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What is the difference between fresh, fresh chilled and frozen insemination?

Fresh semen is when you have the dog and bitch available, the collection is done from the male and immediately inseminated into the bitch.

Fresh chilled semen is collected and added to a semen-extender and then shipped, refrigerated, to the owner of the bitch. Fresh chilled semen is very simple to use and the spermatozoa will survive for several days.

Frozen semen is collected from the male, frozen in straws and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks. Frozen semen generally lives about 12-18 hours on average after thawing. It is recommended that frozen semen only be used if the insemination will be surgical into the uterus or transcervical using an endoscope and transcervical catheter.

Fresh or fresh chilled semen can be implanted with vaginal insemination, surgical insemination or
transcervically.

Semen Assessment

We have a state of the art ‘phase’ microscope to allow direct visualisation and assessment of semen motility and morphology. This is useful after collection and prior to storage, so breeders have assurance that the semen they are using or providing to another breeder, is fertile.

There are several reasons for semen evaluation:
1. To ensure a young dog about to begin a stud career has normal sperm production.

2. To investigate infertility problems.

3. To monitor sperm production after an illness (e.g. prostatic disease) or drug therapy to ensure the dog is still fertile.

4. To assess the semen as part of an artificial insemination program.

Parameters to be Evaluated

• Colour – Normal semen should be milky in colour. Clear or blood-tinged is abnormal (blood may kill the sperm and clear semen may indicate poor quality or no sperm production).
• Sperm Motility – a drop of semen is placed on a warm slide and immediately viewed under a microscope. The percentage of sperm swimming actively is assessed. Most fertile dogs have a motility of 90-95%. Dogs with motility below 80% are likely to have reduced fertility.
• Sperm Morphology – one hundred sperm in the drop of semen sample are examined and any shape (morphology) abnormalities are recorded. Abnormalities of the head or tail affect the sperm’s ability to swim and reach the egg, and also its ability to penetrate the egg cell. If the percentage of normal sperm is below 80%, it indicates reduced fertility.
• Sperm Concentration – A semen sample is diluted and placed in a counting chamber. The number of sperm in specific squares of the chamber are counted and the sperm concentration is calculated.
• Total Sperm Output – Calculated by multiplying the concentration of sperm (per ml) in the sample by the total volume of semen collected.

All semen assessments will be provided with a certificate outlining the results of the semen testing.