Shipped Semen

Mare’s estrus cycle

Editor — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:18:27 +0000

Q: My mare is giving me mixed messages. She will raise her tail and urinate, but when my stud approaches, she whirls around and tries to kick. She has on hobbles, but she is unpredictable. We tried sedating her, twitching her and breeding her anyway, but she did not catch. I have had my vet look at her, but he does not have any suggestions. What should we do?

A: First of all, I never force a mare to be bred if I am live covering. This can cause the stud, mare or humans to have serious injuries. The problem you describe is very common and it usually occurs when the mare is not having a true estrus cycle. There are 3 factors that must come into play at the same time for the mare to have a true cycle.

1) The “Uterus”needs to develop edema properly in anticipation of breeding and pregnancy. This edema can be seen on the uterine ultrasound and it appears as a wagon wheel shaped image in the uterine body. This development is necessary for the developing follicle to have a friendly environment to emerge into. If the uterus does not develop edema it cannot receive a fertilized egg.

2) The “Follicle” (egg) is developing on the ovary in anticipation of ovulation. It must develop and grow to 35mm or 3.5cm or greater and ovulate. This developing follicle is what secretes the hormone that will make the mare show signs of estrus or heat. I suspect that your mare is not developing a follicle large enough to do this job and this makes her behave the way she does.

3) The “Cervix” must open and be receptive for the stallion. If the cervix fails to open it can be dangerous for your mare. Always have your vet check and make sure that the cervix has softened in anticipation of breeding.

All three of these factors must be occurring at the same time to give you a shot at conception. Missing any one part will result in the mare showing irregular signs of an estrus cycle. She may say yes and then suddenly say no. This can be dangerous. These sorts of issues are most common in the beginning of the year when the mare is just starting to cycle. We rarely see the problem later in the year when the spring gets going. You can use FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) to help the mare develop a follicle, but remember you need the other factors for a conception. Regumate and Prostaglandin are good tools, but may or may not work. You’ll need a good local vet to help you. I hope I have given you a better understanding of the factors needed for a conception. Good Luck.

Ask us a question

Urospermia

classifieds — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:14:00 +0000

Q: I have just purchased a stallion and I am confused about something. He apparently needs to have his semen spun in a centrifuge. I have the equipment here, as it came with him. Do you know about this? I have never used one before, and I am anxious to hear what it is all about! Thanks!

A: The most common reason for the semen to need to be spun is a condition known as urospermia. When the stud ejaculates, he urinates at the same time. There is a small flap in the urethra that should prevent this, but for some unknown reasons this can begin to fail. There is no surgery available that I am aware of and it is a permanent condition. If this is the condition, you can help the situation by getting him to fully urinate just prior to collection. It will reduce the volume that escapes. You will need a good vet to teach you the ins and outs of using the centrifuge, it can be tricky at first. The stud should have a comprehensive semen analysis to make sure that the semen is of an acceptable quality. It is not uncommon for other issues to plague stallions with unusual conditions. Make sure that the longevity in particular is acceptable as urine is very spermicidal. I am afraid that you have your work cut out for you. If I can be of any help, please feel free to write anytime.

Equipment for artificial insemination

classifieds — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:11:29 +0000

Q: I just bought a stallion and I want to use him for breeding, and I want to do artificial insemination too. What kind of equipment do I need for this ?

A: Here is a list of the items you will need to do artificial insemination. I have put the list in order of need. Bear in mind that most AI equipment has a very good resell value if you try to buy some used items. Small breeders usually don’t have the funds to go out and buy all their equipment at once. They can get buy by gradually adding to their laboratory. But, if you are going to charge collection fees to your mare owners, you will need a good set up and I would recommend that you buy all these items at once. Why? If you are going to charge to be a professional, you should have the gear for it and not cut corners.

1) Artificial Vagina - Most important, you definitely need this.
2) Microscope - Buy a quality microscope, don’t get too cheap on this item.
3) Breeding Phantom - You can collect the stallion off the side of a mare, but you will need one of these at some point.
4) Incubator - You can get by without one, but make sure all your supplies are warmed up before usage.
5) Sperm Counter - If you are not breeding too many mares at one time, you can get by without this. But, if you have several bookings, you will need one.
6) Equitainer - Necessary only if you are going to ship semen.

