The Breeding Council on Horse Breeding in Iceland has taken a stance against ovum pick-up from mares and so-called micro-fertilization in Icelandic horse breeding. This decision is based primarily on considerations regarding horse welfare, but also on concerns about the impact these methods could have on the genetic diversity of the Icelandic horse.
At a meeting this spring, the Breeding Council thoroughly reviewed the latest technologies in equine reproduction and sought professional opinions from veterinarians specializing in the field. Discussions covered, among other things, ovum pick-up—known as OPU—and a type of assisted reproduction referred to as micro-fertilization, known in English as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). While these methods are known internationally, they have not been adopted in horse breeding in Iceland. This article outlines what these methods entail and explains the reasons for the Breeding Council’s opposition to them
Read the full article from Thorvaldur Kristjansson here:
Breeding Council in Iceland Seeks to Ban Ovum Pick-up in Icelandic Horse Breeding
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