HERC is one of the best known and most well respected embryo transfer centers in the world. Veterinarians from other states and countries frequently visit our facility to study and observe the innovative techniques practiced at our center. Dr. Hartman was one of the first veterinarians, outside of the university setting, to perform embryo transfer in a commercial setting and has been doing so or over 25 years.

HERC offers services covering every aspect of embryo transfer and specifically tailors the programs to each mare and client’s needs.

These services include:

Donor Mare Management- HERC, located on HWY 377 outside Whitesboro, Texas, is a 71 acre facility providing many housing options. Donor mares can be kept on pasture or housed in spacious, well ventilated stalls with access to turn out pens if desired. We also have stalls available adjacent to the palpation area that allow us to manage donor mares with a wide variety of severe orthopedic problems.Correct preparation of a donor mare is essential for a successful flush and transfer. Mares are palpated frequently while in estrus allowing us to prescribe various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as needed. These practices, including uterine culture and lavage, are completed by staff veterinarians, on site. Our services also include management of mares breeding to outside stallions. HERC frequently receives shipped semen via both ground and air shipping and are available to inseminate a mare whenever needed. We also prepare mares to be inseminated at other breeding farms. HERC will prepare your mare, on site, arrange transportation to and from an outside location and coordinate her insemination with the staff at that location.

Donor Mare Embryo Flush- HERC offers donor mare embryo flush services for mares managed and bred on site as well as those prepared off site.

Recipient Mare Herd- The backbone of our operation is our recipient mare herd. Our mares are selected following stringent guidelines so that only the most suitable and fertile mares enter our herd. While in estrus, recipient mares are palpated daily. Not only is the exact date of ovulation determined, but the quality of their uterus while in heat is also evaluated. Both factors can greatly affect the success of embryo transfer and normal growth. In order to guarantee a large number of recipient candidates on any given day, we maintain a herd of over 800 mares. Our recipients are all in quarantine for several months prior to entering our facility to ensure absence of infectious disease and are on a regular de-worming and vaccination schedule. These mares are each permanently identified by a unique numerical brand on their shoulder allowing us to track each mare individually. These practices allow the staff at HERC to select the best possible candidate to receive your embryo.

Shipping and Receiving Embryos- The staff at HERC has extensive experience in handling shipped embryos. We are happy to make arrangements to either receive your embryo at our facility for transfer into one of our recipient mares or to flush your donor mare and send the embryo to another location.