We also are happy to manage both mares and stallions for natural service when needed.
Our team specializes in alternative methods of semen collection such as ground semen collection and pharmacologically-induced semen collection.
These techniques can prove invaluable when managing disabled stallions or stallions that, for other reasons, cannot have semen collected by standard means.
All semen undergoes a complete analysis by one of our veterinary specialists, including computer-assisted evaluation of sperm motility, prior to packaging and shipment. Shipping containers are available for purchase or rental.
All stallions receive a summary of semen quality and semen shipments at the end of each breeding season. Semen collection services are available Monday-Friday (appointment required) and Saturday and Sunday (with prior arrangements).
Contact a member of our team to book a stallion semen collection at 610-925-6364.
Training for Semen Collection
The Hofmann Center offers training services for stallion semen collection. The center boasts a spacious breeding shed with rubber flooring, experienced stallion handlers, board certified reproduction specialists and stimulus mares (ovariectomized and mares in natural estrus).
Our experienced team can train your novice stallion to mount the breeding mount or stimulus mare for semen collection in an artificial vagina. We also can introduce novice stallions to live cover using our seasoned mares.
In addition, we provide training for semen collection on the ground (“ground collection”) and specialize in assisting problem stallions. For more information, contact a member of our team at 610-925-6364.
Semen Freezing
The Hofmann Center offers semen freezing services. The center boasts a spacious breeding shed with rubber flooring, experienced stallion handlers, board certified reproduction specialists, reproductive laboratory and stimulus mares.
Both before and after freezing, a careful semen analysis is performed, including computer-assisted sperm motility analysis, evaluation of sperm morphology, and fluorescence-based sperm cell counting.
An automated freezer is available to more carefully control the freezing process. Frozen semen can be stored at the Hofmann Center for a quarterly fee. Transport containers are available for rent if frozen semen needs to be transported to another facility.
In addition to routine semen freezing, the Hofmann Center also offers epididymal semen freezing. Epididymal sperm can be harvested directly from the testicular duct in recently deceased stallions or following castration. This allows for preservation of a valuable stallion’s genetic material, even after unexpected death. If you are interested in any of our semen freezing services, contact a member of our team at 610-925-6364.
Fertility Evaluation
If you are considering the purchase of a breeding stallion, if you have a stallion whose fertility is uncertain, or if you are retiring a performance horse to a breeding career, the Hofmann Center offers a wide range of fertility evaluations designed to fit your needs – from simple semen evaluations to complete fertility workups including the most advanced semen analysis tests and testicular imaging.
We routinely work with stallions breeding only a few mares to stallions breeding hundreds of mares each year and we are happy to put together an evaluation that will most accurately allow us to assess your stallion’s potential fertility. For more information, contact a member of our team at 610-925-6364.
Subfertile and Problem Stallions
For stallions with fertility problems, our experienced veterinarians can provide not only the best in diagnostic testing, but also management recommendations, and advanced semen processing techniques to maximize pregnancy rates. We can remove ‘toxic’ seminal plasma and even filter semen to remove defective sperm from an ejaculate. Low-dose, deep horn insemination is readily available for mares bred to subfertile stallions with low sperm numbers. For the most severely subfertile animals, sperm can be frozen and made available for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
We also specialize in comprehensive evaluations for stallions with behavioral and ejaculatory problems. A team of experts including our board certified reproduction specialists, board certified equine behaviorist and our experienced stallion handlers will work together to find a solution to your stallion’s problems. Having your stallion evaluated with us allows for a ‘whole horse’ approach to the problem and access to all the state-of-the-art facilities available at New Bolton Center. Together with our board certified imaging specialists, surgeons and internists, we can design a customized, comprehensive evaluation plan for your stallion designed to identify even subtle problems that can adversely affect reproductive function.