# AI and semen storage



## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

Okay so we found this awesome buck we want to breed our girls to next August. We plan to AI them and the problem is, after Dec 2013 this buck is no longer available. So my question is can I store semen straws that long? And how much is a semen tank and where can I get one? Anything helps, thank you!

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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

you can save semen indefinitly as long as it is in a well filled semen tank. maybe someone on here has one. if you have a dairy farm in your area they may have a tank that you might be able to store some in. tanks are expensive and if you are only going to store a few straws it wouldn't be cost effective. also who are you going to get to ai them? that person probably has a tank.


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## faayo304 (Aug 24, 2013)

In the Nasco farm & ranch catalog they have tanks. But the ticket is to buy use or do like us and borrow someone's. I know where I get my semen from they charge I think $10 monthly fee where they store it for you until u are ready for it. I don't think that's a bad deal. You have to remember to keep your tank charge too, which will be one less thing you will have to worry about if they store it for you. Just a thought!


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

I am definitely wanting to find someone who will let me store it. I'm in Houston, Tx so somewhere close to me would be good! Another question, how many straws should I buy for two breedings

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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

There should be a place around you that will store the semen, like a reproduction center or something. I know there is one in Missouri and there is one in Oklahoma. You can definitely store semen forever, there are straws available from bucks that were collected in the 80's, there is even some from before that. 

I would personally buy 5 straws, you can usually get a slightly discounted price per straw when you buy it that way because each goblet holds 5 straws so they won't have to break it up. With a semen tank you have the tank, canisters (most have six), canes and goblets. The cane is a slender aluminum deal that is about 8 inches long or so and the goblets hook to this, you can hook 2 goblets to a cane so you can have up to 10 straws per cane. With buying 5 straws you will basically have 2 straws per doe and one extra in case one of them doesn't take.

The main thing you want to be cautious about when buying a used tank is if it has been allowed to go dry. Often when a tank goes dry it won't hold nitrogen any more, and with expensive semen you don't want to put it in there and find out your tank went dry overnight.

I would contact the Texas A&M they do a lot with reproduction and should know of a place near you that can store the semen for you. If you want to buy one, I bought mine for $550 from Superior Semen Works it is the Millenium XC 20 and holds up to 720 straws. It has 6 canisters.


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

I am a college student and buying semen and a tank isn't in my budget at the moment but we will be getting a tank sooner or later!

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