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Archived Content from Previous Equine-Reproduction.com index pages:
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An Interesting Wrinkle to the CEM Jigsaw Puzzle?The current outbreak of CEM in the USA took a potentially interesting turn today with the OIE's announcement of the finding of a horse positive for presence of the CEM organism in the United Arab Emirates. The interesting wrinkle is that the 12-year-old Thoroughbred non-breeding stallion was born in the United States, went to the United Kingdom as a yearling in training, then was exported to the United Arab Emirates racing stable in 2001, before being purchased for dressage by a private owner. It has never bred. The finding was as a result of a routine pre-export screening in the UAE.
In an associated news item, USDA have increased their export permit cost for semen export to Canada by $2 to $74. This is a further increase after the last raising of prices that took place in April 2009.
11/17/2009
Another Stallion Added to the CEMO-positive List
After a period of quiescence with no news forthcoming, USDA have announced the addition of a twenty-second CEMO-positive stallion to the growing list. This stallion is located in Wisconsin - the ninth to test positive in that State. While over 90% of exposed mares have completed their testing and where appropriate treatment, and are now negative for the presence of Taylorella equigenitalis, the numbers related to stallions are not so encouraging. 715 mares have been identified as "at risk", with only 65 of those mares still awaiting completion of treatment and/or testing. Of a lower number - 273 - of "at risk" stallions, there are still about the same number as the mares (68 stallions) still awaiting completion of treatment and/or testing. It is important to recognise that the testing protocols are more complicated and extensive for stallions than for mares, and it is equally important that one be aware that the risk factor for spread by unconfirmed but positive stallions remains significantly greater than mares. Five of the twenty-two stallions so far found to be carriers of the CEMO did not test positive for Taylorella equigenitalis presence on their first set of swabs. This does therefore present a concern relative to the 68 stallions still awaiting completion of testing and treatment, as 35 of those stallions have as yet only had a single set of swabs confirmed as negative. There is a distinct possibility that several more stallions could yet test positive, raising the total number of "at risk" horses - both mares and other stallions - exponentially.
While it is clear that the risk of exposure to a CEMO-positive horse is still very much present in the general equine population, it is to be hoped that the risk is gradually reducing. This does not mean that breeders need to let down their guard, and our previous recommendations with regard to voluntary pre-breeding testing will still be beneficial for the 2010 and subsequent breeding seasons. There has still not been an originating source for the current outbreak identified, and until there has been, and all tracebacks are returning "negative", the risk of CEM is still present in the general horse population of the USA.
09/07/2009
Loss of Noted Equine Scientist
It is with regret that Equine-Reproduction.com reports the death of Dr. Gordon Woods, one of the team of scientists that - along with Dr.'s Vanderwall and White achieved the production of the first cloned equid - a mule - in 2003. Dr. Woods had moved to a new position in 2007 as a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University, and was continuing his research into the differences between the equine and human cell, with a view to the impact those differences had on various age-onset diseases. Friend and co-worker in the mule cloning project, Dr. Dirk Vanderwall observed that Woods was a "brilliant scientist" and that this was a devastating loss.
Dr. Woods passed away unexpectedly on Thursday at the age of 57. We extend our deepest sympathies to Dr. Woods' wife, children and friends.
08/23/2009
CEMO Positive Numbers Increase
Two more male horses - one stallion, and one that is now a gelding - have been announced as having tested positive for the CEMO Taylorella equigenitalis bringing the number of male horses to 21. These two newly identified positive horses are located in Iowa and Wisconsin. Positive male horses have been found in seven States: one in Georgia, three in Illinois, three in Indiana, one in Iowa, four in Kentucky, one in Texas, and eight in Wisconsin. So far only five positive mares have been seen, and these are located in California (2), Illinois (2), and Wisconsin (1). The origin of the outbreak has yet to be identified, and USDA Aphis observes that "the epidemiologic investigation continues to pursue all available information relative to determining the origin of this outbreak, but no conclusions can yet be drawn".
06/02/2009
Equine-Reproduction.com LLC Introduces its Stallion Station Facility
With the moving of the center of operations for Equine-Reproduction.com LLC to Wynnewood Oklahoma, "outside" stallions may now be resident at the facility for the breeding season or permanently, in addition to our mobile and "drive by" collection services. Stallions standing at the facility are managed closely for optimal fertility, with semen being shipped on a daily basis (individual stallion dependent). On-farm A.I. breeding of mares is also available by resident or other stallions (using transported or frozen semen). For the 2009 season, we are pleased to be standing Blazin Jetolena (AQHA), Edelweiss de Bonce (Selle Français), L.A. Express (Hanoverian), Mannhattan (Oldenburg), and Touch of the Blues (Registered Irish Draught). For more details of these stallions and the facility, please visit our Stallion Station page. If you are interested in having your stallion stand at Equine-Reproduction.com LLC, please contact us.
05/31/2009
19th Stallion Tests Positive for CEMO; Traceback and Testing Continues
A nineteenth stallion - the seventh in Wisconsin - has tested positive for presence of the Contagious Equine Metritis organism Taylorella equigenitalis. This stallion - an American Hackney - tested positive through test breeding mares, having previously tested negative on swab cultures. This is the second stallion to test positive on breeding after testing negative on cultures, reinforcing the need for both culturing of swabs and test breeding of stallions, and treatment of mares even if they have tested negative on swab cultures.
In addition to the 19 positive stallions, there are 5 positive mares, and locations have been confirmed for 904 additional horses exposed to T. equigenitalis. The total of 928 exposed horses in the USA, located in 48 States, includes 270 stallions and 658 mares. All States other than Rhode Island and Hawaii have either positive or contact animals present. There are currently two additional exposed stallions, and sixteen exposed mares still being sought.
05/26/2009
CEM - The Canadian Situation; Canada Makes Optional Importation Protocol Adjustment
Following the identification of stallions carrying Taylorella equigenitalis - the bacteria that is the causative agent of Contagious Equine Metritis - the unrestricted movement of equine semen from the USA to Canada was halted. Restrictions were put in place with the intent to ensure that no infective semen, animals or embryos were imported to Canada. The restrictions put in place for the semen required certification by both a licensed US veterinarian and USDA-Aphis that the stallion was not on a premises either under investigation or quarantine for CEMO presence during the 60 days prior to the semen collection, and that the semen extender used contained an antibiotic that would destroy the pathogen.
At the same time as attempting to prevent the introduction of Taylorella equigenitalis to Canada, the authorities on both sides of the border were identifying and tracking animals - both stallions and mares - located in Canada that had been potentially exposed to the pathogen. The primary route of exposure was mares that were bred with transported semen from USA-based stallions carrying the pathogen. Once located, the mares required various tests that may include clitoral, cervical and endometrial swabs, and a complement fixation test (blood test). Some of these tests cannot be performed on mares already in foal, so they must remain under quarantine until after foaling. Some Canadian-based stallions may have been exposed to "at risk" (i.e. bred with potentially infective semen) mares, and they too had to undergo testing. The last report received from CFIA indicated the total number of direct contacts as being 136 animals, involving multiple quarantine sites in six Provinces (AB 4, BC 2, NB 1, ON 9, PQ 2, and SK 1). Testing of animals included on that list of exposures was not expected to be completed until August of this year, although all animals that had returned results so far had been found "negative". This last week however has brought a new threat, with the discovery that a stallion had been imported to Canada last summer from the USA, where he had been collected at one of the facilities later identified as having been a link in positive stallion infection in that country (this was not the original index farm in Kentucky, but a different location). That stallion, which had already bred mares in Canada "live cover" was scheduled to start undergoing testing on Tuesday April 21st. On-farm mares that had been exposed by breeding to the stallion had not shown obvious indication of infection (e.g. early return to estrus, copious vaginal discharge etc.) so it is hoped that the stallion will be found "negative" for the causative organism Taylorella equigenitalis.
With the requirement that all semen - including cooled - imported from the USA to Canada be accompanied by both an import permit and a Zoosanitary Certificate endorsed by USDA, there arose a problem for many breeders in that time constraints prevented the obtaining of the USDA endorsement before the courier shipment deadline. Hence, many US stallions owners ceased to ship cooled semen to Canada. CFIA has - with immediate implementation - made an optional adjustment in that if desired the semen may now be shipped with a copy of the Zoosanitary Certificate unendorsed by USDA, provided that the certificate is endorsed by USDA prior to the semen arriving at the border and being presented for clearance. Upon receipt, USDA will endorse the certificate, and fax a copy of it to one of the applicable CFIA Import Service Centres ("ISC"). When the semen arrives at the import point, CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) personnel will refer the importation clearance to the applicable ISC, who will then review their faxed permit file and issue an order for the release of the semen as long as they have had a copy of the applicable Zoosanitary Certificate faxed to them by USDA. There is a Cdn$35 charge for CFIA clearing semen in this manner. It is unknown what USDA will charge. Contact information, and which ISC should be used is presented on the CFIA web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/imp/importe.shtml
04/27/2009
3 More Positive Stallions; Frozen Semen Implication; USDA to Raise Permit Charges
Three more stallions have tested positive for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis. Two are located in Illinois at the same facility as the stallion previously identified as positive in that State. All three stallions at that facility had also been collected at the same facility as the previously identified fourth positive Wisconsin stallion during the breeding seasons 2004-2007. The third newly identified positive stallion is located in Wisconsin - the sixth to test positive in that State - and is a Thoroughbred that had semen collected several times between 2004 and 2008 at the same facility as the fifth positive stallion in Wisconsin.
USDA have confirmed that a mare bred in Illinois (located at the same farm as the positive stallions in that State) was bred with frozen semen from one of the positive stallions. It does therefore appear that cooling or freezing does not destroy T. equigenitalis although further research is definitely warranted in this regard in view of the possibility - remote though it be - of cross-contamination from one of the positive stallions located on that farm. With only 5 mares positive out of hundreds that have been bred to positive stallions - thankfully most of those hundreds of breedings were performed by AI - it does seem that the incidence of transmission through the use of on-farm AI or transported semen is significantly reduced. It is fortunate that until now the Thoroughbred industry has not been involved. With the first positive Thoroughbred, and the awareness that the bacteria is very effectively transmitted through live cover (but not effectively, as demonstrated, by AI) it would seem that it may be time for the Thoroughbred industry to seriously reconsider the archaic requirement of "Live Cover Only" for the production of registrable Thoroughbred foals. The last major US outbreak of the the late 1970's cost the Thoroughbred industry an estimated US$1 million per day. It is ironic that this current outbreak was identified as a result of routine testing of a stallion that was having frozen semen exported. Had the index stallion been a Thoroughbred, as there is no allowance for frozen semen use in that breed and therefore semen freezing would have been unlikely, the issue would not have been identified in that manner!
The current charge of $51 for USDA endorsement of the "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" - the form issued in the USA that is required to accompany semen being exported to Canada - is to be increased (along with a variety of other USDA charges) to $72 on April 29th 2009. This is the first increase in USDA charges for several years.
04/16/2009
USDA Announces 2 More Positive Stallions and 1 More Mare
USDA yesterday announced the addition of more "positive" animals to the list, bringing the totals to fifteen stallions and five mares. The newly identified stallions are located in Illinois and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin stallion had been collected at the same facility as other positive stallions from that State, while the Illinois stallion - a Fjord horse born in Denmark and imported from the Netherlands in 2000 - was periodically co-located at the same facility as the fourth positive Wisconsin stallion during the 2004 and 2005 breeding seasons. The newly identified positive mare in Illinois was bred by AI in 2008 with semen collected in 2007 from an exposed stallion; that stallion is currently being tested to confirm his status for Taylorella equigenitalis.
