BREAKING NEWS:Death of Noted Breeder and Trainer Doug Schembri It is with sadness that we report the death of noted Florida breeder and trainer Doug Schembri on Tuesday, August 17th. Doug along with his wife Sue and family have hosted several Equine-Reproduction.com short courses at their Myakka City Char-O-Lot Ranch, the latest having been just this last January, 2010.Doug (along with the rest of his family) produced National and International champions in the Appaloosa, Quarter Horse and Paint breeds and was always a "force to be reckoned with" in the showing world! As a breeder, he stood some of the top-name stallions in the breeds and was renowned for his excellent "eye" for new prospects. Initial reports via the Internet had suggested that Doug, aged 61, had died in a farm accident involving electricity, but this has been confirmed as not being the case, with heart disease being the cause of death. A Celebration of Doug's Life is to be held at Char-O-Lot Ranch, 35750 Highway 70 East, Myakka City, FL 34251 on Sunday, August 22, 2010 - 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: The Manatee Community Foundation in Memory of Doug Schembri (payee for checks), 3105 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205. We send our deepest condolences to the Schembris and mourn the loss of a good friend to ourselves and the industry. 08/20/2010
OTHER NEWS:USDA Update on Latest California CEMO-positive Stallion and Associated MaresIn May 2010, the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed that an Arabian stallion on a southern California premises was positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the bacterium that causes contagious equine metritis (CEM). The NVSL also determined that the strain of the isolated bacterium does not match any T. equigenitalis strains previously found in the United States, indicating this case is not related to the CEM outbreak detected in December 2008. The positive stallion was imported into the United States in March 2010 from a country not known to be affected by CEM. Although no definitive conclusions can yet be made as to the origin of this strain of T. equigenitalis, a thorough epidemiologic investigation is ongoing. It has been determined that five other stallions, all on the same premises in southern California, were exposed to the positive stallion. Four (80 percent) of the five exposed stallions have completed their entire testing and treatment protocol and are negative for T. equigenitalis. The fifth stallion is under quarantine, but is currently receiving antibiotic treatments for an unrelated condition and is therefore not yet eligible to begin testing. The positive stallion has been treated and is now in the process of being retested. A total of 18 mares in 7 States were also exposed to the positive stallion. Eleven (61 percent) of the 18 mares have completed testing and treatment and are negative for T. equigenitalis. Seven mares have not yet completed their testing. An exposed horse is one that was bred to a positive horse, either naturally or via artificial insemination, or one that is otherwise epidemiologically linked to a positive horse, as determined by State and Federal animal health officials. (Courtesy USDA); 08/01/10 Equine-Reproduction.com Participates in British Horse Breeding Video Series We were recently delighted to be involved with Pelion Stud and Equine Reproduction (UK) Ltd. in the production of a series of short videos providing some tips for horse breeders. The videos were prepared by HorseMart a British company offering a venue for equine related sales and information and can be viewed through their web site or via YouTube.com. The following subject matter is covered:
07/06/2010 USDA Voluntary CEMO Stallion Testing Program; New CEM Situation Update In February 2010 USDA announced a cost-sharing voluntary CEM testing program for stallions resident in the USA. The intent was primarily to determine if there was an absence of the causative organism Taylorella equigenitalis in the domestic herd, or if it was found to be present to facilitate traceback ability and determine degree of prevalence. In order to achieve this level of testing, USDA shares the primary cost of the evaluation covering provision of swab and shipping materials, shipping costs and all lab costs for growing and reading the resulting cultures. The stallion owner is solely responsible for the veterinary costs of the swab collection (typically a call-out fee and time for the collection process which should require only a few minutes). With the ongoing CEM outbreak that had the index case in Kentucky in December of 2008, the origin of which has yet to be established, and the newest threat presented with an imported Arabian stallion presenting a positive result for a strain of T. equigenitalis not related to the Kentucky incidence, American breeders have to take very seriously the need to identify possible positive carriers and ensure elimination of the organism from the resident horse population. Until this has been achieved and proven, restrictions related to cross-border shipments of semen and horses which have in some instances had a tremendous negative impact on available markets - the Canadian market being