FAQ

Frozen Semen - the Future of Swine "AI"
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT FROZEN SWINE SEMEN
*1. What equipment do I need for using frozen semen?*
First you will need a Liquid Semen Tank (LN2) for storing the semen until ready to use.
Equipment needed for thawing semen:
Straw (new style)	Pellet (old style)
*temperature controlled water bath	*temperature controlled water bath
*thermometer	*thermometer
*scissors	*small thin walled pan
*timer	*thaw solution
*thaw solution
All supplies for frozen semen available through IBS - call for prices!
Thaw solution comes shipped in Ready-To-Use plastic insemination bottles.
The bottles of thaw solution should be kept frozen until needed.
Thaw solution is included in the price of specified semen.
*2. Do I breed at the same time as with fresh swine semen?*
No, with frozen semen, observe sows for heat morning and night, preferably not at feeding time. Sows should be inseminated with frozen semen for the first time, 24 hours after standing heat is observed and the second time 12 hours after the first insemination. Two services are recommended.
*NOTE: FOLLOW IBS THAW DIRECTIONS FOR BEST RESULTS!*
*3. Are conception rates the same as with fresh semen?*
Frozen boar semen from International Boar Semen is a quality product utilized around the world with confidence. Many factors enter into the farrowing percentages and litter size; heard health, procedures of handling and thawing semen, and most important of all, timing of insemination. If you pay close attention to detail you should be able to achieve results similar to natural mating with our pellet frozen semen. Using the straw method you could expect conception results and litter sizes equal to fresh semen conception rates. 7000 litters by frozen semen has the conception rates equal to and one herd better than fresh semen 89% with 11.2 born alive
*4. How will the frozen semen be shipped to me?*
Frozen semen from IBS is shipped in a Dry Shipper LN2 tank by UPS (30 pellet or 60 straws of frozen semen can be shipped at one time). Just remove frozen semen from dry shipper into your LN2 tank upon arrival, and then place return UPS label provided on outside of shipping container and call UPS for pick up. The UPS driver will pick up shipper and return it to IBS.
*5. What boars are available in frozen semen?*
International Boar Semen offers over 15,000 doses of frozen semen from more than 10 different breeds and lines. Frozen semen allows you to access our genetics for use any time you wish, and has an unlimited shelf life, if properly stored. IBS currently has semen dating back to 1975.
*6. What are the advantages of frozen semen?*
Semen can be stored in liquid nitrogen indefinitely. An outstanding boar can be available for years after his death. Compared to transporting fresh semen, shipments of frozen semen can be combined for less cost in handling and care in transit. Storage for months or years require only the minor expense of liquid nitrogen and a modest investment in equipment versus the extensive cost of housing, feeding, and care of one live animal or the short term life (3-7 days) of fresh semen and weekly shipping cost.
A) Semen can be retained for use in case of disease outbreak at your AI Stud.
B) Store at the farm for use in case of delivery problems or weather delays.
C) Use when fresh semen is old or unavailable.
D) Use for end of week breeding to eliminated extra semen ordering and shipping cost.
E) Custom freeze semen from your own boars for "Great Insurance in Your Own AI Program".

Terms used in Boar Descriptions

NATIONAL SWINE REGISTRY GENETIC EVALUATION PROGRAM FOR HERD SIRES

EPD

Expected Progeny Difference

TSI

Terminal Sire Index

MLI

Maternal Line Index

SPI

Sow Productivity Index

ADG

Average Daily Gain

DAYS

Days needed to reach 250 lbs. Adjusted

B.F.

Fat thickness measured at 10th rib. Adjusted to 250 lbs.

LEA

Loin Eye area expressed in square inches. Adjusted to 250 lbs.

LBS LEAN

Lbs of fat free lean adjusted to 185 lb carcass. (Approximately 250 lbs live weight)

NBA

Number of pigs born alive

LWT

21 day adjusted litter weight

CONTEMPORARY GROUP

Animals of the same breed, or cross, managed together under the same conditions in the same herd.

FEED EFFICIENCY

Total pounds of feed consumed to produce 100 lbs gain

PARITY

Number of litters a sow has farrowed

HETEROSIS

Positive or negative differences in performance from the average of the parental types

TERMINAL CHARACTERISTICS

MATERNAL CHARACTERISTICS

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Importance of Maternal Line Traits in a Boar

Over the past several years, some producers have found 40-60% replacement rates to be acceptable in their sow herd. Deficiencies in soundness and reproductive performance have allowed these high replacement rates to become commonplace in the swine industry. PigChamp data from 1999 shows the top 10% of herds to have an average culling rate of 25.5% with a 2.7% death loss, while the average herd was only achieving a 44.6% cull rate and 6.9% death loss for an annual replacement rate of 56.9%. With this kind of performance, many sows are never reaching their most productive parities (third through fifth). Dr. Ken Stalder, (University of Tennessee), reported in the January 15, 2001 issue of National Hog Farmer that most sows will not show a positive net present value until reaching their third litter. Therefore, longevity needs to be high on the list as producers make genetic decisions for the maternal genetics in their breeding herd.

At IBS we have strived to maintain a balanced animal when it comes to our Maternal Line Boars. While maternal genetics do provide one-half of the desirable traits to your market hogs, it is important to remember that you are producing a female that you want and need to remain productively active in your herd for at least four parities. Therefore, traits such as structural soundness, number born and number weaned take on an increased priority in making your genetic selection.

When creating an internal multiplication program for your herd, the first decision is whether you will be creating parent females through a great-grandparent program (GGP) or through a grandparent program (GP). In the GGP pyramid, 2.5-3% of your females are devoted to producing grandparent females. These grandparent females will then contribute as 12-12.5% of the herd, leaving the remaining 85% to produce your market hogs. The GP pyramid eliminates the great-grandparent herd. Therefore you have 15% of your females as grandparents, to go along with the 85% parent females in your herd.

The GGP pyramid can be operated at a lower cost due to the introduction of fewer purchased females (3% vs. 15%), but producers need to evaluate at what size it is economically feasible to maintain an internal great-grandparent herd. (For example, on a 100-sow herd you would only have 3 GGP sows, therefore you would be placing a great amount of risk on the performance of these three animals).

One final advantage to an internal multiplication program is a reduced risk of disease introduction. IBS boars are tested for many diseases affecting the swine industry, including PRV & PRRS. Although disease can be transmitted through semen, the possibilities of this happening are significantly less. Therefore allowing producers to concentrate on the productivity of their herd, instead of the transmission of new disease.

If an internal multiplication program is the direction you are selecting to move your herd, remember IBS for assistance in designing a program that will combine all traits necessary to make the program a successful one.

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International Boar Semen

30355 260th Street

Eldora, IA 50627

1.641.939.3411

1.800.247.7877

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