Breeding mares using transported cooled semen

classifieds — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:09:38 +0000

Q: Dear Ms. Ahmed, thank you for writing your book “Shipping Semen?”. Books that are this subjective specific are hard to find. I am in the process of breeding my mare using transported cooled semen and this is my first time. I did have a question and would respect your opinion on the subjective. A summary of the events are as follows:

My mare was followed during her heat cycle during the middle of March. She produced a follicle which grew to 3.8cm and then regressed. She was subsequently given an injection of Lutalyse on April 5th. My vet then came to my home the following Monday (April 9th) morning at 12:00 noon and found my mare to have a 4.2cm follicle. She requested that I go ahead and call the stallion manager and request semen be shipped counter to counter. She went ahead and gave her an injection of HCG.

I picked up the semen and the vet arrived by 8:15 p.m. She had more tenderness on the right ovary than the AM visit. She was inseminated with one packet of semen. My vet did not at that time perform an Ultrasound.

She returned the following day at about 3:00 p.m. She performed an ultrasound and found that she had ovulated. Her words were that she had ovulated “last night”. At that time, she indicated that she did not see the need to inseminate the second pack. She was very excited and said that we had “timed it just right”.

I did ask her why she did not inseminate the second pack and she indicated that she felt it had been more than 6 hours since ovulation. I think I have read this in the literature that there is a 6 hour window but am now worried that maybe I should have pushed her to inseminate the second dose.

Would you please give me your opinion on this. She is coming back to ultrasound her at about day 18. Thank you so much for your help. Maybe I am just worrying unnecessarily about this as it is my first time.

A: Thank you for your kind words about my book, I am glad that it has been a helpful resource for you. I read with interest your story regarding your mare. I must say that it is very easy for me to step back and critique another person’s work, since hindsight has 20/20 vision. In all fairness, I will say that it appears that your vet made an honest effort to get your mare bred on time. The fact that she did not inseminate the second packet does not bother me as much as the HCG injection. I think that she should not have given the HCG injection prior to inseminating. I receive emails daily with this same issue and it is the most common factor that can be easily detected. If a follicle is big and soft, and you give the HCG injection, the follicle can ovulated very quickly. HCG is given intravenously and it immediately goes to work. Two factors I am concerned with and these are that she was given an HCG injection and that she had a tender ovary later in the day with no ultrasound. I suspect that she may have ovulated prior to the first insemination and without the ultrasound, we cannot be sure. I would hope for the best because we cannot change anything right now. If she did not catch, I would make these two adjustments:

1) Give the HCG injection when the semen is in your hand and you have ultrasounded to know that she has not ovulated.

2) Inseminate with both packets over two days and ultrasound to make sure she ovulated.

Your vet did part of this and she skipped part. With a little fine tuning, you should have your best shot at a conception, which is all you can control. Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Artificial vagina for their stallions

classifieds — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:06:46 +0000

Q: Hi there- how does one determine the necessary sizing for of an artificial vagina for their stallion. Also, I understand that there is a product that can be applied to a pad on a phantom that will arouse the stallion, thereby eliminating the need for a “teasing” mare. Can you give me more information on these topics? I’m new to this!

A: Hello,
     You have asked a very good question, because the fit of the AV will determine the amount of performance you obtain from your stallion. Some stallions like the AV very warm and tight, while of others will object to this and prefer something cooler and loose. I usually start out with the “normal” horse. I use my arm as a guide since I will use my arm to test the water pressure. I look at my arm and I look at the stallion’s penis when erect. I stand beside him and get an idea how far I will need to put my arm in the AV by comparing the length and circumference of the penis compared to my arm.
    I then measure my arm to get an idea of the length. AV’s come in two sizes 22″ and 26″. I will fill the AV to 43 C as a beginning temperature, I then adjust the pressure using my arm and let some water out as needed. The pressure should be firm around my arm, but not tight. Bear in mind that the stallion’s penis will bell when he ejaculates and he can have discomfort if it is too tight.
     I would recommend that you collect the stallion several times, without using the ejaculate, to find the best match of temperature and pressure. During the process, I would lube the AV very well. Once a final decision is made, I will use far less lube when the ejaculate is going to be used. Because the lube will end up in the collection cup and you do not want it to affect the product.
     As for the “special” mix, it is urine from a cycling mare that arouses the stallion. You can collect this yourself once your horse is used to the idea of using a phantom. You can phase the mare out and use only the urine as a stimulus. Collect the urine and keep it in the barn refrigerator. It will last for about one year. Shake well before using (no pun intended).
     If you would like, I can send you one of my books on this topic and it will help you get started.