particularly affected - will remain in place. Many US stallion owners have simply ceased offering semen sales from their stallions to Canada owing to time and cost restraints of achieving the required paperwork in an adequate manner. There is little doubt that the possibility of there still being CEMO-positive stallions unidentified in the horse population exists. This makes participation in the USDA testing scheme even more enticing, as if one is unfortunate enough to have a stallion test positive by USDA through this voluntary scheme, USDA will pick up all the subsequent treatment costs of the stallion and we have been advised, test-breeding of mares! The same does not happen if one is identified as having a CEMO-positive stallion without having participated in the voluntary scheme, for example through a traceback from other positive animals identified in the ongoing investigations. From an ethical standpoint, voluntary participation is of value because - as with EIA ("Coggin's") testing, the more horses that are tested, the less chance there is of having an unidentified positive (infectious) animal in the resident population. More details of this voluntary testing scheme are available from your local USDA office, or in the .pdf articles to be downloaded from the USDA's website here. Note that the scheme is scheduled to close at the end of August 2010, so a rapid involvement is necessary! There are some restrictions as to what stallions may be eligible (for example stallions already tested within the last 6 month, or that are known contact animals of the current outbreaks are not eligible), but it certainly behoves USA breeders to either participate in this USDA scheme or follow Britain's HBLB protocols, although of course this latter route will cost more! The current USDA update on the new instance of CEM in the Arabian stallion located in California indicates that the stallion was imported into the United States in March 2010 from a country not known to be affected by CEM. It is not yet known whether the imported stallion was positive at the time of his importation or was exposed after importation. In addition to the one positive stallion, another 22 horses have been exposed to T. equigenitalis through contact either with the stallion or other contact animals, the same facility or through shipped semen. The 23 horses are located in or are being traced to 7 States, including 6 exposed or positive stallions and 17 exposed mares. 06/15/10 New Case of CEM in USA Unassociated with Prior Outbreak The OIE has reported that an 11 year-old imported Arabian stallion located in Santa Barbara County, California was confirmed culture positive by the USDA APHIS VS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for Taylorella equigenitalis, the bacterium that causes contagious equine metritis. The Taylorella equigenitalis confirmed positive animal is a clinically healthy stallion that was identified during routine semen export testing. Numbers reported for susceptible horses are preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues. The following information was also provided:
06/13/10 CFIA Clarifies Reported Change in Semen Import Protocols A CFIA spokesperson has clarified for us that the AIRS-notified change to the semen import protocol (reported below) was in fact a wording change to reflect not the routine importation - which remains unchanged - but what CBSA should do in the event that paperwork accompanying the shipment was incorrect or absent. The CFIA spokesperson went on to observe that "What is seen as a requirement is actually meant as the title to a new section. When AIRS is opened, this new section lists under what circumstances the semen is referred to CFIA. So the wording was added to AIRS, but the process was always the same... The wording of the AIRS notification is ambiguous, to say the least", but went on to confirm that there had been no changes in the process. 05/27/10 Minor Change in US-origin Equine Semen Canadian Import Protocol - Possible Delay Causer? CFIA today announced a change in the import protocol for semen originating from other countries including the USA. Following the restrictions implemented as a result of the CEM outbreak in the USA, equine semen - both cooled and frozen - from that country has been subject to inspection and additional paperwork requirements at the time of import. The inspection has been performed by Canada Border Services Agency ("CBSA" - formerly "Canada Customs"). The following statement was issued today by CFIA Airs (Canadian Food Inspection Agency Automated Import Reference System): a) Chapter 05 was published to add the recommendation "Refer to CFIA - Veterinary inspection" for frozen semen from various countries. 05.11.10.1290 Frozen bovine semen 05.11.99.1293 Animal semen (other than bovine) - frozen b) Chapter 05 was published to add the recommendation "Refer to CFIA - Veterinary inspection" for fresh horse semen from the United States. This indicates that instead of the semen and associated paperwork being inspected by a regular customs agent, it will have to be referred to the CFIA veterinary inspection agent. It is unclear at this time if this is going to cause additional potential for delays or other problems. 05/19/10
