Equine Theriogenology

About the Service

The Equine Theriogenology service provides care and management of all aspects of assisted equine reproduction. The service operates at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Equine Reproduction Center.

What We Do

Services include embryo transfer (including recipient mares), management of the stallion and mare, diagnostic reproduction evaluations, breeding soundness examinations, semen collection and shipment, surrogate mares (nurse mares) for orphaned foals, and treatment of the sub-fertile mare and stallion. The Equine Reproduction Center also stands stallions for breeding to outside mares. The Center offers monitoring of foaling for high risk mares and uses the FoAlert® birth monitoring system. Additionally, the Center offers an endometrial biopsy service for referring veterinarians that includes examination of biopsy samples and clinical consultation.

Who We Are

The Equine Theriogenology service is composed of two faculty who are board certified specialists in veterinary reproduction that work exclusively on the equine and companion animal reproduction services. Additionally, the service has two resident veterinarians who are training to become specialists. The service has one dedicated veterinary technician who assists the veterinarians and senior level veterinary students manage the service.

Equine Breeding at Auburn

Stallions Ready for Spring Breeding

The James W. Goodwin and Joy Goodwin Adams Equine Reproduction Center (ERC), located at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, focuses on serving clients through both routine breeding work as well as reproductive referral cases.

Located behind the Teaching Hospitals, the Equine Reproduction Center serves as a referral center for veterinarians managing more difficult reproductive cases including problem mares, subfertile stallions, and high-risk pregnancies. As management of high risk pregnancies, a foaling service that includes 24 hour monitoring of the pregnant mare and assisted foal delivery is offered. The service also offers routine services including collection and shipping of semen, breeding management for mares using cooled-transported or frozen semen, and breeding soundness examinations. The ERC is run by two board certified reproductive specialists (Theriogenologists), Dr. Aime Johnson and Dr. Robyn Wilborn, one technician, Marti McCoy, and one theriogenology resident, Dr. Rochelle Jensen.

Work is steady at the center during the January to August breeding season, but appointments can be made year-round. The ERC offers mare care and cycle management to ensure insemination at the proper time.

The Equine Reproduction Center also offers surrogate mares, also known as recipient mares for embryo transfer. The center maintains a herd of mares that are part of the reproduction and teaching herd.

Clients also benefit from updated and improved equipment which includes an indoor breeding shed and phantom, a computer-assisted sperm motility analyzer (CASA) system, and two new ultrasound machines.

Stallions Available for Breeding through the Equine Reproduction Center

The center stands several outstanding stallions which are available for breeding to client mares and semen can be shipped anywhere in the country. Additional photos of the stallions and their offspring, videos, and further information are available upon request. For pricing and booking information, contact the Equine Reproduction Center at (334) 844-4490 or email stallions@vetmed.auburn.edu

To view more information including photos, pedigrees, and offspring of our breeding stallions, click here.

2018 Horse Course

The 2018 Horse Course is set for Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, this time held in conjunction with the College of Agriculture’s Horse U, geared for youth age 9-18. Read the Horse Course Flyer.

Both events start at 9 a.m., check in begins at 8:30 a.m. Cost for each is $20. Learn more and Register here.

Horse Course is an educational program designed for horse owners and veterinarians. Five (5) hours of CE credit is available for veterinarians. Horse Course will be held at the Veterinary Education Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine, 1180 Wire Road.

Faculty/Specialists

Aime Johnson, DVM, DACT

Robyn Wilborn, DVM, MS, DACT

Residents

Fabio Pinaffi, DVM

Dr. Pinaffi received his DVM from University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science in 2010. He then completed his MS (2012) and PhD (2016) programs at University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) working with physiology of reproduction in cattle and horses. During his MS and PhD he also worked as an honorary fellow researcher at the laboratory of Dr. O. J. Ginther (Eutheria Foundation/University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI) in 2011 and 2015 to 2017.