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UNAM Equine Reproduction Campus | Profile and Interview

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Welcome to UNAM Equine Reproduction, Santillan Campus, Queretaro, Mexico. Remember the 2 equine reproduction vets that discovered that my mare Roxy was NOT pregnant, in WEEK 21?

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A cool place.
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Equine Reproduction.

https://5000milesofhope.org/week-21-mexico-a-caballo/

Well, their names are Maricruz Diaz and Hermelinda Ramirez Perez. They are part of the UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) Equine Reproduction Facility, located in Santillan, Queretaro, México.

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Maricruz Diaz.
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Hermelinda Ramirez Perez.

I visited this campus a week after first meeting these great vets at Rancho Santa Marina.

https://5000milesofhope.org/javier-perez-rocha-profile-and-interview/

I was especially excited to visit their Andaluz Donkey, Vicente.

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100% Andaluz.
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Big donkey head.

Andalusian donkeys were used as studs by George Washington, to help create the Mammoth Jack breed.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalusian_donkey

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mammoth_Jackstock

http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/other/donkey/mammoth//#content

I’m interested in a mid size donkey to breed to my purebred Morgan mare Roxy.

Many mules have a decent walk; breeding for a 14 hh mule from Roxy would pretty much guarantee a quick, sure footed mover, well suited for rocks and hills.

Vicente is 14 hh high, and lives at UNAM Santillan as a stud.

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He’s pretty friendly.
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Good donkey to cross with Roxy?
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Doing the walk around.

Why is he there? Where did he come from?

Vicente is originally from Rancho Santo Gertrudiz, a Mexican Army breeding ranch that focuses primarily on cattle and horses. They also have a small donkey and mule breeding program as well.

https://www.milenio.com/policia/ejercito-cria-chihuahua-ganado-calidad-superior

https://www.brunoticias.com/nuevo-momento-los-burros-en-agro-mexicano/

Somehow Vicente made it to UNAM where he is now being offered for stud, either to other donkeys or mares. They also have an Army horse stallion at stud. The purpose of the breeding service is to provide high quality stock. In the last 18 months he has been bred many times to locals wanting a tough mountain mule. Look forward to seeing them around Queretaro in the next few years.

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Turnout.

How the breeding program works is as follows:

The client calls with either a stallion or mare. If it’s a stallion, semen is drawn for freezing, to use st a later date. If it’s a mare, the vets identify the cycle progress and mare vitality. When the timing is perfect, semen is withdrawn fresh or frozen to inseminate. This can be done via their horse stallion or andaluz donkey, or, stallion of choice.

This service I will use probably late next spring with Roxy.

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Analyzing semen quality.
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Freezing the semen.

The UNAM students, equine specialists, study on site for 6 months to finish their degree. They learn about everything reproductive.

Here are some more pics about this program, as well as an interview with Director Maricruz Diaz, from October 1, 2019.

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Checking a mares’ cycle.
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Part of the program.
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Residents of the ex-hacienda.
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Rescue donkey.
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Feeding time.
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Campus boss.
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Compost in the making.
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Inspection station.
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Ex-hacienda living quarters.

I had a great time visiting with the students and learning about the program. I look forward to visiting again soon…

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Good luck with your studies and careers.

 

UNAM Equine Reproduction Campus | Profile and Interview

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