate was 52.3 per cent (90/172). The recovery rate from seven mares under three years old was 85.0 per cent (17/20), whereas the rate from 34 mares aged three to 18 years was 64.4 per cent (58/90), and from 19 mares more than 18 years old was only 24.1 per cent (15/62). The overall pregnancy rate for the recipient mares at Day 50 was 78.9 per cent.