Try Frozen

Try Frozen

by / Mallorie Boggs

Do you ever reminisce about boars from years ago? Those that made an impact on your herd either in terms of show quality or meat production? Many of these boars were popular in production 10, 20 and even beyond 30 years ago and because of the natural circle of life, they can’t be used in a sow’s next heat cycle. Due to innovation, cost-effectiveness and people like Dustin Bauer protecting these impactful genetics, it is now easier than ever to use these boars with the advantage of frozen semen. CryoSires is family owned and operated company located in Verona, Ill. With the mission of providing a higher quality product, Dustin Bauer works with breeders and boar studs across the U.S. to provide frozen semen services. Dustin’s passion for the livestock industry and over 15 years of experience helped fuel his purpose for starting CryoSires. Although frozen semen has been used in the swine industry for many years, the improvement in extenders, controlled rate freezing equipment, and advancement in artificial insemination (A.I.) tools have allowed breeders and studs of all sizes to implement frozen semen in their herds. Using frozen semen in swine not only preserves genetics to use later, but it also provides an element of convenience. “If they have their mattings planned out and know what boars they want to use, it makes sense for them to stock up on the boars they want before breeding season so they have it on hand to use whenever they need it,” said Dustin. The option of using frozen semen also alleviates the risk of packaged semen not being delivered on time, having options for last-minute mating decisions and boars not producing enough to meet the demand. So how does the process work? A regular size dose of fresh semen is concentrated down to a 5ml sized straw. To thaw the semen all you need is warm water, a thermometer, and a timer. When you want to breed a sow with semen that has been frozen, drain the concentrated straw into a bottle with thawing extender to mix in a 65 ml breeding dose. Dustin has put together some great information videos on his website and Facebook that discuss this in more detail. A large advantage of using frozen semen is cost-effectiveness for both breeders and boar studs. CryoSires has a standard processing fee of $140 per boar collection, up to 10 frozen straws. If a boar produces more than 10 straws, there’s a $13 charge per addition. Every custom collection is a full collection of a boar. The only more expensive upfront charge to breeders is the cost of a liquid nitrogen storage tank to keep the straws stored in. CryoSires prioritizes quality, concentration, and motility in every boar. When the straw has been thawed and if the handling instructions were followed properly, frozen semen should have the same quality of the product that CryoSires tested for in their lab.

Lance Knobloch, Berkshire breeders in Iowa, has started to use frozen semen in his show and meat production herd. “CryoSires has been a great asset to Fly’n K Berkshires in helping us build an inventory of frozen semen out of our elite progeny tested sires in case of a catastrophic event that might happen to our operation and/or the country in which we could possibly lose our genetic base. I have really enjoyed working with Dustin at CryoSires.” New at CryoSires, is their online store. By working with boar studs and breeders, Dustin has built relationships to freeze semen from elite boars and assist in distribution both domestically and internationally. “We hope to put together a large and diverse offering of elite genetics that can be accessible with the click of a button”. If you have questions about frozen semen or how to get started, don’t be afraid to reach out to Dustin for more information. “We are excited about the opportunities this product can provide and look forward to making lasting connections within the industry.” Learn more about CryoSires and watch Dustin’s “How To” videos at cryosires.com. •

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