[gold2012]

Okay..I am SOOO new to frozen semen. It has been a major eye opener, and I wont do it again. I loved a couple of Linaro horses we trained, and this year, with the sell of our advanced horse, my dream came true. I could finally afford to breed to him. Only to find out he died last year.

Sigh, but there is frozen semen still. So, I went that route on three mares. One maiden mare, two solid producers.

The maiden mare is the only one pregnant. 12 straws and three cycles later. One mare double ovulated twice, no go. The other mare had great heats, and folicles. No go. The one who finally did get pregnant is a maiden mare, and it took three cycles with her as well. All three mares are in amazing health, the two producers, one used frozen and got it first try, the other only fresh, but always on first try.

I am, without a doubt so distressed about this. My vet, Peterson and Smith, in Ocala, are like...great. Mares are clean....suggestions? I have tons of respect for the breeders out there doing this. Ideas, suggestions...thoughts?

[lolita1]

Frozen is a bit like that. I look at your post and think the stallion didn't freeze well which is why the maiden is the one that took. Or your vet didn't do a good job. Or the mares that didn't go in while in good health had issues.

Number one criteria for me is once I find a stallion what is his frozen like i.e. number of conceptions, how many go in first try, second or if there is an issues with him I actually keep lists on this. No good finding a great stallion and there are plenty that doesn't produce many (in some cases none) foals from frozen. Same with the mare get her checked out before you try and then you can still have issues.

Cheers

Also sorry that it didn't work out as you planned that is expensive and very disappointing.

[gold2012]

Lolita,

Thanks for the input. From what I was told, my vet told me, the semen itself looks great, but he didn't like the container it was in? I think he meant whatever the semen was frozen in. We have had several issues with excess fluid after....

The vet is really good. We live in Ocala, and use the best one in the state, and lucky for us, have the best of the best there as well. He is pretty frustrated.

The mares are in REALLY good shape, under 9, had no infections, good levels of progesterone (sp), and we went deep horn insemination, as well as using regimate to help them, and other miscellaneous things.

So I think we did most of that....did I miss anything. Is there a supplement you can give them prior to help them get more receptive? Etc?

THANKS.

[Dr. Doolittle]

Try Immunal??

[Home Again Farm]

If you had issues with fluid, did the vet give oxytocin according to protocol?

See this article (especially paragraph 5):

http://www.equine-reproduction.com/a...s/oxytocin.htm

[gold2012]

We did indeed do the Oxytocin. I think, really, this is the most frustrating thing. I just can't figure it out. I guess maybe it's the Good Lords way of saying I want Limencello II instead. Which, he is pretty awesome, just I loved Linaro foals. We trained a couple, and talk movement and athletic ability...not to mention jump.

The best one of the three mares is just about to ovulate, so getting fresh semen from Limoncello. The mare that my daughter just started showing is the one pregnant...go figure right? but oooh, I am so excited about that one.

[lolita1]

Actually raspberry leaf 1 month prior to insemination and 1 month prior & after foaling. It is good for the uterus or so I was told by a herbalist I used it and so did my friends. Funny actually it was my horsie non herbal friend that reminded me to get it foaling when my mare foaled last year. Best of luck with the fresh I have my fingers and toes crossed for you.

[kokoda]

Didn't she offer a LFG with the frozen Linaro semen? Not that it's a lot of consolation but at least you weren't paying by the dose. Did you ask the quality of his frozen semen? Conception rate using his frozen?

We bred to Quaterback 5 times, 3 different mares ... nada! Other folks have had very good luck with his semen. My mares have all taken with frozen in the past and since but for whatever reason, a Quaterback foal just wasn't in the stars for me.

Sometimes you do everything right and it just doesn't happen. Expensive and frustrating, I know ... I'm sorry. At least you have one coming, right? Congratulations!!

[gold2012]

Oh yes, Karen has been absolutely WONDERFUL. It does have a LFG, which so many don't.

And from what I understand he has had absolutely wonderful luck with his frozen. So it just is one of those things!

I will try those leaves. We have fresh on it's way I believe as we speak, and I have the one for sure in foal, had a heartbeat and all that about two weeks ago. And I am being silly and sexing it asap....lol. Stupid, won't change anything, but I have the best name for a guy picked out. We are from Pittsburgh, and the stallions name is Linaro, so the "L", soooo, the name would be Le Mieux. "the best" in French....and it doesn't hurt that we are hockey fans.

Lolita, thank you for the good luck!!!! Keep them crossed for me for the next year for 3 healthy babies, all foaled nicely!

[rodawn]

Ahh and the Magnificent One was among the very best. (Also a hockey fan).

[ElegantExpressionsFarm]

Stupid, won't change anything, but I have the best name for a guy picked out. We are from Pittsburgh, and the stallions name is Linaro, so the "L", soooo, the name would be Le Mieux. "the best" in French....and it doesn't hurt that we are hockey fans.

Lolita, thank you for the good luck!!!! Keep them crossed for me for the next year for 3 healthy babies, all foaled nicely!

LOVE the name!! Hoping for a colt so you can use it!! (Fellow hockey fan too ) And that you have good luck with your other mares. {{fingers crossed}}

[gold2012]

Thanks all. I know about that name right....I was searching for a name for a mare we own, that is gorgeous, wanted french. Anyway, she is our best, and that is how I found it. It was like....duh, PERFECT....then my husband ruined it, by saying it is masculine. Party Pooper....grin. So now, need just one colt, just one....grin.

For those that are confused, Mario Lemeiux is a famous hockey player for Pittsburgh Penguins, and later bought the team. You can't be from PA and not love the penguins.

[paulamc]

this doesnt surprise me at all, it used to be my life when i was using vets to do frozen semen

since i have been doing it all myself, the results just do not compare

one thing i have noticed though that makes a major difference is feed before breeding

2 years ago i had 4 mares that were quite fat on pasture alone and so they were not getting fed. all were reliable breeders with frozen

i did 3 inseminations with each of these 4 mares for no result, all with good semen and semen was put in within one hour of ovulation

i thought, what can i change here and t he only thing was feed. So i started feeding these already fat mares one hard feed per day, 3 weeks before the next insemination

Lo and behold, all 4 mares went straight in foal to only 1 straw (not one dose) of frozen semen

so the feed makes a major difference. even if they are fat already, bump up their feed about 3 weeks prior to insemination

i also found travel to be an issue for some mares and going to a strange clinic

now t hey all get done at home, preg rates are much better as well

Paulamc

[horsechick]

also, some mares will have an inflammatory response to the highly concentrated frozen semen. I have heard some administer an anti inflammatory after insemination ( I THINK it was dex, but not sure...) and had success. Maybe ask your vet?