Animal Clinic and Equine Center
Owner: Dr. Robert Leonard
Location: West Plains, Mo.
Company History: “We’ve been in business for 30 years,” he explained. “Starting we had one employee and now we have six. They are very loyal, hardworking people.” He explained the part-time employees are very busy during the breeding season, and many of the employees are local FFA and MSU-West Plains students.
Products and Services: Artificial Insemination (AI): “We are a full-service equine clinic,” he said. “Our passion and main focus is equine reproduction. We started performing artificial insemination (AI) services with horses in 1976, the second program in the state at the time. Once the breed associations relaxed the rule on the use of shipped semen, our business really increased.” Dr. Leonard says now most all the breed associations allow the use of shipped, cooled semen for AI.
Embryo Transfer: He says the clinic performed the first embryo transfer (ET) in cattle in 1980 and in a horse the following year.
“This area has shown a consistent growth for us,” Dr. Leonard stated. “I believe horse owners have become more familiar and comfortable with the procedure and we have the facilities here to handle the donor mare and recipients. Plus, we maintain a herd of recipient mares if the mare owner doesn’t have their own mares.”
“Success with AI is much greater if the mare is at the clinic where she can be checked frequently and conveniently. Once the mare is here, we take care of contacting the stud farm, receiving the semen and breeding.”
Semen Services: “We began collecting and freezing semen from stallions about five years ago.” he explained. “We can maintain the stallions here at the clinic in pipe enclosed paddocks with shelter for safe boarding. Then we can collect, evaluate and freeze the semen to maintain it in storage until the owner needs it or has it shipped.”
How long have you been a veterinarian?
Dr. Leonard was raised in this area and graduated from the University of Missouri Veterinary program in 1973. Following his graduation he worked in the Delta region of Arkansas for a year and then came back to this area and worked with Dr. Hollis Smith for six years. “In the optional courses in veterinary school and during internships, I studied equine,” he explained. “When I came back to this area the cattle prices were very low and most vets were associated with sale barns. This is when I saw the opportunity to work with horses. I hung my shingle and the horse people responded well.”
What is the future for your business?
“I believe the future is with ET and semen services,” he stated. “Overall the horse market has been depressed for some time, so people seem to be concentrating on their quality mares over the quantity. They are using ET to get the best out of their best mares and utilizing various stallions through the use of AI and ET.”
Dr. Leonard added, “The greatest demand for ET and AI services come from those looking to raise barrel horses and cutting horses.”
The clinic makes farm visits in about a 40 mile radius and further for ET work if needed. “We have many farms and breeders who bring their horses here,” he said. “It’s amazing to sit down at the end of a day or week and look on the map to see where people have come from. It kind of makes you sit back and say WOW!”
By Stephanie Beltz
