Surrogate Mares Give Birth to Twin Foals

Two surrogate mares recently gave birth to foals that are twins, Morgunblaðið reports. The father is the champion Álfaskeggur from Kjarnholt 1, and the biological mother is the mare Kló from Einhamar 2.

Embryos were transferred to the surrogate mothers to ensure a healthy pregnancy and the mares’ health. It is rare for mares to be able to give birth to twin foals, which is why this technology was employed. According to Sigríður Björnsdóttir, veterinarian for MAST, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, no data are available regarding how often twin foals have been born in Iceland. As embryos are being transferred, what has been revealed is that the frequency of two eggs having been fertilized has increased. Rarely, though, do they survive the pregnancy.

Horse owner G. Birnir Ásgeirsson states that the stallion Álfaskeggur was given a day-long break from training for a rendezvous with the mare Kló, which proved fruitful. To ensure the mare’s health and that of the embryos, the latter were transferred to two different mares, Rauðka from Barð and Von from Lækjarbakki 2. They each gave birth to a healthy foal in mid-May - Rauðka to a colt, and Von to a filly. The foals are currently enjoying green pastures in the company of their surrogate mothers.

Meanwhile, the biological parents, being elite athletes, continue training – Kló at the farm Miðsitja, Skagafjörður, North Iceland, and Álfaskeggur at the farm Sunnuhvolur, Ölfus, Southwest Iceland. Kló’s sister Eining has excelled in the gate flying pace, and Kló is expected to literally follow in her footsteps.