In addition to the 15 positive stallions and 5 positive mares, locations have been confirmed for 706 additional horses exposed to T. equigenitalis. The total of 726 horses, located in 46 States, includes 120 stallions and 606 mares. Of the 120 stallions, 15 have tested positive for T. equigenitalis presence, 24 negative, and 81 have pending results. Of the 606 mares, 5 have tested positive, 305 negative, and 296 are pending. One mare is still being traced in Maine.
04/03/2009
4th Mare Tests Positive for CEMO; Original Index Farm Clears Quarantine
A fourth mare - the second to be located in California, and the third to be bred with transported semen - has tested positive for the presence of Taylorella equigenitalis, the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism. The mare is located in California and was bred to the positive Friesian stallion "Nanning 374". To date there have been 13 stallions identified as positive, and 4 mares. In addition to the identified positive animals, locations have also been confirmed for 698 additional horses exposed to Taylorella equigenitalis. The 715 horses are located in 46 States. There are 113 exposed or positive stallions in 19 States and 602 exposed or positive mares in 44 States. Three exposed mares and one exposed stallion are still actively being traced.
All stallions on the original Kentucky index farm, DeGraff Stables, have now completed treatment and been confirmed as clear of the organism, and quarantines have been lifted. It is fortunate that this original index facility maintained excellent records which have allowed a comprehensive tracking of the pathogen's path, but even though it has been tracked back to two stallions resident in Wisconsin in 2005, USDA observes that a conclusive point of origin has not yet been identified.
04/01/2009
Georgia Stallion Tests Positive for CEMO Presence
A stallion resident in Georgia has tested positive for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis upon test breeding. His penile swab cultures had previously tested negative for presence of the organism - the first stallion in the current outbreak to test negative on cultures, but positive upon test breeding. This stallion was co-located during the 2008 breeding season in Wisconsin with three of the positive stallions previously identified, and full traceback for contacts with this stallion have not yet been completed. The fact that the previous swabs from this stallion tested negative on culture, but his test breeding of mares returned a positive result, suggests that the voluntarily implemented protocols recommended by the British Horse Racing Betting Levy Board in their Codes of Practice on CEM may well be worthy of introduction and implementation by breeders in North America. The Code of Practice for CEM recommends that "high risk" stallions be both swabbed (clean) and then have the first four mares that they bred in the current season have a clitoral swab taken two days after breeding. "High risk" is defined as stallions that have not been previously used for breeding purposes; or have previously tested positive for CEMO presence and have not yet been tested negative following treatment; or have in the previous 12 months been present at any premises at which the CEMO has been isolated; or which have mated a mare that has not been swabbed "clean" for CEMO presence. As most mares in North America will fall into this last category, it will mean that most stallions would be considered "high risk" and require both pre-breeding swabbing and mare testing. In light of the obvious potential for transfer via breeding equipment (seen in the current outbreak), it may also be that the HBLB should recommend that a "high risk" stallion also be one that has not been tested, and that has been collected at a facility that has collected other untested stallions. An un-named USDA source has recently observed that although USDA can run tracebacks and oversee official testing and treatment, it behoves the industry itself to become pro-active, and attempt to gain control by earlier identification of positive animals, and not by relying solely on traceback.
The traceback process is continuing, but has still not provided a definitive source for the outbreak. It now appears clear that the imported Friesian stallion "Nanning 374" who had been thought by some to have been a possible point of origin was not. Nanning 374 was imported in 2005, but was not co-located until 2007 with other stallions that have tested positive; nor have there been any positive mares identified in the intervening 2 years bred to Nanning 374. It does however seem likely that - as four of the stallions that were subsequently identified as positive were co-located during the 2006 (and in the case of two, the 2005) season - the source will traceback through one of those other stallions. None of those stallions were co-located with Nanning 374 until 2007, when three were. The fourth in the 2006 co-located group that tested positive was not co-located with Nanning 374 in 2007, but was at a different Wisconsin facility that season.
03/12/2009
Fourth Stallion in Wisconsin Tests Positive for CEMO Presence
A 12th stallion - the fourth in Wisconsin - has tested positive for presence of the Contagious Metritis Organism, Taylorella equigenitalis. This stallion was co-located during the 2005 and 2006 breeding seasons in Wisconsin with two of the other known positive stallions (one of the positive stallions currently in Wisconsin and one of the positive stallions currently in Indiana). Culture results are pending for 4 more stallions in Wisconsin, and 1 each in Mississippi, Washington and Wyoming.
There are currently 12 known-positive stallions and 3 known-positive mares. A total of 623 horses are confirmed as having been exposed, with 17 States having positive or exposed stallions, and 44 States having positive or exposed mares. One additional exposed mare thought to be in California is still being traced. Eleven exposed stallions have now completed their entire testing and treatment protocol and been determined to be negative for Taylorella equigenitalis, while another 52 exposed stallions have had at least one set of negative cultures prior to test breeding. A total of 191 exposed mares have completed their testing and treatment protocol and are negative for CEMO presence, while at least another 251 exposed mares are pregnant and will not complete their protocols until after foaling, and are currently in quarantine.
03/06/2009
Canada Adjusts Import Restrictions for Equine Semen Coming from USA, but Originating in Another Country
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) today reported changes to import restrictions for semen being imported from the USA to Canada that originated in another country, but that was legally imported to the USA. With the implementation of the increased restrictions on semen import to Canada of January 29th 2009 as a result of the CEM outbreak in the USA, importation to Canada from the USA of third-country semen was prevented. This restriction has now been lifted, although there is still a requirement that - as with semen of US origin - an import permit and Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen accompany the shipment, along with a Canada Customs or Commercial Invoice. The Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen must certify that the semen was legally imported into the U.S. for unrestricted use, and the country where the semen was collected. This lifting of restrictions applies to both fresh (cooled) and frozen semen, although it has the most implications for frozen semen.
Canadian horses potentially exposed to the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism (CEMO) have now been identified and isolated in six Canadian Provinces - Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and British Columbia - and testing is underway, but as yet no mares have returned a "positive" result.
02/27/2009
Kentucky Introduces Import Restrictions for Stallions
Kentucky has introduced restrictions on all stallions entering the State for breeding or semen collection purposes that originated in Wisconsin. These stallions must be tested negative for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis - the causative agent of contagious equine metritis - within the 28 days preceding entry. The test results must be certified by the attending veterinarian, who must also confirm that the stallion had neither bred live cover, nor had semen collected after the swab sample for culture was taken. Additionally, an import permit is required, which can be obtained by the attending veterinarian from the Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian by calling OSV at (502) 564-3956, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST.
02/26/2009
3rd Mare Tests Positive for CEMO - 2nd to be Bred by AI
A second mare bred by AI has tested positive for presence of the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism - this being the third mare overall to test positive. This mare is located in California, and was bred to a different stallion than the other mare bred by AI that tested positive. USDA-Aphis reports that in addition to the 11 positive stallions and 3 mares, locations have been confirmed for 600 additional exposed horses, while another nine exposed horses - eight mares and one stallion - are still actively being traced.
02/19/2009
Regulatory Steps for Shipping Semen from the USA to Canada
Importation of semen from the USA to Canada is not insurmountable with the new regulations - indeed, they are essentially the same as the "old" regulations that were in place before the border opened to semen movement about 10 years ago - but they may prove impossible for some who want to ship cooled semen because of time-lines. The steps are as follows:
- The mare owner applies to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for an import permit. We have the current application available for downloading on our web site here (note that it is quite a large file at 552 Kb, so you will want a reasonably fast connection), and addenda with explanations and costs for semen and embryo importation at those locations. It would be best to confirm with CFIA that these forms are still current if someone is reading this in the more distant future!
- Upon receipt of the import permit, it must be sent to the stallion owner/manager to accompany the semen at time of shipment. If it is a multiple-entry permit (which we recommend with fresh semen in case of the need for a rebreed, even though it is more expensive), then a copy can accompany the semen shipment, but the original must be available for review by CFIA/CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency - formerly "Canada Customs") if requested;
- The semen is collected in the presence of a veterinarian certified by USDA-Aphis for the purpose (this is typically your normal vet), and they must issue a "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" that certifies as outlined at the foot of this list;
- That "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" is taken to a USDA-Aphis office for endorsement by the Federal Vet;
- A Customs Invoice must be completed and accompany the shipment - they are currently available on-line here;
- Semen presented for importation into Canada must be in individual receptacles or straws, each marked with the collection date, identity of the donor and the semen collection premises;
- The semen is shipped.
Note that there are NO differences as to the region where the horse is located. Some Internet bulletin board posts that we have seen reference the stallion being in a "CEM free zone" or a "State not currently affected" and that it might make a difference, but it makes no difference to the import requirements. It is semen from ALL of the USA that must be certified in the manner described.
- The donor stallion(s) have not been on a premises where T.equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding collection of the semen for export to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM.
- The semen was processed using an extender that contains antibiotics effective against T.equigenitalis.
02/18/2009
Second Mare Found Positive for CEM
A second mare has tested positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative agent of Contagious Equine Metritis ("CEM"). This mare is located in Illinois, and was bred using artificial insemination techniques with semen from a positive stallion. The other mare that had tested positive was located in Wisconsin, and had been bred live-cover to a positive stallion in that State. This unfortunately demonstrates that although the possibility of transfer of the pathogen by AI is reduced (575 horses have been identified as "exposed" to date, but there are only 11 positive stallions, and 2 positive mares, although there are still some results pending), it is not completely eliminated.
USDA is currently reporting 575 exposed horses located in 45 States. This breaks down to 70 positive or exposed stallions in 14 States and 505 positive or exposed mares in 43 States. Another 33 exposed horses, 19 mares and 14 stallions, are still actively being traced. USDA also reports that they consider that "None of the positive horses have yet been identified as the source of the outbreak; the epidemiologic investigation continues to pursue all available information relative to determining the origin of this outbreak, but no conclusions can yet be drawn".
02/12/2009
Number of CEMO-positive Animals Increases; Canada Finalizes Semen Import Regulations
The number of CEMO-positive animals has increased in the past few days with test results indicating that there was an additional stallion in Wisconsin that showed positive for the presence of T. equigenitalis. A mare has also tested positive for presence, the mare having been bred live-cover to one of the previously identified infected stallions. This brings the total number of positive animals to 11 stallions, and one mare. The OIE shows 547 susceptible animals, while the USDA reports 524 horses in 45 States, with 25 exposed mares still being actively sought.
After a brief delay, CFIA has reported implementation of the import restrictions for semen originating from the USA. An import permit will be required, this permit being obtained from CFIA prior to the importation, and must accompany the shipment. The permit can be single-entry or multiple-entry, with the latter valid for 1 year. In the case of a single-entry import permit, the cost is Cdn$35, and the original must accompany the shipment. In the case of the multiple-entry permit, the cost is Cdn$60, and a copy may be used to accompany the shipment, but the original must be available for CBSA inspection if requested. Multiple-entry import permits are for shipments to a single location, although they can include semen from multiple donors. Our recommendation with cooled semen would be for the importer to purchase the marginally more-expensive multiple-import permit in case of failure of establishment of pregnancy on the first cycle.
