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Foal born through IVF
carol with lord nelson
Owner Carol with Lord Nelson, who she likes to call PICSI (pronounced 'Pixie').

UC Davis celebrates success with ICSI
 
A foal has been born through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) at UC Davis vet school in the US. This represents a first for equine medicine at the university.

Equine reproduction specialists used the process of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Unlike traditional IVF (which often doesn't work on horses), this involves injecting a single sperm into an egg extracted from a mare.

Once the embryo has developed in a laboratory for a week, it is implanted in the mare.

Initially, specialists attempted to artificially inseminate Zholani - a thoroughbred-shire mix - using frozen sperm from an Andalusian horse called El Gavilan.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, Dr Bruce Christensen of UC Davis suggested enrolling the mare in his ICSI research study.

Six of Zholani's eggs and El Gavilan's sperm were sent to the Equine Embryo Laboratory at Texas A&M University.

Due to Zholani's previous inability to get pregnant, the team decided to use a recipient mare to carry the pregnancy.

The foal, named 'Lord Nelson' was born at UC Davis' Center for Equine Health. Once he matures, he will begin training for a career in dressage. His owner Carol Alonso is excited about his prospects, based on his carefully selected lineage.

Image courtesy of UC Davis

 

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.