SIMPLE RAPID BLOOD TEST ANNOUNCED FOR MARE
PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS
The Mare Immunological Pregnancy Test ( MIP-Test ) shows pregnancy with virtually 100 per cent accuracy at -11-63 days after servicing by the formation of an easily distinguished ring ( top illustration ) in the kit ’ s test tube The bottom illustration shows a negative test for pregnancy . A mirror , included in each five-test package , enables the veterinarian to observe the results while seated .
Five-test kit of the MIP-Test includes the bottled reagents , sterilized dis posable eye-droppers deft ) for use with equine blood samples , lest tubes and eye-droppers for reagent bottles . Produced by Denver Chemical Manufac turing Company , the MIP-Test can determine equine pregnancy in two hours from a blood sample .
EDITOR ' S NOTE — The following news release was of such interest that we decided to run it in the December issue rather than wait for the January Stallion Directory . Perhaps this development will be the answer to many of our current problems in dealing with mares for breeding purposes . Not only will this greatly enhance the prospects of determining whether or not a mare is in foal , it should somewhat reduce the cost of this operation .
A new immunological test which accurately deter mines pregnancy in the mare was described by Ron ald Chak , D . V . M ., of the Ocala ( Florida ) Stud Farm , at the opening session of the December 8-12 confer ence of the Equine Practitioners Association in Phila delphia . He did his work in collaboration with Max Bruss , of Dorchester Laboratory , Ocala .
Dr . Chak said in a panel discussion that their ex perience with the new test , called the Mare Immuno logical Pregnancy Test ( MIP-Test ), shows it to be accurate and simple to perform , eliminating the need for rectal examination or the bioassay procedure for the diagnosis of pregnancy in mares .
The MIP-Test used by Chak and Bruss in their ex periments is supplied by Denver Chemical Manufac turing Co ., Stamford , Connecticut . It utilizes the prin ciple whereby pregnant mare serum gonadotropin inhibits the agglutination of gonadotropin-coated ery throcytes in the presence of gonadotropin antiserum . The result is the formation of a ring at the bottom of a test tube .
Breeders have long recognized the importance of determining whether a mare is pregnant as soon as possible after service . Up to now , methods for con firming pregnancy have included rectal examination as early as 40 to 45 days after breeding . The rat bio assay test accurately detects gonadotropin from about the 40th day of pregnancy , but availability of rats and appropriate housing , along with the need for con secutive serum injections for three days , discourage this procedure ’ s widespread use .
Dr . Chak outlined in detail the MIP-Test procedure . Each MIP-Test kit contains all supplies needed for running the test : test tubes , rack with mirror , drop pers , antiserum , stabilized coated erythrocytes and other necessary reagents .
The procedure is performed with a control test tube and a sample test tube . Mare serum is placed in both , along with erythrocytes and reagents . However , where antiserum is placed in the sample test tube , a control solution is used in the other test tube .
The control tube will show at the bottom the pattern of a doughnut-like ring , whether or not the mare is pregnant . But the sample tube with the antiserum will show the same pattern only if gonadotropin is present in the mare ’ s serum .
In their experiments , the authors performed the MIP- Test on 57 thoroughbred mares who were also given the rectal examination . There were no false MIP-Tests , either positive or negative , for the 35 mares tested between 41 and 63 days after servicing . An additional ten barren mares tested out negative .
" It is apparent ,” concluded Dr . Chak , " that the ac curacy of the MIP-Test is virtually 100 per cent using serum obtained approximately 41-63 days after serv icing .” They added that unpublished data on several hundred mares examined with the MIP-Test by other investigators confirm and extend their findings to in dicate that between 41 and 110 the overall accuracy of the new test is over 97 per cent , " prompting us to recommend the procedure as a noteworthy advance in the diagnosis of pregnancy in mares .”
C . A . BOBO and SON STABLES
SHELBYVILLE , TENNESSEE PHONE : 615 / 684-1043
© o
0 TOP QUALITY STOCK o PRICED TO SELL o
•
HENRY PEARL SAIN PASSES IN BELL BUCKLE
Henry Pearl Sain , noted Walking Horse personality and farmer of Bell Buckle , Tennessee , passed away on December 8 . He died of an apparent heart attack at his home . Mr . Sain , a native of Manchester , Ten nessee , had owned and operated a hotel in Clear water , Florida , in addition to operating his farm in Bell Buckle .
Surviving are his widow , Mrs . Virginia Wright Sain ; a daughter , Miss Betty Sain ; and a son , Henry Parker Sain .
Mr . Sain was well-known throughout Walking Horse circles , as he had raised and bred Tennessee Walking Horses for many years . He purchased SHAKER ’ S SHOCKER as a young colt and saw him progress to the 1966 World Championship as a four-year-old with Betty riding and training him . Funeral services were held Wednesday , December 11 at the Manchester Funeral Home . Mr . Sain was a member of the Church of Christ .
December , 1968 47