EQST405 Preparation of Semen for AI and for Cooled Storage and Transport

1) Protects sperm from cold shock

2) Provides energy

3) Dilutes out negative effects of seminal plasma

4) Antibiotics retard bacterial growth

5) Results in longer living sperm

5 benefits of semen extender

1) whey protein

2) casien protein

2 types of proteins used in extender

INRA 96

expensive, casien formulated extender that maintains sperm motility in cooled semen for 24-48 hours

1:1

extender ratio for fresh AI semen

3:1 or 4:1

extension ratio for cooled shipped semen

250-500 million PMS

On farm insemination dose

1 billion PMS

Shipped insemination dose

number of mares = (total PMS) / (insemination dose)

Total number of mares that can be bred per semen sample equation

20-40mL (no more than 60mL)

best total insemination volume (mL)

5C (41F)

What degree are cooled spermatozoa stored at?

1) reduces metabolic rate to 10%

2) Reduces waste products that kill sperm

2 benefits of cooling spermatozoa

1) Extended 3:1 or 4:1

2) Conc of 25-50 million/mL

3) Vol of 40-60 mLs

4) 1 billion PMS

4 shipped semen parameters

centrifugation

Can be used to obtain more concentrated semen for dilution with extender

Test cool

Used to determine if semen cools well and which extenders are best

whirl-paks

Cooled semen is packed in what to be shipped?

1) Equitainer

2) Box style

2 types of containers for shipping cooled semen

1) overnight UPS/FedEx

2) airline (counter-to-counter)

3) courier

3 ways of shipping cooled semen

pre-warm semen

Prior to AI, what should NOT be done with cooled semen?

1960s

Interest in cooled semen increased in what time period?

1) Transrectal ultrasound developed

2) Passive cooling & storage

What 2 things were developed/popular in the late 1970s in the horse breeding world?

1997

When did the AQHA approve the use of shipped semen?

sperm waiting for egg

What gamete should be waiting for the other gamete?

when mare is in heat

At what time should the stallion owner be contacted about possible semen collection?

every day to every other day

How often should mare palpations/ultrasounds be performed once in heat?

total number PMS = vol (mL) X conc (mil/mL) X % motility X % morphologically normal

total number of PMS calculation

insemination volume (mL) = volume (mL) / number of mares to be bred

insemination volume (mL) calculation