MM JOURNAL – Flavio Importation Update

Frozen Semen and Embryo Importation – by Flavio Tavares 

In August 2019, I wrote to “Marchador Quarterly (Issue Nine)” talking about my development project for the Mangalarga Marchador breed in the United States. In addition to an ABCMM representative office, a frozen genetic material trading company would be operating, offering frozen semen and embryos to the American market.

Because of high operating costs and health barriers, the breed’s export flow around the world has drastically decreased since 2004 (see table below). For these reasons, frozen genetic material has become the best option to overcome these barriers and has the best cost-benefit ratio, to increase the volume of supply of the MM breed in the USA and in other markets where our Marchador is sought.  

MM export table – US on left and Europe on right (biggest markets)

YearTotal#MMs
US
MFGS#MMs
Europe
MFGS
2001393011181 9153 
200222  2      
200341 1  312  
2004332210111 6 33 
20083     31 2 
20093     321  
20109     981  
201111     1183  
20126    1624  
20133312       
20140    4     
20183321       
201911  11     
1176224335550231980

 (Caption: M males / F females / G geldings / S frozen semen)

In 2019, I started the administrative process at Brazil’s Agriculture Department, to work together with the FDA in the USA to obtain a bilateral agreement for the production and export of frozen equine embryos.

In August 2020, we were successful and this Bilateral Agreement was established between the countries, and since then, I have structured the operation in an objective way. I made a process of adjustment of my Reproduction Center to meet the sanitary requirements of this agreement, I selected the animals for the project, and assembled a highly qualified technical team, and so we started to produce semen and embryos with the highest technology.

It is noteworthy that my Center, located in Rio de Janeiro, was the first Equine Reproduction Clinic in Latin America, founded in 1987. We already had the expertise in semen freezing and embryo transfer, as we were the pioneers in Brazil of use of these biotechniques in the MM breed. However, due to the advancement of this technology, we set up a team with specialist veterinarians in this segment. The technical team is composed of Dr. Renato Rezende Bergvist and Dr. Rafael Goretti, both with extensive experience in the use of these techniques, working in Brazil and the United States.

Flávio Tavares, and his MM Frozen Genetics Team
Rafael Goretti
Renato Bergvist

We went to work, producing vitrified embryos and frozen semen, and carrying out fertility tests. We achieved great rates, which makes me confident to offer to the American market in the next reproductive season (2022), embryos from crosses with consistent genetics of gait and breed features. Marcha Batida and Marcha Picada, from breeders and families, who produce truly genuine movements, beauty, docility and racial expression. We will offer and breed exceptional saddle horses, genetics and future breeding stock.

I remember that in that article, I mentioned the fertility of frozen embryos, which varied in the world literature in the range of 35%. So, even though our team is getting better results, we use this reference as a base, and for each crossing, we will have at least 3 identical embryos, guaranteeing the delivery of the commercialized embryo.

Below is the list of the mares and stallions that make up this work, reinforcing that the selection was made with the aim of using animals with proven genetic consistency for the production of animals that, in addition to the quality mentioned above, become excellent saddle horses.

Table of horses

MARES_Marcha batidaBornColorSireDam
Avenca do Porto Palmeira14/10/2011PPExtrato do MinattoCósmica do Rebanho
Balada do Porto Palmeira29/11/2012BExtrato do MinattoPolka do Porto Palmeira
Carioca do Porto Palmeira17/11/2013CExtrato do MinattoVidraça do Porto Palmeira
Jocasta do Santo André25/12/2012CCarvão da Selva MorenaSofia do Porto Palmeira
Luna do Santo André15/07/2013PExtrato do MinattoRoleta do Porto Palmeira
Luneta do Santo André (HMZ)28/11/2013PPUriço do Porto PalmeiraKósmica Jocaman
Madona da Pedra Verde20/12/2008CFavacho ÚnicoAngelina do Fá
Máfia da Pedra Verde25/11/2008CFavacho ÚnicoIraquiana da Pedra Verde
Moratória do Rebanho01/10/2008PBeline L.J.Jogatina JB
Salvaterra Vista Alegre29/10/2013PRequinte do TucunaréOndina Vista Alegre
Sonhada do Porto Palmeira22/02/2006CCabuçu da Selva MorenaPérola Paredão
Tirana Dazelina22/04/2009PPThor Kafé da NovaQueluz do Conforto
Zapata de Papucaia01/10/2008TCabuçu da Selva MorenaRede do Porto Palmeira