In addition to the import permit, a USDA-issued "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" is required. This must be completed by an attending veterinarian, certifying the items mentioned previously - that "the donor stallion(s) have not been on a premises where T. equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding collection of the semen for export to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM" and that "the semen was processed using an extender that contains antibiotics effective against T. equigenitalis". As it appears that CFIA does not have a list of "antibiotics effective against T. equigenitalis", it must be presumed that the choice is open to the interpretation of the attending veterinarian, but that an antibiotic effective against gram-negative bacteria that is also sperm-compatible would be the choice. Some of these may include Amikacin sulfate, Gentamycin sulfate, "Timentin" and possibly Ticarcillin. Once completed by the attending veterinarian, the certificate must be endorsed by a USDA veterinarian. Semen must also be presented for importation "in individual receptacles or straws, each marked with the collection date, identity of the donor and the semen collection premises", although the containers do not have to be sealed by a USDA seal. There will have to be a separate USDA-issued "Zoosanitary Export Certificate for Semen" for each shipment of semen being sent to Canada. It is important to note that the CFIA instructions to CBSA observe: "***PLEASE NOTE THAT NONE OF THE SEMEN CONTAINER MUST BE OPENED. NO PHYSICAL INSPECTION TO BE DONE, ONLY DOCUMENTATION REVIEW.***" ([sic] on the grammar; also CFIA-applied asterisks and capitals).
A Canada Customs Invoice or commercial invoice must also accompany the shipment that "must clearly indicate the product being imported, country of origin and end use".
Another point that is not completely clear is that it appears that as importation inspection has been delegated to CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency - formerly "Canada Customs") rather than CFIA (Canada Food Inspection Agency), there is no restriction on ports of entry other than that there be a CBSA agent available. There had been some previous discussion on some Internet bulletin boards that entry would be limited to CFIA ports of entry only or even more restricted, but as the only requirement is the CBSA presence, this would appear to be incorrect. It does note however that in some instances of non-matching paperwork etc. that the shipment should be referred to the CFIA vet, so there may be some as yet unspecified CBSA requirements for importation through a port of entry where a CFIA vet is available in some form.
More information and specific wording requirements are available through the CFIA AIRS system on line at http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/Airs_External/Default.aspx
02/03/2009
New Hampshire Introduces Horse "Taxation" Bill Likely to Set Back NAIS Scheme
USDA has been working on encouraging horse owners to participate in the National Animal Identification System scheme for some time, and had everyone been registered, there is little doubt that tracking all the susceptible animals would have been made far easier, and more successful in the current CEM outbreak. As of today, there are still 65 contact mares unaccounted for that are being sought. Resistance to enrolling in the NAIS among horse owners has been quite high, with one of the common arguments against doing so being that "the government will have access to information on the number of horses I have and be able to use it for taxation purposes". This of course was not the original intent of the NAIS, and was argued against being likely by those that were supportive of the concept of being able to improve biosecurity. It appears however, that NAIS enrollment may produce exactly that result.
Rep. Carla Skinder, D-Sullivan County of the State of New Hampshire has introduced a bill that will require all horse owners in the State to obtain a license for each horse they own at a cost of $25 per horse. Additionally, each horse so licensed would have to be vaccinated against rabies. As rabies vaccinations in the State are administered by a veterinarian, it is estimated that the licensing of each animal is likely to end up costing the owner around $100.
There is little doubt that the introduction of this bill - whether is passes or not - will reinforce the arguments made against enrolling in the NAIS, and set back the whole scheme considerably. It is also quite probable that it will drive horse ownership "underground" within the State, which - in the event of an outbreak of something such as the current CEM situation, or the EVA outbreak of 2006 - will have exactly the opposite effect of the NAIS, and make tracking of any affected animals more difficult, and increase the risk factor for other animals in the State.
Money collected for the "licensing" is apparently intended to be redistributed at the rate of $10 to the municipality for animal control costs, $5 to the state veterinarian's fund, and $10 to the State's general fund. One has to wonder about how many stray horses are rounded up by municipality animal control (and it should be noted that Ms. Skinder serves on the Commission for the Humane Treatment of Animals, so there may be an interest involvement there); but of an even greater "eyebrow raising" nature is the $10 that is allocated to the State's "general fund". "No taxation without representation" comes to mind! New Hampshire is next to Boston - could there be a "Boston Hay Bale Party" in the offing?
01/27/2009
CFIA Delays Anticipated Date of Semen and Embryo Import Restriction
Although CFIA had been anticipating implementation of restrictions on the import of equine semen and embryos from the USA to Canada on approximately January 26th 2009, it now appears that a brief delay is required to enable complete organization of that implementation between CFIA and USDA-Aphis, in particular with reference to cooled semen. The new expected implementation date is unknown. The CFIA AIRS (Automated Import Reference System) continues to indicate that "Conditions for import horses for breeding and equine semen are currently under review. Importation is not advised at this time until a disease investigation in the United States is completed", although we are aware of shipments of semen that have been delivered without issue. We do strongly recommend caution in shipping equine semen or embryos to Canada, with every precaution being taken to prevent the possibility of accidental importation of semen from a CEMO-positive or contact animal.
01/26/2009
Second Stallion Tests Positive for CEMO in WisconsinThe Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced today that a second stallion - a four year-old Paint - has tested positive for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis the causative agent for CEM. This horse had been present at a Wisconsin AI center at the same time as the Friesian stallion previously identified as positive. Seventeen more stallions also exposed in the same manner have been quarantined and are undergoing testing, as are 29 exposed mares.
Prior to this latest positive test, USDA-Aphis reported that there were 51 positive or exposed stallions that were located in 12 States, and 332 exposed mares in 39 States. They also noted that 97 exposed mares and 1 stallion were not yet located, but were still actively being traced. OIE however is currently reporting 547 susceptible animals.
01/23/2009
Identity of CEMO-Positive Friesian Stallion Released
The Friesian Horse Association of America has published a letter that identifies the Friesian stallion located in Wisconsin which tested positive for CEMO presence as "Nanning 374". As with previous CEMO-positive stallions, we strongly encourage any person aware of a mare that may have been bred to the horse, or of any other possible contact animals, to come forward and contact USDA-Aphis or your State Department of Agriculture veterinarian.
01/21/2009
Number of CEMO Contact Animals Continues to Rise
The number of "at-risk" animals that have come into contact with a CEMO-positive animal has climbed significantly as the traceback continues. The addition of contact animals from the latest CEMO-positive stallion, a Friesian in Wisconsin, brings the total to 547 animals, this latest stallion adding an additional 167 animals to the susceptible list.
According to the OIE's World Animal Health Information Database, the 13 year-old Friesian stallion located in Outagamie County, WI, was imported to the USA in late 2004 and was co-located in Wisconsin during the 2007 breeding season with one of the affected Kentucky stallions, but had not himself been located in Kentucky.
01/21/2009
Canada Introduces Restrictions on Importation of all Equines, Equine Semen, and Equine embryos from the USA
CFIA has announced the introduction of import restrictions on horses and equine semen originating from the USA as a result of the current US outbreak of Contagious Equine Metritis. Horses and other equidae (asses, mules and zebras) will not require an import permit, but will require additional declarations on the health papers certifying that they have not been on a premises where Taylorella equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM; and that any female(s) in the shipment have not been bred naturally to, or inseminated with, semen from a stallion positive for CEM, or a stallion resident upon a positive premises or under quarantine or investigation for CEM. Additionally, the animals must not show any signs of CEM on the day of inspection.
Semen has different restrictions based upon the date of collection. Semen collected prior to December 15th 2008 does not require an import permit, but will require a U.S. Health Certificate that declares the date of collection, the identity of the donor stallion and the identity of the collection premises. Semen collected after December 15th 2008 will require an import permit (obtained from CFIA), and a U.S. Health Certificate with the declaration that the donor stallion(s) have not been on a premises where Taylorella equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding collection of the semen for export to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM; and that the semen was processed using an extender that contains antibiotics effective against Taylorella equigenitalis. Semen presented for importation into Canada must be in individual receptacles or straws, each marked with the collection date, identity of the donor and the semen collection premises.
Embryos will require an import permit (obtained from CFIA), and a U.S. Health Certificate with the declaration that the donor mare(s) have not been on a premises where Taylorella equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding the collection of the embryo(s) for export to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM and have not been bred naturally or inseminated with semen from a stallion positive for CEM, or a stallion resident upon a positive premises or under quarantine or investigation for CEM; and that the flushing medium that was used to collect the embryo(s) contains antibiotics effective against Taylorella equigenitalis. Embryos presented for importation into Canada must be in sterile straws or pipettes, each marked with the collection date, identity of the donor and the embryo collection premises.
Import Permit applications can be obtained from the CFIA web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/import/permit_covere.shtml. A single import permit costs Cdn$35, multiple use Cdn$60. Border inspection for semen will cost Cdn$35; horses (single) Cdn$25. Inland inspection of semen will cost Cdn$32 for 1-49 units, Cdn$51 for 50-499 units, incrementally increasing for more units. Canadian horses that enter the US and will be returning will now be given an extra page by the endorsing CFIA Vet. to go with the Canadian Export Health certificate, that must be presented to an accredited vet in the USA for completion, and must be be endorsed by a USDA vet before returning to Canada. Canada Border Services Agency will be looking for this document before allowing re-entry. Additionally, semen and embryos will be subject to inspection upon importation, and consequently there will be restrictions in some cases as to point of entry to Canada. The restrictions placed on entry of horses is implemented immediately, while the restrictions on semen and embryos will be implemented approximately January 26th 2009.
As it is not unlikely that there will be some initial confusion with these new requirements, we recommend that Canadian importers and/or US exporters in the near future contact CFIA and/or USDA-Aphis for confirmation of requirements prior to attempting border crossing.
01/19/2009
Texas Stallion Tests Positive for CEMO Presence
An additional Quarter Horse stallion that was standing at the Kentucky index farm for the 2008 breeding season has tested positive for CEMO presence. This brings the total of stallions that have tested positive for Taylorella equigenitalis presence to nine: four in Kentucky, three in Indiana and one each in Wisconsin and Texas.
01/15/2009
Wisconsin Stallion Tests Positive for CEMO Presence; 4 More Stallions Negative, 3 Pending
A Friesian stallion resident in Wisconsin has tested positive for the CEMO. This is the first publicly known link in a "traceback" to the source of the disease outbreak, as the stallion - located in Outagamie County - was resident during the 2007 breeding season in Wisconsin with one of the stallions that subsequently moved to the Kentucky facility for the 2008 breeding season, where it was found to be positive for presence of the Contagious Equine Metritis organism. The last incidence of the CEMO being seen in North America occurred in Dane County, Wisconsin in 2006, in three Lipizzaner stallions which had been imported from Germany in 2004, but which would have cleared quarantine upon importation.
At the index farm in Kentucky, four more stallions have been removed from the list of those pending test results, and have been added to the list of "negative by culture". DeGraff's reported today that Tamarax, Potential Career, Red Hot Impulse and Mr Dun Promised have returned negative culture results, bringing their list of "negative by culture" stallions to thirteen. Nationwide, USDA-Aphis reports that in addition to the eight positive stallions, locations of a total of 326 exposed horses have been confirmed. 43 stallions are located in 11 different States, and 291 mares are located in 37 States. There are still 43 exposed mares that have not been located. All positive and exposed animals are either under quarantine or are being held, and testing continues.
