This examination, often referred to as a BSE (breeding soundness exam), has two purposes: potential fertility prediction and fertility issue diagnosis. Potential fertility prediction is important for new stallions entering a breeding program, and is valuable for stallions that are looking to significantly increase their book. Diagnosing fertility issues of stallions with existing problems is important, as infertility can have various causes and can occur in stallions used for cooled shipped semen or live cover. Often a diagnosis can lead to treatment or management changes which result in increased pregnancy rates.

Most commonly, the stallions we see are new stallions with no previous breeding experience. Training may involve teaching him to mount a mare safely in the breeding shed for live cover or mounting a phantom for collection. We are also equipped to handle experienced stallions that exhibit behavioral issues and need ‘retraining’ to become proficient breeders again.

An initial cooled semen evaluation is recommended for all stallions being offered for cooled shipped semen. This evaluation will determine if the stallion’s semen is of acceptable quality at 24 and 48 hours post collection. It will also determine which semen extender produces the best results for this particular stallion, and if more extraordinary measures must be taken in processing the semen to enhance the fertility of the semen. The information obtained in a cooled semen evaluation will provide both stallion and mare owners with the comfort of knowing that they should expect success.

The cooled semen shipment program is designed to accommodate all stallion owners, whether it be those with a heavy book and large volume of mares or a those with a smaller book, and even those with the occasional mare. Stallion owners have the choice of hauling their horses in and out for semen collection or boarding with us for the season. Some stallions even reside at the AFC permanently.

The AFC can communicate with the mare owner directly to arrange delivery and to collect payment making the management of the stallion’s season more simple. Shipments can be transported in an Equitainer or a disposable box by FedEx, UPS, Courier or counter to counter.

The AFC offers stallion owners a complete frozen semen program from collection and freezing, through storage, to final distribution. As a member of the Select Breeders Service Affiliate Network, Peterson Smith's AFC is able to link stallion owners with the leading equine frozen semen program in the industry. The Select Breeders Services Network is a group of affiliated laboratories throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Central America that shares a commitment to provide the highest level of customer service, quality control and state-of-the-art technology to clients. The affiliation with Select Breeders Service provides proven freezing protocols and incorporates a unique quality control program that provides objective verification of the quality of the doses produced.

Upon arrival at the AFC, stallions that are not currently on a regular collection/breeding schedule will require depletion collections to be performed prior to the test freeze. Once the stallion is properly prepared, the stallion is collected and a test freeze is performed utilizing several different freezing protocols. The protocols will then go through a thorough post-thaw analysis to determine the best freezing protocol for the individual stallion. All freezes conducted by the AFC are performed using computerized programmable cell freezers, which provide a level of quality and consistency that vapor freezing cannot match. Quality control is further enhanced using computerized sperm motility analysis. This objective evaluation provides a permanent, accurate record of the post-thaw semen quality from each ejaculate of frozen semen.

To retain viability, frozen semen must be properly maintained. At the AFC, frozen semen is maintained in numerous state-of-the-art, high-capacity cryogenic containers. The liquid level of all tanks is monitored weekly and nitrogen added as needed. Monitoring nitrogen evaporation rates allows us to detect in advance a tank that is losing holding time and replace it before any of the valuable semen it contains is in jeopardy. These, along with all other safety measures allow the AFC to minimize the possibility of semen loss due to tank failure.

The distribution program is designed with both stallion and mare owner in mind. Once the stallion owner authorizes the shipment, the AFC staff handles the rest. We can ship on the same day that an authorization is received with delivery the next day to the mare owner, if needed. Each shipment includes detailed instructions for thawing and handling the frozen semen. Our technical staff is also available for consultation with receiving veterinarians or mare owners.

The AFC also facilitates the exportation of frozen semen for stallion owners. The facility is USDA approved for the production, storage and distribution of export qualified frozen semen. Once the semen is collected and frozen, our staff coordinates with the stallion owner to ensure the required testing is completed. We then work with experienced customs brokers to ensure that exportation is timely and error-free.