An embryo is the result of successful fecoundation of a female egg cell with a male sperm cell. The vet picks up the egg from the mare using the OPU (Ovum Pick Up) technique. In the laboratory, under specific conditions and with a microscopic technique, the sperm is introduced into the egg. Successful fertilization is established after 7 days and, if successful, the embryo is frozen at a temperature of -197°C with liquid nitrogen.
Intracytoplasmatic sperm injection, a technique where the single sperm is taken to be injected into the female egg to obtain an insemination.
Ovum pick-up, that is the withdrawal of the mare’s oocytes.
The OPU is the first step in the embryo production where a veterinary team collects the mare's oocytes. After research, the best eggs are inseminated in the laboratory by injecting sperm. This process is called ICSI. After ICSI, the inseminated oocytes develop further to form an embryo.
An OPU/ICSI embryo is the result of inseminate an egg with sperm in the laboratory. The successfully inseminated embryo is then frozen with liquid nitrogen. An embryo obtained by uterine lavage is generated inside the uterus of a donor mare and then removed to be then directly implanted in a recipient mare.
Each frozen embryo from the Avantea laboratory is delivered together with an official certificate of authenticity which, in addition to a unique identification code and the date of production of the embryo, also report the name and UELN number (Universal Equine Life Number) of the mare and the stallion. Avantea is certified with the quality mark UNI EN 9001:2015.
After payment, you will receive the embryo production certificate with the unique code of the purchased embryo. This certificate of embryo production, together with the proof of payment of the invoice, establishes your ownership of the purchased frozen embryo.
For the implantation of the embryo you have purchased, you can contact a specialized veterinarian. If you choose the "no pregnancy, no pay" guarantee, we can also organize the implantation of the frozen embryo you have purchased. In this case, the installation takes place in collaboration with and under the conditions of an veterinary center affiliated with ELVO STABLES and the insurance company.
We advise you to implant the frozen embryo between March 1st and July 31st. Of course, you can implant the frozen embryo in another time, but procedures performed during this time have the best chances of success.
