Hand breeding question

[HappyFarmer]

For those of you who hand breed I have a question.

How "stale" is the sperm of the buck on his first breeding of the season? I know there is a lot of dead sperm, but are there any viable to impregnate a doe on his first breeding? He's been penned with 4 other bucks & practicing with them if it makes a difference.

We normally pen the buck with his does, but today I did the drive-by breeding on one of my does, he bred her 5 hunchy-butt times. It was his first breeding of the season. What are the chances of her being bred, and will the twinning rate be lessened due to non-viable sperm?

Thanks,
HF

[Alice In TX/MO]

Why would there be dead sperm?

Also, twinning is from eggs available, not from sperm.

[HappyFarmer]

Alice I understand the does determine the number of kids. Let me try to explain my thought process, and someone please correct me if I'm not understanding correctly.

It is my understanding that when collecting sperm for AI, dead or stale sperm will be collected unless the buck is primed, particularly if he hasn't been used for a while. So, if this is true, wouldn't the chances of live sperm be lessened, making the chances of impregnating 2 or 3 or 4 eggs less likely or would it be effected at all? Is only a %age of the sperm not viable?

Taking the above information, providing I'm understanding it correctly, does it apply to bucks & their first breeding?

Thanks,
HF

[thaiblue12]

Human males produce millions, they die and are re-absorbed if not used and more are produced. So a well functioning man should always have a couple of million and some will die, some will not make the swim and etc.

I am guessing that goat's sperm is the same way. They have let's say thousands and some can't make the swim, some are DOA, some double tailed, and etc. Others will travel, so even if the buck releases a few hundred, most likely a few will make it to the eggs. With AI you have more dead sperm due to freezing and handling.

Bucks do need time to produce more sperm so I am not sure how priming works since it is using up the buck's current sperm and he would need time to get his numbers back up.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I find Happy Farmer's basic premise to be faulty, and I'd like to see a source citation on that, but I am looking forward to discussion of this topic.

[HappyFarmer]

Thank you Thaiblue12 for the explanation. I was hoping that was the case, as my breeding pen is occupied for another week & I really wanted this doe to conceive this heat cycle, with twin expectations as she usually give me.

From what I've read, priming a buck for collection is done at a specified time before collection. Some of the AI genetic sites have details regarding the wait time. I've personally never done it and have been seeking for a seminar close by me.

HF

[Alice In TX/MO]

I emailed a commercial goat semen collection company and asked. Here's the reply.

"I'm not sure what prime your buck means, but I have found it is best to use your buck @ 1 week before collection, and then refrain from using him until he is collected."

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

There are no homophobes on a goat farm.

In a buck pen, the bucks take sufficient care in priming their own pump, either with each other or in their mouths. Vicki

[moonspinner]

All I can go by is my own experience. Over the years I can't recall any problem with my does settling on the bucks' first breeding of the season.

[DQ]

sperm is regularly re placed used or not. recently a study in humans has shown that the more often a man ejaculates the better the quality of the sperm although there is lesser quantity. this debunked the long held theory that while trying to get pregnant a man should refrain from ejaculating for a period of time in order to increase the quantity of the sperm and therefore increase the chances of impregnating the woman. but it turns out quantity is nothing without strong swimmers I don't know if any of this applies to goats but I suspect it does at least to some extent. but that being said...just as vicki pointed out...they like to practice.....not sure how often that practice actually results in ejaculation though. it is obvious the semen dripping out of the female after she is bred, I a haven't seen such obvious evidence of ejaculation when they are "practicing" but...well...come to think of it I haven't really looked that hard.......

[Michael W. Smith]

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

In a buck pen, the bucks take sufficient care in priming their own pump, either with each other or in their mouths. Vicki

Vicki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ummmmmmm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . errrrrrrr . . . . . . . . gasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EWWWWWWW!!!!!!

[KayJay]

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

Vicki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ummmmmmm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . errrrrrrr . . . . . . . . gasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EWWWWWWW!!!!!!

LOL It is gross! However, it's also very true. Every buck I've ever owned, or had the "pleasure" of knowing during breeding season does it.