Equine Reproduction Technician

This program is designed to offer specialized training for people interested in equine reproduction. It will allow anyone who wants to own, operate, or work in a breeding or foaling facility to gain the skills and experience necessary to be successful. It will also open doors for students in the Equine Science program, as they will have the opportunity to take the new program to follow up their studies and become certified in equine reproduction.

Dr. Marion Anderson, Instructor, Equine Reproduction Technician

What can you expect from our program?

The Equine Reproduction Technician program will provide graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in or operate an equine breeding facility. With an online and on campus portion to the program, you can complete a portion from home without interrupting your day to day life. On-campus learning will include a heavy focus on hands on learning, where students learn practical knowledge rather than theory.

Online programming includes the anatomy and physiology of the mare and stallion and early pregnancy, managing horses to maximize fertility, breeding management including manipulation of the estrus cycle, managing infertility, and managing the periparturient mare and the neonatal foal.

Onsite programming included hands-on training in hand breeding, stallion semen collection and insemination, transported cooled semen, frozen semen and embryo transfer - as well as managing and treating problem mares. Students will also participate in the management of pregnant mares prior to foaling, during foaling, and after foaling as well as care of the neonatal foal. Students will have the opportunity to practice and perfect these skills as a participant in the commercial breeding/foaling operation at the college.

What will you learn?

The program is designed to prepare students to manage or own a breeding operation but not to prepare them to undertake specialized veterinary or research activities such as embryo freezing, deep horn insemination, ICSI, GIFT, sex selection and other sophisticated procedures.

As well as hand breeding, students will learn and become competent with common modern reproductive techniques such AI and Transported Cooled Semen as well as to manage mares in a large breeding operation. Labs will be held in Freezing Semen and Embryo Transfer and we may or may not be utilizing these skills during the operation of our breeding program. It will depend upon what our clients want.

For embryo transfer, students will receive a lecture and handout and will be involved in managing the donor and recipient mares in terms of synchronization, and breeding and observing ultrasound exams. The actual flush, embryo handling and transfer will be demonstrated. Students will not become proficient in the actual embryo transfer procedures. This is the practice of veterinary medicine and is only to be performed commercially by a licensed veterinarian.

In regards to ultrasound examinations, you will be observing ultrasound exams and will develop some skills in interpreting what is on the screen, but you will not be taught to perform ultrasound exams. This is the practice of veterinary medicine and is only to be performed commercially by a licensed veterinarian.

Students develop an in-depth knowledge about AI in horses and the function of the follicle and corpus luteum in the reproductive cycle of the mare in the online courses. In the practical component they become proficient in the hands on skills associated with AI. They will learn to read the ultrasound screen and will be able to track the course of follicle development through estrus.

Students will leave the program with experience in:

Managing mares and stallions during the breeding season
Performing the techniques required for modern breeding methods
Evaluating the reproductive performance of breeding animals
Maintaining currency with research and technology in equine reproduction
Managing pregnant mares before, during and after parturition
Managing neonatal foals

View Program Details

Credential: Certificate

Length of Program: 1 Year

Method of Delivery: Blended Online and Olds Campus

Program Timeline:

The online portion of the program consists of two, seven week terms. The first term will be offered from late October to early December. The second will be offered from early January until late February.
The onsite portion of the program will be offered from early March until the end of June. Students will be required to successfully complete online courses before being allowed to participate in the onsite component of the program.

Program Intakes:

Fall Intake – November program start *APPLICATIONS REMAIN OPEN, Fall 2021 Intake Full and Eligible Students may be placed on a Waitlist. Please contact horses@oldscollege.ca to discuss your options.*
- Online Term 1 starts November 1, 2021 – ends December 17, 2021
- Online Term 2 starts January 10, 2022 – ends March 5, 2022
- On-Campus Term 3 starts March 14, 2022 – ends June 24, 2022

Program Dates: Please visit our Dates & Schedules page to confirm start and end dates of your desired program and confirm campus closures.

Applications Open: October 1 for Fall Intake

Selection Process for Admission: First Qualified, First Admitted

Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Books, and Supplies: Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for details

Tuition: $5,020 / Fees: $1,170 / Books & Supplies: $1,000

* Please note that international students pay 3.5 times the domestic tuition amount. These fees are provided as estimates only for the purposes of budgeting. All students should refer to the Fee Schedule for the most accurate information and all fees are subject to change.*

What do I need to apply?

Admission Requirements:

Meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement

AND

Completion of the Olds College Equine Science or the Animal Health Technology diploma with a program GPA of 2.0 or higher. An equivalent diploma or degree in equine studies or animal health, or a degree in veterinary medicine may also be considered;

50% or better in English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, and;
50% or better in Biology 30, and;
50% or better in Math 20-1 or 20-2, and;
120 Hours of Job Shadowing and/or Employment. Submit a Verification Form to verify the required 120 hours.
- Applicants must complete a minimum of 120 hours of paid and/or volunteer job shadowing and/or employment in an equine related business (may be completed on or outside of your family owned business/farm). Hours are to be completed so the applicant is able to gain an understanding of the equine industry - the equine industry is both rewarding and challenging!
- The hours may be gained from more than one equine related business.
- The job shadowing and/or employment hours are not required to be completed through a school program/class.
- The job shadowing and/or employment hours must be completed prior to submitting the Verification Form.
- The Verification Form must include the name & contact information of the supervisor/employer who most closely supervised the applicant in the location where the job shadowing and/or employment hours were gained.
- The applicant will need to submit one Verification Form for each job shadowing/employment that was used to gain the required hours.

Academic Upgrading and High School Applicants: Applicants currently in high school or who are completing academic upgrading must submit proof of enrolment and any available interim/ mid term marks. Final marks must be submitted within one month following the completion of the course(s) and no later than one month prior to the program start date.

Out of Province Applicants: Please refer to the Provincial Equivalency Chart for course equivalencies.

International Applicants: Olds College welcomes applications from international applicants and those who have completed their high school education outside of Canada. Please note, it is still necessary to meet all of the noted admission requirements, including English Language Proficiency. Further information can be found on our website under International Students.

Admitted Student Information

Program Dates: Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.

Class Registration: You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Technology Recommendation: It is strongly recommended that you come to Olds College with the following technology:

A laptop is preferred (Mac or PC)

As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:

Go to portal.office.com
Enter your Olds College email address and password
Once logged in there is a button on the right that says "Install Office Apps"

This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer, for both Windows and Mac based platforms.

Materials & Supplies:

The following items are required to be purchased prior to the start of your program:

Safety approved hockey helmet
Composite or steel-toed boots
Sturdy snug fitting gloves
At least one pair of coveralls (2 preferable)
Rubber boots

Information on other required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.

Other Important Information:

Dress Code: You will be required to be outside during inclement weather and need to be dressed appropriately. We expect all students in the Equine Reproduction Technician program to dress as equine industry professionals during class time.
Time Requirements: As this program involves learning with animals, you will be actively involved in the animal care throughout the program. This requires you to perform duties in the evenings and on weekends and holidays. You will be involved in the chores and day to day care of the animals that are required for the program. In the spring, students will be assisting with the foaling and the breeding of client mares which will require weekend attendance and your participation during the Easter break and the May Long Weekend.
Student Clubs: Students are invited to join the Horseman's Club, which organizes social and educational activities centred around the horse for its members. The Rodeo Club and Judging Club are also very active and successful clubs and membership is open to anyone registered as a student at the college and is interested in these activities.