01/14/2009
Wisconsin, Colorado and Montana Added to List of States Quarantining and Testing for Presence of CEMO
One mare in Colorado and one in Montana have been quarantined and are undergoing testing for presence of the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism (CEMO) Taylorella equigenitalis following exposure by being bred to one of the seven stallions that have so far tested positive for CEMO presence. In Wisconsin 17 horses on 11 different farms are quarantined and are being tested, with the animals being described in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection press release as "mostly... mares that were bred either naturally or by artificial insemination to one of seven stallions that have tested positive" [for CEMO presence].
It is interesting to note that the mare that is quarantined in Montana was not initially identified by any official Montana authority such as the Department of Livestock or the Veterinary Board - this despite the requirement that semen shipped into Montana be accompanied by a pre-issued semen shipping permit. This permit requirement was implemented following the outbreak of EVA in 2006, and we cautioned at that time that some of the associated regulations were likely to drive breeding with transported semen "underground" in that State. It appears that this is exactly what happened in this situation, and it is fortunate that the CEMO index farm kept excellent records and were responsible in supplying information to authorities and following up in contacting affected mare owners. Had that not been the case, there could well have been affected animals that remained unidentified in the State.
Results from the seven remaining initial contact stallions from the index farm have not yet been made public, and if anyone has a mare that has been bred to one of the stallions, we strongly recommend that they contact the stallion owner or DeGraff Stables directly if they have not done so. Initial results from contact (bred) mares are promising in that none have as yet shown a positive result for CEMO presence. It is unknown how many mare results have been obtained, nor exactly how many more are pending.
01/13/2009
Two More States Announce Mare Testing and Quarantine
State Veterinarians from Texas and Oklahoma have announced that they have quarantined and are testing mares that were bred with semen from, or were in contact with, stallions that tested positive for the Contagious Equine Metritis organism. This brings the total of States or Provinces (Canada) that have announced that they are testing contact horses to eight, although it has also been reported that 78 potentially exposed horses in 27 States (9 stallions and 69 mares) are under hold or quarantine pending test results. The OIE reports 320 contact animals, and with almost 30 States or Provinces involved in shipments of semen from the stallions or movement of contact animals, undoubtedly more quarantines and testings will be announced. It is important for breeders to be aware that treatment of mares for CEM and clearing of the pathogen from the the stallion's genitalia can be successfully achieved, so awareness of pathogenic presence with the testing is an important first step to control and eradication.
01/03/2009
7 CEMO Positive; 9 Negative on Culture; 7 Pending
| Positive | Negative | Pending | ||
| Gentlemen Send Roses Hot Lopin Sensation Indian Artifacts Invited Back Potential Investment Repeated In Red Zips Heaven Sent |
Achieva Custom Invitation HBF Iron Man Hesa Cool Hotrod Heza Tuff Mister Only Intuition Vested Assets Vested Pine Ziprageous |
Hotroddin Zippo Potential Asset Mr. Dun Promised Red Hot Impulse Mr. Notibily Zippo Tamarax Potential Career |
Again, we strongly encourage you to please contact DeGraff Stables (follow that link for contact information) in the event that you have bred a mare this past breeding season (2008) to one of the positive stallions and have not yet heard from a Federal or State vet about testing your mare. Additionally, if you have bred to one of the "pending" stallions in the 2008 breeding season, please continue to monitor this web site or DeGraff's web site, where we will update the results as they become available for release.
01/03/2009
CEM Outbreak - Important Information for Mare Owners
Equine-Reproduction.com has been contacted by mare owners who have bred their mares to stallions that have been confirmed positive as carriers of Taylorella equigenitalis - the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism (CEMO) - in the current USA outbreak, but who have not yet been contacted by a State or Federal veterinarian with reference to having the mare tested. If you have bred a mare to one of the positive stallions and not been contacted by a Federal or State veterinarian, please contact DeGraff Stables (follow that link for contact information). Please be aware that the fact that your mare has not aborted and is still pregnant does not mean that she is not infected with the CEMO. In fact, few abortions are associated with CEM, and foals produced by CEMO-carrying mares may harbour the pathogen themselves, and be infective when they are mature animals and being bred. This is one way in which the organism maintains presence in a population.
01/02/2009
Current CEMO-positive Stallion Number Confirmed as Seven
The number of stallions reported by the OIE - seven - as showing positive for presence of the CEMO is confirmed with the news that three Paint Horse stallions that were resident at the index farm in Kentucky and returned home to Indiana have tested positive. As these stallions were already identified as contact animals with the four positive stallions in Kentucky, it is thought that they pose a minimal risk for further spread.
Contact mares bred with semen from all positive stallions must undergo testing, and at least two States - Virginia and North Dakota - have imposed quarantine controls on facilities where tested mares reside, pending negative results.
01/02/2009
CEMO-positive Stallion Number Increases
The number of stallions reported as positive for the presence of Taylorella equigenitalis the causative agent for Contagious Equine Metritis in the Kentucky USA outbreak has risen to six the index farm reports. Seven stallions are shown as "believed negative", with ten more having results still pending. The OIE (Office international des épizooties) - the international reporting agency for infectious animal diseases - is however currently reporting seven positive stallions, with 320 more potentially affected (exposed) animals. It is unclear where this number discrepancy originates, but we will update the information as applicable once confirmed.
12/30/2008
Equine-Reproduction.com Introduces Newsletter
We at Equine-Reproduction.com, LLC recognize that many veterinarians, breeders and repro specialists may not always have the time to monitor this site to access news current events, new articles or other information. To assist everyone in keeping up to date, we have initiated a monthly e-mail newsletter. If you wish to receive a copy of our Newsletter, please sign up in the subscription box in the upper right hand corner of this page. We wish everyone a Happy New Year and a successful upcoming breeding and foaling season (or for those in the Southern hemisphere, we hope you just had one)!
12/30/2008
CEM Testing Delayed by Season. Limited Federal Funding Available to Cover Some Costs
The index farm has announced that some of the fourteen remaining contact stallions that have not yet been evaluated for CEMO presence will not be cultured until January 6th, 2009, with the results therefore not being available until the second or third week of January (dependent upon findings). More information and results when available will be found on their web site at http://degraffstables.com/about-us/cem-outbreak-updates/.
It has also been announced that USDA will reimburse the UK LDDC in Lexington, KY for the cost of mailing samples and of conducting the culture tests, but that there is no confirmation of additional funding to cover costs, although it has been requested. In the event that additional Federal funding becomes available, it is likely that it will be retro-active, so good record-keeping by affected persons is essential in order to be able to make a valid claim, ensuring that receipts are clearly identifying that they are relevant to the CEM situation. It is also suggested that contacting your congressman, senator and/or State representative to further the cause of requesting Federal aid may be of value.
12/30/2008
Ryegrass Implicated in Reproductive Endophyte Toxicity IssuesAlthough Fescue grass tends to get blamed for being the carrier of endophytes that produce reproductive related issues including prolonged pregnancy and delay of onset of estrus in the spring (it is technically the alkaloid secreted by the endophyte that produces those effects), there has long been a suspicion that other grasses may also be implicated. Rye grass was one of those additional grasses, and some new research indicates that there is indeed a connection.
In "Prevalence of ergot derivatives in natural ryegrass pastures: Detection and pathogenicity in the horse" (Lezica FP, Filip R, Gorzalczany S, Ferraro G, de Erausquin GA, Rivas C and Ladaga GJB: (2009) Theriogenology: 71:3 422-431) the authors summarize in the final line of the abstract: "Based on these findings, we inferred that endophyte-infected ryegrass is associated with ergot alkaloid intoxication in horse."
The full abstract can be viewed on line in the Theriogenology Journal.
12/28/2008
Semen Shipped to Canada from CEMO-positive Stallion in Kentucky
CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency - the Canadian equivalent of USDA) has announced that semen was shipped from one of the Kentucky-based stallions that tested positive for presence of the Contagious Equine Metritis Organism (CEMO) Taylorella equigenitalis to breed mares in Alberta (2 mares) and Ontario (1 mare) last spring. The mares have been quarantined and are undergoing testing to determine if there has been transmission of the bacteria. Although semen extenders commonly carry an antibiotic, that does not guarantee destruction of the bacteria, which could still be viable and infect the mare at the time of breeding.
While all parties involved in this outbreak are working assiduously to regain control and achieve complete elimination of presence of the bacteria within all contact animals, there is concern that the US may lose "CEM-free" status within the International community. Such a loss would prevent the free (non-restricted) passage of semen and horses into Canada, as well as less-restrictive testing requirements for export to other countries. Horses being exported to Canada would be likely to require quarantine with extensive testing and swabbing with results negative for the presence of Taylorella equigenitalis, and in the case of stallions test-breeding of two mares while in quarantine. Semen could only be exported from stallions that were standing at quarantine facilities and that had undergone the same type of testing. CFIA's current recommendation, made in the announcement on their web site is that "Until more information is available from the U.S.... the equine industry and importers in Canada exercise caution and refrain from importing breeding horses, embryos and semen from the U.S."
12/26/2008
Fourth Stallion Tests Positive for CEM, and a New Article on Equine-Reproduction.com
A fourth stallion has tested positive for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative agent for CEM; five stallions have negative results allowing a presumptive diagnosis of "clear" (repeat testing may be required to confirm definitively); and results are pending on an additional fourteen exposed stallions and an unknown number of mares to which the "positive" stallions have been bred. To assist veterinarians, breeders and other interested parties, we have added an article about CEM to our articles section.
12/22/2008
CEM Index Farm Posts Updates on their Website
DeGraaf Stables' "Liberty Farm" in Kentucky, where the current CEM-positive stallions are located, have placed an update page on their web site. We at Equine-Reproduction.com congratulate them on their pro-activeness to reduce the transmission of uneducated information that tends to be rampant within the horse industry in a situation like this!
12/21/2008
Two More Kentucky Stallions Test Positive for CEM
Two more stallions have tested positive for presence of the causative agent for CEM, the bacterium Taylorella equigenitalis, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture announced today. The latest stallions to test positive are a 13 year-old Quarter Horse and a 4 year-old registered American Paint Horse. Five other stallions currently resident on the index farm have so far tested negative for the presence of the bacterium, but as it is slow-growing, repeated testing is required before absolute confirmation of "clear" status can be made. Mares bred to the stallions from this farm are being tracked and tested, but this is not an easy task as multiple jurisdictions and a significant number of animals are involved, one of the stallions alone having bred 50 mares this last breeding season. These latest confirmations have caused Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer to asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer to declare a state of agricultural emergency and commit federal funds to assist with the situation.
An excellent interview with Dr. Peter Timoney on the subject of CEM is available through "The Horse" website at http://www.thehorse.com/Video.aspx?vID=153
12/19/2008
CEM Reported in Kentucky
A case of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) has been reported in a 16 year-old Quarter Horse stallion standing in Kentucky. CEM is a bacterial disease that can be sexually transmitted, and is a notifiable disease, meaning that reporting of a case to authorities is mandatory. Because of the potential for significant negative financial impact in the case of an outbreak, there are international restrictions on the transport of horses and semen that reference testing for CEM. It was during the testing protocol prior to freezing of semen for export that the current case was identified. The affected stallion originated in Texas, and moved to Kentucky in February 2008 where he stood at stud and had semen shipped. There were 21 other stallions on the same farm for the 2008 breeding season. All other recently exposed horses are currently under quarantine and are awaiting test results.
