Professionalism – State of the Art Technology – Service
These words have become the bywords of the Varian Arabian breeding team – led by Angela Alvarez ( since 1986) ably assisted by her breeding assistants. Completing the breeding team’s efforts is Micki Salazar, who is responsible for office coordination of breeding contracts and arranging equitainer delivery of transported semen. "Never a dull moment" is our tag line during the breeding season.
We breed between 150 and 200 mares each breeding season, and as the popularity of our stallions and the use of transported semen increases, the number of new clients from all over the country keeps edging upward.
"Maintaining the quality of our service and professionalism with a conception rate in excess of 90% is always a CAN-DO at Varian Arabians" says Angela. "Occasionally, it might translate into working longer hours, but the happy mare owner reporting that their mare is checked in foal makes the effort well worthwhile."
Education and "state of the art" technology are requirements that keep the Varian breeding team at the leading edge of their profession. New technology in equipment, drugs and technique continue to evolve in the field of equine breeding management. The Varian breeding team continues at the forefront by working with Dr. David Jensen DVM of San Marco Equine Clinic and Dr. Douglas Herthel DVM of the nationally renowned Alamo Pintado Equine clinic.
In 2004, approximately 200 equitainers of transported semen were shipped from Varian Arabians. Through careful handling, professional printed guidance and verbal communication with the "receiving team," only an average of 1.5 heat cycles were required to put transported semen mares in foal with a successful conception rate of well over 90%. Successful transported semen occasionally involves more than just putting the properly prepared equitainer in the hands of the FedEx delivery person or on an airline. We ship cooled semen all across the country and Canada, and have found over the years that it takes a team effort to be successful.
We’re confident that we have some of the best stallions, tools and training to accomplish our client’s breeding goals, but the areas that we are told that "set us apart" from the other farms are Service and Communication. The client must receive caring and punctual service as well as regular communication to be a part of the breeding process. This is true whether breeding your mare at the Varian farm, or most importantly, when transported semen is involved. With transported semen, the stallion owner’s responsibility obviously ends when the semen goes out the door. This is where Varian’s Service and Communication can go the extra yard for you. Some examples:
A minimum of 1 billion motile sperm are shipped from VA (often 2-3 billion if available) per insemination, and normally two inseminations are shipped per container. 2 equitainers are shipped to you on request at NO EXTRA CHARGE per heat cycle (that’s 4 inseminations per heat cycle), all for the normal $275 per-cycle lab fee. If you are unsuccessful after 3 heat cycles of attempted breedings, Varian will send the 4th and any future semen shipments, during the same breeding season, at no charge - you only pay the equitainer shipping charges.
Communication can also make the difference with your transported semen breeding. Although we have found veterinarians across the country to most often be competent and professional in their handling and breeding techniques with transported semen, we are happy to offer any assistance we can to the client, breeding manager and/or their veterinarian either before, during or after the breeding process. This kind of communication has enabled a number of "problem mares" to conceive, carry and produce healthy foals with transported semen.
The best testimony to any successful program comes by "word of mouth" from happy clients. We suggest that first you speak with someone who has bred to a Varian stallion, then call Angela, Sheila, or the Varian office to discuss booking your mares to the wide choice of stallions standing at Varian Arabians.
