The Equine Theriogenology section in the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC) is taking a leading role in expanding a rare and endangered horse breed.
There are less than 300 Highland Pony foals born worldwide each year. The Iowa State Theriogenology section trained Balmoral Archer, a six-year-old Highland Pony Stallion in 2021, and he stood at the LVMC in the winter of 2022 to have semen collected and frozen for exportation to overseas.
The results so far have been fantastic.
To date, Archer has produced two foals (a colt and a filly) for owners who have bred him in Australia with the semen that was produced and exported from Iowa State. This is in addition to his offspring in the United States from both live cover and cooled shipments.
“We work with stallions on both inpatient and outpatient bases to perform routine breeding soundness evaluations, semen cryopreservation (freezing), or cooled shipments for fresh breedings,” said Dr. Theresa Beachler, assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine. “The stallions can stay for an extended period of time for multiple collections, shipments, and freezes, as well as stand with Iowa State for the duration of the breeding session for collection and shipment of cooled semen to mares across the United States.”
During Archer’s stay at Iowa State, more than 30 doses of semen were collected and exported for use in mares in Australia and another 13 doses sent to the European Union and United Kingdom.
“Iowa State is unique as not every veterinary clinic or even university can meet the specifications and requirements and obtain certification from the USDA,” Beachler said. “As we are certified with the USDA as a Semen Export Centre, we additionally can collect and ship both cool semen and frozen semen across the world.”
Archer is owned by Beacon Hills Highland Stud in Urbandale and was exported from the late Her Majesty, the Queen Elizabeth the seconds line of Balmoral stud.
December 2024