CLONE REPRODUCTION SERVICES

Some people feel that you get smaller litters using frozen semen. What Specialist have found is that if you use the recommended method of insemination and progesterone timing, you get comparable sized litters to chilled semen and live covers.

Dr. Omar Lorenzo's largest frozen semen breeding has been with a German Shepherd Dog delivering 14 pups!

With utilizing progesterone timing and surgically implantation of the frozen semen, he is currently running near an 89% success rate at his facility.

Steps for Success
Considerations when thinking about breeding:

• Method of Insemination for Bitch:
  • Natural Breeding
  • Vaginal Artificial Insemination (AI)
  • Trans Cervical Insemination (TCI)
  • Surgical Insemination
• Type of Semen to be used:
• Fresh
• Fresh Chilled
• Frozen
• Ovulation Timing
• Do you need Vaginal Cultures done?
• Do you need a Mycoplasma Culture done?
• Do you need to do Brucellosis testing?

Ovulation timing is probably the most important aspect to a successful breeding regardless of the type of semen you use or the method of insemination used.

Several things to take into account when thinking of using frozen semen
Where is the frozen semen stored that you are planning to use? Is it already stored with your reproduction specialist or does it need to be shipped in? If it is not stored with your specialist, will you need to pay release and shipping fees to get it to your Dr.

You need to do progesterone timing as it is imperative that the semen be placed in the bitch at the correct time as it will only live for 12 hours once it is thawed. Generally, you are looking to inseminate day 5 or day 6 post LH surge, approximately 60 hours post ovulation and at progesterone values of 35 – 40 ng/ml using miniVidas results.

How much frozen semen do you have access to? Do you only have one breeding unit available or can you get two.

What method of insemination do you want to use? With frozen semen it is recommended that it be implanted surgically due to its shortened life of 12 hours. If you have access to two breeding units, it is recommended that you do a TCI followed up 12 hours later with a surgical. This gives you 24 hours of coverage in which to get the eggs fertilized. It is not generally recommended that frozen semen be inserted via a Vaginal AI. You can have success with this method but specialist have found that you get a much lower rate of conception and smaller sized litters.

Progesterone levels and breeding
The progesterone test is not species specific so the test can be run in human labs or veterinary labs. Results should be available in less than 24 hours.

The progesterone test can be done every 2-3 days starting about 3-5 days into the heat. Timing of the test can be more certain if the lengths of the dog's previous heat cycles are known. The beginning progesterone levels are typically less than 1.0 ng/ml until the day before the LH surge. The day of the LH spike, serum progesterone concentrations are 2-3 ng/ml; the day following the LH surge, the serum progesterone concentration is 3-4 ng/ml. Ovulation occurs at a progesterone level of 5 ng/ml.

Figure 1. Hormone Levels During Estrus and Pregnancy

Figure 2. Predicting Breeding Time And Whelping