This two-day immersive course is designed to equip veterinarians with the latest clinical insights and practical skills, needed to establish and operate a successful embryo transfer service. Whether you're a beginner in equine ET or an experienced veterinarian looking to refine your ET techniques, this course is tailored to meet your needs. Through a combination of highly interactive, expert lectures covering key concepts and individualized hands-on, live-animal training, you will gain all the required knowledge, confidence, and technical skills necessary to successfully implement embryo transfer in your practice. To guarantee the best possible learning experience, the course is limited to 15 participants (strict full-is-full policy).

The course is now full. Contact us to be added to the waiting list for 2025 or for the course in October 2026.

Aftermovie Embryo Transfer Course

Course Program

Day 1 - Lectures

The first day consists of interactive lectures, group discussions, and Q&A sessions covering all aspects of:

donor and recipient mare management and synchronization
embryo collection, searching, preparation, transportation, and transfer of embryos
freezing/thawing fresh embryos
thawing and transfer of ICSI embryos
choice of materials and microscope
price setting, and reasonable expectations

The day ends with an informal dinner where participants and teachers can continue discussions and networking.

Day 2 - Practical Sessions

On the second day, we will focus on the practical aspects of embryo flushing, searching, preparation for transfer, conditioning/packaging for transport, transplantation, thawing of ICSI embryos, choice of a recipient mare, cleaning/sterilization of equipment, choice of equipment and microscopes. Participants will have the opportunity to each flush a donor mare, practice procedures with real embryos in the laboratory, practice thawing/warming of frozen ICSI embryos, and preparation of cooled, fresh embryos for transportation and embryo transfer. It is recommended that you bring appropriate clothing for semi-outdoor animal work (the barn is not heated) and for work inside the laboratory (clean scrubs or equivalent).

Practical information

For more information and details about how to get there, hotel accommodation and what to bring, look at our practical information page.

More about the course

Meet the speakers

Hilde Vandaele

DVM, Keros ET & AI Center

Hilde Vandaele is the chief veterinary surgeon at Keros AI and ET Center Hilde (UGent, 1994) started practicing in large animal medicine with a strong emphasis on cattle infertility and obstetrics. From a very young age, she was in love with horses and when the time was right, it was a natural step in her professional career to become a certified equine specialist. Today, her attention is focused on mare infertility and foal care. She regularly attends veterinary meetings on equine reproduction and has spoken at international meetings on mare infertility. Hilde has 17 years of experience in embryo transfer and has participated in the teaching of 12 ET courses at Keros. Hilde is a great teacher with lots of practical and clinical experience.

Peter Daels

DVM, PhD, DACT, DECAR, University of Ghent

Peter Daels was a professor in equine reproduction at UGent and is a board-certified specialist in reproduction (Dipl ACT & ECAR). He has done research and clinical work in embryo transfer for the past 30 years. He worked as an ET specialist at EmbryoTechnic in France for 5 years. and at the Keros ET Center for 7 years. Since 2012, Peter was a Professor in equine reproduction at UGent. Peter has been the leading instructor in 20+ embryo transfer courses worldwide and has taught more than fifteen embryo transfer courses at Keros ET over the past 17 years. He also has extensive experience with the thawing and transfer of ICSI embryos.

Anthony Claes

DVM, PhD, DACT - Utrecht University, the Netherlands

Anthony is an Assistant Professor in Equine Reproduction (Team Leader Equine Reproduction) since 2014. Anthony graduated in 2005 at the U. Ghent, Belgium. He then completed a Residency in Equine Reproduction at UCDavis, California. After working for one year as a veterinarian at the Scone Veterinary Hospital in Australia, he returned to UCDavis as a lecturer. Then moved to Gluck Equine Research Center in Kentucky, USA, where he completed his PhD training. Anthony is a diplomate of the American College for Theriogenology. Today, Anthony oversees the daily operation of the Equine Reproduction Center in Utrecht which is likely the leading expertise center in all matters related to embryo transfer of fresh and frozen-thawed ICSI embryos, and Ovum Pick Up.

Roberto Duchi

DVM, Avantea

Roberto Duchi is the chief veterinarian at Avantea with twenty years of experience in gynaecology and embryo transfer. He is in charge of the organization of the clinical reproduction services for cattle and horse breeders and the reproductive management of animals in the various research programs at Avantea. He is responsible for the superovulation and cattle flushing services and for the clinical stay of animals

Denis Necchi

DVM, DECAR, Keros ET

Denis Necchi has worked as a reproductive specialist in different parts of the world. He is an ECAR Diplomate (equine specialty) and has served for the past 5 years on the ECAR Specialty Examination Board as an Equine Specialist. He is a very generous teacher with lots of practical insights. Denis joined the team at Keros at the beginning of 2019 and is responsible for the embryo transfer. Denis has an impressive track record: from 2006 to 2013 he worked at the University of Utrecht. He then returned to Italy in 2015 to work at Avantea. From 2016 to 2018, he worked at Broline in Sweden. His main interests are reproductive technology in relation to freezing semen, fertility in mare and stallions, and embryo transfer and ovum pick up (OPU).

Micaela Vita

DVM, Keros ET

Micaela Vita joined the Keros team at the beginning of 2011. Micaela specialized in horse reproduction and worked between 2008 and 2011 in Spain and Argentina. She was trained under the guidance of Peter Daels and Hilde Vandaele. In 2019, Micaela obtained the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (Stud Medicine) at the University of Liverpool. She is now responsible for the embryo transfer program at Keros. “Mica” has been at the heart of the Keros ET Center for the past 12 years.

Registration

Registration is limited to 15 participants (strict "full-is-full" policy). The course is now full. Contact us to add your name to the waiting list for 2025 or for the course in October 2026).
In previous years, the Keros ET course sold out, and there was a waiting list each time. We recommend booking early to secure your spot.
The registration fee is €1,795 (excluding 21% VAT) until June 30, after which it increases to €1,995 (excluding 21% VAT). The fee includes course materials, lunches and coffee breaks on both days, dinner on Thursday night, and transportation on Friday between the Novotel Hotel, the Keros ET Center, and the Ypres train station.
Cancellations are refundable until June 30, with a 25% administration fee deducted. If you cannot attend, you may transfer your registration to a colleague at any time.
To register, contact irma.revah@telenet.be.

Please add me to the waiting list.