“Best time to Foetal Sex Testing is 60 – 275 days in Australia and New Zealand,” says Dr Kevin J Doyle, with 22 years in all stages of Foetal Sex Determination and High-risk Pregnancy.
“High-risk Pregnancies are easily identified and accurately evaluated in the later stages of Foetal Sex Determination, and whether the now controversial prophylactic medication with Regumate and Antibiotics should be recommended.”
Australia breeders are in the midst of its Broodmare Sale season, and at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale vendors grossed $28,235,000, at an average of $532,736 with 16 selling for $500,000 and above.
The Oakleigh Plate winner Celebrity Queen topped the sale with $2.5m from Coolmore, and Winx’s Snitzel half-sister Courchevel made $900,000, in foal the champion young sire Capitalist.
The Australian Broodmare Sale followed at Riverside followed two days later with its average jumping by 53% to $63,311, and the median rising 50% to $45,000 with a $350,000 sale topper.
The Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale follows on 25-27 May with Gr1 champions Melody Belle, Arcadia Queen and Shadwell’s 60 unreserved lots highlight 774 racing and breeding mares.
“Transparency must be established as to weather vendors are Foetal Sex Testing their mares before they present them for sale,” continued Dr Doyle in knowing the foetal sex of the future foal.
“It’s unfair and inequitable if the vendors know the sex of the foetus their mares are carrying, and the buyers, both astute and naive, do not know. It also allows for a realistic value of the mare.”
“No doubt auction houses will establish a fitting protocol to the mutual satisfaction of their patrons, vendor, and buyers alike, to enable transparency, openness and integrity.”
Yearling, broodmare sales and racing statistics over 15 years show colts are consistently 13-22% more valuable than fillies, with colts catalogued at 55-70% and fillies 30-45% for yearling sales.
Prior to Foetal Sex Determination being popular in 2015 sale companies offered mares carrying colts and fillies in 50% of colts and 50% for fillies, so a buyer had a 50/50 chance of colt or filly.
Not the case anymore, as offerings of about 20% of colt pregnancies to 80% filly pregnancies are now being presented for sale, and mares carrying fillies can be up to 700% more valuable.
Paradoxical it’s true two years later when their progeny are sold as yearlings, that the colts exceeded the fillies on average by 96% and on median by 83% as expected, because colts are genuinely worth more than fillies at Yearling Sale time.
“For myself, the best value are fillies in the median range of decile ratings at the MM Gold Coast and Inglis Easter Yearling Sales, as they have a reasonable chance of racing successfully.”
In continuing Dr Doyle stated “they have great residual pedigrees to become future broodmares, and if buyers want value from broodmare sales they need to know of Foetal Sex Testing.”
“If buyers are astute and wise, if pin-hookers, or even those who can afford to lose, they want value from broodmare sales because mares carry colts are more valuable than mares carrying fillies.”
“Once a mare is foetal tested, she can be accurately assessed as to her true worth and it enables the breeder placing a realistic reserve on the mare before she is sold.”
“It allows the vendor to reap the benefit of not selling their valuable mares below market value, and astute breeders with this beneficial knowledge are now reaping the rewards.”