Equine-Reproduction.com Expands Operations to Europe; Shipped Semen in Europe Experiences Volcanic Problems!We are pleased to announce the approval of an Equine-Reproduction.com Certified Semen Freezing Location for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Equine-Reproduction (UK) owned and operated by Jamie Anderson from Pelion Stud is located just outside Reading, Berkshire England. A variety of services are offered, including semen freezing in accordance with our Certified Semen Freezing Location policies. Personnel from Equine-Reproduction.com are regularly in the United Kingdom and are pleased to be able to provide our services to European customers through this facility. Horse breeders using transported semen in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe are currently experiencing difficulties with transport of all products - including semen - by airline owing to the volcanic eruption in Iceland shutting down almost all commercial airline traffic. Jamie Anderson comments: "The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano has been causing problems within the European breeding industry. The volcanic ash cloud from the eruption has led to the closure of all UK airports since Thursday this week, causing a huge disruptions for chilled and frozen semen coming into and out of the country". "A number of breeders across the UK have been trying to order chilled semen from stallions like Baloubet du Rouet and Canturo from Belgium, and Jaguar Mail from France but the shipment of chilled semen across Europe has all but ceased because of the ash cloud. Luckily, we have been able to meet UK demands for these stallions as we hold a stock of their frozen semen". "We are also able to send frozen semen out by road and sea, because of the hugely extended 'shelf-life' of cryopreserved sperm cells. Frozen semen has been a real life-saver in this situation. It has allowed UK and European breeders to continue with their breeding programmes without incurring the veterinary costs of wasted oestrus cycles". 04/17/10 CEM Outbreak in USA Still Producing "New" Cases This week sees the announcement by USDA of a 23rd stallion - a Holsteiner - to test positive for presence of Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative agent of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM). This is the tenth stallion to test positive in the State of Wisconsin and was located at the same breeding facility as ten of the other stallions that have tested positive, although four of those stallions were found positive when residing in a different State. This newly-found positive stallion has been shown to be carrying the same strain of CEMO as has been identified in all of the other positive stallions (and the five positive mares) and it has consequently been tied to the same outbreak. The delay in the identification of this new positive horse is as a result of the owner being reluctant to have the stallion tested, although the horse has been in quarantine said Wisconsin State Veterinarian Robert Ehlenfeldt, DVM. Fortunately other stallion owners have been supportive of attempts to identify and clear all sources of the bacteria in the breeding population and James Barrett, public affairs specialist at the USDA, observed that the extensive outbreak was "winding down" with only a few exposed horses remaining to be tested. In an apparently unrelated outbreak, the United Kingdom has identified 3 horses - one 7 year-old non-Thoroughbred mare, one 5 year-old Arab stallion and one 10 year-old Highland mare - as being positive for CEMO presence since October 2009. These are considered separate cases and the investigation of the latter two are ongoing by Defra, although the Arab stallion originated from another EU member State. The case involving the Highland mare was only confirmed on March 22nd, 2010. The United Kingdom is fortunate in that many breeders adhere to the voluntary guidelines for pre-breeding testing of horses set out by the British Horse Racing Betting Levy Board - something that breeders in the USA would be well advised to follow in view of the possibility of still unidentified positive animals being in the breeding population. 03/30/10 Loss of Another Top Equine Reproductive Veterinarian Dr. John P. Hurtgen, a leading exponent of equine embryo transfer, died early this morning (February 17th) while helping a mare to foal at his Nandi Farm in Pennsylvania. Dr. Hurtgen, 62, is reported to have collapsed while assisting in the foaling, and a heart attack is suspected. More than 100 mares reside at Hurtgen's Nandi Farm, including some used exclusively as recipient mares for ETs. In addition the farm stands stallions - in particular the Standardbred stallions Tom Ridge, Quik Pulse Mindale, Nuclear Breeze, Garth Vader and Lear Jetta. Dr. Hurtgen's wife, Linda, sought to assure the industry that Nandi Farm's commitment to and participation in Standardbred breeding will continue, though it will no longer perform embryo transfers. We offer our deepest condolences to Dr. Hurtgen's family on their loss of this respected leader in the equine reproductive industry. 02/17/10 Please visit our archived news page for past news items that have appeared on this index page.