Thanks!
Pennie Ahmed
ShippedSemen.com

Paperwork required to ship semen

Editor — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:09:37 +0000

Is any paperwork required to ship semen? You better believe it!

These are some of the requirements to ship semen from most of the larger registries. Before you order semen from a stallion, ask if it has a current permit. If it doesn’t, there may be big fines. All registries require DNA or Blood Typing or Parentage Verification (each breed uses a different term), before a foal can be registered when shipping semen. Be aware that if your mare is not tested prior to the birth of the foal and she subsequently dies before being tested, the foal may be ineligible for registration. Check with your registry.

Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC)

“Transported Semen Stallion Permit - $100 annually.
Fine for shipping without a permit - $500 per occurrence.
“Semen Transportation Certificate” (needed with each shipment) - No Charge.

American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA)

No Permit required, but AQHA requires annual notification if you plan to ship semen.
“Collection/Insemination Certificate” (needed with each shipment) - No Charge.
Semen must be inseminated within 72 hrs. of collection.

Arabian Horse Registry of America

‘Transported/Stored Semen Permit” - $350 (Valid until ownership changes or stallion is exported)
Fine for shipping without a permit - $1000
“Transported/Stored Semen Service Certificate - $35 each (needed for registration of foal)

International Arabian Horse Association

Transport of Semen Permit - Mares $150 / Stallions $100 (price includes blood types, if needed. Permit is for the life of the horse).
Late fee - $250

American Paint Horse Association

“Cooled Transported Semen Permit” - $100 annually
Fine for shipping without a permit - $500
Mare must be inseminated within 72hrs. of collection.
Collection - Insemination Certificate (needed with each shipment) - No Charge

American Morgan Horse Association

“Semen Transport Permit” - $100 (valid until ownership or lease status changesd). Photocopy shold be sent with each shipment.
Late Permit Fee - $200
Additional fee to register foal - $10

Peruvian Paso Horse Registry of North America (PPHRNA)

“PPHRNA Shipped, Fresh Semen Program Permit Request” (Stallion Permit) Annual, No Charge.
Late filling Fee - $100 if semen is shipped prior to obtaining permit.
“PPHRNA Shipped, Fresh Semen Program Mare Owner Statement” (Mare Permit) Annual, No Charge.
Late Filing Fee - $50
“Verification of Receipt of Semen and Insemination of Mare” (needed with each shipment) - No Charge, however if it is not filed by Jan. 10th of the following year, there is a $50 fine. Plus, the resulting foal will not be registered and Mare Owner will not be allowed in the program until the fine is paid.

National Show Horse Registry

No permits are required to ship semen for the mare or stallion.
Foal must be DNA tested prior to registration.

American Warmblood Registry

Stallions to be used in a breeding program must have an annual stallion permit in order to breed mares. This permit includes permission to ship semen. Annual fee - $200.
“Cooled Semen Transportation Collection and Insemination Report - (needed with each shipment).
All Foals must be DNA tested prior to registration.

ISR/Oldenburg

Annual Stallion Fee - $300
Membership - $50

Oldenburger

Annual Stallion Fee - $230
Annual Mares Fee - $50

Rheinland - Pfalz - Saar International (RPSI)

Annual Stallion Fee - $350

American Hanoverian Society

Annual Stallion Fee - $300

Equitainers wanted

jamieander — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:45:05 +0000

Equitainer I & IIs wanted in the UK, please contact me if you have any for sale.

This post was submitted by jamieander.