 
Dr Angus McKinnon
BVSc Melb DipLAM MS Guelph ABVP DipACT
Goulburn Valley Equine
Hospital
Shepparton, Victoria
Dr Angus McKinnon has made an outstanding contribution to the field of equine reproduction
since his graduation from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary Science
in 1978. He completed postgraduate training and research at the University of Guelph,
Canada and at Colorado State University, USA. This training led to his involvement
in the field of equine reproduction. Significant original contributions to this field have
resulted in his international recognition as a distinguished clinician and researcher.
In 1988 Dr Angus McKinnon and his partner Dr Jim Vasey
established the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital.
The hospital was built on an 85 acre irrigated
farm. During 2002, the hospital had 9 veterinarians supported by 10 full time
and 3 part time staff. They performed over 840 surgeries under general anaesthesia and
over 1300 horses were radiographed. The practice services around 1800 broodmares for
routine work. In addition frozen semen is held from over 250 stallions and more than 150
embryo transfers were performed in the season.
The hospital has a research/recipient herd of approximately 200 mares.
The Goulburn Valley
Equine Hospital is a centre for both routine and specialist care. It is also a
referral centre for many veterinarians with difficult or unusual problems. The
hospital is situated just north of Shepparton on the Goulburn Valley Highway. It is
in a unique position in central Victoria, and routinely attracts cases from all
around Victoria and southern NSW. However horse people are very discerning and the
hospital has had horses travel from Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western
Australia and even from New Zealand.
Angus continues to undertake industry relevant
research projects in equine reproduction and has been the recipient of the RIRDC-Vetsearch
Equine Research Award on several occassions. Angus brings the results of the
latest advances in this field to the horse industry by providing short courses on horse breeding
management held annually in July in Shepparton, Victoria.
His knowledge is sought after worldwide, and he is in keen
demand as a keynote speaker at international conferences. He is the author of a
large number of original scientific articles including the co-editor with Dr. Jim Voss of
the most well recognised veterinary textbook on equine reproduction "Topics in Equine Reproduction".
Angus continues to actively pursue factors that limit the optimal rates of fertility in
the mare and stallion.
Some of the more controversial and ground breaking projects
implemented by Angus include
- embryo transfer from Eau D’Etoile, the most valuable
mare in the Australian Stud Book
- embryo transfer of a rare Poitou donkey into a surrogate
standardbred mare
"In a world first, a rare and prehistoric looking Poitou
donkey foal has been born to a surrogate standard bred horse – after embryo transfer
from the biological mother, which was artificially inseminated by its breeding
partner. This foal, now one of only three Poitou donkeys in Australia, was born,
again, under the guidance of Dr Angus McKinnon, who says the standard bred horse has
adjusted well to her unusual looking foal and is nurturing it as any mother would its
natural offspring."
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