Step 1 – The Mare
The mare must be monitored throughout her heat cycle for follicle growth.
When ovulation is immanent (38- 44mm), mare should be checked every 6-12 hours
to detect ovulation. When ovulation has been confirmed, the semen
straws should be thawed, and inseminated. (Donkey and Zebra mares ovulate between 35mm-40mm.)
DO NOT breed prior to ovulation. Use of Deslorelin or hCG may
be beneficial.
Step 2 – Thawing the Semen Straws
Confirm the cane ID and the straw color on your Frozen Semen Work Sheet. Also
check the number of straws per dose. Prior to retrieving the straws from the
liquid nitrogen tank, you will need to prepare a water bath. The
bath should be 37° C. Thaw one (1) straw at a time.
The straw should be removed from the liquid nitrogen tank and immediately put
into the water bath for 30 seconds minimum. Leave all straws the in water
bath until all straws have been thawed. NEVER let any straws be exposed to
outside air temperatures (raised above the frost line in the liquid nitrogen
tank) for over 4 seconds unless it is being thawed. Four (4) seconds should give
you ample time to retrieve the straw to be thawed. After thawing, dry, and shake the air
bubble to the sealed end. DO NOT cut the wick end of the straw if
using a minitube pipette in step 3.
Step 3 Artificial Insemination of the Mare
IMMEDIATELY after thawing the straws, artificially inseminate (AI)
the mare. Procedure # 2 may be more practical.
Procedure 1:
Deep uterine insemination: Use ˝ ml straw AI pipette. (Flexible models are
available thru Minitube of America - 800-646-4882., stylet #17209/1075, pipette
#17209/1275) It is important the tip of the pipette is in the uterine horn
toward the ruptured follicle.
Procedure 2:
Use 8-10 ml Next Generation Basic Formula Extender, or equivalent (no
antibiotics). Empty all thawed straws into the extender. Mix by inversion.
DO NOT SHAKE. Use a standard equine AI pipette and a ALL
PLASTIC syringe. Flush the AI tube with 4 ml of plain extender to
wash all semen through the pipette.
IMPORTANT: EXTENDER MUST BE THE EXACT TEMPERATURE AS THE STRAWS WHEN MIXING.
Suggestions
Do not use abnormal mares.
AI all semen into the uterine horn toward the ruptured follicle. (flexible
pipette)
It may be difficult to check motility using AI procedure 1. (Apply enough
semen on slide for cover slip to float across entire sample.)
Do not use soap or iodine to clean mare. Use water only.
Monitor the liquid nitrogen level in your tank weekly. In the unlikely event
your tank loses all of it’s liquid nitrogen, discard every straw in the tank.
Keep your tank in plain view. Ice or frost should not form on outside of
tank. If you suspect a tank failure, move semen to another tank immediately. A
thawed straw cannot be refrozen.
Keep your liquid nitrogen tank in a safe
place.
Do not allow liquid nitrogen tanks to come in direct contact with concrete,
asphalt or another tank.
These instructions are for information purposes only, and should not be used
in some States.
Tennessee code annotated 63-12-103 / 9.a. (1) Kentucky revised statutes
321.181 5.a.
If you have any questions contact Allendale Farms LLC at 706-476-5415.
Allendale Farms LLC operates in accordance with HB 347, Title 43 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Ref: 43-50-44 Collection, evaluation and
storage of semen. Revised 4/17/03
Revised March 15, 2008
CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE VERSION
