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Equine veterinary journal2026; doi: 10.1002/evj.70323

Veterinarian and breeder perspectives surrounding ovum pick-up and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in mares: A survey study.

Abstract: There is an ethical debate about the application of ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in mares. Objective: To survey the opinions of equine veterinarians and breeders of sport horses on the ethics of using OPU-ICSI in mares. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: Three surveys were distributed. The first targeted breeders ('Breeder Survey') who were actively involved in sport horse breeding. The second targeted veterinarians performing OPU ('OPU-Reprovets Survey'). The third targeted general equine practitioners ('Practitioner Survey'). There were six questions common to all surveys, and, for analyses, respondents were categorised into four groups: equine veterinarians not performing OPU (VET), equine veterinarians performing OPU (OPUVET), breeders not using OPU in their breeding programme (BREEDER), and those using OPU in their breeding programme (OPUBREEDER). Results: A total of 225, 92 and 112 responses were returned from the Breeders, OPU-Reprovets and Practitioner surveys, respectively. Differences emerged between groups in how ethically challenging the procedure was perceived to be. A greater proportion of veterinarians not performing OPU (VET; 58.8%) and breeders not using the technology (BREEDER; 55.2%) rated OPU-ICSI as ethically challenging (scores 4-5 on a 5-point scale), compared with veterinarians performing OPU (OPUVET; 35.2%) and breeders using the technology (OPUBREEDER; 19.6%). Across all groups, mare welfare was the main theme when considering the use of OPU-ICSI, and for BREEDER and OPUBREEDER this was closely followed by Genetic diversity and overuse. Conclusions: Potential for motivational and response bias. Conclusions: These results demonstrate differences in perception of ethical acceptability of OPU-ICSI between veterinarians and breeders with and without direct experience of OPU-ICSI. Despite these differences, mare welfare was consistently prioritised across all respondent groups, highlighting the importance of further research to better characterise the mare experience during OPU and to support evidence-based guidance for clinical and breeding practice.
© 2026 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2026-08-28 PubMed ID: 42666017DOI: 10.1002/evj.70323Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Research Overview

  • This study surveyed equine veterinarians and sport horse breeders to understand their ethical perspectives on the use of ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in mares.
  • It found notable differences in ethical views depending on whether respondents had direct experience with OPU-ICSI, highlighting concerns about mare welfare and genetic implications.

Background and Objective

  • Ovum pick-up (OPU) combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are advanced reproductive technologies used in mares to enhance breeding outcomes.
  • These technologies raise ethical questions regarding their impact on animal welfare and genetic diversity.
  • The study aimed to survey opinions from two primary stakeholder groups: veterinarians (both performing and not performing OPU) and breeders (both using and not using OPU in their breeding programs), to better understand ethical perspectives around OPU-ICSI.

Methods

  • Three distinct surveys were developed and distributed:
    • The “Breeder Survey” targeted active sport horse breeders.
    • The “OPU-Reprovets Survey” targeted veterinarians who perform OPU procedures.
    • The “Practitioner Survey” targeted general equine veterinarians who do not perform OPU.
  • All surveys included six common questions about ethical views on OPU-ICSI.
  • Respondents were categorized into four groups based on their experience and usage:
    • VET: Equine veterinarians not performing OPU
    • OPUVET: Equine veterinarians performing OPU
    • BREEDER: Breeders not using OPU
    • OPUBREEDER: Breeders using OPU

Results

  • A total of 429 responses were collected:
    • 225 from Breeders
    • 92 from OPU Performing Veterinarians (OPU-Reprovets)
    • 112 from General Equine Practitioners
  • Differences emerged in ethical perceptions:
    • A higher percentage of veterinarians not performing OPU (58.8%) and breeders not using OPU (55.2%) considered the use of OPU-ICSI ethically challenging (rating 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale).
    • In contrast, veterinarians performing OPU (35.2%) and breeders using OPU (19.6%) were less likely to view it as ethically challenging.
  • Common ethical concerns across all groups centered on mare welfare.
  • For breeders—both those using and not using OPU—concerns about genetic diversity and the potential overuse of the technology were also significant.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The study highlights a clear divide in ethical opinions based on direct experience with OPU-ICSI technology, suggesting that familiarity may reduce perceived ethical concerns.
  • Mare welfare was a consistently prioritized issue across all groups, underscoring the need for:
    • Further research to comprehensively assess the physical and psychological impact of OPU-ICSI on mares.
    • Development of evidence-based clinical guidelines and breeding practices that prioritize animal well-being.
  • The presence of potential motivational and response biases was acknowledged, indicating that opinions may be influenced by personal or professional stakes.
  • The ethical debate around OPU-ICSI is important not only for immediate animal welfare but also for long-term considerations such as genetic diversity within sport horse populations.

Cite This Article

APA
Lewis N, Spanner J, Daels P, Arango JC, Morganti M, Dini P, Allen K, Mullan S. (2026). Veterinarian and breeder perspectives surrounding ovum pick-up and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in mares: A survey study. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1002/evj.70323

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Lewis, Niamh
  • UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Spanner, Jannie
  • VetEmbryo, Roedekro, Denmark.
Daels, Peter
  • Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Arango, Juan Cuervo
  • Equine Fertility Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Alfara del Patriarca, Spain.
Morganti, Monica
  • Twemlows Stud Farm, Whitchurch, UK.
Dini, Pouya
  • Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
Allen, Kate
  • University of Bristol, Langford, UK.
Mullan, Siobhan
  • UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, Dublin 4, Ireland.

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