Equine Embryo Sexing and Ultrasonographic Foetal Sexing – Interests and Applicability

The ability to choose the sex of the offspring is of upmost economic importance for horse breeders. Unlike other species, horses present several reproductive peculiarities that interfere with assisted reproductive technologies used in other large animals (such as bovine) and make them difficult to apply. Thus, there is a great interest to determine the sex of the offspring as soon as possible. This has led to the development of several technologies to serve this purpose, which can be classified into two categories. One is equine embryo sexing by either non-invasive biotechnological methods, such as monitoring of X-linked enzymes before X chromosome inactivation and detection of sex-specific antigen, or by invasive biotechnological methods, such as cytogenetic analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The other one is equine foetus sexing using ultrasound scanning in different stages of its development (early, mid or late), by different approaches (transrectally or transabdominally). This can be performed with classic B-mode ultrasound machines or using 3D-mode and Doppler-mode scanners. This review article offers a comprehensive overview of the current status of these procedures as well as an assessment of their interests and applicability.