I want to have some semen taken and frozen from my male.  I am aware of the KC rulings on this - I have already spoken to them.  I have just had his semen checked for quality by a fertility expert and it is good enough. Gil Averis in Leeds has been suggested, and my vet suggested Liverpool veterinary hospital.  I was wondering if anyone has had experience of either of these or has any other suggestions.  Neither are particularly convenient from the wilds of Devon, but of course I will travel if necessary.
Any comments appreciated.

I used David Morton in Birmingham but this was 12 or 13 years ago. He was the only person that the vet in NZ (where the collections where going) would deal with. Wish I could have had the collections done at either Leeds or Liverpool, they would have been better for me coming from Scotland :rolleyes:   Good Luck :)

Brit Breeds in Haddington now take semen and can freeze it, for future reference?  ;)  My friend had semen taken from her Ridgeback there to export to Sweden.

Would probably be better using the Scottish one ;)

I have had dealings with the Liverpool  Animal Hospital when My Mum's dachsie had a Liver shunt dealt with, thye staff were very good and caring,always rang back when they said they would.

I don't know anything with regards to storing semen

Thanks for your replies.  There was also a chap called Gary England but I am informed that he is doing something else now.

Have you tried Innovis (sp) in Malvern?  They do farm animal AI but might be able to help you :)

Hi Teri, no I haven't heard of them.  I will google!

They bought over a Scottish business that do farm animals and dogs :)  So perhaps they're expanding their market ......

I've just had a look at their website, I'll give them a call tomorrow, and also Gil Averis and have a chat with them.  Thanks for that.

Prof Gary England is now located in Nottingham University, he is the top AI person in the UK.

Hi, I was told by the fertility specialist vet that I saw last week that he was no longer doing AI work.  Perhaps she was wrong?   Does he deal with freezing and storing semen?

i too am in devon & had some done by britbreed.......the guy came down from scotland for a group session, but i gather that twice a year he goes to south molton & can arrange to collect semen from there if that helps. pm me for more info.

Liverpool University small animal Hospital is my vet practice I think they are excellent too and very approachable I have every confidence in them also have met lots of people from all around the country who are there for referrral and feel very lucky to have them as my vet.

Roni

There is also Angelika von Heimendahl in Cambridge, but she's no nearer for you, unfortunately

Jo

Thanks.

Does anyone have personal experience of any of these?

There are only 3 vets in  the UK who specialise in AI. Paul Boland at Liverpool, Angelika at Cambridge & Gil Averis in Leeds.
I have used Gil myself on several occasions & have been happy with the service.

I have used Angelika and was highly satisfied and wouldnt hesitate to recommend her.
Diane

Like i said, i have used Britbreed & been very happy. I have pmd the info to you RL.

Why do you say only 3 specialists in the UK?
What about proffessor Gary England?

Gary England has stopped doing AI. (or so i was lead to believe)

That's what I was told too - apparantly he's set up a new department?

Doing AI or something different?

He runs a vet school in Nottingham.

Just an idea. i live in Ireland and the best people to go to here is the veterinary hospital in Dublin. It's where the Vets do their training. There is pretty much nothing that they don't do, as it's all experience for the trainee vets.
Maybe it would be worth looking into the English equivelant of it.
Like i said, just an idea.

Jim

Hi Jim
I've tried the vet school in Bristol, they don't do it.  It seems to be very specialised.  But thanks for the suggestion.

Just to say thank you very much everyone for all the suggestions and help. 

Just to add my bit to this, we have used Gill Averis for severalyears now, and have semen stored wiht her from 4 or 5 of our dogs, she also carried out the AI on Arrabella which resulted in a wonderful litter, using imported semen, Can't recomend her highly enough, and the staff, but of course she is a long way from you.  Also have a friend who had an upsetting experience with Britbreed, so personally would not feel comfortable wiht them.
bye
Gwen

What are the costs for AI ?

Rachel

I'm waiting to find that out!!

By the way - does everyone say they need to have a bitch in season?  The vet who tested his semen for fertility didn't need one.   What can I say - Bani is obviously "easy"!

I wanted to have a dog that missed to one of my girls to be tested before I tried him again, but her vet refused without a teaser bitch, so I gave it a go and missed again.

I think it's really odd that some will insist on having a teaser bitch.  I had one of my boys tested some years ago - a couple of bitches had missed - and the vet got a sample with very little trouble with no bitch.  And the fertility specialist had no trouble at all - got 2 samples in fact!  I wonder why the others insist on having a teaser, can't understand it. 

I wonder if it is just that they find the procedure distasteful.  they suggested she get a sample herself and bring it in.  Fat lot of use that would have been to test for motility!

Paul Boland in  Liverpool, is the vet I have used, he is
also a dog exhibitor shows SBT, and is easy to deal
with, was there on Friday,  taking semen from one of my dogs
to send to Australia

Did you have to have a teaser bitch?

Gil will require you to have a tease bitch. She does sometimes have one of her own bitches in season which she will use if you don't have one.

Hi No Teaser Bitch as the Dog is ok to handle,
But in some cases a Dog may need one,

My dog is very easy to handle - he has already produced a sample for the fertility specialist I saw recently, without a bitch.