The Network of SBS Affiliates is the acknowledged leader in the field of cryopreservation of equine semen. Each year we freeze thousands of ejaculates equating to tens of thousands of doses. When SBS was founded, the company leadership made a commitment to quality of the finished product above all else. We wanted to put technology to use to help grow the equine frozen semen AI industry in the most responsible manner possible.

It was clear early on that one of the major factors limiting the application of frozen semen in the horse industry was inconsistent quality of the product being put on the market.  Breeders and veterinarians were frustrated by poor‑quality, expensive semen, so we set strict standards to show that frozen semen can perform similarly to cooled semen.  We also knew that these results would have to be produced in an efficient and economical way. Quality became the cornerstone upon which we would build our business.

When a client brings their stallion to an SBS facility for semen freezing they entrust us with one of their most valuable assets. This is a responsibility we take very seriously. Our promise to these customers is that we will use our more than 35 years of experience and all the latest technology to produce the best possible frozen semen from their stallion. What we do behind the scenes is what makes us successful.

Because equine spermatozoa are very fragile and susceptible to damage from any number of factors, our QC program must deal with all phases of the process.  The quality of a thawed sample is directly dependent on the initial quality of the collected semen.  In addition to the inherent semen quality from an individual stallion, the collected semen can also be influenced by many other factors including, but not limited to:

SBS cryopreservation extenders have been developed over nearly 40 years and have been used in conjunction with our freezing protocols to process tens of thousands of ejaculates of stallion semen. The cryopreservation media may be the single most important factor for success. All extenders are made with the finest cell-culture grade reagents and ultra-pure (18 megOhm) sterile distilled water. Furthermore, each lot of extenders is tested and adjusted to provide pH and osmotic pressure within a narrow critical range or the batch is discarded.

One of our founding principles is that all parties in frozen semen transactions should be treated fairly.  This means providing detailed and accurate information concerning the semen quality.  Semen processed and shipped by our affiliate members is accompanied by detailed instructions on the use of the semen for maximum success and a Frozen Semen Transaction Report detailing the expected quantity and quality of spermatozoa in the frozen semen doses.

Our strict post-thaw evaluation protocols are second to none and involve thawing two “test straws” from every single ejaculate frozen. All ejaculates processed within the SBS Network are thawed and analyzed for:

Although many SBS Affiliate Members have their own CASA systems, our Quality Control program for affiliate labs requires that QC straws from all test freezes and a minimum of 25% of all subsequent ejaculates are sent to the SBS central laboratory for evaluation as described above. In addition, all data sheets and freeze records for the samples are sent to the central lab so they can be evaluated for stallion management, implementation of SBS Standard Operating Procedures and assistance in troubleshooting difficult freezing stallions for each of the labs. Site visits, frequent communication, use of resources on our company-wide intranet site and technical meetings for all network members round out the Affiliate Quality Control Program.

Properly stored frozen semen can maintain viability for many decades and perhaps longer but improperly stored frozen semen will deteriorate and result in lower quality and fertility.

SBS maintains the largest inventory of equine frozen semen in North America, possibly in the entire world. We take this responsibility very seriously. All semen is stored immersed in liquid nitrogen containers that are measured weekly, logged and then filled to maintain semen quality at maximum level. Monitoring nitrogen consumption in liquid storage containers allows us to detect well in advance if a container may be losing its vacuum and failing.  This provides time for to transfer semen to another container before valuable inventory is lost due to a complete container failure.

In the end everything we do is geared towards success for our clients. Frozen semen is a wonderful, efficient technology that removes geographical and time limitations when breeding superior horses.  However, realizing this potential requires deliberate, steadfast adherence to quality standards. As we head into the future, SBS will continue to lead the way in upholding these standards and continually raise the bar for the benefit of our clients as we head into the future.