Update Billing Account

Stallion Owners in the Northern Hemisphere Should Explore the Breeding Industry Down Under

June 25, 2015

Posted by SBS in Import and Export

Five New Affiliates 2014Stallion owners in the United States and Europe have the potential to increase their income by exploring the Australian breeding industry. The breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere is winding down but the breeding season in Australia is just about to begin (September 1st). Mare owners in Australia are starting to think about who to breed their mares to, putting their barren mares under lights and getting their foaling kits ready. Stallion owners in the US and Europe may wish to explore the Australian market as a way to provide additional income during their “off” breeding season. Australia sends the second highest number of visitors to our website, so if you would like to market your stallion, which was frozen by an SBS Affiliate Lab, to the Australian market be sure to post and/or update your stallion profiles on our SBS Stallion Guide.

With the use of frozen semen it is no longer necessary for a stallion to board a plane in order to have offspring born on foreign soil. The days of “Dual Hemisphere” stallions is becoming a thing of the past for most breeds. Select Breeders Services (SBS) and its Affiliate Laboratory Network assist stallion owners and mare owners alike with the reality of having foals born in Australia as well as many other countries in the Southern Hemisphere (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, etc.) without the stallion ever leaving the ground. Many stallion owners choose to bring their stallions to our facilities in order to freeze semen for the Southern Hemisphere right after the Northern Hemisphere breeding season has ended. This allows enough time to collect and process the semen as well as have it shipped to its final destination in time for the start of the breeding season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Dr. Glenn Blodgett of the 6666 Ranch commented on how expanding into the Southern Hemisphere breeding industry has impacted their operation.

"Shipping and marketing semen to Australia has allowed us to maxmize our breeding operation.  It is a whole new market and being in the Southern Hemisphere allows our office staff to focus on an entirely different season or time of year which improves our efficiency and productivity.  In addition, our relationships in Australia have increased the Four Sixes' brand globally as well as our stallions."

US Breeders in Australia_MEMC Tequila Ceurvo Filly Facilities within the SBS Affiliate Network are approved to export equine frozen semen to Australia. Most of the frozen semen shipped from SBS in Maryland and Select Breeders Southwest (SBSW) in Texas has been from AQHA halter and cutting horse stallions along with warmblood sporthorses. However, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) now has affiliate programs in Australia which could increase the need for bloodlines from American and European reining horses. Other breeds we have shipped down under include frozen semen from Arabians and Morgan Horses.

Jennifer Weske-Monroe of MEMC Morgans in Melissa, TX said,

“I've had a wonderful experience with the shipment of frozen semen to Australia from two of my Morgan stallions, MEMC Tequila Cuervo and MEMC Crown Royal. The entire process went smoothly from testing and quarantine of the stallions to the shipment and subsequent successful inseminations of all the mares. My stallions now have numerous foals throughout Australia thanks to Select Breeders and I have met many new friends in the process.”

She mentioned that between the two stallions there are 20 foals (17 from MEMC Tequila Cuervo and 3 from MEMC Crown Royal) on the ground with many more to come in the future. A couple of those foals are the MEMC Crown Royal colt (photo below right, taken by Michele Meijer) out of the mare Eagleview Benita and the MEMC Tequila Cuervo filly, Wirraway Chantilly Lace (photo above right taken by Wirraway Morgans), out of the mare Moonbah Fortunate One.

Once the decision is made to have frozen semen qualified for export to Australia it is best to contact a facility which is well versed in the process. Several SBS Affiliate Labs send several shipments to Australia each year and are familiar with the health testing required at the time the semen is processed as well as the documentation required to have it clear customs at the destination airport without issue. You can find additional information in our article about Exporting Frozen Semen From the United States. Or contact us via phone at (410) 885-3202 or email for more information about processing frozen semen for export and the export shipment process or contact your local SBS Affiliate Laboratory.

fedex plane A major benefit of using the SBS Affiliate Network is confidence that your stallion’s frozen semen will be stored and distributed with the same high quality and standards you experience with your local SBS Affiliate Laboratory. The majority of the SBS semen exported from the United States to Australia is shipped to our two affiliate labs, Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital (GVEH) in Victoria and Tamworth Equine Veterinary Centre (TEVC) located in New South Wales. Feel free to contact Leann Newton at GVEH or TVEC via email for information about their storage and distribution fees.

Mare owners may consider breeding to your stallion if his semen is already being stored at either GVEH or TVEC. With the semen in Australia it can be ready and available to ship domestically which makes it easier for a mare owner to choose your stallion rather than going through the import process themselves. Click here for a list of Quarter Horse, Paint Horse and Appaloosa stallion frozen semen (processed by an SBS Affiliate Lab) available at our affiliate labs in Australia. GVEH and TVEC are ready and waiting to assist you whether your stallion’s semen is already frozen and qualified for export or you have questions before you take the next step.

Another advantage of using the SBS Affiliate Laboratory Network to freeze and qualify semen from your stallion for international distribution is the possibility of combining frozen semen from more than one stallion, or for more than one client, into a single shipment. Thereby some of the costs of the export can be shared by those clients sharing the tank.

US Breeders in Australia_Crown Royal Colt SBS utilizes shipping containers which can hold as little as one dose or as many as 200 doses. We also have many shipments travelling to foreign destinations throughout the year. By coordinating and combining stallions/clients going to the same location into one container saves our clients on some of the costs associated with the export of the frozen semen. It is to your benefit to share a shipment whether you are stallion owner wishing to send enough semen to store in Australia for twenty mares or a mare owner in Australia who only needs enough semen for one mare. Monroe said, “Select Breeders Southwest has worked to combine other breeds of stallions in the same tanks to reduce costs even more. It has been a very positive experience for all of us.”

Please note: SBS can only export frozen semen that has been processed and stored at an SBS Affiliate Lab.

We look forward to assisting you whether you are at the exploration phase to determine if the Australian market is for your stallion or you are ready to begin the process.  If you would like to share a shipment to Australia please contact us via email or phone (410-885-3202).


Log in to join the conversation.

Please Note - photos used in these news articles are available in the public domain, have been purchased through istockphoto or (when referencing breeders or horses) have been submitted to Select Breeders Services Inc. by the breeding farm or horse owner. Photo credit has been provided where applicable. If at anytime you see something that needs to be addressed please feel free to contact us directly.

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Just enter your email address below!

Flag it
Clicca sulla Bandiera Italiana per visualizzare gli articoli tradotti in italiano.


Flag us
Click on the English flag to see articles in English.