General News
7 December, 2023
Australian-first embryo transfer a success
A SMALL stud now boasts the first successful embryo transfer in the Icelandic horse breed.
Garvoc's Litli Stadur Icelandic Horses recently announced the successful transfer between donor mayor Funa, father Kulur and recipient mare Svipa.
The process involves a seven-day old embryo being flushed from the donor mare and transferred into the recipient mare.
Weekly scans allow a 45-day period before the transfer is considered safe, after which the recipient mare will carry the foal to term and nurse until weaning.
Litli Stadur Icelandic Horses owner Nele Koemle said she had made the decision to attempt the transfer as the donor mare, Funa, was among her “most cherished” horses after first being imported among her first Icelandics in 2008.
“Embryo transfer is getting done more and more in the horse world, but this is the first Icelandic horse in Australia which has had it done,” she said.
“I’m very proud to be part of that history.
“I started looking into it because I have a couple of mares I really like, and one mare is older and has had 11 babies (Funa), so I liked the idea of having another baby out of her but without her having to carry it.
“I approached Steve and Michelle Williams at Total Equine Genetics because they’re the experts, the best you can get.”
The Icelandic breed has been popular in western Europe, Scandinavia and North America.
They are known for their gentle temperament, curiosity and friendliness in addition to their long winter coats.
The breed is considered, pound-for-pound, the strongest breed of horse and is widely admired for their purity due to strict Icelandic import laws.
Mrs Koemle, who was born in Austria, said she had a deep admiration for the breed.
“I like the temperament, they’re very human-oriented, and I like riding them,” she said.
“I’m not a competitive rider, I just ride for fun, but I grew up riding in Europe.
“I’ve imported horses and added to the gene pool because there are only around 400 Icelandic horses in Australia.
“I’ve imported several mares and stallions over the past 15-20 years, during which time we’ve been the first to import frozen semen from Europe and also had the first AI-bred Icelandic foal in Australia.”
A large concentration of Icelandic horses in Australia reside in the south west, with the breed growing in popularity in recent times.
“They’ve really grown in popularity over the last four or five years,” Mrs Koemle said.
“We’re doing a bit more promotion or working with different owners on different things, such as going to pony clubs.
“They’re just not well known over here.”
Among the surge in popularity is the Icelandic breed being a five-gaited horse, which is considered ideal for seasoned riders.
While many breeds are three-gaited with a walk, trot and gallop, the Icelandic horses have two additional gaits; the tӧlt, a four-beat gait with two or more legs on the ground simultaneously, and a flying pace (or Skeið), a two-beat gait in which horses can move the front and back leg on the same side simultaneously.
To learn more about the Icelandic breed visit Litli Stadur Icelandic Horses at icelandichorses.org.au or follow on social media at www.facebook.com/litlistadur.
