Till-Hill":1mg1rg09 said:
Bright Raven":1mg1rg09 said:
How much can you say about the quality control process at the primary semen collection facilities? I assume they pull a straw on a routine basis and check the spermatozoa for morphology, motility and viability.
I have never been to an AI stud so I can't answer that! Have made plans lots of times to go and have not!
I have, lots! I used to take my college classes there on a field trip each semester. Of course, it was only one facility. The QC is top notch, and they have to thaw so many straws in a collection and check if it is good. Unfortunately, there is no way to check conception rates on that semen, before it leaves the collection facility. Genex has a great tracking system of preg rates for different bulls, and it is accurate.
We had semen on a well known simmental bull, that had very pour conception (no straws resulted in conception, and after 8 used we gave up). We contacted the collection facility, they replaced it with 5 more (we had to return the two unused). I used 3 of those 5, still no conceptions. I have the remaining two straws in my tank and refuse to take a chance on them. Talking with others, they had very similar results.