Process of equine semen freezing

In this competitive world it is important to invest in good quality horses. Besides it is not always possible to go in for in-hand breeding or for that matter field breeding, which may involve the risk of the stallion or mare getting injured in the process. But with the advent of artificial insemination and facility of Equine Semen Freezing, it is possible to breed a foal of specific type and breed.



For artificial insemination to take place, the equine semen needs to be collected from a prospective stallion. This semen is then frozen and can be used later for insemination in a receptive mare. The main advantages of Equine Semen Freezing are that the stallion does not have to be present for semen to be impregnated in a mare. The frozen semen can be used at our convenience and need not be shipped only according to the ovulation time of the mare. The frozen semen has a global market and can be used as and when required. Also a stallion's semen can be frozen for future use in case it becomes ill or dies early.

However not all stallion's give semen that can be frozen for future use. Also the procedure involved is not cheap as compared to cooled semen and has lower conception rates for artificial insemination. Besides most farm owners there is lack of technical knowledge in technique of Equine Semen Freezing. The equine sperm is extremely sensitive and may die at any moment if any of the procedures are not carried out properly. Thus the process requires extreme monitoring at all stages and a huge capital for artificial insemination to take place successfully.

The process of Equine Semen Freezing involves many factors none of which are related to the stallion itself. As not all the stallion's semen can be frozen successfully, it is important to check the collected semen for sperm concentration and mobility. The semen plasma is then removed using centrifugation extender. Then the sperm pellet is then re-suspended in a nutrient medium with a cryopreservative. It is then preserved in liquid nitrogen after certain other procedures are carried out successfully. This preserved semen can then subsequently be used for artificial insemination in the near future.

Though the process seems simple enough when noted as above, it actually involves various factors that have to be taken into consideration. The first of which involves checking the stallion for Equine Semen Freezing. Also frozen semen when revived by thawing and inseminated in a receptive mare may not necessarily result in pregnancy. The process involves more intricacies as compared to cooled/fresh semen shipping; there are more chances of some things going wrong.

The process of equine semen freezing has evolved over the period and the costs too have dropped to some extent. However the process still demands extremely careful handling at all stages of operation for a successful artificial insemination to take place. Till the frozen equine semen is not thawed and properly stored in liquid nitrogen, its working life is not affected.