Saving the Clydesdale Horses

In order to save the breed of the Clydesdale horses they have now this year gone undergo an embryo treatment

The Mares from Collessie Clydesdales in Fife, Scotland have been undergoing treatment at a St Andrews clinic.

For centuries the Clydesdale horses have been an important part of the workforce.

Their population was booming with more than two million working heavy horses.

Now, decades later they are on the rare breeds list with numbers at just 10,000.

However there is hope the future of the iconic breed could be saved through science.

The first successful embryonic transfer foal was born on June 13.

A Scottish veterinarian at Artificial Insemination Services near St Andrews administered the embryo.

This is something more commonly used in sport horses, but it can be used in any breed where you want to preserve the genetic line.

This process has all to do with timing, once the mare whose genes you want to keep has conceived, you wait a week and then flush the embryo out.

The embryo is then transferred into another mare who will carry the foal for 11 months until it’s born.

Clydesdales don’t have great fertility anyway so the fact this process has worked is a big deal for the breed.

This believed to be a first in Scotland.

The embryo was taken from Royal Highland Show winner

Another mare called Collessie Selena carried her foal, who has been named Collessie

breeding horses is for the faint hearted!

If it continues to work then it will help keep the Clydesdale breed going.