12/18/2008
How Soon we Forget!
In a review of the 19 full-page stallion advertisements in the December issue of the "USDF Connection" magazine, only two carried any information about the equine viral arteritis (EVA) status of the stallion. In a random review of 19 full-page stallion ads in the December issue of the "AQHA Journal" absolutely none of the ads carried any mention of EVA status of the stallions.
It seems that stallion owners are either avoiding the issue, or burying their heads in the sand in the belief that if they can't see a problem, it doesn't exist! Sadly this is not true.
As we come close to the start of the 2009 (northern hemisphere) breeding season, it seems that the onus is being placed even more on the mare-owner to do their part in the prevention of another outbreak of EVA in the US. If the stallion owners are not going to do their part by educating the mare-owner as to the staus of the stallion they are offering at stud, then it behooves the mare owner to ensure that status - after all, it is the mare owner that will be the first to know if there is an outbreak as a result of breeding their mare to a positive "shedding" stallion when other already-pregnant mares on their farm start aborting or coming up "open".
Mare owners: One of the first questions to ask a stallion owner prior to booking to their stallion is "what is the EVA status of your stallion?". The ideal answer you are looking for is "EVA negative and vaccinated annually". "Tested EVA negative" or even "tested negative and vaccinated" is not adequate unless the animal has been vaccinate annually - simply testing the animal and getting a negative result will not prevent them becoming infected and a shedder the week after they are tested!
Stallion owners: Use the "EVA negative, vaccinated annually" terminology in your advertisements! It demonstrates that you are an ethical breeder doing your bit to prevent the transmission of this troublesome disease. Alternatively, in the event that your stallions are not tested and vaccinated, right now - more than 60 days before the start of the breeding season - is an excellent time to do it. Review the EVA articles for more details on the full testing an vaccination protocol.
Impact of an outbreak:
Why do we continually hammer on about this? Take a moment to consider the impact that resulted from an infected stallion in New Mexico in 2006:
Associated EVA cases were confirmed in 6 States - NM, UT, MT, KS, OK, AL.
Circumstantial evidence suggested associated EVA cases in 4 more States - CA, ID, CO, TX.
A total of 69 direct exposures were identified:
48 (69.5%) were mares inseminated with shipped semen.
20 (29%) involved mares and foals that had visited the index premises.
1 (1.5%) was a mare that was both inseminated and also visited the index premises.
(Direct exposure = horse potentially exposed to infection on index premises (NM) or through insemination with infective semen).
New Mexico and Utah were the most affected States:
A total of 50 facilities involving 2022 horses were placed under supervised or voluntary quarantine in those two States alone!
The true extent of the outbreak is difficult to gauge as Federal and State reporting requirements for EVA are inadequate.
Need we say more? If so, please review the articles about equine viral arteritis to be found in our articles section
12/07/2008
Equine-Reproduction.com Participates in On-line Radio Program about Cloning
We were recently pleased to be invited to participate in an on-line radio discussion about the cloning of horses. The "Stable Scoop Radio Show" is a weekly production of the Horse Radio Network that offers news and views of a topical equine nature. Also participating in the interview was Blake Russell, VP of Business Development for the US-based cloning company ViaGen. The interview about cloning can be accessed on the "Stable Scoop" interview page, or by using the Audio Player control below ("click" on the arrow in the green to start).
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
10/25/2008
Gem Twist Reborn!
The latest cloning news comes from the European cloning firm Cryozootech, who have today announced the birth of a clone of the three-time "American Grand Prix Association Horse of the Year", legendary American Thoroughbred gelding showjumper "Gem Twist".Gem Twist - owned and bred by Frank and Mary Chapot - was much loved by followers of the sport of showjumping for an entire generation, winning two Silver Medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games under Greg Best, as well as Team Silver at the Pan-American Games, and numerous other Grand Prix. In 1990 he was named the "World's Best Horse" at the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm.
The only real "downside" To Gem Twist was that he was a gelding - and therefore unable to pass on his excellent genetic material to please future generation of showjumping fans - but now, with this clone, he can!
09/15/2008
"Scamper" Proven Fertile!
"Click" image to open larger image in new window Scamper wins with no bridle! (photo credit: Kenneth Springer) |
Charmayne James' multiple world-champion gelding "Scamper" cannot of course sire foals himself, but his clone - "Clayton", foaled in 2006 - has proven fertile, with two mares being bred, embryos flushed, and maintained pregnancies identified in the recipient mares. This exciting new development for North American breeders offers future potential for perpetuation of genetics from stallions that have been gelded - something that Professor W.R. "Twink" Allen has been promoting for over 10 years, with his recommendation being that all prospective quality geldings have semen frozen before they are gelded! The "after the fact" technique of cloning means that Scamper's genes have now been passed on, and it will be interesting to watch the resulting foals in barrel racing performance in the future. In a similar piece of news, a clone of "Doc's Serendipity" was recently twice bred to "High Brow Cat", with embryos successfully flushed and transferred on both occasions. There will be a number of clones and foals from clones arriving in 2009, 2008 having been a temporary hiatus year for cloning company ViaGen, owing to the need to relocate operations to Canada following closure of the horse slaughterhouses in Texas, causing a lack of availability of the oocytes required for the process. "Next year will be big" was Dr. Gregg Veneklasen's comment of the upcoming foaling season. Dr. Veneklasen owns and operates Timber Creek Veterinary Hospital in Canyon, Texas USA, which is heavily involved in the production of equine clones. In an associated piece of news, it is reported that AQHA are to discuss and review its current no-registration rule regarding clones at their 2009 convention. It has long been our view (Equine-Reproduction.com's) that registries as a whole - not just AQHA - should be prepared to register clones with the same registration number as the donor animal, plus a suffix (e.g. 123456-a, 123456-b etc.), while at the same time microchipping all the animals involved (donor and clone[s]). Any work involving a recordable performance (competition, breeding etc.) would then require reading of the microchip to confirm identity. This will allow tracking of the clones and their genetic input, which is good from all perspectives of the argument - whether you agree with cloning or not - as currently, in the case of stallions, there is no way to identify if a foal sired by a clone could have been sired by the donor animal, or vice-versa, as the DNA of the offspring will match both donor and clone in the parentage verification process. 08/27/2008 |
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Each year Equine-Reproduction.com receives contact from concerned mare owners worried that their pregnant mare is past her "due date". Each year we explain to those persons that the normal range of gestational duration is anywhere between 320 and 370 days, and as long as endophyte toxicity (e.g. fescue exposure) is not an issue and the mare looks fine, then in all probability all is fine (although of course if there are concerns a veterinarian should evaluate the mare). We also have an article that discusses these observations - ("Is my mare overdue?"). Despite this, concerns still abound, so this year we added a poll at the foot of the article for readers to complete indicating gestational duration of their mare that produced a live foal. The results (presented at left in continually updated format) clearly demonstrate that the range of 339-344 days - which includes most commonly held "due dates" - while the highest percentile range, is most decidedly not indicative of a "due date", with under 20% of foalings taking place during that time frame! We will keep the poll open on a continuous basis, and as more readers add their statistics to it (please visit the whole article and enter your mare's data!) we hope that those readers that are concerned will glean a little solace in the clearly demonstrated lack of a "due date" in the equine! 08/01/2008
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It is sad to report that Theriogenologist Dr. John Steiner has died following an accident he experienced May 20th 2008 while working on a Morgan stallion. The horse apparently struck Dr. Steiner in the head causing massive trauma, and although hospitalized, a spokesman at Rhinebeck Equine Hospital in Rhinebeck, New York told the Poughkeepsie Journal that Dr. Steiner was taken off life support on Monday morning at Albany Medical Center and died around 4pm. Dr. Steiner - a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, and former president of that organization - had moved back his native New York State earlier this year, having previously been located in Lexington, Kentucky, where he began the Equine Fertility Unit at the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee (now the Hagyard Equine Medical Center). This is an unsettling reminder that even the most knowledgeable and talented can experience tragic moments of danger when working with horses as a whole, and stallions in particular. Our deepest sympathies go out to Dr. Steiner's wife, family and friends.
05/27/2008
Cloned Stallion Proven Fertile and Capable of Siring Healthy Foals!
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Pierazade Du Vialaret is the daughter of the clone "Pieraz Cryozootech Stallion" and Dziupla, one of the foundation mares the endurance specialists "Elevage du Vialaret" possess. She was born 5th May 2008. The first picture (at left top) was been taken the day of her birth and the second (bottom), a few days later. Let's wish both Pierazade Du Vialaret and her breeder, Mr Genieys, success! Mr Genieys is the first breeder to own a foal which carries the genes of the Champion Pieraz. This birth follows the birth of Pégaso. Pégaso is Prométéa’s foal, Prométéa being the first mare Professor Galli cloned. Cryozootech hopes to breed Prométéa this year to Pieraz Cryozootech. Pieraz Cryozootech Stallion is approved as a stallion in the A.E.S. Studbook. His fresh semen is available from Equitechnic Laboratory for the 2008 breeding season. By Carnet Rose for Cryozootech. Presented here courtesy of Cryozootech. For more details on semen availability, please visit Cryozootech's web site (page in French). 05/23/2008 |
The EVA presentation given by Equine-Reproduction.com about Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) at the RPSI 30-day stallion test (see below) is now available on the web site in various formats. The format listing is available at http://www.equine-reproduction.com/articles/EVA/.
04/03/2008
"Webinar" Presentation on EVA by Equine-Reproduction.com
We will be giving a presentation on EVA (equine viral arteritis) tomorrow night (Wednesday April 2nd) at the final of the RPSI 30-day stallion testing held at Silver Creek Farms, Broken Arrow OK USA. The presentation, which starts at 7:00 pm Central US time, is to be "webcast" and should be viewable via the Internet.
To access the presentation, go to http://www.silvercreeksporthorses.com/StallionTest2008.htm and follow the link at the left that reads "CLICK HERE TO VIEW FINAL TWO DAYS & EVA SEMINAR (link available on April 1st at 1:30 pm)".
Please be advised that we have had some issues attempting to open the web site using a "Firefox" browser (it intermittently locks up), although it opens in Internet Explorer with no issues.
We hope this may prove of interest and use to some of you!
04/01/2008
Transported Semen Permits and Restrictions in the USA
Following the outbreak of Equine Viral arteritis (EVA) that significantly affected the Quarter Horse industry, some States are implementing and enforcing permit requirements with regard to shipped semen. One such State is Montana, which now requires a stallion owner to obtain a permit prior to shipment and use of semen shipped into that State. The permit application must be accompanied by a USDA-Aphis approved lab test result indicating that the stallion tested negative for antibodies to EIA (equine infectious anaemia) within the last 12 months prior to the application, and EVA within the last 6 months. If a stallion has been vaccinated against EVA, then proof of vaccination must be demonstrated. If the stallion has not been vaccinated, but has a positive titre for antibodies, then a virus isolation test of the semen must prove negative. Similar restrictions apply to the importation of stallions to Montana, although not if they are to be temporarily imported for competition. Importation and use of semen from positive and shedding stallions will not be permitted, and any veterinarian inseminating semen received without the requisite permit will be subject to sanction.
