Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is an assisted reproductive biotechnology primarily used in fertility treatments but, currently, has been performed on all types of horses, increasing the production of animals with greater genetic potential.

The procedure involves the direct injection of a single sperm cell into the cytoplasm of a mature oocyte. This technique is particularly advantageous when there are challenges with conventional fertilization methods, such as low sperm count or poor sperm motility.

In the context of equine reproduction, ICSI significantly increases the chances of successful fertilization. It extends the breeding potential of valuable horses, especially those with limited or compromised fertility. For mares, it allows for the retrieval of oocytes without the need for the mare to be in season, and for stallions, it enables the use of semen that might otherwise be unsuitable for traditional breeding due to low sperm quality or quantity. Additionally, embryos’ genetic evaluations and sexing can be more easily added to the plan, depending on the client’s needs. Genetech offers the most modern animal reproduction biotechnologies and is constantly renewing our methods.

OPU and ICSI represent significant advancements, offering benefits over traditional embryo flushing methods:

• To optimize the use of semen from deceased stallions or those with suboptimal seminal quality or limited availability.

• Facilitates the retrieval of oocytes directly from the mare’s ovaries, avoiding issues such as chronic infections, obstructed oviducts, anovulatory follicles, and other conditions that may impede a mare’s ability to produce viable embryos.

• Enhance the potential for generating multiple embryos from a single collection cycle, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful pregnancies.

• The process also improves the prospects for embryo vitrification, a cryopreservation technique essential for preserving genetic material for future use.

• Provide the opportunity for Preimplantation Genetic Testing, allowing for early diagnosis of genetic diseases or the selection of embryos with desired genetic traits before transferring.