Artificial Insemination of Mares
The legislation
The Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination of Mares) Order 2004 came into force on 6 July 2004. This has now been replaced by the new Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) Order 2007 which came into force on May 22, 2007.
This Exemption Order permits any person, over the age of 18 years, who is not a veterinary surgeon, to carry out artificial insemination of mares. This is on condition that such persons meet the requirement of attending a Defra approved training course and gain a ‘certificate of exemption’.
The legislation applies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Any examination per rectum, including per rectum pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasound scanning, must continue to be undertaken only be veterinary surgeons. This is because of the delicate and friable nature of the rectum of the horse and the danger of causing rupture.
Animal welfare
The fundamental principle underlying this new legislation will be the need to protect the welfare of mares by ensuring that only competent, trained people carry out the procedure. When employing a professional AI technician horse owners will be assured that the technician they use will be certified as being fully trained and competent.
Guidance
Guidance is available on this Exemption Order
(26 KB) It includes further information on how to become an approved
AI technician, including training; when veterinary supervision is required;
and the minimum number of procedures over a two year period.
Training
Training is an important part of this legislation. All non-veterinarians wishing to carry out this procedure must have successfully completed a Defra approved training course.
Defra have approved four training course providers. For further information please contact any of the course providers listed below.
- British Equine Veterinary Association - contact: info@beva.org.uk;
- Warwick College - contact: enquiries@warkscol.ac.uk;
- R L Matson & Sons will be holding courses on the 13th & 14th February, 5th & 6th March & 18th & 19th March 2008 - contact: enquiries@twemlows.co.uk;
- Eniskillen College (Northern Ireland) - contact: deirdre.cooper@dardni.gov.uk.
R L Matson & Sons will be holding courses on 26th / 27th November 2008 and
11th / 12th February 2009.
BEVA will be holding courses on the 9th & 10th February 2008.
List of qualified artificial insemination technicians
Defra holds details of all Qualified AI Technicians and also provides
an online list of those qualified artificial
insemination technicians
(340 KB) who have agreed to their details being published in accordance
with the Data Protection Act 1998. The purpose of Defra holding this information
is to assist the industry by offering horse owners and potential clients
a list of those individuals who are authorised by Defra to carry out artificial
insemination of mares.
Page last modified: 9 September, 2008