Owner-inseminator course for horses from 4 to 7 March 2024 in Elmshorn: A joint project by ZSF and the Holsteiner Verband – registrations are now possible
At the request of Holsteiner breeders, the Holsteiner Zucht- und Sportförderung (ZSF) has advocated the establishment of owner-inseminator courses in Schleswig-Holstein. While such courses are already offered at the state studs and at various locations in Lower Saxony, there has been no such offering in Schleswig-Holstein until now.
The board of the ZSF is very pleased that the managing director and board of the Holsteiner Verband are supporting this project. The stallion keeping facility is prepared to conduct the courses under its management in Elmshorn on the association grounds. It has succeeded in organising a high-quality mare phantom for the practical exercises and in having the stallion keeping facility recognised as a training centre for these courses. The implementation of the owner-inseminator courses is subject to animal breeding regulations. They last four days and conclude with a final examination by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Comprehensive course contents
For the theoretical instruction and the supervision of the practical exercises, the ZSF has secured the services of Dr Simone Konopka. She manages the stallion station in Hoffeld and her main areas of focus are mare gynecology and reproductive medicine. She will convey the comprehensive training contents on the anatomy of mare and stallion, oestrus cycles, oestrus behavior, etc., as well as on semen dispatch, animal hygiene and animal infectious diseases. The course contents on animal breeding and animal welfare law will be presented by the responsible speakers of the Ministry of Agriculture. Furthermore, practical exercises for learning the insemination procedure will be carried out, with Gerard Muffels providing support during this.
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a confirmation of participation, followed by the final certificate after initial inseminations of farm-owned mares under the supervision of the farm veterinarian. This entitles the holder to inseminate the mares of their own stock or of their employer and to fill out the semen dispatch papers. Follicle controls and rectal examinations remain veterinary measures and are also not advisable due to the risk of intestinal perforation resulting from a lack of experience. Although owner insemination can only make a small contribution to cost containment, we nevertheless hope that, for example, by carrying out a Sunday or holiday insemination yourself or an insemination without the required follicle control, some financial relief can be achieved.
The number of places is limited, and they will be allocated in order of receipt of registrations. The participation fee is 605,-€ incl. certificate and is due upon confirmation of registration.
All places are already taken!
Contact and info:
Hengsthaltung Elmshorn, Gerard Muffels Tel. 04121 92414 (E-Mail: hengststall@holsteiner-verband.de)
Dr Simone Konopka Tel. 0172 1577126 (E-Mail: info@tieraerzte-hoffeld.de)
Ute Ladiges Tel. 0160 5946948 (E-Mail: zsf@holsteiner-verband.de)
