NPB | Youth Producer

The first steps in a successful artificial insemination program include ordering, receiving, and properly storing and handling semen.

The following tips will help you decide when to order your semen so it arrives when you and your females are ready.

Schedule the date semen will be delivered to your farm to coordinate with when your females will be in estrus. You can determine this by recording the start date of the last estrus period and adding 21 days to it. Twenty-one days is the average length of the estrous cycle.
Most boar studs collect and ship semen only on specific days of the week. Understanding your supplier’s schedule and shipping times will help you artificially inseminate your females in a timely manner.

Once you have placed your semen order, it is time to focus on the three T’s of storing semen:

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Delivery of semen.

Successful A.I. requires that semen must be stored for a short as time as possible, and under the best possible conditions.

The length of time sperm remains viable depends greatly on the type of semen extender used. Semen should be used as soon as possible, if semen is more than 72 hours old it will not be as effective as fresh semen. Contact your semen supplier for advice. You may also examine the semen under a microscope to help determine viability.

Proper storage of semen requires it being held at the correct temperature at all times including during:

If semen reaches temperatures outside of these parameters the effectiveness of the dose will decline as sperm begin to die.

Semen may be hard to keep at the proper temperature, especially during extreme periods of hot or cold weather.

The bottom line is: Maintain proper semen temperature at all times. The following page will help you learn how to accomplish this.

Also remember that semen is sensitive to sunlight so keep it shaded at all times.

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Package of semen extender.

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Storage of new semen delivery.