February 13th 1999

In quest of scope and movement

By Michael Slavin

In what chairman of the night Mary McGrath described as a "very clear presentation", Alison Corbally and Dr Sally Meadows of Irish Sport Horse Developments in Necarne, Co. Fermanagh, outlined their work with Embryo Transfer. The presentation took place at a seminar last Saturday organised by the Kildare/Meath branch of the Irish Draught Horse Society in Maynooth.

With great poise and confidence they also answered a barrage of questions on the more controversial aspects of their very advanced programme.

Necarne's executive director, Alison Corbally, stressed that their goal over the next six years or so is to create an elite group of about 25 mares that were bred for "better scope and movement".

Dr. Sally Meadows, who is Reproductive Technologist at ISHD, indicated that the time it takes to do this is appreciably shortened through the advantage of being able to breed a number of foals each year from performance mares through the use of embryo transfer.

Both speakers stoutly defended the use of ET against recent newspaper articles that called it into question. They said multiple flushings were not detrimental to the performance of competition mares.

They also denied that it had a negative effect on their fertility or ability to carry their own foals.

However, they were critical of excessive use of hormones in what they called "cocktail mixes" by some Continentals. Hormones used at Necarne to regulate the ovulation of mares are administered in less than the proscribed doses.

It was obvious that both ladies and the staff at Necarne have very close contact with their mares and use close observation to make up for moderating hormone treatment.

They also defended their decision to import two Continental bred stallions because they believe we here in Ireland were in need of a new input of scope and movement and that the foals would be out of selected Irish mares and would be listed as Irish bred.

But the impression this reporter got from the seminar on Saturday last was a very positive one. It would be well if more organisation gave Alison and Sally the opportunity of explaining what it is all about to a wider audience.

It is the most detailed programme of this nature undertaken anywhere in Ireland. Its ultimate success is by no means certain but they are certainly giving it a very good try.