# Vet Stud/Breeding Packages. Who Uses Them and Why?



## Elsbells (26 June 2016)

Hi,
I'm breeding a foal for myself out of my mare and at home. She's at a stud to be covered at the moment and I've been advised to take out the breeding package to save costs etc. She's been swabbed and tested clear which I've paid for anyway and having looked at the package on offer, I don't know wether it relevant for a mare that will be kept at home after she's been covered.

Do you all use a package? What are the advantages? Pay as you go?
I want what's best for her of course but I want to keep things simple as she's a very stressy girl and so am I.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Tetrarch 1911 (26 June 2016)

I decided not to take out the package and my mare ended up being covered over 3 seasons, so the three-month package would have saved me money. It all depends on how long you're willing to try getting her in foal if she doesn't take first time. Are you leaving her at stud for all scans etc or bringing her home? You can always wait to see if she returns in season while she's at stud, but you need to balance the keep fees against the vet costs.


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## popsdosh (26 June 2016)

If your bringing her home after covering dont go on the vet package you will be losing out big time unless they are your normal vets. Vets dont offer them to lose money on its just on the balance of eventualities they are better off over many mares.


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## ihatework (26 June 2016)

I used a package paid per cycle/attempt. She took first time but it still saved me money as she needed to be flushed 3 times as retained fluid. She stayed at the vets from PG until 4 days post covering (about 10 days in total) and then I boxed her back in for the other scans, but then I'm lucky in that the vets are pretty much on my doorstep. Overall for what I got I felt good value. But it could easily have run up to an expensive exercise if it hadn't gone my way!


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## Maesfen (26 June 2016)

The only time I didn't use a package it cost a fortune and I would rather have the insurance of one than not.

Even if you take her home after covering (and obviously there are costs involved with that which would be covered in a package but would be dearer for you if not on the package)  are you going to have the time and money to take her back for each of her scans which can't be fitted in when suits you but at definite days and which you would have to pay extra for as they're not cheap when done individually?   What happens if she returns in season after one attempt; you would have those same costs to find again, which again, would have been covered in your package?  To me, it's a very expensive way to do it especially if you have a mare that's awkward.

Also check your stud fee details as some will say scans have to be performed at certain times to qualify for their terms so it's not something you can cut back on if you want those terms honoured.


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## Elsbells (26 June 2016)

Tetrarch 1911 said:



			I decided not to take out the package and my mare ended up being covered over 3 seasons, so the three-month package would have saved me money. It all depends on how long you're willing to try getting her in foal if she doesn't take first time. Are you leaving her at stud for all scans etc or bringing her home? You can always wait to see if she returns in season while she's at stud, but you need to balance the keep fees against the vet costs.
		
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This is what I was thinking and no she won't be stopping at the stud for the scans. I don't have transport either so the vet would have to come to us to do any scans and as we know, they'll charge extra for that. My own vets cover my area free call out on a Friday so that would make better sense if I did go for pay as you go. 
Unfortunately, she was just finishing a season when we moved her, not my choice but as I've said, I don't have transport for her anymore so I'm reliant on lifts and friends to the stud. I'm paying for livery yes which is a bit dearer but then again my yard are not charging me while she's there thankfully which helps.

She's one of these mares which seems to be constantly in season in the summer so I'm hopeing she will cycle again fairly shortly.


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## Elsbells (26 June 2016)

popsdosh said:



			If your bringing her home after covering dont go on the vet package you will be losing out big time unless they are your normal vets. Vets dont offer them to lose money on its just on the balance of eventualities they are better off over many mares.
		
Click to expand...

This too. First and probably only time breeding and it's a lot harder to get started than I thought.


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## Maesfen (26 June 2016)

Just check that a scan would be covered in their free call out day, I know many don't include that sort of work on their free days and you would have to make sure it was a vet experienced in stud work that came.


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## gnubee (27 June 2016)

I used the package for 2 reasons:
- as far as possible I wanted a fixed price for the foal (NFFR in stallion terms, vet package at stud etc.), particularly as I understood the mare had not taken first time in the past.
- with scans etc, even for one round of covering the package was cheaper. They brought her into season, AId, scanned and the cost would pretty much have added up. Might have made a different call if I had transport so it wasn't so expensive getting her to/from the stud, but tbh after putting the call out for my vet on it it may well still have worked out cheaper to leave her at the stud and use the package.


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## luckilotti (27 June 2016)

I've used vets packages and also 'paid as i go' and i would say it has usually worked out cheaper for me to pay as i go, having said that, they have been mares that take easily.  
There does also however seem to be quite a difference in the costs of different vets packages so you need to keep your eye on that.  (for one of mine it was better to go to a certain stud for her to be AI'd as their vets package was considerably cheaper than if they went to a different stud).


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## Elsbells (27 June 2016)

Thanks so much for all the replies, it's been really useful.

I've decided to keep her at the stud in the end and take up the package, it will probably work out quite pricey considering this will be a live mating with the cost of swabbing etc, but if I'm to have the foal I want, using the stallion that I want, it's hard cheese on me I'm afraid.
Here's to the next generation!


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