Do you have a really good cow and you want more offspring than what nature provides? Embryo transfer is the primary method of increasing the number of calves from this cow. I usually figure 4 to 5 viable embryos per flush with a range of 0 to 50 or more. I can place the embryos in recipients at the time of flush or freeze them for placement at a later date.
I will flush a cow as often as every 26 days and will start on a heifer (depending on size and maturity) as young as 7 months of age.

How is Embryo Transfer done?
Embryo production in the donor dam is facilitated by the use of progesterone implants and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The cow comes in heat at the end of the FSH injection protocol at which point she is bred naturally or artificially. The embryos are harvested seven days later via uterine lavage.
The recovered embryos are either implanted in recipient cows that are seven days post estrus or frozen for implantation at a later date.
The expected embryo production of a cow is about 5 viable per flush with a range of zero to sixty or eighty. In general a cow that produces well will continue to produce well; a poor producer will remain a poor producer but one never knows unless one tries. I feel three or four flushes are necessary before a cow can be called a poor producer. The pregnancy rate for transferred embryos is about 55-65% for grade one and two embryos.
The pregnancy rate for ET will mirror or slightly excede AI in a given herd. The ability of the heat detector, facilities available, the nutritional level of the recipients, the health management of the recipients and attitude of the recipients all play into pregnancy rate.

AETA Certification
Dr. Comyn is a member of the American Embryo Transfer Association (AETA) and International Embryo Transfer Society. Dr Comyn is AETA certified.
AETA Certification is an important statement of quality control.
To become AETA Certified, a veterinarian must submit to AETA flush records to prove experience and demonstrate necessary equipment, equipment maintenance; pass a written exam and log at least 12 hours of continuing education in AETA approved meetings per year. Embryos recovered, processed and transferred by an AETA certified Practitioner will yield less variable results due to the experience the AETA certified doctor must have in embryo transfer. Practitioner AETA Certification is necessary for embryos to be exported to Japan, Canada, the EU and South American countries.
Dr. Comyn is also certified for EU export which is an additional step from AETA certification. The EU certification requires biannual USDA inspections of the flush facility.
Virginia Herd Health Management Service PCis an AETA certified ET Company and approved to export embryos to Europe.
IETS number 1592
European Union approved embryo transfer business company number 06VA126
I will travel to collect cows.Do you have a really good cow and you want more offspring than what nature provides? Embryo transfer is the primary method of increasing the number of calves from this cow. I usually figure 4 to 5 viable embryos per flush with a range of 0 to 50 or more. I can place the embryos in recipients at the time of flush or freeze them for placement at a later date.
I will flush a cow as often as every 26 days and will start on a heifer (depending on size and maturity) as young as 7 months of age.

How is Embryo Transfer done?
Embryo production in the donor dam is facilitated by the use of progesterone implants and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The cow comes in heat at the end of the FSH injection protocol at which point she is bred naturally or artificially. The embryos are harvested seven days later via uterine lavage.
The recovered embryos are either implanted in recipient cows that are seven days post estrus or frozen for implantation at a later date.
The expected embryo production of a cow is about 5 viable per flush with a range of zero to sixty or eighty. In general a cow that produces well will continue to produce well; a poor producer will remain a poor producer but one never knows unless one tries. I feel three or four flushes are necessary before a cow can be called a poor producer. The pregnancy rate for transferred embryos is about 55-65% for grade one and two embryos.
The pregnancy rate for ET will mirror or slightly excede AI in a given herd. The ability of the heat detector, facilities available, the nutritional level of the recipients, the health management of the recipients and attitude of the recipients all play into pregnancy rate.

AETA Certification
Dr. Comyn is a member of the American Embryo Transfer Association (AETA) and International Embryo Transfer Society. Dr Comyn is AETA certified.
AETA Certification is an important statement of quality control.
To become AETA Certified, a veterinarian must submit to AETA flush records to prove experience and demonstrate necessary equipment, equipment maintenance; pass a written exam and log at least 12 hours of continuing education in AETA approved meetings per year. Embryos recovered, processed and transferred by an AETA certified Practitioner will yield less variable results due to the experience the AETA certified doctor must have in embryo transfer. Practitioner AETA Certification is necessary for embryos to be exported to Japan, Canada, the EU and South American countries.
Dr. Comyn is also certified for EU export which is an additional step from AETA certification. The EU certification requires biannual USDA inspections of the flush facility.
Virginia Herd Health Management Service PCis an AETA certified ET Company and approved to export embryos to Europe.
IETS number 1592
European Union approved embryo transfer business company number 06VA126
I will travel to collect cows.