We at Equine-Reproduction.com always strongly support education of the breeding public about the issues surrounding EVA, but we do have concerns about the degree of restriction and lack of uniformity of the requirements of a permit such as that of Montana. Our concerns are:
- The USA does not restrict the importation of EAV-positive semen ("EAV" refers to the virus itself), and the disease is therefore present in the country as a whole. As the disease can be asymptomatic (present without visible symptoms) during its acute (infectious) stage, any horse - stallion, mare or gelding - could be infectious without signs, and yet with a permit such as Montana's there is no restriction outside the breeding male or his semen. The effectiveness of such a permit restriction is therefore severely limited and will primarily be an inconvenience to breeders.
- Semen from "shedder" stallions can be safely used to breed mares as long as the mare has been previously and suitably vaccinated, or has been tested and shown as having sufficiently elevated antibody levels against the virus (possibly through previous exposure), and is kept quarantined for 21 days following the initial breeding. To prevent the importation and use of positive semen completely to the individual State when the disease is already present in the country is "overkill", and will be a significant issue for breeders who have an unfulfilled prior breeding to a positive (shedding) stallion, and may represent a restriction of trade to them and others. Requirement of a mare vaccination and quarantine protocol would be more suitable than completely restricting positive semen import.
- As the enforcement is to be applied against veterinarians only (it being impractical and likely outside jurisdiction to apply it against lay persons), mare owners inseminating their own animals may still be able to import and use infective semen, which means that the restrictions applied against veterinarians are unreasonable, and again may represent a restriction of trade.
- As each State has the potential to enact its own regulations regarding importation permits for semen, the stallion owner/manager is left in the untenable position of having to contact all 50 State Vet Boards and/or Departments of Agriculture to ensure current regulations. It would be more workable if individual States worked with USDA-Aphis to create a permit that could then be obtained from USDA-Aphis and be valid for all States. The alternative is to rely on better breeder education by the State Vet Boards, rather than requiring permits with significant failings.
- We recommend that stallion owners have a clause in their breeding contracts requiring mare owners to notify them of any State permit requirements by the mare owner resident State in a suitable period prior to the anticipated shipment date, allowing the stallion owner sufficient time to obtain those permits.
- We also recommend that all stallions be blood tested for EAV antibody presence prior to the beginning of the breeding season, and vaccinated if such vaccination is deemed suitable.
- Note that annual revaccination is required to ensure protection and that proof of that revaccination should be required as part of the permit requirement, and requested by mare owners prior to breeding.
03/15/2008
Sad Loss to the Industry
It is with regret that we announce the death of Dr. Pedro Jou of Ayr Ontario, Canada. Dr. Jou was well known and respected for his equine reproductive work, in particular with embryo transfer. Through his web site "EquineEmbryos.com" he marketed frozen semen and embryos both from Europe and which had been frozen at his business location in Ayr. Dr. Jou will be sadly missed in the horse breeding community, in particular by his many clients.
12/31/2007
Equine Cloning - The Next Generation
With the advent of the first equine clone, there was speculation by some as to whether the cloned animal would be reproductively sound. Researchers and scientist had no such doubts, and that has now been proven with the first pregnancies being announced in and by cloned horses.
Prof. Cesare Galli, from Italy, who was responsible for the first cloned horse, has announced that the clone Prometea (who was in fact a clone of her own dam) is pregnant and due to foal in 2008. Cryozootech have announced that "Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion" - an entire clone of the gelding "Pieraz" - has been bred to Dziupla, one of the best endurance mares in France from the Vialaret farm. This once again raises the question of the stance taken by some registries to not record or register cloned horses - there would have been no way genetically to differentiate the Pieraz clone's foal from a foal sired by Pieraz himself, had it not been for the fact that the original horse was a gelding!
UC-Davis Announces Test for HERDA
Researchers at the University of California (Davis) have developed a genetic test to identify carriers of the homozygous recessive gene that causes the skin disease HERDA (Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia, also known as hyperelastosis cutis). Identification of animals that carry this gene prior to breeding will enable responsible breeders to either eliminate carrier stock from their herds or make educated breeding decisions with a view to achieving the prevention of an increase of the presence of this disorder and hopefully preventing it becoming as prevalent as HYPP did in the same breed. HERDA is found in Quarter Horses most commonly associated with certain cutting bloodlines. One unfortunate aspect of this disorder is that it may not become apparent in animals until they start to be worked under saddle, by which time they have often changed hands from the original breeder. The advent of this test will allow the breeders to determine the status of their breeding stock, thereby assisting in prevention of propagation of the problem.
Britain's Equine Fertility Unit Slated to Close
It seems likely that the Equine Fertility Unit (EFU) - an equine reproduction research facility - in Newmarket England is likely to close at the end of September. It has been in operation for many years and has achieved much useful research and many "firsts" over the last 37 years, with among other things identification of the "capsule" that surrounds the early conceptus; the significance of prostaglandins in producing estrus; early pregnancy recognition ("maternal recognition"); function of the equine placenta; the equine genome; and much more.
The cause of the closure is the failure of the Thoroughbred Breeder's Association (TBA) to continue its funding of the EFU. Previously the EFU had received £300,000 (US$595,000) per year from the TBA, but there was a need to increase this figure to £450,000 (US$892,000) for the next 10 years, which it appears was unacceptable to the TBA. In the realms of hard-sought research funding, the total of £4.5 million over the course of 10 years is not great, and the loss of this premier research facility should be considered a major blow to the equine community.
It is also worthy of note that there has been recent concern about the funding of the EFU by the TBA as a result of the EFU's involvement in research into advanced reproductive technologies including artificial insemination and embryo transfer, neither of which is permitted by any Thoroughbred registry world wide. If this is a significant cause of the loss of the funding, there can be little doubt that such a decision would be in the classic mode of "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face"!
Professor W.R. "Twink" Allen, head of the Equine Fertility Unit who was due to retire at the end of this year, has observed of the potential closure that it "is a nasty blow and I think it is short-sighted and stupid".
Equine-Reproduction.com along with many other researchers and individuals involved in equine reproduction are distressed at the potential closure, and would be happy to assist in passing on any communication from persons that may be prepared to invest in the funding for the survival of the Equine Fertility Unit and its important research - please contact us.
Another Gelding to Breed!
| "Click" images to open larger image in new window Scamper wins with no bridle! (photo credit: Kenneth Springer)  Scamper's clone Clayton (photo credit: Candace Dobson)  Clayton with Charmayne James (photo credit: Candace Dobson) |
In 1985 a plucky gelding and an even pluckier 15 year-old lady ran into the record books and the hearts of the American barrel-racing public. The gelding was a quarter horse called "Gills Bay Boy" - better known as "Scamper" - and the young lady was Charmayne James. Their amazing feat was winning the heat at the NFR for the barrel racing finals in 14.40 seconds - despite having no bridle in place - the bridle had broken during the run! Scamper and James went on to win the World Championship that year - being the second year for them to do so; another amazing feat being that James was only 14 years old when she won her first World Championship with Scamper - and for another 8 more years to follow! Now, after both James and Scamper have retired from major competitions, they are once again making history! Scamper is undoubtedly the bearer of superior genetic performance material. As a gelding there has not been a way until recently for that genetic material to be passed on to the next generation. Scamper has been cloned! This means that the clone - named "Clayton" after James' childhood home where she and Scamper first met - once sexually mature, will have the potential to pass on those superior racing genes. ViaGen Inc. of Austin, TX and Charmayne James were today (11/15/06) pleased to present Clayton to the public for the first time. This once again raises the question of whether the AQHA will develop some sort of registration and recordation system for cloned quarter horses and their offspring. It is unlikely that the cloning process is going to cease, and it seems regrettable that superior genetics such as "Scamper" should be witheld from American Quarter Horse breeders wishing to improve the quality of their own stock and that of the breed as a whole (see below)! Charmayne James in addressing our question on this topic at the news conference seemed positive that the issue will certainly be reviewed - let us hope so! |
CEM Outbreak in Wisconsin
The OIE (Organisation Mondiale de la Santé Animale - World Organisation for Animal Health) yesterday (October 17th 2006) listed an outbreak of contagious equine metritis (CEM) on a farm in Mount Horeb, Dane County, Wisconsin USA, identified on October 4th. The disease has been identified in two Lipizzaner stallions that originated in Eastern Europe, but have been resident on the operation. 16 other susceptible animals have so far been identified as being healthy. CEM is a highly contagious sexually transmissible disease of horses that was last identified in an outbreak in the general equine population of the USA in 1997, although several cases have been identified in quarantine at the time of importation since then. Taylorella equigenitalis - a bacterium - is the causative agent. It is a notifiable disease with potential for significant negative impact in the case of a full-blown outbreak. Such an outbreak occurred in the USA and UK in the late 1970's and cost the Thoroughbred breeding industries there an estimated $60 million.
Gelding to Breed!?!
Cryozootech, the equine cloning pioneers have announced the birth of E.T.Cryozootech-Stallion, born on 2nd June 2006. This clone is an identical copy of the show jumper ET, who was twice winner of the World Cup, and number one on the World ranking for 3 years in a row - but with one (or rather two) very important differences! ET was a gelding - but this clone is of course an entire colt, and once he reaches sexual maturity he will have the potential to pass on the same genetic ability that ET himself would undoubtedly have done had he not been gelded as a three year-old. It is hoped that a few mares will be bred in 2008, producing long-awaited "ET" foals in 2009!
EVA Outbreak in New Mexico
There has been an outbreak of Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) at MJ Farms in Veguita, New Mexico, resulting in an estimated loss of 40% of on-farm pregnancies, as well as infection of stallions. EVA is primarily a respiratory disease, but has serious reproductive implications, as it can cause abortion in mares, and remain in the stallion's reproductive tract, being shed into semen at the time of ejaculation. This infected semen, if then introduced into non-protected mares, is likely to result in infection of that mare, with the potential for transmission to other horses, and the possibility of an abortion storm such as MJ Farms has experienced. As this is a virus, it cannot be controlled by the use of antibiotics, nor will it be destroyed by freezing. Consequently infected semen will remain infectious even if shipped cooled or frozen. The best form of control is preventative in the form of vaccination of susceptible animals. It should be noted that while the vaccine Arvac (Fort Dodge) is available in the USA, it may not be available in all countries, and indeed there may be local restrictions as to the use of such a vaccination. EVA in the animal may be asymptomatic, causing more problems as it may not be recognised that there is an active infectious state until serious repercussions such as abortion or pregnancy failures become apparent. As it is primarily a respiratory disease, it can be spread by aerosol transmission rather than sexually, presenting further complications as asymptomatic but infectious animals may be present at shows and other equine gatherings unbeknownst to other attendees - or even the owners themselves.
Don't Panic!!
It is important to emphasize that EVA is not a disease to be panicked about, but rather a disease to be managed - something achieved easily with the appropriate vaccinations. It is not a new disease and appears to have been around for possibly over 100 years, although it was not specifically identified until more recently in the 1950's. Dr. Peter Timoney of the Gluck Center in Lexington KY, USA is a world-renowned expert on EVA (the virus itself incidentally is known as "equine arteritis virus" or EAV, while the disease is "equine vial arteritis" or EVA), and has prepared a comprehensive article on the disease entitled Equine Viral Arteritis: Is the Disease a Cause for Industry Concern? (available in Adobe .pdf format at that link - but note that at 12 Meg it is a large file). It is certainly an article that is food for thought!
Dead heat?
