by Darol Dickinson

Disaster, catastrophe, calamity, tragedy are just some scary words to describe what it means to have a semen storage tank destroyed with thousands of dollars of valuable bull semen lost. It happens.

Google has dozens of good articles that discuss frozen semen handling, evaluation, processing and insemination. This article is different. We will discuss the liability, loss prevention and lock-down of something that may quite well be worth a lot more than the bull himself.

In the eighties when Salers were one of the most valued European
import breeds the best of those sires was a bull named Slammer. He was an import from France. He won Denver National Western Champion. He was owned by a syndicate and semen tightly controlled at Peerless Farms of Colorado.

Peerless Farms was a neighbor, when we ranched in Colorado. One day, off to the northwest, there was a tall blast of smoke. Neighbors quickly raced to the sight and a big cattle/hay barn was burning to the ground. The barn contained a supply of hay, some squeeze chute equipment for artificial insemination and several big semen tanks. The whole semen inventory of the Slammer syndicate had just melted to the ground with startled viewers unable to do anything about it. Although the hay barn was probably insured for $40,000, or there-abouts, the semen inventories were estimated at near a half million dollars. All was gone. Obviously no sane insurance agent would do a half million policy on that old barn and contents, which included this valuable semen.

As I drove back home, it was a thought provoking event. Our life time supply of bull semen was in an old hay barn right near our AI squeeze. My first thought was to construct a nice sized cement block building that was fire proof. Then I thought of storing semen off-site at one of the semen companies and just have a little on hand for our use. In a head-scratching thought process I knew this was for sure a big and important decision.

Another rancher friend thought it would be prestigious to collect semen on his 5 best bulls. He bought a large semen storage tank and safely placed it in his ranch garage. Unknown to him, his kids and some neighbor kids found liquid nitrogen was a fun thing to experiment. Most young boys are attracted to something that is seriously dangerous that they can play with, and maybe live through it. Soon the conglomeration of thrill seekers experimented with the baptizing of various snake-species dipping into liquid nitrogen. The immediate result being solid frozen cryogenic results. In a few seconds vicious snakes became like a solid piece of re-bar. Anyone can write the rest of this paragraph. The storage tank that should have held for over 100 days was hot in the first month and no one had a clue what happened--until many years later.

LIABILITY: For those who regularly handle liquid nitrogen, a product that is roughly 300 degrees below zero, most are trained and no harm comes. However, unskilled people who happen to connect with handling can be seriously burned/frozen on contact. There is a need for liability purposes to post signage with warnings, and even better have a good sized lock to keep everyone away. Not a lock on the tank but the building the tanks are in.

DAIRY BARN STORAGE: Many dairys keep their semen storage tanks in the dairy barns close to the point of use. With the strong USDA required acid disinfection chemistry, this isn’t a good storage place. Some of the strong acid cleaners can eat into the seams and with time a tiny hole ruins everything. Over the years dairy barn storage has proven to be the worst place for failing tanks.

SEPARATE LOCATIONS: Highly valuable semen can be stored at various professional semen storage facilities to divide risk of loss. Although most feel their own ranch tank may be at risk of loss, one of the largest semen storage facilities in Texas lost a container with thousands of straws two years ago. Nothing is perfect enough. Separate locations for storage security is an option.

TRANSPORTATION: Although a normal size liquid storage tank is not difficult to transport, some precautions may be helpful. People haul tanks in truck beds, calf compartments, cattle trailers, etc. If the tank is secured in an upward position so it doesn’t turn over, this is okay, but the softer the ride the better. All wear is caused from friction. The bouncing and vibration can cause tank damage and increased evaporation. To transport a tank on a truck seat, with a safety belt, gives a cushion ride, and nothing is going to happen to the tank that the driver will not quickly see. Keep one window down an inch so any vapor will be dispelled.

 

REGULAR CHECKS: Since 1971 our ranch has handled and used frozen semen. We have never lost a liquid tank in over 50 years, but many others have. Know your tanks. A weekly check recording the liquid level is our secret. We have a wooden yard stick painted flat black. When dipped into the tank the liquid turns it snow white and the exact liquid depth is recorded. If any decrease in liquid is noticed then it is dealt with. A dry eraser board is a good way to keep records.

DAMAGED TANKS: Most tanks when purchased have a one to five year guarantee. Beyond that it is buy a new tank. When I asked a major tank company about getting damaged tanks repaired they acted like there was no remedy except buy a new one---from them. When I asked who repaired their guaranteed tanks that went bad during the warranty period, after some serious quizzing, they coughed up the name of Pioneer Industries, 5778 E US 40, Plain Field, IN 46168. They do a revac for $175. If the tank is too bad they tell you and send it back.

SEMEN STORAGE VAULT: Now that we have circled around the starting question--where to safely store tanks? During the Houston Stock Show I located an oil field seismograph portable laboratory at Richmond, TX. They had two ready to scrap. I bought them for $300 each. Due to vandalism around oil production sites these little buildings were built fire proof, and bullet proof. They had enough room geophysicists could do core sample evaluations and were almost impossible to penetrate. They are about 12’ x 10’. Our ranch has used this little vault since right after the Peerless fire. It is also equip with a nice big lock so the neighbor kids don’t mess with it.