| Author |
Message |
    
Nicole Barrow
Neonate
Username: Pegasus
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008 - 05:34 am: | 
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How does one go about ascertaining the viability of equine semen frozen 8yrs ago, and would each evaluator thereof draw the same conclusions re the viability or would they interpret it differently? |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2094
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008 - 10:30 pm: |
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Really the only way to determine that frozen semen is fertile is to establish pregnancies with it. Motility most decidedly does not equate to fertility, and although there are other tests that may be suggestive of "good" semen, none are absolute relative to fertility. Obviously the more tests that return a "good" result, the more likely it is that it's good semen, but the bottom line is that to guarantee fertility one has to have established pregnancies... |
Nicole Barrow
Neonate
Username: Pegasus
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 - 12:39 am: |
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Thanks Jos. When you say motility does not equate to fertility do you mean that just because sperm is very motile doesn't mean it's very fertile and vice versa, just because it's not particularly motile doesn't mean it's not fertile? |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2097
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 - 08:58 am: |
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Correct, although the former tends to hold more true than the latter - if they're all non-motile, you're probably in trouble, although there are rare exceptions. |
Nicole Barrow
Neonate
Username: Pegasus
Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 - 12:37 pm: |
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Thanks. When the vet checks it what will he be looking for / at? |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2098
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008 - 06:14 pm: |
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It will depend upon what the vet is checking for, the level of expertise, and the equipment available. If he is looking at a sample at the time of breeding, in a basic setting, the chances are that all he will be looking at is motility, which as we have already established, is shaky as an indication of fertility.
If they are evaluating a post-thaw sample following freezing, with moderate knowledge and equipment, then not only will motility be evaluated, but also possibly a stress (duration) test.
If in a more advanced knowledge/setting state, then not only the above, but also possibly Cybr-14/PI staining and/or a Sephadex steel wool swim-up evaluation.
As you can see, much is dependent upon the situation at hand, but remember that the only true indicator of fertility is a pregnancy...  |
Nicole Barrow
Neonate
Username: Pegasus
Post Number: 4
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 02:11 am: |
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Ok thanks very much Jos, that helps a lot. I think basically the vet will just check if they're alive. There have been pregnancies from the same batch # about 6 yrs ago which should hopefully be a positive thing? |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2099
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 09:33 am: |
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As long as the semen has been stored correctly, and all things related to the breeding being equal, you should be good to go! |
Nicole Barrow
Neonate
Username: Pegasus
Post Number: 5
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 02:07 pm: |
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Phew, hope so |
