**Recently updated for 2026**
Reproduction
Cambridge Equine Clinic is a BEVA-approved centre for the insemination of fresh, chilled, and frozen semen. There are several different options if you are considering breeding your mare. We offer highly competitive AI packages at the clinic, can carry out chilled insemination at your home yard or we can prep your mare for natural covering.
Our vet Craig has considerable experience in equine reproduction and Kate has a keen interest in this field. Both are very happy to chat through the different options.
If you are considering breeding from your mare, it is worthwhile starting to prepare well ahead of the natural breeding season, which for mares in the UK is March – July. Planning would include deciding on natural versus artificial insemination and, if the latter, whether fresh, chilled or frozen semen will be used. Each have their pros and cons. Particularly for maiden or barren mares a pre-breeding check is essential. This involves a physical and ultrasonographic examination of the cervix, uterus and ovaries along with a clitoral and sometimes cervical swab for CEM detection and a blood sample for EVA and/or EIA. If any problems are identified at this stage, they can be addressed sooner rather than later.
CEC offers packages for mares which are to be bred by artificial insemination. Packages are available only for mares that are healthy and cycling normally.
Before entry into a packaged AI program a mare must have had a negative CEM (clitoral) swab and be confirmed to be cycling normally within a month of the planned breeding. This can be done at the same time as a pre-breeding exam and may involve the use of a blood sample to measure progesterone levels.
Packages
All work for fresh and chilled insemination can be carried out either off-site or at CEC. For frozen AI some early scans can take place at the home premises, but the mare will need to be brought into CEC around 48 hours before anticipated insemination.
Packages include all routine work and routine drugs relevant to breeding. Some mares are not suitable for a package, due to age or a poor breeding record. Treatment of ovarian or uterine problems or non-cycling mares is not included.
Included:
- Scans leading up to insemination (once confirmed to be cycling)
- Prostaglandin injections
- Ovulating hormone
- Semen evaluation
- Insemination
- Post-insemination scans
- One post-insemination uterine flush injection
- Oxytocin injections
- Pregnancy scans at around 16 and 28 days post-ovulation
Not included:
- Visit fees (charged at 50% repro discount)
- Sedation (charged at 50% repro discount)
- Livery at CEC
- Twin management
- Treatment of post-breeding endometritis
- Regumate (if needed)
- Caslick procedure (if needed)
Prices:
All prices are inclusive of VAT, correct 2026.
Pre-breeding exam: £80 (lab fees are extra)
Chilled first cycle: £420
Chilled subsequent cycles: £370
Frozen first cycle: £520
Frozen subsequent cycles: £470
Livery at CEC; £210 per week pro rata (stable + small outdoor turnout pen)
Breeding work done outside of AI package wrapper
We are happy to carry out breeding work on a ‘pay as you go’ basis where the work will be charged per procedure as per our standard charges.
Owner responsibility
It is the responsibility of the owner to purchase and organise delivery of semen from their chosen stallion. Appropriate export health certification must accompany semen delivery from outside the UK.
If you would like to discuss breeding your mare or an aspect of equine reproduction please call our equine office on 01223 760535.
