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Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that so many questions remain unanswered
when searching for stallion prospects for your mare. Some of those
questions may not occur until you are well into the process. For
the inexperienced, there can be a lot of false assumptions and surprises
that could be avoided with more information. Contracts can seem
extensive and mind boggling in it's details, but the best ones leave
little room for misunderstandings.
In an attempt to answer your questions or
clarify some of the business of breeding, check through these questions
for a better understanding. Of course we are always happy to speak
with you personally.
Questions are:
Does Shahraf's semen ship well?
I see that frozen semen is available in Europe.
What is the quality?
How many mares has Shahraf settled this year?
How late can we
order semen and on what days?
We might need to order Saturday, can you ship to us
then?
If our mare doesn't get in foal, do we have to pay?
Do you offer terms on breedings?
I signed a contract for this year, but decided I would
like to wait until next year to breed her. Is that okay?
I have noticed that you and a lot of farms do not ship
in July and August. Why is that?
Can I send my mare to your farm for live
cover?
With all the talk about genetic problems, has Shahraf
been tested for these, or had foals with symptoms of SCID, CA or LFS?
Since Shahraf is gray, will I only get gray foals?
IOW, is he homozygous for gray? Do you know his DNA for color?
Question: Does
Shahraf's semen ship well?
Answer: We
are very proud of the high quality of Shahraf's semen and have never
received a complaint. More commonly our reports back are like
these:
Quotes: "I
think you set a new standard for my regular vet. He had never seen those
kinds of numbers and motility at 48 hours. Plus he carried it around in
his pocket for about 3 hours before he could get to a scope. Incredible!
And he's been in the business for about 50 years."
Tim Hagerty - Ancient Oaks Arabians
"She
(veterinarian)
also took back a semen
sample to check and found the motility way up there even after two
days. She said it looked great". Maureen Morris - Canada
Note: This semen suffered almost a
full days delay at customs, too late for the scheduled insemination.
This email referred to two days AFTER receipt of the semen, and
technically almost 4 days after collection!
Question:
I see that frozen semen is available in Europe.
What is the quality?
Answer: Only
semen that qualified as commercial grade was sent to Europe. To be
commercial grade, the progressive motility must be 30% or higher, after
thawing it for insemination. All the semen in Europe is well
within and above this range.
Motility by itself is an indicator of relative cell
health, but fertilization is a complex process that requires numerous
functional attributes of both sperm and egg. Dysfunction of one of
these attributes as a result of the cryoperservation process may render
the sperm incapable of fertilization. The only true test for
fertility of frozen semen is to use it for breeding mares. The
frozen semen for Ansata El Shahraf has proven to have been successfully
preserved, by successfully producing live foals with it's use.
Question: How
many mares has Shahraf settled this year?
Answer:
In 2009 Shahraf bred 11 mares.
10 mares settled in foal on the first heat cycle. The veterinarian
for the remaining mare miscalculated ovulation, missing her cycles (more
than once). She will try again in 2010 (hopefully with another
veterinarian :)).
Question:
How late can we order semen and on what days?
Answer: The contract emphasises the
importance of communication, and is specific in that orders MUST be
placed by 10 a.m. (central time) on the day prior to collection.
This would be two days before you will need to inseminate. If you
have kept us informed by notifying us when your mare comes in heat, and
reporting the results of each ultrasound, we will stay vigilant in
expectation of your order. By this I mean that when we have these
facts, we organize our time so we can be as flexible as possible. In
most cases (not all), then can also collect for you on Tuesday or
Thursday, if necessary. Having said this, we can only guarantee
collections on M-W-F. There is no condition by which we can accept
an order the day the collection needs to be made (day before
insemination).
Federal Express is the only courier we can use
effectively. Pick up orders to Federal Express are made no later
than the evening before the day of collection.
Federal Express will not service late request, and we have no Federal
Express Depot within a reasonable distance (100+ miles) from our farm.
If we have not received your order by the time we place our pick up
order, and have not already ordered for another client, we cannot send
the semen. Our most successful veterinarians order two days
prior to the expected insemination.
Be assured that we are equally as interested in producing
a nice foal from your mare as you are, and will do all within our power
to help you achieve that goal. Your willingness to keep us
informed of your mares condition and cycles, will go far in assuring you
the best possible service. Aggressive management of your mare is
of the utmost importance in getting the foal of your dreams in the least
possible time, with the least possible expense. Knowing her first
day of estrus is valuable information for both the mare and
stallion owner. Remember.... COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE,
COMMUNICATE!
