Bank of frozen dog sperm?

[Gennadi]

Is any? Who could be in charge in case of organizing sucha bank?
It could be solved a lot of problems in future.

[Susan Morriss]

Could also create so many problems, not the road to go down in my view.

[Silvia Lindner-Rae]

As fas as I know a few breeders had sperm of their top dogs frozen. BUT: those dogs are already in mort pedigrees anyway. The problem of the popular stud dog of today transported into the future? I do not think it is a good idea. The only reason why I would have sperm of any of my dogs frozen is to send it to some place where there are not many dogs of the breed - I have IRWS also! - and travelling back and forth would be either an ordeal or impossible. I am thinking of Russia, Japan, Australia. As far as I know there are TWO IRWS in Russia, both closely related. Getting those two was not a brilliant idea. Would have been better to get them from different lines So they might either have to get another dog or use frozen sperm. Same with Australia, where there are two or three breeders. They too would end up in a dead end street if they could not use such service.
But a bank? I do not really think it is a sensible move to create that, the responsibility is so high and who would carry it? A long winded way of saying I agree with Susan!

[Susan Morriss]

Hi Silvea,
Same here in South Africa, the pool of Irish so small. I've seen IRW here, not many though, cannot recall seeing Gordon and English, could be some in Jo'berg. I tremble thinking of the consequences. I don't believe the idea has been thought through if at all. Susan

[Silvia Lindner-Rae]

As far as I know there are some breeders in touch with each other and working it that way - I guess that is how it should be anyway. Because if someone approaches me and I do not think the mating would be a good one, I can still say no , but with a bank? And you are quite right, this idea is still very much an idea and I hope it stays one.

[Henk ten Klooster]

At first glimpse no, because of ongoing narrowing of bloodlines worldwide and alarmingly high coefficient of inbreeding now. Second thought: yes, if it is controlled by experts on a few relevant terrains and aimed at broadening: families outside main genepools. It could help save breeds from becoming extinct.

[Silvia Lindner-Rae]

I would still prefer a direct contact between breeders. Even if the dog in question may be long gone. And I would not trust too many people for being in charge of such a bank - honestly. I fear there might be a lot of mischief being done that way. Although I do also recognize the advantages, of course.

[Gennadi]

Second thought: yes

That,s what I thought.
And more, in future genetics would say everything about genes of every dog or at least much more to say, than today and to fix many problems.

[Rosie Dudley]

I can think of several really good dogs from the past that were used at stud only a few times, and at the same time seeing too many bitch owners choosing the popular sire. How I wish semen had been put away from these little used dogs and that it was available now !
I am one who has stored semen from my own dogs with the view that, my dream bitch will come along in the future that didn’t in my dogs lifetime! The bitch may not necessarily be mine, but it would be possible for me to have a pup from the insemination.
The questioner asked if a sperm bank should be created, the answer is no! But a register of available semen, yes! Exclusively would be a perfect vehicle for this. The owner of the stud dog would have the ability to decide on the suitability of the bitches, or the value to the breed the match could make.
If you are contemplating storing semen in the future, make sure prior to collection you do all the health checks, DNA tests, obtain a DNA profile and then obtain the certificates necessary to export to another country, you never know where your perfect bitch might be!

[Pauliina Artiola]

There is a list in the net where dog owners can add the details of the dog collected.
It hasn`t been updated for quite some time but the idea is there.
I think this sort of listing that would be easily updated would be more than great!
The best if there would be all the health results also included. It would be quite easily done.

http://www.geocities.com/setterfrozen/

[Henk ten Klooster]

Interesting to see practising contents of both last posts would mean adding to the problem: an alarmingly high coefficient of inbreeding, responsible for rise of health problems.

Maybe the better solution would be to put the breeders in the freezer!:-))))

[Gennadi]

Henk, the problem with COI is not so big problem as it's appeared though the mass media. There allways was the following formula to get dog line alive and without health problems - 3-4 line breedings, then 1 outcross and again 3-4 line inbreeding etc.
With very low COI we'll loose the lines in breed.
I don't want my dog looks like sh*t and loose working qualities, Moanruad descendats rule in field still and it was line breeding and nothing else.
If you want to improove working abilities of your dog you have to use line and close breeding. That's the rule.

[Silvia Lindner-Rae]

I do not think that the breed has been improved by this so called line breeding. The results, meaning the dogs, do not look much like a setter anymore - no hair, too small. Their temperament is also not much of a setter either.We have a standard, remember! and if you collect frozen sperm the dog has to fulfill the same requirements as if you did a live mating! And I also disagree with you concerning the COI - I fear we will get some of the diseases back that we so carefully tried to get rid of. And who can guarantee that two working dogs will produce another working dog? Do in humans two teachers also produce only professors? I sincerely doubt that and think it is absurd.