FROZEN EQUINE SEMEN PROCESS PERFECTED BY WEST COAST ORGANIZATION
The use of frozen semen for reproductive purposes has been common in the cattle industry for years . For a number of reasons , the same process has failed to be successful in the horse business . It was recently learned , however , that a California corporation , Horse Breeders Service , has perfected a process that has proven to be highly successful in the equine field . At a recent meeting in Murfreesboro , Tennessee , attended by a group of interested horsemen representing several breeds , Denny Skoglund , president of Horse Breeders Service , explained the process and their service . Horse Breeders Service is a private corporation which , in late 1964 , developed the process of freezing equine semen . Patents were applied for in 1965 and should be granted in April of this year .
Horse Breeders Service has offices on the West Coast and plans to establish similar facilities in Southern Missouri and probably Pennsylvania . Each office would maintain a staff that would work personally with each stallion owner who acquired their services . Stallion owners would contract for a given number of capsules for a given number of " services .” This would be done in the off-season so that their activity would not conflict with natural breeding during the regular season . They have had three custom freezing units on the road since last fall and thus far they have been well received .
Mr . Skoglund was careful to point out that " every CC of semen belongs to the stallion owner or his representative ” and that Horse Breeders Service ’ s only job is to draw the semen , capsule it and freeze it to be used by the stallion owner as he sees fit . It was noted , however , that a veterinarian or some other person authorized to handle frozen semen would be the only persons allowed to breed mares in this manner . A signed certificate must be turned in for each breeding and this is recorded by both the Horse Breeders Service and the Registry .
In a question-and-answer session , there were several thoughts brought up with regard to the pros and cons of such a service and the effect it would have on a given Registry . Some of these questions and answers are :
Q . Why should a breeder accept natural insemination with frozen stallion semen ? A . The main reasons are as follows : 1 . Cleanliness 2 . Safety 3 . Longer life of stallion 4 . Better control of breeding records - less dishonesty 5 . Saving in cost to mare owner in regard to transporting and boarding 6 . More money to the breeder 7 . Stallions with undesirable conformation and characteristics eliminate themselves because of cost to mare owner
8 . The stallion is available to better mares which give better offspring .
Q . Why should the registry accept natural insemination with frozen stallion semen ? A . The following reasons :
1 . Better control of breeding records - less dishonesty - through signed breeding contracts , breeding receipts and the printed ampules ( printing baked on and can ’ t be removed easily )
2 . To increase the number of offspring from better stallions which in turn tends to make the registry better and makes mare owners or new horsemen interested in the registry .
3 . The available research facilities of H . B . S . and our work with semen and sterility .
4 . The fact that only one company — Horse Breeders Service — is able to do this per our patents . This eliminates the doubtful element .
Q . Should the number of offspring be limited ?
A . Most definitely ! It is the feeling of our company that this is a must so that no one stallion or small group of stallions could dominate a breed in time . We suggest limiting the number of offspring to no more than 250 per year . All of Horse Breeders Service ’ s breeding records would be made available to the registry . All of our technicians would be hand-picked by us for registry breeding .
Q . How does H . B . S . plan to get the semen ?
A . We have had three custom freezing units on the road since the fall of 1968 for this service . All custom work is done on a contract basis , and H . B . S . would notify the registry regarding the stallion and the amount of semen frozen . We can also custom collect now in Petaluma and will be able to do so in the East at our stud in Pennsylvania .
Q . What will the cost be to the stallion owner ?
A . At the present time , we charge $ 2.00 per CC for semen in the diluted state . This means that one ejaculate of approximately 100 CC ’ s would dilute to 400 CC ’ s and cost the owner $ 800.00 .
Q . How many mares can be inseminated with 400CC ’ s of diluted semen ?
A . On a first heat breeding with two inseminations on the 4th and 6th days you could breed 20 mares . However , any repeats would lower this number .
Q . What is the conception rate ? A . We are getting 73 % on first heat and 63.5 % on second heat breedings .
Q . Where were these mares bred and how ? A . Under all field conditions and throughout the world .
Q . What method is used for inseminating ?
A . Either capsule or syringe pipettes ( 22 ” to 24 ”) can be used and the semen is deposited directly into the cervix . We recommend the capsule method as conception rate is slightly higher with no problem of infection .
Q . What about heat detection ?
A . In most cases , the owner can tell the inseminator when the mare is in heat . If not , we recommend that a veterinarian be called to check heat and check for infection or disease .
Q . Will an inseminator breed when mare is diseased ?
A . No ! If he notes a diseased condition or signs of disease , he will not breed . He will suggest a veterinarian be called . This article is not to suggest that this service be adopted by our own Breeders ’ Association . We present this article strictly for your information to keep you abreast of the news in the horse business . However , we feel that this process has some merit and should be discussed by our Association .
Anyone wishing more information on this process should contact : Mr . Denny Skoglund , Horse Breeders Service , P . O . Box 2186 , Petaluma , California 94952 .
60 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse