Hi all! I had a question about breeding and semen shipping, so a friend of mine reccamened this forum. :)

My question is, how much is it to ship semen from england? I really want to breed my girl to a stud there, but i want to be sure i can afford everything before I contact the stud's owner.

Thanks!!!

It will depend on alot of factors the owners stud fee,the requirements of the country its being shipped to with regards to importing semen and the fees concerned with obtaining the semen  and fulfilling those requirements. Then the shipping fee itself. Someone may be able to give you a very rough estimate if they knew the breed and the country which you are wishing to have it shipped to.

the breed is toller and the country is england. :)

now you've lost me you want to ship semen to england ? from where?

As stated in my first post, i would like to have semen shipped here(USA) from england.

:D Yes thats where the confusion arose I read the first post as you wanting to import it from England but you replied to my question about where it was to be shipped to by answering England. :D  Edited to add now hopefully someone with more in depth knowledge can answer the specifics although exact stud fee will be down to the stud dogs owner. Also just to clear things alittle more this forum is UK based so here to the forum is UK.

Hi,

you would actually have to contact the stud's owner first as :-

(a) there will be a fee for collecting the semen, a further fee for testing the semen and yet a further fee again for freezing the semen.
(b) only the stud dog's owner can advise what s/he wishes to charge for a breeding dose and if it is only one such dose being sent
(c) your AI specialist will need to liaise with the UK collection, storage and freezing specialist how much each agrees IS a breeding dose (opinion varies dramatically :rolleyes: )
(d) the UK storage facility will be able to provide the costs (additional to those mentioned) for doing the paperwork for US customs, KC etc and specific airline requirements
(e) and a substantial amount of pre-paid money to the UK storage facility is required to cover the cost of the flask in which the frozen semen is stored for transportation as these are very expensive and filled with liquid nitrogen.  The deposit is refundable when the flask has been returned to the UK supplier but of course this all leads to a higher initial outlay.

EDITED TO ADD: additionally there will be the airline cost as the flask, containing the semen, is filled with what is classed as a hazardous substance i.e. the liquid nitrogen so the insurance risk is greater hence also the airline's fee.

It is sometimes possible, depending on timing, to have frozen semen from several animals leaving a UK facility to travel within the same containers which reduces costs for those receiving at the other end.

So, long story short, first contact the breeder you have in mind and find out if they are agreeable to have the added inconvenience of collection and testing done and what they will be charging for the breeding dose(s) on top :)  *Without the cost of the semen* I'd guesstimate you will be in the region of at least £1000 GBP - the largest part of which will be to cover the deposit on the travelling flask.  However it may be worth emailing INNOVIS a UK breeding specialist facility for their advice first.

HTH, best wishes, Teri

OK, I have a really silly question now, when you receive the gentleman dogs efforts in the post, how does it arrive at its destination in the long distance girlfriend? is there a vet involved?

Erm, not likely to arrive "in the post" considering it travels in liquid nitrogen ;)   We're talking UK to USA here so the only viable method is frozen sperm shipped as special cargo going from one specialist facility to another - via US customs of course.  Then, depending on the receiving vets preference, a trans-cervical AI or InVit AI will be carried out - so yes, veterinary intervention is essential :)

In the US, unlike the UK, it is permissable to do AIs instead of regular matings in which case as I understand it many breeders have their own AI kits but these would be working with fresh (or fresh chilled) rather than frozen semen.

regards, Teri :)

If you got your timing right you could send chilled semen to USA as it is viable about 48 hours.  Many flights take around 8 hours.  Success rates are much higher with fresh chilled semen., and you don't need the liquid nitrogen, just insulated thermos.  I would imagine some flights internally in the US take as long as international ones.

Fresh express by courier like DHL is commonly done in USA because of distance.

In theory it could probably be done, depending on original collection and shipping location in the UK and then of course length of flight involved in the final destination.  It would also require more than a little luck with the airlines and customs both ends and, MORE importantly, that the bitch being inseminated was at her optimum time for treatment within that period too ;)

I should think it would certainly be a more attractive solution for purchasers provided there was some level of guarantee that all the necessary events would somehow manage to come together at exactly the right time - as failing that it would be a very costly waste of money!