Implementing an Annual AI Check-Up

An article in the September issue of Pork ’98 interviewed several industry specialists about the rapid growth of A.I., and what producers should know about their semen supplier. These experts suggested reviewing the following three topics with semen suppliers on an annual basis:

• Quality Control
• Health Management
• Customer Service

Quality Control

Quality control encompasses both the lab and the animal areas of the stud. Attention to hygiene begins prior to collection and continues until the semen is delivered to our customers.

In the collection area, semen is collected using a double-gloved method, with the outer glove being shed immediately before gripping the penis for initiation of the collection. Once the boar has mounted, the sheath is flushed of all fluids, and the penis is wiped and dried for a sanitary collection. Once the boar has begun to ejaculate, only the sperm rich portion of the ejaculate is collected into a disposable, clean, and warmed filtered cup. The initial pre-sperm fraction and the gelatinous plug fraction with its associated fluids are discarded. These two portions are two of the main sources of bacterial contamination and contain very few, if any, sperm cells. After the ejaculation is complete, the filter and its contents are removed before further processing. This prevents contamination of the lab, its equipment, and the personnel. To further prevent contamination, disposable materials are used whenever possible. All reusable equipment is washed with a laboratory detergent and then rinsed with distilled water. After being rinsed the equipment is then sterilized before subsequent use.

Once collected, every ejaculate is evaluated for morphological and motility characteristics. This information is stored in a computerized database for future analysis. Minimum standards are in place that every ejaculate must meet before it can be extended and distributed. Any ejaculates not meeting minimum standards are discarded.

Doses produced by a BGI stud are standardized to approximately 3.0 billion viable cells per dose. The total cells in a dose are higher than the viable sperm cell count. Once semen has been extended, it is reevaluated to insure that no shock to the sperm cells has occurred. Another sample is then taken and retained at the lab for later evaluation of stored motility and acrosomes. The extended semen is dispensed into semen tubes at a volume of 80 milliliters per tube. The filled tubes are cooled to 17º Celsius until distribution via Babcock courier or outside delivery service.

Health Management

Babcock brings the benefits of the closed herd philosophy to our boar studs. All Babcock studs are stocked from our isolated single source nucleus herd, located near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Therefore, boars begin their isolation from the time they are born, and acclimation begins after selection. This system works well to maintain a high level of health and animal biosecurity. Dr. Darwin Kohler, DVM, maintains the stud’s health protocols and monitoring.

Visitors are absolutely not allowed at Babcock studs. This policy is strictly enforced to maintain overall biosecurity. All delivery vehicles are asked to thoroughly spray their tires prior to entering the grounds with an appropriate disinfectant, which is provided. Delivery drivers are also asked to (whenever possible) make any deliveries to the stud as early in the day as possible, prior to entering any other swine related facilities. To further ensure biosecurity, rodent and avian prevention aids are in place at all times to prevent the development of colonies or nesting.

Customer Service

Babcock studs offer a flexible collection schedule, collecting semen five days a week. We run our courier routes twice weekly. If an extra shipment of semen is required for an unexpected circumstance, we can have semen shipped virtually anywhere, five days a week, and where available, even on Saturdays. With Babcock studs located approximately 400 miles apart, we offer backup in the event of unforeseen circumstances. We will work to ensure that our customers always have semen available to get their sows bred in a timely manner.

Our staff is also available to help locate any needed equipment or supplies that may aid our customers in their AI programs. We will either help you locate a source for the item, or order the item on your behalf.

In addition, we offer consultation services for troubleshooting, training, and facility management.