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Semen in 130 microlitre Batches
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My objective is to provide semen for instrumental
insemination that has been, or may have been, collected from a pool
of drones that contain many identical alleles. If we were to collect
the semen from 8 or 9 such drones (for 8 µl single dose) the
statistical chance of the same allele occuring could be unnaceptably
high, but if the semen came from 130 drones (nominally 1µl
per drone) and was mixed, and used to inseminate 15 or 16 virgins
then the allele pool in any dose of semen would be richer.
Semen can be thinned and mixed using "Boar Semen Diluent" which I
am informed is available in Germany.
A "standard" recipe for semen dilution is:-
- 1.25% Sodium Chloride
- 0.25% Dihydrostreptomycin
But information from John Harbo is that "providing the dilution ratio
is not greater than 1:1, almost any saline will do".
(John Harbo uses batches of semen up to 200 microlitres)
Settling and/or centrifuging
more to come
Semen can be stored for six to eight weeks at room temperature, with a
gradual reduction in viability. After 9 months this viability is
reduced to 50%. (half life)
Drones do not become properly sexually mature until they are at least
14 days old and have had five good flying days.
Revised (but incomplete)... 22 October 2001
