Frozen Semen Litter In The Us

[seaspot_run]

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Congratulations :cheers: Drakkar is on my list of favorite dogs and so it is good to see him siring another litter.  I have also been considering using frozen semen, but was worried about the success rate in Whippets, this gives me little bit more confidence.

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This semen was only 40% viable, which is about the lower limit of what you would ever want to work with. Most of what has been collected in the last 15 years is much better than that--as much as 80-90% viable. Not Drake's fault--he was siring very well when he was collected--it's just that they are better at it now.

They were just getting the technique down when Drake was collected. The key is to pinpoint ovulation absolutely via progesterone, and then do the surgical implant in the right 12-24 hour window. Frozen semen may only swim for 12 hours so if you put them on top of eggs a day away from being ripe or a day too late, you won't get anything.

Karen

 

[Scudder]

Trivia fact #1: This is not the first time I've bred to Drakkar.  The first time was in 1994.  The product of that litter is my Sanibel, still hale and hearty at nearly 14!!  My other young champion bitch, Maura, is a Drake great-granddaughter.
Trivia fact #2:  It's been a good day for me. Not only my two puppies, but this morning, our yearling Pea son (co-owned by Scudder) "Butters" finished his AKC bench championship at a show in Pennsylvania. 

Karen Lee

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Trivia fact #3: It just keeps getting better for Karen today. Her yearling "Jewel" won the open stake at a lure coursing field trial today giving her a much needed first placement toward her championship.

Puppies, Show Wins, Field Wins all from the same kennel in one day.

I think we need to open another bottle of wine!

Kristen

 

[seaspot_run]

Trivia fact #1: This is not the first time I've bred to Drakkar.  The first time was in 1994.  The product of that litter is my Sanibel, still hale and hearty at nearly 14!!  My other young champion bitch, Maura, is a Drake great-granddaughter.

Trivia fact #2:  It's been a good day for me. Not only my two puppies, but this morning, our yearling Pea son (co-owned by Scudder) "Butters" finished his AKC bench championship at a show in Pennsylvania. 

Karen Lee

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Trivia fact #3: It just keeps getting better for Karen today. Her yearling "Jewel" won the open stake at a lure coursing field trial today giving her a much needed first placement toward her championship.

Puppies, Show Wins, Field Wins all from the same kennel in one day.

I think we need to open another bottle of wine!

Kristen

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Jewel is an English Mabel daughter. I have gotten some very good runners from Mabel.

Cathie Brown--get thee to the lure coursing fields!!!

Jewel is a 3/4 sister to Surrey Hill's the Witching Hour who has been coursing with some distinction at EAWC's events. Her owners moved back to the UK after they bought her.

 

[Seraphina]

Congratulations :cheers: Drakkar is on my list of favorite dogs and so it is good to see him siring another litter.  I have also been considering using frozen semen, but was worried about the success rate in Whippets, this gives me little bit more confidence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

This semen was only 40% viable, which is about the lower limit of what you would ever want to work with. Most of what has been collected in the last 15 years is much better than that--as much as 80-90% viable. Not Drake's fault--he was siring very well when he was collected--it's just that they are better at it now.

They were just getting the technique down when Drake was collected. The key is to pinpoint ovulation absolutely via progesterone, and then do the surgical implant in the right 12-24 hour window. Frozen semen may only swim for 12 hours so if you put them on top of eggs a day away from being ripe or a day too late, you won't get anything.

Karen

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Thanks for that Karen, i have discussed the possibility with my vet who does routinely inseminate racing greyhounds as well as other breeds, they do the surgical implantation and their success rate is very high indeed, but apparently the success with Whippets, even with quite recently frozen semen has been for some reason lower. I also do the progesterone test even before natural matings as my bitches have been traveling, often flying interstate, to the sire.

I am considering importing semen for my last litter ,planed for late 2009 or 2010, from my Claudia. Would like to indulge myself and chose the best dog for her, where ever in the world he may be.

 

[doris]

One more open-marked lemon chiffon male and one dark gold fawn bitch with some black masking.
Welcome into the world, my little frozen pupsicles!

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Karen, I'm not sure what I like more - the description of the colours or the 'pupsicles' name!!! (w00t) :lol: :huggles:

Either way, congratuations on your new arrivals and on your recent successes :cheers:

Any chance on a pic being posted of the infamous Drake? :- "

 

[seaspot_run]

My litter page on my website has not yet been updated, but here is a link to my puppy page, and has photos and pedigree of parents

Surrey Hill Website Puppy Page

 

[doris]

wow, he looked a very smart lad :wub: - thanks for the link :thumbsup:

 

[parnew]

Congrats on your new litter, I can see why your are soooo happy, look forward to watch them grow. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[shenace]

Congratulations :cheers: Drakkar is on my list of favorite dogs and so it is good to see him siring another litter.  I have also been considering using frozen semen, but was worried about the success rate in Whippets, this gives me little bit more confidence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

This semen was only 40% viable, which is about the lower limit of what you would ever want to work with. Most of what has been collected in the last 15 years is much better than that--as much as 80-90% viable. Not Drake's fault--he was siring very well when he was collected--it's just that they are better at it now.

