Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The viscosity of the sample changes with time. The lower the viscosity the faster it runs on the cassette. We optimized the test to run with samples that are between one hour and 2 days old. To make sure the sample follows our standard curve, it needs to be at least one hour old.

Progesterone in the blood is present as a free circulating molecule or as a protein bound molecule.

The free progesterone is the biologically active progesterone, which means that is the progesterone responsible for the mare’s cycle and reproduction.

Equine Quick P4 test detects only the biologically active progesterone in a plasma sample.

The minimum safe level to maintain pregnancy is ≥ 4ng/mL.

<1ng/ml of progesterone indicates a progesterone-deficient mare. Mares with progesterone concentrations below 4 may be at increased risk of pregnancy loss.

To determine if progesterone levels are adequate to maintain pregnancy, you need to test a plasma sample 12-14 days after ovulation. Retest at various intervals during pregnancy to ensure adequate progesterone levels are being maintained.

To detect pregnancy, test 21-23 days after breeding. The progesterone concentration should be ≥5ng/mL.

Note: Quick P4 indicates the presence of progesterone, not specifically pregnancy. A positive indication of pregnancy should be confirmed by palpation or ultrasound.

• • More than one drop of sample is added to the cassette.
• • Adding less than 3 drops of Dropper Bottle B solution. If less than 3 drops of buffer are added - there will not be enough buffer to run the sample through the membrane. The Test and Control Line may then not develop correctly causing the test to become invalid.

• • Control line is not visible.
• • Lines are faint or not exiting.


Note: If you are not sure about the results you can do the following: Take a picture of the cassette and then call or email TargetVet/ Biometallics ASAP - we will be happy to offer assistance.

Sensitivity for Equine Quick P4 is 93.5% and specificity 95.2% based on our analysis of 72 mare samples.

TargetVet/Biometallics sells two tests that measures Equine Progesterone: Target Equine Progesterone and Equine Quick P4.

The Target Equine progesterone test kit is a semi-quantitative test showing various shades of blue to white indicating a range of 0 to 5 ng/mL. You need to take a serum or plasma sample from the animal to run the test. Pregnancy should be maintained at levels >3 ng/mL. This is a faint blue to white result on the Target Equine test. The kit is sold in either 6 or 12 test quantities with prices of $127 or $193 respectively. This kit should meet your needs for determining if supplementing is necessary during pregnancy.

We also sell an Equine Quick P4 test kit which is a Lateral flow test and requires a cube reader to give a numerical result ranging from 0 to 35ng/mL.

We have three different kits for horses that can be used with the cube reader - IgG, progesterone, and SAA. The cube reader is a one-time buy. After that, the kits come as a refill in 5, 10, or 15 test sizes for $125 / $225 / or $325 respectively. The IgG and SAA also come in a semi-quantitative “Visual” configuration with a chart of ranges for the T & C lines for customers who prefer not to buy a cube reader.

All prices include FedEx 2 day shipping.

Our recommendation is that if you run multiple tests and prefer numerical results, the cube reader is the best choice.

If you only need a few progesterone tests (or IgG or SAA), the TARGET progesterone or VISUAL IgG or SAA is the best choice.

We hope this information helps in your decision- making process regarding which of our kits to buy. Feel free to contact us for more information if needed.