# Semen Straws???



## robin4 (Oct 12, 2013)

So I found a place where I would like to get some semen, but I'm not sure show everything works. Is it usually frozen? How long will the semen be good after getting it through the mail? How is it shipped?

Any informations is appreciated. I need to know what I'm getting into before buying some. 

Thanks


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## Pats_Perfect_Boer_Goats (Oct 24, 2013)

Is it frozen? - Yep. 

How long will the semen be good after getting it through the mail? - Semen is shipped in a special semen shipping container. When you receive it you must transfer it to your semen tank. If done correctly it will last a long time. 

How is it shipped? - ^^^ In a special shipping container. 

I don't know how to AI nor have I ever done it. This is just my knowledge from reading. Maybe someone who does AI will post as well. 

http://www.goatworld.com/articles/ai/ai.shtml

http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/asp/articles/Artificial-Insemination.asp

http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/asp/articles/Artificial-Insemination-Stepbystep.asp

http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=21


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

If you don't have a tank to store it in, I'd recommend ordering semen and scheduling shipping in conjunction with your breeding schedule.

The shipping tanks are good for storage for 2 days after receipt. So, you would CDIR your does figure out your pull dates and heat dates and order semen to show up the day prior to standing heat.


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

Semen is shipped frozen in a special container. The straws need to stay cold until they're meant for use. Normally to go about doing AI you would want to buy a special tank or find out if anyone around you has one that you can pay for space in. If you have a tank the straws will be viable for, I think, a year at least. Maybe even longer..


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

With goats the semen is both shipped and stored in special Liquid Nitrogen tanks. It can only be out of these tanks for a matter of seconds before it goes in the doe. You can try and see if there is anyone in your area with a tank that would teach you. The process is a bit more involved then dog AI since it is transcervical and requires a special AI gun and sheeths and stuff not just a squirt tube. It sure does open up the possibility of new genetics.


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## robin4 (Oct 12, 2013)

Pats_Perfect_Boer_Goats said:


> Is it frozen? - Yep.
> 
> How long will the semen be good after getting it through the mail? - Semen is shipped in a special semen shipping container. When you receive it you must transfer it to your semen tank. If done correctly it will last a long time.
> 
> ...


 WOW!!! After looking at these websites, I think I need classes.


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## LamanchaAcres (Jan 11, 2013)

ciwheeles said:


> Semen is shipped frozen in a special container. The straws need to stay cold until they're meant for use. Normally to go about doing AI you would want to buy a special tank or find out if anyone around you has one that you can pay for space in. If you have a tank the straws will be viable for, I think, a year at least. Maybe even longer..


Pretty sure alot longer than a year.... One of our friends Did AI on a doe and the semen was from a buck that has been for almost 40 years. In result He got a buck kid and we now have a daughter from him.

Spritz is our granddaughter of Skinner. If you check out his birthdate he was born in 71. The paint buck is him.


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## ciwheeles (Apr 5, 2013)

> Pretty sure alot longer than a year....


Hence the reason I said _at least_ a year, and possibly longer. I know through working with horse breeders that the straws last over a year but I never heard an exact number on how long they last so I didn't want to add in information that I didn't know was correct.


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