They were just getting the technique down when Drake was collected. The key is to pinpoint ovulation absolutely via progesterone, and then do the surgical implant in the right 12-24 hour window. Frozen semen may only swim for 12 hours so if you put them on top of eggs a day away from being ripe or a day too late, you won't get anything.

Karen

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Thanks for that Karen, i have discussed the possibility with my vet who does routinely inseminate racing greyhounds as well as other breeds, they do the surgical implantation and their success rate is very high indeed, but apparently the success with Whippets, even with quite recently frozen semen has been for some reason lower. I also do the progesterone test even before natural matings as my bitches have been traveling, often flying interstate, to the sire.

I am considering importing semen for my last litter ,planed for late 2009 or 2010, from my Claudia. Would like to indulge myself and chose the best dog for her, where ever in the world he may be.

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Firstly - HUGE congratulations - how very exciting :cheers:

Intersting to hear the success rate of frozen semen - we have been discussing it here a bit in NZ.

One breeder has just gone down the track of frozen semen, they did the progesterone test, surgical implant, the bitch has had puppies beforehand & semen was viable - end result - no puppies Another breeder did the same but the cervical insemination - done it twice on a bitch who produces big litters & comes from lines with big litters - end result: no puppies

The breeder who did the surgical method was advised the success rate was 80 - 90% & I know of a lot of other breeders (not whippets) who have had huge success with these vets & getting puppies.

Like you say, a big expense going down the frozen semen path and if the end result is a couple of puppies, then I reckon it is well worth it, just wonder why whippets seem to be more difficult to get the success rate up?? Would be interesting to hear other success stories out there.

Give those pupsicles a big cuddle from NZ - such beautiful babies :wub:

 

[Ms Molly]

Congratulations to Karen, and Grandma Deann on the success with the new frozen semen puppies by Drake.

I wish I was brave enough to try again with frozen semen. I tried 4 times with 2 different bitches, with continual disappointment. We did trans cervical and surgical uterine implantations.

Must admit this was in the mid nineties, so I would hope that the procedures would have been fine tuned now in 2008.

The success rate in the southern hemisphere with Whippets AIs has been quite frugal. We read of the high success rate in the Nordic countries, and the USA, but here in Oz we seem to be dragging the chain.

We would love to use our Pepper Mill semen but until now haven't been inspired to use it.

Would love to hear of other success stories from abroad.

Molly

 

[aslan]

Congratulations Karen! Will you be keeping both pupsicles?

Drake :wub:

 

[Boxing Helena]

Can immagine that this is an extremely "special" litter.

It is also very interesting to read about the results.

Congratulations and good luck with them.

Hope you will keep us updated with new pictures

 

[seaspot_run]

This is the place where I had the insemination done.

Springfield Vet Hospital

If you click on the FAQ's button, you will find a lot of info that was pertinent to getting at least some conception off of this frozen semen. It was only 40% viable, so that's the lower limit of what they will work with.

Pea had five progesterone tests to pinpoint ovulation. Then, she was allowed four days for her eggs to ripen and was inseminated on the exact day in the morning (the evening of the prior day would have worked as well).

The expertise of the people doing the thawing is critical, as is the timing. Unlike natural mating semen which may swim for a week, and fresh chilled which can swim for two days and perhaps three, frozen may only swim for 12 hours. Obviously, even if you surgically implant it, if the eggs are 24 hours from being ripe or have ripened and are just dying off, you won't get any puppies.

I wouldn't do transcervical with frozen--NO WAY. If you're going to do this, you have to go all out.

By the time the process was finished, and exclusive of stud fee (which is a private matter between myself and Deann), here is how the cost broke down:

shipping of frozen semen and lab fee to get the semen to the clinic: $375

Pre-breeding exam: $175

Four more progesterone tests: $400.

Surgical implant: $425

Plus, I did the eye and cardiac clearances on my bitch prior to the mating, which came to about $140.

Not cheap.

These little guys cost a bundle. Obviously, if they are nice quality, we're not parting with them.

Karen Lee

 

[shenace]

Hey there Karen

Can I copy & paste your post above to our whippet forum here in NZ??

Very interesting to see such critical timing is required - it is odd as I mentioned in my earlier post, the vets who a couple of breeders have been to (and who I have frozen wigglies collected/stored with) have quite a success rate with lots of other breeds, seems the whippets are a bit more of a challenge when it comes to puppies arriving?? We have discussed the issues of the shape of the whippet & if that brings its own set of challenges???

Very interesting & a process that you want to get right particularly with the costs involved - the expenses you have shown are pretty much what it is here in NZ also, almost dollar for dollar in our currency.

Lynda

 

[Seraphina]

This is the place where I had the insemination done.
Springfield Vet Hospital

If you click on the FAQ's button, you will find a lot of info that was pertinent to getting at least some conception off of this frozen semen. It was only 40% viable, so that's the lower limit of what they will work with.

Pea had five progesterone tests to pinpoint ovulation.  Then, she was allowed four days for her eggs to ripen and was inseminated on the exact day in the morning (the evening of the prior day would have worked as well).

