Established since 1989 International Horse Breeders Pty Ltd offers to all serious horse breeders many years of experience in the trade of frozen AI. We bring to Australian breeders the choice of the best stallions that the world has to offer. Our experience, technical skills and success now speaks for itself. Our average conception rate of two inseminations per pregnancy is the envy of the international market.

Breed for Success . . .
IHB - Serving the equine industry through frozen AI from the world's best.

IHB is unique in the horse breeding industry because we serve a range of equine disciplines. If your interest is dressage, jumping or eventing, visit our Warmblood horse stud gallery. Quarter Horse enthusiasts, see our range of reining, cutting and Western pleasure stallions. Trotting breeders, visit our Standardbred stud gallery. We also have Friesian stallions on our books, Pure Spanish Stallions and one Arabian, through frozen AI.

International Horse Breeders began with a specific vision back in the 80's. The idea was to introduce the genes of the world's top ranking stallions into the breeding stock here in Australia through frozen AI.
At the time, AI was a recently developed technology but during the past twenty or so years, enormous progress has been made. Back in 1989 we were excited about being pioneers in the industry; we are now proud to be able to boast the best conception rates in the world using frozen AI and that our results exceed any other method of breeding.

It is perhaps a truism that most successful endeavours begin with a dream. Followed by dedication, perseverance and invariably, a great deal of hard work - the dream becomes a reality.

Our high success rate of a pregnancy around every 2.07 inseminations is something that we work very hard to achieve and has helped make our business flourish over the years.

This success rate depends upon us importing the highest quality frozen semen. Some of our most fertile stallions average a conception every 1.5 inseminations, and others of course are not quite as good. We aim always to bring in viable semen from top stallions.

This success rate also is very much dependant upon the choice of your vet. Make sure that he or she is skilled and experienced with frozen semen and has a strong commitment to your program. Timing of the inseminations is vital which requires close monitoring of your mare.

Be careful of course in chosing your mare candidate. This is also crucial to your success.

Our high level of efficiency has been achieved through diligent research in conjunction with leading overseas universities.

All our frozen semen is analysed for motility, morphology and for adequate sperm counts. You can be certain that the semen you purchase from International Horse Breeders is of the highest quality.

Of course it is not always possible to determine the fertility of semen under the microscope. The only real measure of fertility is the number of inseminations per pregnancy.

IHB collects statistical data on the performance of each individual stallion every year he is imported and used. Hence we are able to determine the fertility of our stallions year by year and this information we gladly pass onto our clients. This is one of the best quality control systems that can be offered.

IHB has developed a distribution organisation which will transport semen anywhere in Australia without any loss of quality. We ship by road courier in liquid nitrogen tanks , keeping temperature a constant minus 196°C. Semen is delivered to your nominated vet and then transferred to their own storage facility.

Transport costs are additional to semen costs. There will also be a packing and handling fee of from the depot, a nitrogen charge and insurance is 2.5% value of the semen while in transit.

The advantage of frozen semen is that it can be kept for years without deterioration so long as it is handled and stored correctly in liquid nitrogen. Semen remains in storage until your mare is ready, upon which it is then thawed and immediately inseminated. If your vet is not happy with a particular cycle/follicle, he can wait for the next. This is the sort of flexibility frozen AI allows.

It is always better to have us deliver your semen a week ahead of time than a week late, thus avoiding panic! We will require a weeks notice prior to dispatch and remember that couriers do not work at week ends or on public holidays!

IHB issues detailed instructions to veterinarians for the thawing and insemination processes which have been prepared with the assistance of leading professors in the field from Europe and America. Every vet who works with our semen is asked to sign a Vet Agreement Form which indicates that he or she recognises our terms of sale of semen and is willing to work within these bounds.

Please make sure that you contact us early in the season. If you contact us before the end of July, when we place our overseas orders, we can ensure that we bring in the stallion of your choice. We carry a large number of the most popular stallions but we are greatly assisted if you can let us know your exact semen requirements well before we import in September. Order as soon as you can to avoid disappointment! If on occasions we cannot import a particular stallion we will refund your money in full, or if you wish, replace it with another stallion.

Contracts of sale of semen are given to all clients wishing to purchase semen. Upon the return of these contracts, and in most cases, with half monies down, we can keep the semen in your name until you need it transported to your vet. Balance of monies are required before shipment out. For clients buying $10,000 or more worth of semen we give 5% discount.

