FROZEN SEMEN EVALUATION
In order for successful fertilization to occur, both the female oocyte(s) and male sperm(s) must be of acceptable quality. At PRS, we employ the use of ultrasound technology to thoroughly evaluate the female reproductive tract for signs of any abnormalities that might prevent fertilization. However, that is only half of the equation. Since all of the semen used at PRS is collected, packaged, and frozen at facilities other than ours, we cannot always be certain of its quality. We certainly understand the importance of properly handling frozen semen once it is in our possession, but even with the best handling techniques, poor quality semen is bad for business when it comes to getting cows bred.
To us at PRS, it makes no sense to blindly breed a cow with semen of unknown quality. That is why we evaluate every batch of semen used at our facility prior to insemination. Using a state-of-the-art microscope, a microdroplet of semen is evaluated and scored at the time of breeding. The semen is evaluated for concentration, motility (the percentage of sperm cells progressively moving forward), and morphology (normal vs. abnormal). Based on these considerations, the semen is given a score and is either rejected or deemed of acceptable quality to use for insemination. If rejected, we request back-up semen from the client whenever cows are brought to PRS. If the semen is good enough quality to use, we inseminate the cow that is ready for breeding with the same straw of semen that we collected the microdroplet from. Conducting the semen evaluation immediately prior to breeding allows us to evaluate the semen without wasting an entire straw.