The expertise of the people doing the thawing is critical, as is the timing. Unlike natural mating semen which may swim for a week, and fresh chilled which can swim for two days and perhaps three, frozen may only swim for 12 hours. Obviously, even if you surgically implant it, if the eggs are 24 hours from being ripe or have ripened and are just dying off, you won't get any puppies.

I wouldn't do transcervical with frozen--NO WAY.  If you're going to do this, you have to go all out.

By the time the process was finished, and exclusive of stud fee (which is a private matter between myself and Deann), here is how the cost broke down:

shipping of frozen semen and lab fee to get the semen to the clinic: $375

Pre-breeding exam: $175

Four more progesterone tests: $400.

Surgical implant: $425

Plus, I did the eye and cardiac clearances on my bitch prior to the mating, which came to about $140.

Not cheap.

These little guys cost a bundle.  Obviously, if they are nice quality, we're not parting with them.

Karen Lee

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That is pretty much what it costs here, except there is quite a bit more for getting the semen to OZ.

 

[seaspot_run]

Hey there Karen
Can I copy & paste your post above to our whippet forum here in NZ??

Lynda

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Sure.

With greater viability and motility, I would be looking at 6-8 pups instead of two out of this particular bitch who is very high fertility. I am sure all was done exactly right.

 

[Ms Molly]

I did allot of research when planning my AIs, and of course after the fact with no puppies as the result. One vet Marg Giles a Saluki breeder informed me that Whippets being a high stress breed, when put in a stressed situation, like at the vet clinic, travelling from home and away from their owners, the cortisone in the blood rises which in fact can alter the assay levels.

Both my bitches were big producers from natural matings, so therefore very fertile.

There must be some major differences in the Whippet as far as success rates, even compared to a Greyhound, Afghan or Saluki who seem to have a higher success rate with AIs.

We did everything to the book, with semen of average percentage. At the time I was up speed with the small window of opportunity that we had for a successful implantation. So I guess little has changed there. I think what you need is allot of luck, with the semen thawed correctly and a good vet who know his work.

To my knowledge there has been 3 successful frozen semen Whippet litters born here in OZ. The semen was collected from home bred males, so not imported. The result was 1 puppy each litter. The other litter I don't know about, as all I knew was the bitch was in whelp, however haven't heard since then.

Good luck to all

Molly

 

[seaspot_run]

Here in the US, there are many litters being born out of sperm from Reign On, and most of those are good-sized litters. Frozen collected in the last 12 years has a fine record here in the USA.

Pea is a very low-stress bitch. Travels beautifully, loves her crate, never is bothered by much.

She's the ideal candidate.

I don't see why stress is such an issue compared to live cover where here in the USA, a bitch might be shipped from the East Coast to the West Coast and have to live in a strange house for a week while being bred, then return home by 10 hours airplane flight. Saulo once shipped me a bitch from Brazil and I bred her and returned her--that was about 16 hours each way on the airplane with a plane change in Miami, and she had 10 pups.

I really just think that the greyhound people are more scientific about it.

There's no reason Whippets should be more sensitive than salukis. Those dogs are much closer to a wild-type temperament than Whippets are. Whippets should be a trusting breed which relaxes so long as humans are around to take care of them.

JMO,

Karen Lee

 

[Ms Molly]

Yes I agree Karen, but there has to be a valid reason WHY Whippets are not as easy to get favourable results from frozen semen AIs.

The cortisone in the blood of a stressed dog can create false and misleading assay results. Also we don't rely on assay readings to do natural matings, and the window of opportunity is widdened due to using fresh semen that has a longer life expectancy.

I am going to open up another post for breeders around the globe to inform us of the percentages of frozen semen litters born in comparison to how many times breeders have had negative results, which could be interesting.

 

[native]

I did allot of research when planning my AIs, and of course after the fact with no puppies as the result. One vet Marg Giles a Saluki breeder informed me that Whippets being a high stress breed, when put in a stressed situation, like at the vet clinic, travelling from home and away from their owners, the cortisone in the blood rises which in fact can alter the assay levels.Both my bitches were big producers from natural matings, so therefore very fertile.

There must be some major differences in the Whippet as far as success rates, even compared to a Greyhound, Afghan or Saluki who seem to have a higher success rate with AIs.

We did everything to the book, with semen of average percentage. At the time I was up speed with the small window of opportunity that we had for a successful implantation. So I guess little has changed there. I think what you need is allot of luck, with the semen thawed correctly and a good vet who know his work.

To my knowledge there has been 3 successful frozen semen Whippet litters born here in OZ. The semen was collected from home bred males, so not imported. The result was 1 puppy each litter. The other litter I don't know about, as all I knew was the bitch was in whelp, however haven't heard since then.

Good luck to all

Molly

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Hi Molly,

Frozen Semen litter in Sth Aust, born in March 07, Sire: Aust, NZ, Am, Can Ch. Noholme Beauling Alli Dam: Aust Ch Swifthund Made You Look, two puppies born, 1 male & 1 female, both these puppies are being shown with success.

Litter bred by Sharon Bailey, Shallrun kennels.

regards

Anne