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and enter your foal's gestational duration! Non-Reproduction Equine Headline News from: TheHorse.com News WEG: Kroger Stores to Offer Flex Grounds Pass Tickets 1 Sep 2010 Shoppers at 166 Kroger stores in four states will be able to purchase Flex Grounds Pass tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games along with their grocery items from Sept. 1 - Sept. 24. Kroger stores in Central Tennessee, Southern Illinois,...
Managing Abnormal Heart Rhythm in the Performance Horse 31 Aug 2010 Exercise intolerance often is first sign that a performance horse has an abnormal heart rhythm, said Kelsey A. Hart, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, internal medicine clinician and graduate fellow in the department of large animal medicine at the University...
BLM Requests Independent Operations Review 31 Aug 2010 The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has asked the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC), an independent, nonprofit group that advises government agencies on scientific issues, to review the agency's Wild Horse and Burro...
WEG: Build-Out Update at the Kentucky Horse Park 31 Aug 2010 The build-out for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) has reached less than a month to go, and construction crews have taken over the Kentucky Horse Park to prepare it for the 16-day event. Dozens of RV trailers have been moved into...
Readers Share Dewormer Preference 31 Aug 2010 More than 460 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "Which of the following dewormers do you use to treat encysted small strongyles?" Results were as follows: Ivermectin:...
Training: Food Rewards Are More Effective Than Physical Contact 30 Aug 2010 Everybody loves a good back scratch, including your horse, right? Scratching of the withers has been scientifically proven to reduce a horse's heart rate, but a good scratch might not be enough to communicate to your horse that you're happy...
Tips for Horse Owners to Prepare for Hurricane Season 30 Aug 2010 With the hurricane season upon us, it is important for horse owners to ready themselves in advance for evacuation and other recommended tasks related to hurricane preparedness. Here are some tips from the Louisiana State Animal Response Team and the...
California Horse Dealer Accused of Fraud 30 Aug 2010 A California woman accused of misrepresenting horses she offered for sale on equine-related websites pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge under a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles last week. Assistant U.S. Attorney...
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In our ongoing efforts to assist breeders with directing access to good quality and well priced equine reproduction equipment, we are able to offer a listing of reconditioned equine reproduction ultrasounds for sale at affordable prices direct from Universal Ultrasound.
Equine reproduction topics covered in our articles section on this site include artificial insemination (A.I.); information about, and the use of frozen semen; stallion handling articles, including "phantom mare" training, and other semen collection methods; the collecting and processing of cooled transported semen; different equipment and supplies needed for semen collection and processing, and artificial insemination; managing the mare for breeding (including hormonal manipulation and the use of other drugs such as Oxytocin); and some articles relative to foals and foaling.
It's our aim to bring you not only a wide selection of articles about both basic and advanced equine reproduction topics; but also a variety of links to sites containing more information about horse breeding. There is a book sale section where we list and review books on equine reproduction that are offered for sale there in association with Amazon.com. We also invite you to review our equine reproduction short course details, as well as stallion semen freezing and other services that Equine-Reproduction.com is pleased to be able to offer the horse-breeding public. Our bulletin board is an active community with a large membership that discusses and provides information on a wide variety of equine reproduction topics.
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