Broken Cane

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What does A Broken Cane of Sexed Semen mean?
A "cane" is a cryogenic cane and it is made of aluminum. Canes are used to hold semen, oocytes, or embryos while in cryopreservation. Cryopreservation means the aforementioned materials are stored at very low temperatures, usually in a tank containing liquid nitrogen (LN). The normal temperature of LN is something like -330 degrees Farenheit. "A Broken Cane" tells me the aluminum holding device has somehow been damaged.

The second part of your question refers to semen. Conventional semen units contains both male AND female sperm. Sex-sorted semen units contain male OR female sperm. Using male sex-sorted semen will get you a bull calf. Using female sex-sorted semen will get you a heifer calf. So in your situation you know the semen is sexed sorted, but you don't know if it is male-sorted or female-sorted.

On the individual semen units, which are called "straws", there should be a stud code. An internet search of the stud code can help you learn more about the semen units in question. Note that anytime you lift straws out of the LN, you are causing temperature shock to the sperm. Hope this helps.
 
I can't explain it as well as @moses388 did, but I have heard people use the term broken cane simply meaning at least 1 straw was removed from a cane.
I agree. For 0.5 cc straws, a cane holds 10 straws when it is "full" from the "factory". If any straws have been used, it is not "whole" anymore. Then the term "broken" is sometimes used. If you have multiple canes on the same bull in the same canister, it is a chore to manage usage so that you use all the straws from one cane before you use any from other canes. Or else, you end up with lots of "broken" canes with varying number of straws.
 
A broken cane can mean that someone bought a partial cane... straws are in little plastic holders that snap into the aluminum cane. there are usually 2 plastic holders, top and bottom. A cane will hold 20 straws, 10 in top, 10 in the bottom. Many times you can buy just one "half" of a cane. For a cane to be broken simply means it is not a full cane... ie: it is either one top section or one bottom section, and that the plastic section/holder may or may not be full.
 
Ok thank you all for the information!! That answers my question! I'm super new at this and it's hard for me to find as much stuff on. AI as I want to.
 

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