Evaluation:

Immediately after collection, an initial evaluation is performed to examine the semen for… consistency, color, sperm morphology, motility and concentration.

We then package it as if it were being shipped for breeding purposes and bring it back to our lab. Once it’s at the lab, we create a log and record the results for 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours post collection. We look to see how many sperm are still alive and how many are progressively motile, meaning they are viable to get a mare pregnant. By the time cooled semen arrives at a farm it should be at least 50% progressively motile. It is also helpful to know how long your stallion’s semen will last in shipment.

Semen Check:

A basic semen check is how we test the semen after we have artificially inseminated (AI) your mare. After breeding we save a few drops and keep them cool to be evaluated in our lab. The semen is warmed up and examined under the microscope. We evaluate the sample to determine how many spermatozoa are alive and progressively motile. It is reassuring to know that the semen you bred your mare with, is of good quality.