Can you please tell me what constitues a "breeding dose" when using frozen semen? I have read that a "breeding dose" should equal 1 billion cells. Any info would be appreciated and thank you!!
Jos
Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 07:52 am:
The generally accepted desired insemination dose (the actual numbers of motile sperm that are inseminated) with any equine semen is between 200 and 500 million.
When using cooled semen, there is an arbitrary die-off rate of 50% figured into the preparation process prior to the semen being shipped, and hence 1 billion motile cells are shipped, and this is often referred to as a breeding dose, and is probably where you have got the figure of 1 billion from.
500 million then is the preferred dose, but research has shown that it is not until the numbers drop below the 200 million motile sperm mark that pregnancy rates diminish.
But you should also remember that with frozen semen, motility is not necessarily an indicator of fertility. It is possible to have 0% conception rates with a stallion that has sperm with post-thaw motility >50%; and conversely, it is possible to have 100% pregnancy rates with sperm that are 30% ptm.
The only true indicator of the fertility of frozen semen is first-cycle pregnancy rates and even that can be misleading because of inseminator error.
This is not an easy adventure...more akin to nightmare. I read about this breeding dose from the warmblood bulletin board and they were talking in regards to frozen semen. (maybe you should hang out there more often!!!) :)
Hallo, I import frozen semen from Germany. My breeding doses are recomened by the vet who froze the semen in Germnay. I send out between 200 and 350 million "swimmers" per dose. We have had a high conseption rate. I agree that the insemination technik and timing is more importand then having 1 billion semen post thaw.
Yours Nicole
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