Transported Cooled/Frozen Semen

The use of transported cooled/frozen semen has proven a boon to the Paint breed, not only opening a wider market for stallion owners but providing mare owners a world of breeding options.

However, use of transported semen means adding a few extra procedures during the breeding process. Not only must owners understand the technical aspects of shipping and long-distance artificial insemination, but guidelines set up by APHA must be carefully followed.

Fortunately, most of what the association requires involves filling out simple forms, which is relatively quick and easy.

In order to ship semen, the stallion owner, lessee of record or authorized agent (all will be referred to as "stallion owner") must apply for a Cooled/Frozen Transported Semen Permit. The APHA Field Services Department sends applications upon request. (All stallion owners who transported semen last year automatically received forms for this year's permit.)

Applications can also be downloaded from APHA's Forms Page.

After completing the application form, stallion owners send it and the $100 fee to APHA. Stallion owners must reapply for the permit each year, and must pay the appropriate annual fee.

Upon receiving the breeder's application, APHA checks that the stallion is listed for Paint breeding, and if its DNA is on file. Once the application is approved, the stallion is assigned a permit number and the owner is sent Collection and Insemination Reports. Owners can begin shipping semen as soon as they receive their reports.

Each time semen is shipped to a mare, the stallion owner must fill out the collection (upper) portion of the Collection and Insemination Report, keep the gold copy for his or her files, and send the rest of the form with the semen shipment to the mare owner.

A stallion's semen can be shipped to a mare as many times as needed during a calendar year. However, if the mare does not conceive during that year, the stallion owner must renew the permit the following year to continue shipping semen to that mare.

Beginning in 1998, stallions are not limited to the number of mares exposed to transported cooled/frozen semen during the year.

Both collection and insemination must be overseen or conducted by a veterinarian/technician signature. The Collection and Insemination Report and required veterinarian certification is necessary for proper identification of the stallion and mare.

Mare owners do not need to fill out any forms before receiving semen, but they must complete reports after breeding.

After receiving and inseminating the mare, mare owners must complete the insemination (lower) portion of the report, then mail the white copy to APHA and the yellow copy to the stallion owner. The pink copy is for the mare owner's records.

As is the case with any other breeding arrangement, mare owners should have a signed agreement with the stallion owner in advance of the breeding. In addition to setting a breeding and shipping price, the mare and stallion owner should discuss the details of things such as use and shipment of the semen container and the method of payment.

Please note that breeding contracts are agreements between the mare and stallion owners only. APHA plays no part in these business arrangements.

Stallion owners should be aware that the stallion breeding report must include all mares exposed to transported cooled semen, whether or not the mare conceives.

Also note that foals resulting from transported semen must be parentage verified before registration can be completed.