Stallions_Marcha BatidaNasc.PPaiMãe
Corsário do Porto Palmeira30/11/2013CPExtrato do MinattoValesca do Porto Palmeira
Lugano do Vale das Águas15/03/2016PPPajé do YuriBrisa da Lua Prata
Requinte do Tucunaré09/02/2006CPHino KaféMadrugada PFG
Ultimato do Conforto12/11/2007TJogo J.B.Silueta do Berma





Mares_Marcha PicadaNasc.PPaiMãe
Badalada da Bela Joana28/12/2005THerdade LogusHerdade Bacana
Dominância do Conforto28/12/2013CTrilho da ZizicaGlória dos Mares
Ella do Cavaleiro09/02/2011CElfo do Porto AzulPaola do Farol
Exibição da Pedra Verde11/11/2001CFavacho ÚnicoAguia da Santa Terezinha
India da Calciolândia18/10/2012CNero da CalciolândiaModa da Calciolândia
Jarina da Calciolândia03/03/1996CCadilac da CalciolândiaDracena da Calciolândia
Jóia da Marcha GGT29/01/2014CNarciso Marca FFama da Marcha
Marota da Gironda25/10/2008BGoleiro da GirondaSerpente da Gironda
Reprise da Calciolândia30/09/2001ANatal de GuarantãAraçatuba Xara
Seresta N.L.J.28/04/2011TElfo do Porto AzulPrima Donna N.L.J.





Stallion_Marcha PicadaNasc.PPaiMãe
Feitor da Rodeio12/12/2014CAladim do KelnerJuíza dos Anjos

Editors’ Notes

  • A = Alaza or Chestnut
  • AA = Alaza Amarillo or Paolmino
  • B – Baia or Buckskin
  • C = Castanha or Bay
  • CP – Castanha Pampa or Bay Pinto 
  • P = Preto or Black
  • PP = Preto Pampa or Black Pinto 
  • T = Tordilha or Grey 

Our website www.marchadorfrozen.com will be online in December, containing all the information about our products (semen and embryos), with photos and videos. We’ll also feature informative content about the breed, events and trends to keep US breeders up to date.

The semen doses will be sold directly, and the embryos will be exclusively inoculated by our team, which will arrive in the US in early March 2022.

We will guarantee the products born alive (with 15 days of life), both in the bill of sale for semen and embryos. And also guarantee gait at 3 years, when the animals are definitively registered. Unprecedented guarantee in the MM breed.

Furthermore, taking advantage of the high quality of our donors, we will be producing mule embryos (Donkey x mares) with a view to producing “boss” mules and donkeys, as they say in Brazil. We chose a donkey from the “Catuni” farm, which is one of the pillars of the march in the MM breed. We are also going to market semen from this donkey.

In other words, Marchador’s Frozen Genetics, will start its activities in the United States in the next breeding season, with abundant high quality material, aiming to serve US breeders, with quality, transparency and guarantees.

Images

Ultimato do Conforto, (Jogo JB x Silueta do Berma)
Lugando do Vale das Aguas – homozygous (Pajé do Yuri x Brisa da Lua Prata)
Requinte do Tucunaré, (Hino Kafé x Madrugada PFG)
Avenca do Porto Palmeira, (Extrato do Minatto x Cósmica do Rebanho)
Feitor da Rodeio, (Aladim do Kelner x Juíza dos Anjos) 

Submitted by Flávio Tavares, Veterinarian, DMV, Owner of Center of Reproduction Animal, Breeder ABCCMM 23937-2, Chairman ABCCMM of Development and Foreign Trade Commission and Member of Sectorial Equideoculture Council of Agriculture Ministery Brazil