iSperm Blog

iSperm Video Podcast Series - An Interview with Shelley Knight

Written by iSperm mCASA | Jan 8, 2024 9:16:45 AM

This article is transcripted and highlighted from a Video Podcast with Shelley Knight. The "Sperm Analyzer" in the Video Podcast is iSperm mCASA. With the iSperm, your breeding program or service will be elevated to another level. Check out www.isperm.co or Contact us for the details.

Introduction

Shelley Knight, an associate veterinarian that is currently working at Alpine Animal Hospital in Chubbuck, Idaho, the United States. She was raised in a ranch, with horses and cattles which empowered her to study veterinary. Then she particularly enjoyed and developed a huge passion towards Equine reproduction. Currently, she owns 3 horses and breeds them, which are Jessi, James and Mac.

Why she needs to evaluate semen and purchase the iSperm?

Shelley has collected semen for 3 years, around 40 to 50 collections in 3 months. During the breeding season, the semen evaluation is done to inspect the appearance & viability of the stallions' semen then determine the stallions' health, whether it's a good candidate for breeding.

Then, for semen collection and shipment, semen evaluation is performed to see how it extends, decide whether the semen is great for shipping & breeding or not.

Moreover, the iSperm mCASA allows Shelley to perform semen evaluation easily and rapidly, which are important for collection during seasons that have temperature fluctuations. Preventing the semen's viability & quality to be affected by the temperature. The iSperm let her to track the stallions' progress by their semen quality as well.

What does she evaluate during the Breeding Soundness Exam?

During the breeding season, breeding soundness exam is performed. Shelley will have the stallions to perform the physical exam and inspect their organs, confirming it doesn't have any disease or injury like lameness and will be able extend fully.

Other than the physical exam, she will check the morphology of the semen and stain it to check the abnormality of the semen. And Shelley has setted a goal, not to collect the semen 2 days in a row, to let the stallions have an interval and a better semen quality.

How to improve the semen quality of the stallion?

Based on Shelley's observation, stallions' semen quality tend to better when they are not locked up and being riden. Therefore, they are not stucked in a narrow place and get stressed. In addition, normal exercise is essential for semen quality improvement too, however it differs for every stallion.

Which features are the best part of the iSperm?

Shelley used to do manual evaluation and multiplication that took 5 to 10 minutes just for one semen sample reading. Using the iSperm is definitely time-saving for her, since it does all of the concentration and motility readings. Then, the data recordings and graphs overview assist her to track the progress of her stallions from time to time.

In addition, the portability of iSperm makes her works easier, especially when she needs to show the results to the clients. The iSperm enables Shelley to show the readings directly without using microscope.

This article is brought to you by iSperm mCASA, a mobile/mini computer-assisted semen analyzer with high accuracy and affordability for use anytime anywhere by anyone. Check out www.isperm.co or Contact us to know how helpful iSperm can be for your breeding works.