SEMEN HANDLING AND THAWING
Maximising conception rates are dependent upon attention to detail. With semen being a delicate product and very prone to damage during temperature changes, it is imperative that the thawing and handling of semen is conducted by the stated guidelines to maintain semen quality.
HANDLING OF SEMEN:
On farm results have clearly shown that following the few simple steps below will ensure the best possible success rates:
• Use tweezers, never fingers to handle semen straws
• Never remove an individual straw to look at and then place back in the tank, it will almost certainly get too warm and damage the sperm
• Minimise the length of time at which a semen pot is held above the liquid nitrogen level whilst removing the straw to be used. Take no longer than five seconds (if you need longer, lower the canister back into the nitrogen for at least 10 seconds before trying again)
STRAW THAWING:
The points below give excellent guidance in how to thaw a straw correctly:
• Always check the temperature of the water in the thawing device is at 37˚C with a thermometer before placing the straw in it. An electric thawer is a useful tool.
• Only remove one straw at time and place in the device for thawing, placing multiple straws in the thawer, reduces the water temperature
• Remove straw from the tank and flick to remove any trapped liquid nitrogen
• Thaw the straw straight away for 40 seconds at 37˚C
• Once thawed, do not let the straw cool down again
• Thoroughly dry the straw with a warm clean paper towel, water kills sperm.
• Pre-warm the AI equipment and keep it insulated until insemination (especially in cold weather), use equipment such as gun warmers, etc.
• Use clean straw cutters, or sharp scissors to cut off the sealed end of the straw
• Animals should be inseminated as soon as the straw has been removed from the tank and preferably no longer than five minutes
• Once thawed, never re-freeze straws and do not split them either
OTHER HELPFUL HINTS
• Ensure AI equipment is positioned as close as possible to where animals are being served.
•
If AI’ing synchronised animals, have somebody to thaw straws and load AI guns, whilst the other person AI’s the cows to speed the process up (this is helpful with very large numbers of cows/heifers).
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