About Hume Equine Services

Available Now

An Easy to Use
WeeProof
URINE TEST for Equine Pregnancy

The new rapid test will follow the same parameters as the current blood test
and very horse side friendly. Now available for Great Britain through this web site. Ask your Vet or Equine supply to carry it.

How FoalProof works:

FoalProof works by measuring the concentration of the steroid estrone sulphate in a blood sample taken at least 120 days after mating. Estrone sulphate is an estrogenic steroid hormone which is present in small amounts in the blood of non-pregnant mares. From about day 40 of pregnancy, the foetal-placental unit of pregnant mares starts to make increasing amounts of estrone sulphate which enters the maternal blood circulation.

By day 120 of pregnancy, maternal blood estrone sulphate concentrations are generally over 5 times the highest concentrations found in non-pregnant mares. The level remains elevated for the remainder of gestation, unless foetal dealth occurs, whereupon estrone sulphate levels decline rapidly to non-pregnant levels.

Measuring estrone sulphate concentrations in a blood sample taken 120 or more days after mating is thus a very accurate method of determining pregnancy status. FoalProof does not suffer the problem of 'false-positive' diagnoses seen with other biochemical pregnancy tests, where mares that have lost there pregnancy are still diagnosed as pregnant.

FoalProof was developed by the Reproductive Technologies Group. Veterinarians and veterinary diagnostic laboratories routinely send blood samples to this AgResearch laboratory for estrone sulphate testing and pregnancy diagnosis. Their experience has allowed them to reformat the laboratory based assay into the self-contained, rapid, FoalProof test.

How WeeFoal works:

The 'WeeFoal" test is a non-invasive, accurate and affordable method for diagnosing pregnancy in your mare from 120 days after mating through to 300 days. 'WeeFoal' analyses a small sample of your mare's urine for the presence of a pregnancy associated estrogenic steroid metabolite. This steroid is made by the foetal-placental unit in increasing amounts as pregnancy progresses. It is excreted into urine where it can be easily measured, and so provides a non-invasive means of diagnosing pregnancy status and monitoring foetal viability.

WeeFoal can be used to diagnose and monitor pregnancy status in all breeds of horses. It is particularly appropriate for small horses where palpation per rectum or internal ultrasound scanning is not an option.

WeeFoal provides peace of mind. Now it is easy to monitor the pregnancy status of your mare from 120 days after breeding right through to just before the expected time of foaling. Indeed, it is prudent that your pregnant mare be re-examined 5 to 7 months after first being diagnosed pregnant so that pregnancy status can be verified, and your mare managed accordingly.

WeeFoal does not suffer the problem of 'false positive' diagnoses, often seen with other biochemical pregnancy tests, where mares that have lost their foal are still diagnosed as pregnant. In the event of foetal loss, production of the estrogenic steroid decreases rapidly to non-pregnant levels, thereby resulting in a 'not pregnant' diagnosis when tested by 'WeeFoal.'

Limitations and Warranty

The Foal-Proof test is designed as a diagnostic aid for determining pregnancy status in horses. There are no warranties, expressed, implied or otherwise indicated, which extend beyond this description. Reproductive Technologies, AgResearch Ltd., Hume Equine Services or any of the distributors are not liable for property damage, personal or horse injury, or economic loss caused by this product.

Warranty is limited to replacement of a defective/non-functional test within 30 days, with written explanation and return of the defective test.