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Topic: Using Frozen Semen (Read 2599 times)
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Eileen
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Posts: 523
I LOVE Trakehners!
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Questions for all of you who have used frozen semen:
1. What is your success rate:
(a) per cycle and --
(b) per year -- recognizing it may take more than one cycle to establish a pregnancy
2. What is the concentration you feel works the best (300 mil, 500 mil?)
3. Do you prefer the single dose protocol or the two dose?
4. Do you stay within the suggested guidelines -- mare has had at least 1-2 foals, not too old (16 years getting towards the upper limits, etc)?
5. Do you feel there are any more problems with frozen than with cooled, etc.?
6. Would you use it again?
7. If so, would you happily use it or only if necessary?
Thanks,
Eileen
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« Last Edit: February 01, 2005, 02:46:52 PM by Eileen »
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Sovereign Farm
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Gold Medallist
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Posts: 481
KALUA by Heling
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We used frozen semen for the first time this year and had very good luck (and a great vet)!! We used 1 dose after ovulation for our mares. 2 took on the first cycle with the one dose. 1 mare did not take with the 1 dose (neigher did she with fresh cooled of a different stallion and has turned out to be difficult to get in foal). I can honestly say that these have been some of my most cost effective breedings to date in terms of money paid per pregnancy.
Personally, I would not hesitate to breed a young maiden mare with frozen semen and will do so this year. I'm not as willing to use the frozen on the older mares (of course, my older mares are 19-23!!). I would try with a mare that was 16-18 years old if she was easy to breed and had foaled the year I was trying with frozen. In that case, I would short cycle after foal heat and go for it.
I think the frozen is easier b/c there is no worry about when to order or delays by FedEx or Airline (especially on weekend breedings!) All the semen I need is already available for use. Also, last year I saved money on the collection/shipping costs that are associated with the cooled, shipped semen.
The singe most important thing when looking at using frozen semen IMO is the fertility of the stallion. If he has offspring conceived easily with frozen semen, I am willing to try. If he has a reputation of difficulties, I won't waste my time and money (and you can waste a LOT of money with stallions that don't freeze well!!). I'm also very lucky in that I work for a vet, Dr. Lloyd Kloppe, who is board certified in Theriogenology (breeding).
Heather
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Kim Turner
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Novice
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Posts: 39
The journey... That's the reward!
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I bred my maiden, 10 year old Arab-Trakehner mare for the first time last year. I had 4 unsuccessful trys with fresh-cooled. The timing seemed to have to be almost as close as that which you would use with frozen (especially if the stallion has either fertility issues or longevity issues). I finally gave up on the fresh and tried with a different stallion and frozen. We did the two dose protocol and the mare took
right away. I spent MUCH less money on the frozen than I
did on the fresh. Another complication you have to think of with fresh, is distance. Naturally, the stallion that I had originally picked was on the opposite coast. That extra time
in shipping did nothing to improve our chances with conception with the fresh. Now with frozen, that did not matter at all.
Good Luck !!
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heiterkeit
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Posts: 30
I love Trakehners!
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who knows the quality of LE Duc's frozen semen
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Jennifer
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Gold Medallist
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Posts: 323
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I used frozen on my maiden mare this year with positive results. I had tried it about 10 or so years ago with no success, but I believe that was because my vet at the time did not really know what she was doing. The vet I used this time did ultrasounds every 6 hours to get the timing right. Just a regular dose was used, no double dose.
I, too, like the convenience of it especially if the stallion is showing and/or the stallion owners doesn't collect or ship on wekends, etc., and you have to work around that.
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Equine Connection
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Posts: 444
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From a stallion owner's standpoint, if the stallion freezes very well and the mare (maiden or otherwise) is in sound breeding condition and good health, I think frozen semen definitely is more convenient, opens up the door to a larger pool of potentially desired stallions, and can be a "win-win" situation for all involved.
That said, in my humble opinion, I believe one of the significant ingredients to successful conception with frozen semen (or otherwise) is to ensure a mare is in sound breeding condition in advance (obviously, in addition to having very good quality frozen semen to work with). This may involve conducting a breeding soundness exam, and not only a culture check, but a cytology as well (even maidens can come up with infection that cannot be detected by a culture alone, even though never bred). We've seen this occur quite a number of times over the years. I think the goal should be to achieve conception by inseminating as few times as possible (better for the mare physically, more cost-effective and less semen waste), so I believe taking a few of those important steps in advance can increase chances for success, and in the end, be quite a bit more cost-effective for a mare owner vs. using fresh-chilled, not to mention minimizing those "11th hour" fire drills that can occur with chilled semen since frozen can be sent in advance and stored at the repro clinic.
I also believe it is absolutely "key" to utilize a highly skilled repro vet and clinic. I think the breeding soundness exam on an older mare, a mare who has had prior difficulties (and even a maiden mare) is money well spent. While it doesn't offer a 100% guarantee, results from a breeding soundness exam can be extremely beneficial.
Whether a pre and post-ovulation insemination method is used (2 inseminations) or via single insemination, can hopefully be determined by a knowledgeable repro vet (and the mare owner), and in knowing the mare as to what works best for her individually -- if there is a baseline in which to refer. Obviously, it can be a bit of an experimental process. Also, the methodology used to freeze semen plays a significant role in this process, and a particular freezing method of straws may be just fine for most mares, but not for others.
We have found that the protocol of deep horn insemination can be very successful, especially for maidens and for those more difficult mares, and particularly when using a significantly smaller amount of semen as is the case w/frozen.
http://www.reproduccionanimal.org/site/files/LOW%20DOSE%20AI.pdf
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Warm Regards,
Renee & Happy Hour
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acottongim
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Old Hand
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I love Trakehners!
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I can speak of Tanzeln's frozen as being excellent! 
I have a good, but a country vet. (he does have a partner who is a repro vet who I use almost exclusivley now, but at the time I used Tanz's frozen it was the country vet).
This vet has NEVER used frozen before. The mare was 17 yo maiden, with one attempt in the past to breed (by owner) and she slipped at 15 days (if she caught at all). My vet was nervous about using the frozen, but John Cassel talked him through it as he was breeding my mare. Not only did the mare conceive - she produced twins. We ended up with one foal on the ground (thank goodness) who now has a wonderful home in KY and is a 3 yo.
I also used frozen on another mare but the mare died from EPM just a few days after insemination (it was a sudden on set).
I think with proper management and willingess to follow protocol and good semen it is a pretty safe thing to breed with frozen. 
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