piper Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 My girl has just come into season early, throwing me into a spin and am currently planning her mating. We have an appointment at a repro specialist on Monday for prog testing and a chat on the different methods but I am curious, when using a dog interstate these days, do people prefer to send the bitch for a natural mating or fresh AI if needed), have chilled semen sent or frozen? Also curious on the costs of chilled and frozen. I have a feeling in comparison to flying a dog there and back it is possibly quite similar (not including the actual AI fee). I have discussed a couple of possible option with the stud dog owner and as I said have an appointment with the repro vet Monday morning so this is more food for thought for me to consider over the wekend :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 My personal preference is to travel with the bitch to the dog for natural matings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawksdale Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I have had my bitch AI using Frozen, cost was $850.00, she was already in the East (we are in WA) being campained by a friend so it was convienent that she came into season when she did, :) She is due on the 28th September and look like she is ready to explode with still 2 weeks to go Flight cost for a 25kg FCR each way was around $370.00 Plus stud fee...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenWei Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 When Willow came into season and I couldn't fly up to QLD with her due to not being able to get time off, I had chilled semen sent down. She had 4 prog tests, the dog was collected first thing on the Tuesday morning (after a prog test Monday said Tuesday was the day) was put straight on a plane, I picked it up directly from the airport and she was inseminated (surgical) at about 3pm the same day. We only did the one, timing had to be perfect although we could of split the semen into two lots but chose just to do the one mating. She had 7 puppies, all very good weights last week. It's actually a good size for her lines as they don't usually have large litters. There was no stress on her, she woke up exceedingly well from the anesthetic (I was with her the whole time) and the cost was very comparable to having me fly up with her or even driving up and back. Collection, packaging and flight was about $389, the AI itself plus the 4 prog tests was about $350. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Well after talking with the vet and getting prices and opinions on everything we have decided to send her to the dog. Still amazes me that it costs as much each way as return for me when it is not school holidays! The best quote I have is $270 each way yet accompanied including my flight I could get her there for $250. Unfortunately the return home flight in school holidays was going to be close to double that. As she came in earlier than planned the vet felt there wasn't sufficient time to arrange frozen and the shipping of it and given the cost of chilled, shipping and AI was comparable to sending her, I decided to take the send her there option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenchel Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I'm gobsmacked at some of the situations I've heard re breeders wanting semen from dogs interstate. I've sent chilled semen interstate probably nearly fifteen times and I reckon the conception rate has been about 80 %. Obviously timing is everything, therefore the bitch owner needs access to reliable progesterone readings, with results delivered in a timely manner, so the dog owner has the chance to collect the dog and deliver the semen within say 12 hours. If I, as stud dog owner, received the prog reading of >15 ng/ml the night before, I would arrange to have my dog collected first thing the next morning. He would provide enough semen for two inseminations. I would then ship the chilled semen to the bitch owner asap during that day. Melb - Sydney it would be available for collection in Sydney at AAE around 1.00pm, Brisbane mid afternoon, Perth depended on flight times, it might be worth sending overnight to arrive first thing the next morning. Put the first lot of semen in as soon as possible after the semen is picked up from the airport and the second lot 24 -36 hours later. I know there have been advances in detecting when bitches are ready for insemination and also semen extenders etc, but when I hear of vets insisting on trans cervical insemination of chilled semen or even surgical insemination and bills of nearly $1000, I shudder!! The important things are correct progesterone readings, timely delivery of the semen and correct chilling process and medium for semen. There is no need for the financial outlay or the stress on the bitch that flying her to the dog entails. One situation that nearly ended in disaster involved an impatient vet who hadn't thawed the media properly before we collected the dog - the temperature of the media killed the semen dead. Had to let the dog recover and collect again 6 hours later; by the time the semen arrived the next day the bitch's prog reading was 84 - she had nine puppies:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 The other consideration with chilled is how far is the stud dog owner from where the dog will be collected and is it possible for them to get there in the morning for the semen to make it onto a flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parkeyre Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I've done it twice. Both times interstate frozen Both times the AI was around $700. Whelped twelve and then ten puppies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winpara Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I know you have made your decision, but in case anyone else reads this wondering the same thing... I have sent many girls interstate (Perth to Syd/Melb/Adl)for mating. All but one have fallen pregnant. The one that missed went to a dog who was later found to have fertility issues, she was also sent to another dog interstate and got pregnant no problem. Quite a few of the girls were maiden bitches. I have used chilled semen once on a (maiden) girl I didn't really want to put on a plane. 4 progesterone tests at $34each. TCI ($350ish). Collection/chilling of the semen and stud owners costs ($200). Urgent freight Melb --> Perth $150 add to that petrol etc for extra running around and I didn't get much change out of $900. The bitch missed... would have cost me half that amount to fly her to Melb and back. I wont be doing chilled semen again. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 That's interesting winpara, as I was going to ask the question - how many of the experiences above relate to a maiden bitch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stolzseinrotts Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thank you to all that have posted. It has been great to get some information from others. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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