semen volumes

[sparkskaren]

I was sent semen the other day I did not get ask much as normal and think it is lower than last years stallions. it says shipped dose 1.6x10 to the power of 9. motile dose volume 50ml. is this ok. I am ok on the mare side but think I need work on the stallions side

[Jos]

The total number of sperm shipped was 1.6 billion, which is a reasonable number. If the shipped volume was 50 ml this gives a concentration of 32 million sperm/ml, which is nicely between the concentrations of 25-50million sperm/ml, which is what is recommended. So far so good then.

The number that you do not give however is the percentage of progressively motile sperm. This number is determined by the recipient upon evaluation at receipt (i.e. you). There is often too much emphasis put on the percentage of prog, mot. sperm, as it carries great significance only when applied against the number of sperm shipped - if you have a total dose of 1 billion sperm at 50% prog. mot., then you have fewer prog. mot. sperm than if you have been shipped 3 billion sperm at 20% prog. mot.

The optimal number of prog. mot. sperm in a dose is 500 million (these should also be morphologically normal). It should be noted however that there is not a significant reduction in fertility until fewer than 100 million prog. mot. sperm are reached, presuming proximity of insemination to ovulation. The only caveat related to that is that sperm are irritating to the uterus, so a greater number of sperm placed in the uterus does have the potential to create a greater inflammatory response. Based upon the number of sperm you were sent, you would want the prog. mot. percentage to be no lower than 7% in order to get >100 million prog. mot. sperm. 32% - in order to obtain the 500 million number - would be more preferable though!!

We have an article about received shipped semen quality which will likely also prove of assistance to you.

[sparkskaren]

thanks Jo they told me 70% when I examined it, it was about 60% give or take. I have oxytocin the mare at 6 hours after insemination and will do her again at 12 hours as she is 17 this year and every little help.