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Does anyone know what would be the least amount of nitrogen to be safe in a semen tank. I was told once that like 1in of fluid would keep a 17 liter tank safe!
How much is enough?
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I'm assuming the vapor shippers don't have any nitrogen of any depth in them just whats absorbed within the sides of the cantainer and they're good for a few days ! So I too would think 1 inch is ok but cutting it really close !
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You are right about vapor shippers, but we always put some liquid in the bottom when we ship. I suggest you don't let your level get that low in your storage tank.
The cost of some of this semen is way to expensive to risk it!
Also don't let your tank set on bare concrete. Put it on a rubber mat or wood block. I have seen the bottom of tanks pin-hole from corrosion with the concrete. You should inspect the bottom of your tank occasionally,and look for any corrosion. If a pin-hole develops into your vacuum chamber, your nitrogen level will drop very, very fast. The vacuum around the nitrogen is why we get such long shelf life with our nitrogen.
When we use to freeze and ship cattle embryos, they where very critical to keep them submerged in the liquid. We would never move or ship embryos in vapor. There is a lot of temperature difference between vapor and liquid, which affected post-thaw success. The reason we get by shipping semen in vapor is you are working with millions of cells. The theory is you can afford to lose 10-20% of semen and still get a good conception rate. But, In the cattle industry we always bred one straw to a cow. I never heard of splitting straws, until I got into the deer industry. I highly recommend keeping your semen, you plan to split multiple times submerged in liquid at all times! Moving, moving, moving semen will affect quality! When you transfer it be quick and don't gawk at the straw. If you need to do a hard inspection of a name or number on a straw, get a styrofoam box [ available at many semen supply companies], fill it with nitrogen, and then do your readings.
Saying this, there is many variables in this industry. I have seen people do everything wrong and still get good conception rates, and other people do everything right and get poor conception rates. But I think if you are careful in how you handle and store your semen , you will have better conception rates.
I have worked with cattle semen for 40 years and frozen cattle embryos for almost 30 years.
Gary Olson
The cost of some of this semen is way to expensive to risk it!
Also don't let your tank set on bare concrete. Put it on a rubber mat or wood block. I have seen the bottom of tanks pin-hole from corrosion with the concrete. You should inspect the bottom of your tank occasionally,and look for any corrosion. If a pin-hole develops into your vacuum chamber, your nitrogen level will drop very, very fast. The vacuum around the nitrogen is why we get such long shelf life with our nitrogen.
When we use to freeze and ship cattle embryos, they where very critical to keep them submerged in the liquid. We would never move or ship embryos in vapor. There is a lot of temperature difference between vapor and liquid, which affected post-thaw success. The reason we get by shipping semen in vapor is you are working with millions of cells. The theory is you can afford to lose 10-20% of semen and still get a good conception rate. But, In the cattle industry we always bred one straw to a cow. I never heard of splitting straws, until I got into the deer industry. I highly recommend keeping your semen, you plan to split multiple times submerged in liquid at all times! Moving, moving, moving semen will affect quality! When you transfer it be quick and don't gawk at the straw. If you need to do a hard inspection of a name or number on a straw, get a styrofoam box [ available at many semen supply companies], fill it with nitrogen, and then do your readings.
Saying this, there is many variables in this industry. I have seen people do everything wrong and still get good conception rates, and other people do everything right and get poor conception rates. But I think if you are careful in how you handle and store your semen , you will have better conception rates.
I have worked with cattle semen for 40 years and frozen cattle embryos for almost 30 years.
Gary Olson
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Gary , good post . I think the difference in temps between nitrogen and the vapors is over 200 degrees I think nitrogen is real close to minus 345 to 320 and vapor around minus 115 to 120. We never shipped embryo's either unless they were submerged in the liquid but we split straws all the time with regular breedings in my cattle . Of course when we bred for a flush we bred the cow several times in a few hours , but bull semen is allot cheaper than buck semen and the embryo markets were good .
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Mine is down to the bottom of the canister. If i move the canister i can see the fluid move. There is probably 5 or 6 inches of fluid. I was told the semen did not need to be covered in fluid and 1 inch would keep it good. My tank is less than a year old and lasted about 3 months so i was not to worried about it. I just decided to check it last night and was like..Oh Crap!! I think im good till monday( Gettin 17 inches of snow today) till in can get it charged back up! Thanks For The Help!