If at the end of your breeding season you have semen left over and your vet is unable to store it for you we can store it for you at 35c a straw per month.

Service certificates are issued upon presentation of the Mare ID and AI record form. These forms are faxed to all vets at the time of semen dispatch. Please make sure that your vet fills out this form during the insemination process and gives it to you when you pick up your mare. For AWHA members we charge $25 per certificate to help cover the costs of registering each stallion.

We take great care in selecting stallions which are the most successful in the breed they represent. Most valuable are the 'spitzenvererber' - stallions which are proven in their own right to pass on to their progeny the type of abilities for which they are world renown. However, we also carry younger stallions of significant bloodlines which promise to be the proven sires of tomorrow.

The foals already in our midst through frozen AI speak for themselves. They are stamped with quality, presence and movement and reflect the superior breeding of their fathers.

The selection of the mothers is, of course, in your hands. But no matter how good your mare, we have the stallion to improve upon her qualities. Our excellent selection of stallions and bloodlines will enable you to choose the most appropriate sire for your foal both now and in future generations.

Here are some points to bear in mind when selecting a candidate mare for frozen AI.
Ideal mares are maiden mares between 3-7 yo. and young wet mares between 4-16 yo, with good breeding histories. It is important to choose mares with correct anatomical conformation and histories of normal cyclicity. Mares with intra-uterine fluid (especially during dioestrus) should not be used, nor mares with a history of abortion, infections, or foaling trauma. A mare should be checked by a reproductive vet before she enters a breeding programme to ensure that she is free of any obvious impediment to breeding.

Mare management is also very important. Mares which are too poor or fat are difficult breeders. Normal stud management needs to be observed to ensure that a mare meets her peek (blooming) at the point of breeding and is cycling well. As mares cycle on daylight hours, heat and nutrition, don't rush your breeding program. Wait till she has lost her winter coat, is cycling well, and for wet mares, use the cycle after foal heat. The two months either side of Christmas is 'prime time' and less prone to drastic weather changes. It is unwise to attempt to use a mare which has been pronounced unfit by your veterinarian or failed to conceive in the last 2 previous seasons.

The choice of vet in the use of frozen AI is extremely important. Generally, the mare needs to be agisted at the vet clinic throughout the time of insemination so that she is available for close monitoring and follicle testing. Choose a vet with a strong commitment to the program and good breeding facilities, including an under-cover laboratory and dust free environment. To obtain the best results in the preparation and use of frozen AI it is important to have the services of a vet with experience in equine reproduction on a 24 hour basis. There are now many vets who are highly experienced in the process of using frozen AI and who have achieved good success rates over many years. We will be pleased to advise you in this regard.

Your vet will carry out a complete reproductive examination on your mare when she arrives. This will involve a rectal palpation and ultrasound scan of her reproductive tract. A vaginal examination will detect any cervical abnormalities and if the mare is showing heat an edometrial swab can be taken if this should be needed.

Mares are examined on the second or third day of standing oestrus. She should have a follicle at least 3 cm at this stage. She will respond to an injection of hCG at around 3.5 to 4 cm and by ovulating approx. 30-48 hours later. Your vet will want to examine your mare 24 hours after the injection and then every 3-6 hours in an attempt to inseminate as close to ovulation as possible. Fertility is highest when insemination occurs at the point of ovulation.

Generally speaking we believe it is better to use a natural cycle of the mare without the use of PG. Higher results can be achieved in this way. PG should be used discriminately and only at the right time. Some mares may react badly to PG.

It is not always possible to gain a pregnancy on the first or second insemination. Should the mare not conceive after two attempts we suggest you review the program with your vet and the options of treatment for the mare being used. If a mare is presented who, on closer inspection of the reproductive tract, is not an ideal candidate for frozen semen, it is good policy to review your program again and perhaps use another more suitable mare. Do not use a suspect or abnormal cycle/follicle, it is wiser to wait for the next. The flexibility of frozen semen allows you to do this.

All semen that we import meets the stringent requirements of Government Quarantine policies of import and we work closely with AQIS in Australia and similar governmental quarantine departments in other parts of the world.

The ambition of most serious breeders is to produce a top performer. IHB can turn that dream into reality. We have successfully made dreams come true for horse breeders all over this country for many years.

We invite you to contact us to discuss any aspect of your breeding programme for this season. From the choice of stallion to any other concern you may have - we're here to help you achieve the best. We look forward to your enquiry.

Breed your best to the world's best!