  Racing Clones at Winnemucca Photo courtesy of, and © The Humboldt (Nev.) Sun |
Well, not quite! The two mule clones - both carriers of identical DNA donated by a full sibling to the racing mule "Taz" - Idaho Gem and Idaho Star raced against each other in Winnemucca NV on Sunday (June 5th, '06). Almost everyone was hoping for a dead heat, as of course in theory that would have proven the "identical" aspect of cloning, but it didn't turn out that way. The two clones have been in training for a while for this big day, but with different trainers, and both won their qualifying heats at Winnemucca in order to end up racing against each other in the final with six other mules. As it turned out, Idaho Gem came home in third place (with Bar JF Hot Ticket the winner), while Idaho Star came in in seventh place! Oh well, a fairytale ending to this great expectation would have been too good to be true! It certainly did demonstrate though that the nature vs nurture concept does play a large part to success in racing, as things did not go as smoothly as they might for Idaho Star, who did not have his regular jockey on Sunday, and seemed to stall out on the rail at one point. It will be interesting to see what happens the next time they meet on the track! |
Resolution of "Tennessee Situation"
The Tennessee Veterinary Board has decided that the practice of artificial insemination in the equine should be considered a non-veterinary or "exempt" procedure, which is in keeping with most other States and Provinces in North America. Persons who have been fined in the recent round of court cases related to the issue are to have their fines refunded, and any other penalties reversed. We are relieved that common sense has finally prevailed...
Clones of '06!
The first clone foals of 2006 are starting to arrive! At Royal Visa Southwest in Purcell OK on February 19th, a clone of the AQHA champion cutting horse mare Royal Blue Boon was born. On March 9th a clone of the AQHA mare Tap O Lena was born, and two clones of the quarter horse mare Bet Yer Blue Boons are anticipated any day. ViaGen and Encore Genetics, the companies responsible for the cloning process, reports there are to be a total of seven clone foals to be born this year as a result of their work.
In an unconfirmed report, there are believed to have been 5 foal clones of the Quarter Horse Smart Little Lena born in Texas in a cloning project performed at Texas A&M University. [Note - since initially going to press this has now been confirmed].
At this time, the cloned animals will remain unregisterable as a result of the AQHA position on registration of cloned foals outlined below. The Zangersheide Registry in Europe remains the only registry with forward-vision to have actually registered a clone foal.
Charges Filed in Tennessee AI Situation
Charges have been filed and court dates set for early April (2006) in the ongoing AI situation in Tennessee. Persons previously notified by the Veterinary Board that they have been considered to be in contravention of the Veterinary Practice Act as a result of their performing artificial insemination in mares have now been formerly charged and given a court date for early April.
In the Tennessee Legislature, Bills are being submitted and withdrawn, with the currently most favoured Bill considers equine AI to be a veterinary procedure that will require the indirect supervision of a veterinarian - despite the fact that this is in opposition to the recommendations made to the Legislature last week (see below). This is particularly surprising, as this Bill has been authored by Eric Swafford, an MTSU graduate with a degree in Animal Science. The surprising aspect is that as the holder of such a degree, he would in all probability have been taught how to perform equine AI even though he is not a veterinarian, and one would think would understand the ramifications and impact of authoring such a restrictive Bill!
The Tennessee Veterinary Board is itself scheduled to meet April 17th for a proposed Rule Making Hearing. During this session there will be further discussion as to the standing of a variety of equine reproductive procedures, including semen collection, which has always been considered to be a non-veterinary procedure even in countries with more restrictive veterinary laws such as the United Kingdom!
In an interesting but unfortunate adjunct to these assisted reproductive troubles in Tennessee, we had an attendee at our course held recently in Tennessee who had just - in the last year - moved to Tennessee from New Jersey with their entire warmblood breeding operation. They are now intending to leave Tennessee in the event that these restrictive reproductive veterinary laws are enacted. One cannot help but wonder how many other breeders will follow this lead, and what negative impact this will have on the Tennessee equine agricultural industry, which is currently worth millions of dollars annually to the State. It may well be that the Legislature and many others in Tennessee do not realise that Tennessee has the second highest horse population of any State in the US behind Texas. There are approximately 185,000 horses in Tennessee (National Agricultural Statistics Service, March 2, 2003) and the State motto is "Agriculture and Commerce". It seems that the State motto sadly does not apply to the average horse breeder in the Tennessee.
Tennessee Legislature Hears Support for Equine AI being Considered a Non-Veterinary Procedure
At several recent meetings of the Tennessee legislature, representation has been made by multiple parties supporting a Bill currently before the House that legislates AI to be a non-veterinary procedure. The Bill also rescinds penalties that have been paid by persons previously considered to be in contravention of the Veterinary Practice Act for their performing AI in the equine. Representatives from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Middle Tennessee Academy of Equine Practitioners presented material in keeping with their position of support for the Bill from other groups and individuals such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association and specialists respected in the equine reproductive industry such as Dr. Michelle Leblanc. This presentation can be viewed in streaming video in the agricultural session of February 28th 2006 by going to the streaming video section of the TN House of Representatives (the link is in the drop down section under "committee meetings" as "Agriculture - 02/28/06" and is towards the end of the presentation). There have been a number of Bills similar to the current Bill in the recent history of the Legislature and it is hoped that this current Bill will be debated and voted upon by the end of March.
Tennessee Veterinary Board Meets in AI Situation
On February 16th the Tennesee Veterinary Board met to consider the ongoing AI-by-the-lay-person situation in that State (see below). The legal team for the TN Farm Bureau and two of the people accused of performing AI without a veterinary license presented the argument that the regulations exceeded the authority of the Veterinary Practice Act (VPA). The VPA doesn't define AI as veterinary medicine, although it was common at the time the Act was passed. The Act does specifically state that embryo transfer is a veterinary procedure as well as some other breeding practices, but does not mention AI. The legal team made the point that the courts had repeatedly and consistently ruled that if the legislature had wanted AI to be a vet act they would have identified it as such. One of the purposes of the meeting was that the Vet board was to decide if they had exceeded the bounds of the Act, and by a vote of 3 to 2 they decided they had not exceeded the Act, although they were looking at additional rule making to allow AI.
We feel confident that this will continue to be an ongoing matter and will report upon it as we are made aware of developments.
Renowned Veterinary Researcher Receives Prestigious Award
We are delighted to be able to offer congratulations to Dr. Dirk Vanderwall on his being awarded the accolade of "Theriogenologist of the Year for 2005". Dr. Vanderwall, who received the award in recognition of his expertise in clinical theriogenology, has performed research in a variety of areas of equine reproduction, assisting in development of essential knowledge to aid in the breeding of horses and other equids, but is perhaps best known in his role as lead researcher in the development of the first cloned equids. Dr. Vanderwall was kind enough to consent to becoming one of Equine-Reproduction.com's veterinary advisors several years ago, and we are extremely happy that he has received this award of peer recognition for his valuable research and practical expertise.
New Gestational Duration Records Set in Australia
Until recently the record gestation for a horse was reputed to be 417 days, but that record has been well beaten by some Thoroughbred mares in Australia! "Sangam" owned by Lasca Bowcock (Scone, NSW), foaled after 421 days on the 8th of December (see photo at left), which was thought to be quite a new record! At almost the same time though, a second mare - Corona Star - was giving birth in Euroa, Victoria after 445 days of gestation! Corona Star and the new foal are owned by Chris Gliddon.
Tennessee Veterinary Board Pursues action over Breeders performing Artificial Insemination
The Tennessee Veterinary Board has ordered the State to take action against breeders in Tennessee who have inseminated mares other than their own. The Board indicates that this is in contravention of Tennessee Code Annotated sec. 63-12-119, which references "the practice of veterinary medicine without a license". "Consent Orders" have been issued by the Office of General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Health instead of pursuing formal disciplinary proceedings. These reportedly allow recipients to pay a settlement fine of $750 for each year of having performed AI on animals other than their own, rather than being formerly charged under the Act. It is our understanding that 96 such letters have been issued to date.
Not surprisingly, many breeders are resisting the actions of the Veterinary Board and have retained a legal firm to defend their case. The Chattanooga-based firm - Miller and Martin PLLC - may be reached at (423) 756-6600. The Tennessee Farm Bureau has also become involved supporting the breeders, with their position reported as being that the actions of the Veterinary Board exceeded the authority of the Act.
The issue will receive further review during a meeting of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Board which commences at 9:00 am on December 8th and 9th. The meeting location is the Tennessee Room, Ground Floor, Cordell Hull Building, 425 Fifth Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee 37247 and is open to the general public.
We hope to keep you apprised of this ongoing situation.
Cloning is Here to Stay!
 |
The combined efforts of animal cloning leader ViaGen Inc. of Austin, TX and performance horse marketing experts Encore Genetics Ltd. (Weatherford, TX, USA) is set to present as many as 30 (thirty) cloned foals next year with foalings starting in February. The DNA source for the clones is described as being "six high-profile performance horses". Breed and discipline are at this time unannounced, although it has been reported that they are not of the Thoroughbred breed, the Registry for which remains resistant to anything but live cover techniques, regardless of the safety of animals and personnel. Royal Vista Southwest has provided the recipient mares for the process, and it is in Purcell Oklahoma that the foals will begin to be born next (2006) spring. |
227. HORSES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REGISTRATION
(a)Horses produced by any cloning process are not eligible for
registration. Cloning is defined as any method by which the genetic
material of an unfertilized egg or an embryo is removed, replaced by
genetic material taken from another organism, added to with genetic
material from another organism, or otherwise modified by any means
in order to produce a live foal.
The only trouble with this is that any offspring of a clone produced by normal breeding methods is not going to be eligible for registration, as a result of the sire or dam having been ineligible - even though clones are just "twins separated in time". It's going to be interesting...!Database Lists Stallions whose Semen we have Frozen
We are pleased to present a partial database of stallions whose semen has been frozen by Equine-Reproduction.com. This database is searchable by stallion name or breed, and if listed a link is provided to a page with further information about the stallion and contact information for the owners/managers. A stallion listing does not necessarily indicate availability for breeding by frozen semen, as some owners have had their stallions' semen frozen for future use. Please contact the owner directly from the page provided for that stallion. We have attempted to contact all stallion owners with whom we have had the pleasure of doing business, but some of our contact information was out of date, so if you are an owner whom we have not been able to contact and would like to have your stallion listed, please contact us!
Leading horse cloning company Cryozootech receives Zangersheide passports for cloned foals
(Article courtesy of Cryozootech)
 Pieraz-Cryozootech-stallion, the clone of Pieraz  Paris-Texas, now revealed to be a clone of Quidam de Revel |
In September 2005 at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken (Belgium), Cryozootech presented "Pieraz-Cryozootech-stallion", the clone of Pieraz,
twice world champion in endurance. Equine specialists present were given the opportunity to evaluate the horse and observe the obvious health and good condition of the animal. A second
Cryozootech cloned foal "Paris-Texas" was presented on video at the Zangersheide press conference. This second horse - a clone of the world famous showjumper Quidam de Revel - had been
cloned at the request of the owner. During the press conference Dr. Eric Palmer, the Cryozootech CEO, was pleased to receive passports from Stud-book Zangersheide for both "Pieraz-Cryozootech-stallion" and "Paris-Texas", thereby providing official recognition and documentation for both cloned foals. Early in 2001, Stud Book Zangersheide had received a request from Dr. Palmer, founder of Cryozootech, asking whether they would register cloned horses. On May 29th, the board of directors of Studbook Zangersheide made a resolution that cloned horses could be registered in the studbook if the DNA profile of the donor was recorded in the files of the studbook and the clone's profile was identical. The clone would receive the same paper as the original with a number and the indication of the cloning process (CL). The two foals have fulfilled the conditions required by the studbook, and they receive the first passports of cloned horses issued by Zangersheide Stud Book. |
It has been announced that yet another cloned equine has joined the cloned stable, making a current known total of six (three mules, three horses)! Researcher Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A and M University headed a team working in conjunction with French scientist Dr. Eric Palmer of Cryozootech, the producers of the first cloned equine announced this year. The latest clone is of an unnamed European performance stallion. The donor cells were skin cells collected and processed in Europe and then shipped to TAMU for the actual cloning process to be performed. The resulting foal - a bay colt named "Paris Texas" - was the only successful result from 400 originating DNA-transfers.