Question:
We might need to order Saturday, can you ship
to us then?
Answer: No.
There is no courier service in our area on Saturday, Sunday or
holidays. Unless you can pick the semen up at our farm, those days
are impossible.
Question:
If our mare doesn't get in foal, do we have to pay?
Answer: Our contract
carries a live foal guarantee, but also says that when you purchase a
breeding, it must be paid in advance of the first shipment. With
your contract, you are not purchasing a foal, you are purchasing the
opportunity to breed your mare to the stallion. It is our
obligation to provide viable semen from the stallion for that purpose,
which is all that is within our control. From that point, managing
your mare properly and giving her the best chance for conception is in
your hands.
A live foal guarantee means that if your mare does not
conceive after 3 tries, you may substitute another mare during that or
the following breeding season. If she produces a foal that is
either born dead or does not stand and nurse and dies after a short
time, you may rebreed her or another approved mare, during that or the
following breeding season.
Question: Do
you offer terms on breedings?
Answer: We give you the
opportunity to break up payments by paying a booking fee, followed by
the final payment just prior to your first shipment. We will only
consider longer terms that are guaranteed by a Visa or Mastercard.
Payments that are not received within 10 days of their due date, will be
charged against your credit card plus a 4% service fee (our cost to use
that service). Your credit card will also be used to pay
collection fees.
Question: I
signed a contract for this year, but decided I would like to
wait until next year to breed her. Is that
okay?
Answer: We absolutely will do
anything possible to accommodate our clients, within reason.
Understand that each year our book is designed around the
number of mares we can accommodate within that year. There are
always mares who will carry over to the next year, for a variety of
reasons. Our contracts are issued for specific years for a reason.
Also keep in mind that stallions are living animals, subject to injury,
death, exportation and infertility. We personally have a list of
expensive breedings we lost when stallions died or were exported - lost
because we were novices, delayed their use, and didn't stop to think
that they wouldn't be available forever. It's just one of the many
valuable lessons learned by experience. It is only smart to use
your breedings at the earliest possible moment, and why specific dates
are on the contracts.
Question: I
have noticed that you and a lot of farms do not ship in July and
August. Why is that?
Answer: To say "never" would not be
totally true, although we try to stop from mid-July through August.
Being in a hot and humid area of Arkansas, the heat makes it hard on the
stallion (and your mares), as well as on the one collecting (me!).
The stress from high heat also affects both mare and stallion, and is a
time when some mares won't settle. Thankfully we
start with higher fertility than most, but still like to keep those
numbers WAY up there, right to your door. That aside, the welfare
of the mare and foal should be a first consideration, and it is for me.
Foaling in high heat is very stressful on the mare. Foals born in
the hottest part of the summer, suffer from the heat, and can get ill.
Pneumonia as a result of wet coats (sweat), is not uncommon. Our
busiest time, and best for breeding, is March through June, tapering off
the early part of July. We do also ship in September and October.
Question: Can I
send my mare to your farm for live cover?
Answer: We take a very limited
number of outside mares here for breeding, subject to change from year
to year. Some "rules' are imperative. They must
arrive with a very recent, clean culture. If so, we will usually
breed her by live cover. She must also be easy to handle, and stand
for the stallion. We reserve the right to choose to live cover or
do on-farm insemination. We also reserve the right to use drugs to
keep her quiet during either process, if we feel it is needed. If
you are considering this option, you must check with us first. We
only take in 3 or 4 mares at a time on a first come, first served basis.
Some book for their place before the first of the year.
Question: With
all the talk about genetic problems, has Shahraf
been tested for these, or had foals with symptoms of SCID, CA or LFS?
Answer: We
are very proud of the fact that Shahraf is free of any genetic faults.
He has been tested clear for all problems that have tests to verify.
He is certified SCID and CA clear, nor has he ever produced a lavender
foal, nor have his parents or grandparents.
Question: Since
Shahraf is gray, will I only get gray foals?
IOW, is he homozygous for gray? Do you know his DNA for color?
Answer: No.
You may see the colors of all the foals that we are aware of, on his
foals page.
He has almost as many bay foals, as gray, and has produced 3 chestnuts
as of this writing.
For those interested in color genetics, his DNA for color
is Gg/Ee/AA. According to his Agouti test, he is capable of
passing on the gene for black.
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