Fertile results, innovation and horse welfare are the core values that Equiception stands for. In recent years, the equine reproduction clinic in Putten, the Netherlands, has established itself at the forefront of fertility care for horses. Equiception sets the international standard in ethical advanced reproduction and is committed to continuous development. But who are the people who make Equiception so special? And what do these top specialists do that has enabled Equiception to develop in such a short time into a leading international fertility clinic, where all processes – from oocyte collection to embryo freezing and implantation – take place under one roof?

The founder of Equiception, Dr Patrick Brogan, graduated as a veterinary surgeon from the University of Sydney in 2004. The reproduction specialist expanded his expertise at the University of Perth and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht. There he met Jaimy Oude-Wesselink, and together they brought Equiception to the level where the entire process of OPU and ICSI could be carried out in-house. Through Brogan's connections, Joao Gatto Brom de Luna came into the picture. The Brazilian embryologist graduated from the University of Rio de Janeiro in 2013. From 2014, he worked at the Equine Embryo Laboratory at Texas A&M, where he developed into an expert in ICSI and embryology. In 2021, Joao Brom joined the Equiception family, where he contributes to groundbreaking developments in equine reproductive medicine.

Market demands targeted breeding

‘The goal was – and is – to be among the best fertility clinics in the world,’ says Jaimy Oude Wesselink. ‘The market demands more offspring from the most interesting and best mares and the top stallions. We can facilitate breeders who are very conscious and focused on their valuable bloodlines and suitable matings.’

Exceeding expectations

Embryologist Joao Gatto Brom de Luna is one of the passionate specialists who can respond to this market demand. ‘What drives me is the urge to exceed our customers' expectations,’ says Joao de Luna. "I want to achieve better results than what the breeders expect from me. It is also important that we involve the breeders in the entire process. Good, continuous communication. That starts with the mare, her particular characteristics and what is needed to achieve good results. But as far as I am concerned, we stay in touch with the breeders. There's nothing better than receiving a photo of a foal that was conceived at our facility. Or a video of a high-performing young sport horse, whose genetics we brought together. For us, that's a huge reward for spending so much time in the laboratory to achieve great results. In addition to being specialists in our field, we are all true horse people!"

The complete service

Equiception's goal is not only to offer fertility services of the highest standard, but also to have the entire spectrum of advanced fertilisation methods under one roof. ‘We want to offer a complete service,’ says Joao de Luna. ‘This includes taking biopsies and vitrification of embryos obtained not only through OPU-ICSI, but also through embryo flushing.’

Genetic diagnoses

The specialists at Equiception are particularly ambitious: they want to be at the forefront of their services. They also offer genetic diagnoses, so that they can determine, for example, the sex or colour of the embryo based on a few cells. ‘But genetic abnormalities can also be detected based on the embryo.’

Electronic Witnessing System

Equiception is the first in the veterinary world to invest in an “Electronic Witnessing System”, a chip-controlled technology that has more than proven its value in human fertility practice. "This allows us to follow the process meticulously from the first to the last step. This is a huge boost to quality, because errors are prevented and everything runs perfectly. We are very pleased with the results we are achieving with this.‘

Collaboration with leading knowledge centres

External collaboration with the universities of Ghent, Dublin, Utrecht and Newcastle (Australia) ensures that Equiception remains at the forefront of innovation in the equine sector. Joao de Luna: ’We are working on the future here. On something we want to leave behind for future generations. We want to give the equestrian world something that will last, that is sustainable. And that the equestrian world can continue with when we are no longer here."

Equine Care Group and In Vitro Equinos

For the same reason, Equiception has entered into a partnership with the Equine Care Group this year. This gives Equiception access to an extensive network of professionals, enabling it to strengthen its international position and explore new growth opportunities. Very recently, a collaboration has also been established with the world leader in ICSI, Brazil-based In Vitro Equinos. With a proven track record in its advanced laboratories in Brazil, Argentina, Qatar and the United States (Oklahoma), this partner of Equiception has completely revolutionised ICSI in the equine world and set the standard for scientific excellence, innovation and consistent results.

A unique plan for every mare

Jaimy Oude Wesselink explains how the specialists at Equiception work. "We create a unique plan for every mare. First, we want to find out what the breeder or owner's goal is. We then look at what is possible and how it can be achieved. We work step by step and always choose the best option. This sometimes leads to discussion when people want a certain technique, while we think another approach is better. As a renowned centre, we also have a duty not to do certain things. If we think that a particular treatment could be problematic for a mare, we will not carry it out. In that case, we choose the welfare of the mare."

 

Former accommodation of Alan Waldman

Equiception is not only a team of highly specialised fertility whizz kids, but since moving to Alan Waldman's former accommodation in Putten, it is also a company with facilities of the highest standard. In addition to knowledge, skills and tools, Equiception also provides everything a horse needs to feel at home.

Welfare contributes to results

‘From the outset, a good result has been our goal,’ says Jaimy Oude Wesselink. "It is very important to us that the mares are treated like princesses. Well-being comes first. Not only because we, as horse people, want to do right by the horses anyway, but also because well-being contributes to the result. The mare must feel good, and that requires good facilities. Stress and lots of changes are bad for mares and their fertility. So we have everything well organised here, with new spacious stalls and an ebb and flow floor in the former outdoor arena where we have created the paddocks, so that even in winter there are no puddles of water here."

Bring them a few days earlier

Because a good result is paramount, Equiception advises its customers to bring the mare to the company a few days before the treatment. Jaimy Oude Wesselink: ‘This reduces stress during the treatment, because the mare already feels at home and we can make better preparations. We have created these advantages step by step. We can also see this reflected in the results.’

Mares in stables

‘From September to March, we have many mares from customers stabled with us, specifically for OPU/ICSI. This is particularly true of foreign customers, so that we can keep the mares here until the optimal moment for OPU. This saves a lot of travelling with the mares and works very efficiently in practice.’

Free movement

At Equiception, every mare is allowed outside for at least three hours every day for free movement. ‘In the summer, this is in grass paddocks and meadows,’ says Jaimy Oude Wesselink. "We have a horse walker and a lunging arena. The horses cannot be trained, but we can keep them in good condition. We are located in an area with good farmers who provide us with high-quality roughage. We also consider dental care and vaccinations to be very important for our broodmares. We offer all horses the best care."

www.Equiception.com

Waterweg 17

3882 Putten (NL)

+31 (0)85 124 0203

info@equiception.com