Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)
February 14, 2003

Sex Selection Produces Filly
by Simon Benson

A HEALTHY black filly named Ballerina has become the first foal in the world to be produced by sex-selected embryonic transfer.

In other words, scientists created her in the laboratory from sperm and an egg, selecting her sex then implanting her as an embryo into a surrogate mare.

It is the first time in Australia that a sex-selected foal has been born. And it is the first time in the world that both techniques have been used to produce equine offspring.

Ballerina was born to one of Australia's leading polo pony mares, owned by James and Suzie Ashton near Cowra in central New South Wales. Born on December 11 last year, she has remained a secret until now.

According to Sydney University's Veterinary Science Foundation, the ability to choose the sex of a foal prior to conception has long been a dream of horse breeders, especially breeders of sport horses.

The university's Faculty of Veterinary Science's Repogen unit collaborated with a private United States company, XY-Inc, to develop the technology.
Sex-selection is already used all over the world, but until now it has never successfully been combined with embryo transfer.

Richard Turnley, the president of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, said use of the technology in the racing industry would not be allowed.

"We are 100 per cent opposed to it. Any progeny born of embryo transfer cannot be registered in the stud book," he said.