Breeding with Frozen Semen. Step 2 – Transport/Storing the semen
Sorry it has taken me a while to add this new step – I have been busy getting the mares bred (or trying to)!
I did want to tell you a bit about getting the semen here and getting it stored so I could then have it protected and available.
As mentioned in a previous post, I purchased my semen through a friend who served as broker for me. This means that she handled all the difficult logistics of ordering the semen from the stallion owners in the Netherlands, getting the customs papers properly filled out, getting the semen on the plane, and getting it transported to America. She also owns the shipping container, which is an expensive piece of equipment (probably $1200-$1500) and made sure it was charged with the freezing substance so the semen would remain frozen throughout its journey to me. Yes, if you use a broker you will pay for their services. You need to weigh for yourself whether or not you are willing to pay this fee or learn how to do all of this yourself. I have no idea if I will continue using frozen, so for this first grand experiment it made much more sense for me to use a broker.
I ordered the semen from the broker and paid the fees up front. The fees include a stallion fee (this is in euros but the broker charged me in dollars), shipping fees, paperwork fees that go to the Dutch government, customs fees, and container insurance fees. The broker luckily gave me a fixed price for all of this and she worried about the details. Expect to pay about $2000-$2500 (or perhaps more, depending on the stallion fee) for one breeding. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is no live foal guarantee. If your mare does not catch due to any reason, this money is gone. So try to do your very best to have everything right on your end.
Once in America, the broker had her clinic inventory the semen (she ordered more than semen just for me of course), and place mine in a fully charged tank. I was very paranoid that somewhere along the line someone would forget to charge a tank and all that expensive semen would die without ever having a chance to get a mare pregnant. Luckily, I was working with pros. They fed-exed the container overnight (I think that cost me about $300 including insurance. Remember, the container is charged with a freezing gas and therefore is considered hazardous by Fed Ex. More money to transport). The next day it showed up right on time.
I immediately took the container to the “long term storage” place I had chosen. I chose the Virginia Tech Vet Hospital Repro Clinic, located close by. They happen to do this a lot and have all the equipment and procedures in place. I am very lucky to have them near me. Their “long term storage” turned out to simply be a large tank. It is kept in a special room. The room is locked and the tank itself is padlocked. They check it twice a day to make sure it is fully charged so the semen stays frozen. They have very rigorous procedures. And I get all that for the miniscule amount of $10/month/stallion. I think that is an amazing bargain. Here are some photos from the facility. Click for a larger view.
 The tech opens the transport container. She is employed by the lab and takes her job very seriously. Note that the tan container is merely the shipping container. The charged transport tank is inside. |
 Now that the transport container is open, the technician slowly opens the storage tank inside. She is looking for a "puff" of cooled smoky looking gas to come out. That tells her the tank was kept cold during transit. She notes this on her sheet. |
 Ready to move the semen from the small transport tank to the larger "long term storage" tank. |
 Here are my doses: Two stallions (color coded and labeled), one stallion with 2 breedings (6 doses) and one stallion with one breeding (3 doses) |
 Here is one dose being moved. Note the greens straws of semen inside. One does has a number of straws. They sure are teeny! |
 My doses are carefully added to the large tank, recorded and inventoried. |
 All is complete. I sign the paperwork and the technician padlocks the large tank. |
NoteThe technician was very surprised at the limited paperwork inside. There were thawing instructions but no lab results for these doses. No indication of how “good” they were. Although American stallion owners are very good about testing the semen and putting result in before shipping, Dutch stallion owners are not. Unfortunately. I know FHANA is working with the KFPS to change this. | |
After all was done at Virginia Tech, I took the transport container back to Fed Ex and sent it out via 2 day (about $100) and emailed the broker the tracking ID.
Well, that’s what the frozen semen storage process is like. I have indeed had my mares inseminated. The next post will discuss that adventure in further detail.
Awesome information! It is great to see the shipping container and how they handle frozen semen. It is good to hear all the fees and work involved in this process.
Thanks,
Tricia