Select Sires

Proper Semen Handling Techniques
Transcript of Select Sires' Reproductive Moment Program
on DairyLine Radio, Which Aired Feb. 13, 2003
with Mel DeJarnette, reproductive specialist,
Select Sires Inc.

Mel, in this week’s Reproductive Moment you’re talking about semen handling and the proper procedures that should be taken.

Semen quality is one of the few components of the fertility equation over which the herd owner has almost complete control. The handling procedures which ensure that high quality semen is maintained from the thaw bath to the cow are really pretty simple and straightforward.

Make sure frozen straws stay frozen by keeping canes and canisters low in the tank.
Thaw straws in 92- to 98-degree Fahrenheit water for a minimum of 45 seconds. Once thawed, maintenance of optimum semen quality is simply a function of time, temperature and hygiene.
Make sure anything that contacts the straw is pre-warmed to about 95 degrees, and place loaded guns inside your clothing to prevent cold shock.
Make sure you thaw no more straws than you can deposit in the cow within 10 to 15 minutes.

While a couple of studies several years ago suggested fertility is reduced anytime you thaw more than two straws at once, more recent studies have concluded it’s not the number of straws thawed that’s important, but rather how well appropriate semen temperature and time constraints are maintained. Sperm can’t tell if they are the first or the fifth straw used in sequence, but they can detect a change in temperature or an excessive duration of exposure.

The most overlooked aspect of the semen handling process is hygiene. To know if your semen handling hygiene is adequate, just ask yourself the following questions: Would you use your breeding kit for a lunch box? Would you drink the water from your thaw bath? If the answer is no, it may be time to "clean up your act" so to speak.

With so many factors affecting the fertility of dairy cattle, over which we have limited, if any, control, we should never allow something so simple and straightforward as semen handling to become the limiting factor to reproductive efficiency. To brush up on semen handling procedures in your herd, contact your local Select Sires Reproductive Solutions™ specialist, he’ll be glad to help.

™Reproductive Solutions is a trademark of Select Sires Inc.

Copyright 1996-2003 Select Sires Inc. Last updated 18-Feb-2003.

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Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751