Another cloned horse born in Italy
A second cloned horse has been born in Italy - also the second only in the world. On February 25th, 2005. The clone "Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion" (called "Pieraz II" for short!) is the clone of 1994 and 1996 world endurance champion Pieraz, owned by US horsewoman Valerie Kanavy. In an interesting twist, the champion Pieraz is a gelding and therefore unable to reproduce by the usual method. With the production of the clone, there is now the possibility of the continuance of the bloodlines, as it is intended that Pieraz II will remain a stallion and therefore be able to breed.
The fact that the genetic source cloned animal - a gelding - will be able to reproduce raises some interesting points. Not the least of these interesting points is the issue of "gene expression". Although a cloned animal is genetically identical to the source animal, it has been seen that it will not necessarily be physically or mentally identical. Equine-Reproduction.com recently visited again with the cloned mules. All three of the "identical" clones were there - Idaho Gem, Utah Pioneer and Idaho Star. Idaho Gem and Utah Pioneer were - as ever - happy to see visitors and be scratched. They are also dark brown. Idaho Star however is more shy and retiring, and although he eventually comes and visits, he takes his time to get there. He is also a lighter brown colour overall. How can that be? They are all genetically identical! Gene expression is in all probability the reason. Which leads to the interesting question - will a foal sired by a clone of a champion gelding be the same offspring as if it had been sired by the champion himself? Genetically maybe....
Improved Equine-Reproduction.com Bulletin Board!
The Equine-Reproduction.com Bulletin Board is now configured to allow registration. Becoming a member of the board allows you multiple privileges, such as being able to edit and delete your messages, receive notification of posts in any or all topics, and remain permanently logged in (using a cookie). We hope you find these additional attributes of value and assistance.
Equine-Reproduction.com A.I. technicians DEFRA certified
Equine-Reproduction.com A.I. technicians recently travelled to England and received DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) certification for the performance of artificial insemination of equines. The United Kingdom has a requirement to complete a government-accredited course before certification is approved under The Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination of Mares) Order 2004.
Renowned Researcher Joins Equine-Reproduction.com Veterinary Consultant and Advisory Board
We are delighted to announce that the renowned equine reproduction researcher Dirk Vanderwall DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT has graciously agreed to join our veterinary consultant and advisory board. Dr. Vanderwall gained international recognition as one of the leaders of the combined teams from the Universities of Idaho and Utah State to produce the first cloned equid (see also below for details).
Veterinarian Continuing Education Credits now offered by Equine-Reproduction.com
Equine-Reproduction.com is pleased to announce that our Twin Falls, Idaho (February 5th and 6th, 2005) equine reproduction short course is approved for 21 hours Continuing Education (CE) credits for Idaho licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Texas veterinary technicians have been able to obtain maximum CE credits from our courses for some time.
In keeping with our continued service-based philosophy, our University of New Hampshire, Tennessee and North Carolina locations were also approved for CE credits. More sites will be approved, and the short course information page will be updated to reflect that accordingly.
In the event that you are a veterinarian or technician from another State, and would like your State to approve the courses for CE credits, please have the Veterinary Board from your State contact us by telephone or e-mail to discuss requirements.
FDA takes action against US veterinary compounding pharmacy
Are you in the USA, and do you use Progesterone and Estradiol (P&E) in your breeding program? (And even if you don't this may well still affect you!)
Last year, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) on compounding for animals that disallows all compounding from bulk ingredients, a ban that is in
our - and other's - opinons unjustified and threatens the health and well-being of many animal patients including horses.
The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) among others mounted a campaign in response to the FDA ruling, and thousands of pharmacists, veterinarians, and pet owners wrote letters to the FDA asking that the Vet CPG be withdrawn and
reissued in draft form to allow for revision of the problematic portions of the guidance. The CPG was not however withdrawn, and in fact, the issue has now been stepped up, as last week
(August 12th, 2004) FDA personel raided BET Pharm, LLC, a well-known veterinary compounding pharmacy in Lexington, Kentucky USA. This raid followed issuance of a warning letter by
the FDA last November, and resulted in the impounding of certain compounded products at the BET Pharm facility, pending a decision as to the next actions to be taken by FDA and BET Labs in a
legal capacity.
That the FDA has continuously ignored the public outcry against the CPG, in spite of IACP's numerous conciliatory efforts, and taken this action is a major cause for concern. This concern is
compounded by the news that there are allegedly an additional 20 compounding pharmacies that are to be targeted for similar action. Additionally, in April FDA sent a letter to all State
boards of pharmacy asking for their cooperation in conducting inspections to determine the scope of the "illegal" veterinary compounding activity. These developments make this issue
increasingly urgent for those impacted by the CPG!
We at Equine-Reproduction.com intend to keep our visitors informed of the ongoing situation, and offer suggestions as to actions that you, as members of the public, can take to aid in
reaching a favourable resolution of the situation that will continue to allow breeders access to such important drugs as the progesterone and estradiol combination that we favour so much for control of the estrous cycle. Note that these of course are not the only drugs that are affected, and
horses are not the only species that are affected! This ongoing FDA action will ultimately affect all veterinary compounded products.
Vaccination of pregnant mares with the West Nile Virus vaccine:
It was brought to our attention several times during the past breeding season that there exists a site on the Internet ("The Lost Foals Group") which alleges a connection between the West
Nile Virus vaccine and pregnancy problems. We at Equine-Reproduction.com believe it is extremely important that all viewers of that site are made aware that nowhere on that site is
there a single shred of scientific evidence supporting the claims. We are personally acquainted with some of the researchers who evaluated the safety of the vaccine for use in pregnant
mares, as well as some of the farms where the research was performed. Neither the researchers nor the farms found any evidence of a problem. We do however believe that one important thing
should be brought to everyone's attention - inoculation with any vaccine during the first 45 days of pregnancy can result in pregnancy loss (in fact it is preferable for mares
to be kept toxin free during the first 90 days of pregnancy), and yet we are repeatedly coming across incidences where mares have been inoculated with WNV vaccine during those first 45 days.
Keep your mares toxin-free for the first 90 days of pregnancy! - do not vaccinate, deworm or expose your mare to any toxin-related situation during that time frame.
We consider the above-mentioned site so unworthy of promotion that we will not present the URL here. We do however encourage you to review the article discussing the site presented by Dr.
Traci Hulse of Durango Equine Veterinary Clinic (available by "clicking" here), as well as some of our own personal observations which we placed in a thread on our bulletin board to be found here.
World's First Cloned Equids
 Kathy St.Martin of Equine-Reproduction.com meets with Idaho Gem and researcher Dr. Dirk Vanderwall at U-Idaho (The shyer Utah Pioneer can also be seen nursing in the background) |
On May 29th, 2003 the combined research teams from the Northwest Equine Reproduction Laboratory (University of Idaho) and Utah State University announced the birth of a live cloned mule - the first equid to have ever been successfully cloned. The foal was born on May 4th, 2003. This is momentous news for the equine industry and we would like to congratulate the combined research teams on their success, as well as thanking them for this opportunity to be a primary disseminator of the news! A detailed article is available on our site here. The world of Equid cloning moved forward again on May 28th 2003, with the announcement of the successful foaling of a cloned horse. Researchers from the Laboratory of Reproductive Technology, a nonprofit research organization in Cremona, Italy, have produced a live foal cloned from skin cells from its own dam - so essentially the mare gave birth to herself! The outcome was not without a lot of effort - starting with more than 800 manipulated oocytes, only twenty-two successfully developed into seven-day-old embryos, of which 17 were then transferred into nine mares with four resulting pregnancies of which "Prometea" is the sole survivor. |
On June 9th 2003, a second mule clone "Utah Pioneer" joined his brother, "Idaho Gem", as the only equine clones in the world, and then on July 27th, a third cloned mule foal - "Idaho Star" - was born!
Appaloosa Horse Club Approves use of Frozen Semen
We would like to welcome Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) breeders to the world of frozen semen use! This is the first breeding season in which frozen semen could be used to produce Appaloosa
foals eligible for registration with the Association. We applaud both the AQHA and the ApHC for their support of this valuable technology for breeders.
Incidence of MRLS reduced
As we enter the latter portion of the 2003 breeding and foaling season, it is relieving to report that although there were documented cases of MRLS this year, the number of affected animals
was not as great as in the last two years. For up to date information on mare reproductive loss syndrome, please visit this page on our site, which
also includes links to other sites providing information on the topic.
Equine Reproduction Expert Joins Equine-Reproduction.com Team!
We are delighted to announce that world-renowned equine reproduction specialist Dr. Jonathan F Pycock, B.Vet.Med., Ph.D., D.E.S.M., M.R.C.V.S. has joined our team of veterinary consultants. In addition, we will also be adding a selection of articles on
different aspects of equine reproduction by Dr. Pycock in our articles section.
Equine-Reproduction.com Attends ISER
We were pleased to have been invited to participate in the 8th International Symposium on Equine Reproduction, with the opportunity to send a delegate to attend. After an exciting 6 days of information-packed scientific
paper presentations by some of the worlds' leading equine reproduction researchers, not to mention extended discussions outside the meetings, we have returned home and look forward to being
able to pass details of many of the newest technologies on to the general public via this web site.
AQHA Changes Rules on Embryo Transfer
In a landmark decision, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) has changed it's policy of registering only one foal produced through the use of embryo transfer from a single mare per
breeding season. The change, which will come into full effect in July and be retroactive, means that there will be no restrictions on the number of foals that can be registered as being
produced from a single mare in any given year. There had been an ongoing court battle during which the Texas Court system had ruled three times that such a restrictive registry rule was a
"limitation of trade". In addition, the AQHA has reversed a previous policy which limited the registration of foals produced by the use of frozen semen used after a stallions death to those
foals produced only as a result of breedings completed no later than the end of the calendar year of the stallions' death. Frozen semen may now continue to be used until all supplies are
exhausted. The AQHA's decisions are heralded by all of us at Equine-Reproduction.com as well as many others as being healthy ones for both Quarter Horses and the entire equine
industry, as it is likely that this will cause other registries that still have similar restrictions in place to remove them.
Equine-Reproduction.com at the Appaloosa World Show
We were recently pleased to be able to assist the Appaloosa Horse
Club (of America) which is in the process of considering approval of the use of frozen semen by offering a free informational seminar on the subject to persons attending the 2001 World
Championship Appaloosa Horse Show in Fort Worth, Texas. It was great to have the opportunity to assist in this important step for Appaloosa breeders!
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