Frozen Dog Semen for AI Breeding
A new generation of sheep dogs on the farm is being bred by carefully choosing sires and dams from the UK/Ireland. Breeding is done using frozen semen via TCI (transcervical insemination), a non-surgical catheter insertion into the uterus that produces excellent results.
Costs for the TCI procedure and the testing range from $800 – $1500, of which testing to determine the best timing is over half the cost. In artificial insemination with frozen semen, timing is even more important because thawed sperm live only about 12 hours v. a week or more with fresh semen from natural matings. Breeding is typically done 3-4 days from ovulation, when the eggs are most ripe. In AI breedings, timing may not be everything, but close to it, that means working with an experienced repro vet and not skimping on testing is critical to successful outcomes.
AI is an important to working dog breeding. I asked a multiple time national sport dog champion and sought-after working dog trainer, who has taken semen from Dean McAuley’s Joe from me, why he chooses to breed via artificial insemination as well as natural matings:
“I think the collies are no different than the sporting dogs many respects. What we see in the sporting dog is so many poorly planned breedings that everybody wants to go back to dogs that have been gone for 20 years. That’s a very sad statement for the breeding program of many owners today. I see it in sporting dogs, and I especially see it in the border collies.”
Purchasing working dogs is hit or miss (puppies or adults) …with too many costly misses. Breeding by artificial insemination costs more and takes time, but in the USA in particular where the working sheepdog stock is diluted, it provides a superior option for those wanting concentrated and traditional working dog traits.
Current Semen Available:
