Storing boar semen

There are simple ways to store semen to ensure that inseminations have a high success rate.

General principles:

• The storage duration of the sample affects the insemination success rate.
• All storage containers for boar semen should be kept clean (dirt, bacteria and moulds can contaminate your samples).
• It's important to keep good records of stock identities, numbers, date/time of collection and use-by-dates.

Undiluted boar semen

Undiluted semen should be kept at 34°C (i.e. the temperature at which it was collected) and used within a few hours.

Diluted boar semen

Store diluted semen at 14–18°C. Use refrigerators to store at this temperature or, for smaller quantities, store in small polystyrene boxes using frozen glacial acetic acid as a refrigerant. To avoid cold spots, fit the storage box with dividers to avoid the refrigerant directly contacting the semen bottles.

There is a reduced farrowing rate when using chilled semen that is stored for more than 72 hours.

Gently turn semen twice daily to prevent sedimentation.

Do not subject the semen sample to sudden changes in temperature.