Semen controll Friesian stud stallions
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The ejaculate
For the actual semen testing, the stallion mounts a phantom mare in the presence of a mare in heat. The ejaculate is collected in a preheated artificial vagina. The stallion must mount the phantom mare twice with an intervening time of about one hour in order to obtain a reasonably reliable picture of his semen quality. The collected ejaculate is filtered and then assessed as to its quantity (volume) and color (density, sperm concentration). Sperm motility is assessed (after the addition of an extender) by observing it under a heated microscope. How many sperm cells are present in the ejaculate is determined at the laboratory. The sperm cells are stained in order to assess the cell structure. The number of sperm cells contained in the ejaculate that exhibit both a normal structure and high motility are calculated for both ejaculates and then averaged to yield a number known as the TNB.
Which stallions will be used?
The Friesch Paarden-Stamboek itself determines which stallions will be used for breeding, one of the factors in this being semen quality. The Friesch Paarden-Stam-boek is of the opinion that in order to be admitted to the breeding pool, an average of at least 50% of the sperm in a stallion's semen must exhibit both normal structure and be highly motile. The three-year-old stallions must have a TNB of at least 600 million, and the stallions four years old and older must have a TNB of more than 1 billion in order to be admitted to the stallion inspections.
Test in Utrecht
A number of years ago (1993), a student of veterinary science wrote a thesis for his graduation about the average values of sperm parameters for the Friesian stallions being tested in Utrecht. The results were as follows: For 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds (respectively) were: a volume of 48/58, a concentration in millions per ml of 188/147; motility percentage of 63% - 66%; the number of normally developed cells among the living cells at 54% - 57%; and a TNB (in millions) of 2585/2598. About 30% of the stallions tested failed to satisfy the studbook's criterion for semen quality. Among the stallions registered by the KWPN (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands), less than 10% are eliminated even though the minimum acceptable TNB is 2 billion. Technological breeding measures, however, should make it possible to improve the semen quality among Friesian horses.
Controll during the breeding season
During the breeding season, the semen from Friesian studs is regularly monitored at the request of the Friesch Paarden -Stamboek by the Animal Health Service in order to guarantee good quality.
As far a-, fertility is concerned, hormonessubstances produced by glands and other organs (e.g., the testicles) - can also stimulate or suppress fertility. Research has also shown that the concentration of sex hormones in Friesian stallions is unlike that of Warmblood stallions. It is therefore possible that this affects the fertility of the stallion since the hormonal pattern of Friesian stallions is similar to that which is found in the United States among less fertile stallions.
Equine Al
The uses of artificial insemination (AI) are tied to regulations determined by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and responsible for their implementation is the Equine Division of the Product Board for Livestock, Meat and Eggs (PVE). Guidelines, have been set for the design and operation of an IA station, there are requirements for the health status and semen quality of the stallion if he is being used for AI, and there are criteria for the skills needed by the personnel.
The best results are obtained from Al when several factors are considered: The stallion's semen quality, the age and fertility status of the mare, and the management (determining the best possible time for insemination by means of teasing and follicle monitoring). Because the various forms of Al can be somewhat confusing, they will be described one by one.
On-location Al
This technique involves collecting semen from a stallion at an Al station and then having the mare inseminated at that location as well. The semen may not be transported to another station or to where the mare is normally kept. The stallions must be quarantined and be free of CEM (Contagious Equine Nitrites) bacteria. Neither should they be used for natural covering or for teasing. To be accepted for use in on -location Al , the stallions must produce at least 2 billion TNB per day (when collection is done once a day) for a period of 10 days. Considering the semen quality of the average Friesian stallion, it is often impossible to meet this requirement. An insemination dose contains 300 million TNB. Theoretically, this number of properly developed live sperm cells is sufficient to induce pregnancy. A stallion that just barely produces 600 million TNB during the inspection could definitely run into problems if he later has to service many mares. Such a stallion will not be allowed to participate in Al according to the inspection criteria, but it is important for these stallions in particular that they be properly managed when it comes to breeding activities.
Al using semen from a semen collection station
In this case, the semen from a stallion kept at a semen collection station can be used to inseminate mares at the insemination facility located at the semen collection station, to inseminate mares at the location of the mare owner, or to inseminate mares at another insemination facility. The basic requirements for inspection are the same as for on-location Al but since the semen has to be able to be transported across longer distances (and will thus be undergoing additional hardships), additional quality requirements (besides the 2 billion TNB minimum) are placed on the semen in regard to its keeping quality.
Least insemination dose
An insemination dose in this case is 600 million TNB so that by the time the mare is inseminated there should still be at least 300 viable sperm cells present. The production of sperm cells for a stallion is constant, and if the stallion owner knows how manyTNL3 the stallion is producing every day, this can be the basis for management. If we can assume that after the mare's first cycle that there is a 60% chance that she will become pregnant and that an average of 1.5 inseminations are carried out for each cycle, the stallion owner can thus calculate how many new mares can be accepted per day. If a stallion has a busy breeding schedule, the stallion owner will not appreciate receiving several orders for sperm for the same mare during one of her cycles. It makes no sense to collect semen from the stallion more often because he will then produce less semen the next day.
Shipping semen
Shipping semen from a semen collection station for use at the mare's location
The semen from a stallion kept at a semen collection station is shipped to the mare's location where she is then inseminated. The advantage to this arrangement is that the mare (and possibly her young foal) do not have to leave home. The disadvantage is that it is more difficult to determine the best possible insemination period because it is often difficult to conduct teasing and the mare owner does not have the veterinary come , -often for follicle monitoring.
Insemination facility
The insemination facility can be part of a stallion station of a veterinary practice. Semen for insemination comes from a stallion at an on-location station or from a stallion at a semen collection station elsewhere.
Frozen semen
The processing of freezing and thawing the semen causes it to undergo additional hardships so that there are more damaged and dead sperm cells. For this reason, there should still be at least 300 million TNB after thawing which will then be sufficient for inducing pregnancy. The average success rate for pregnancy per cycle when using frozen semen is about 10% lower than when using fresh semen. These success rates for pregnancy when using frozen semen from horses in other countries is even more disappointing because the stallions being used as studs in these countries are often neither selected for breeding according to semen quality nor for use as an Al stallion.
EU station
At a European station, the stallions are quarantined so that their semen may be sent abroad. These stallions (and their jump mares, if they have them) may not come into direct contact with other horses, and they must be free of all kinds of pathogenic organism such as CEM, Equine virus arthritis and infectious anemia. They are checked to make sure by the Inspection Service for Livestock and Meat (RVV) If any of this semen is to be shipped, even to Belgium, the RVV pays a call to provide the deep-freeze chest or the package of fresh sperm with a leaden seal. Accompanying the transport are a health certificate for the stallion and information about the semen being shipped. Since the RVV places no quality requirements on the sperm cells, however, this is one of the reasons why the import of semen sometimes leads to great disappointment.
Certification of stud owners
Not only Al stations can participate in certification, but also stations that use natural cover. A stallion owner participating in the certification process is obliged to operate according to certain protocols for the purpose of providing the best possible quality in regard to such matters as the facilities at the station, the accommodation and care of visiting mares and stallions, teasing, [lie semen quality of the stallion, the insemination/covering of the mares, and the breeding management. Such a station will also have veterinary monitoring available. Checking on this is done through the Inspection and Monitoring Division of the Department of the Animal Health Services which in turn reports to the certifying agency, the Product Board for Livestock, Meat and Eggs.