Commercial Equine Embryo Transfer Programs: Some Topics on How to Improve Efficiency

Commercial equine embryo transfer programs are increasingly conditioned to achieve high productive efficiency, not only in the production of pregnancies and derived products from donor mares but also in doing so in the shortest time possible, respecting animal welfare procedures and at a low cost, pressured by increasingly efficient and commercially established in vitro embryo production programs. Multiple strategies regarding standard procedures have been and continue to be developed to increase the embryo recovery rate, post-transfer pregnancy rates, and decrease embryo loss rates, including the induction of multiple ovulations, which allows almost doubling the recovery rate per cycle, re-flushing techniques, massage during flushing, control of intervals between prostaglandin injection and ovulation (ITO), transfer techniques using cervical forceps, embryo vitrification, and many other simple, yet effective, procedures collectively aimed at achieving the goal of greater productive efficiency.