SemenCollectionTherearethreecommonly-usedtechniquesforcollectingsemen:useofanartificialvagina,digitalmanipulation,andelectroejaculation.Thetechniqueuseddependsonthespeciesbeingcollectedandthedispositionoftheindividualmale.TheArtificialVaginaArtificialvaginas(AV'stotheinitiated)areusedtocollectsemenfrommanyspecies,mostprominentlycattleandhorses,butalsosheep,goats,rabbitsandevencats.PrerequisitestouseofanAVarethatthemalebeconscious,notsignificantlyfrightenedofpeople,andmoreinterestedinejaculatingthaninkillinghumans.AnAVusesthermalandmechanicalstimulationtostimulateejaculation.Asshownintheimagetotheright,anAViscomposedofatubewithanouterrubberliningthatwillholdwater,intowhichisplacedaninnerlinerthatislubricatedjustpriortouse.Theouterlinerisfilledandpressurizedsomewhatwithwaterat42-48degreesCelsius.ShownbelowareAVsdesignedforusewithbulls(bottom)andrabbits(top).TheapparatusinthemiddleisatypeofAV,usuallycalledadirectorcone,whichisusedtocollectsemenfromdogs.Tocollectsemen,themaleisallowedtomountandthepenisisdivertedintotheAVwhereheejaculates.ItisbesttoallowthemaletothrustintotheAVratherthantryingtoslidetheAVontothemale'spenis.Whatthemalemountsdependsonhisspeciesandtemperment.Femalescanbeused,butunlesstheyareinestrus,theyrarelyenjoyparticipatingintheprocess,whichcaneasilyleadtoinjuryofanyandallofthoseinvolved.AnotherproblemwithusingafemaleasateaseristhatifyoumisswiththeAV,thefemalecouldbebredorpossiblytransmitvenerealdiseasetothemale.Forcollectingsemenfrombulls,atrainedsteerisusuallyused.Inthecaseofstallions,aphantom("dummy")isapopularchoiceforamount.DigitalManipulationManymalescanbeinducedtoejaculatebyapplyingpressureandmassagetothepenis.Afterthemalebecomesaroused,adirectorconeofsometype,attachedtoacollectiontube,isslippedoverthepenistofacilitateharvestingthesemen.Thistechniqueiscommonlyusedforcollectingsemenfrompigsanddogs.Aninitialtrainingperiodcanbehelpful,andhavingafemaleinestrustoarousethemaleoftenisuseful,particularlywhenthemaleisshy.Anothertypeofmessageusedoccasionallywithbullsistostroketheampullae(terminalvasdeferens),seminalvesiclesandprostateglandthroughthewalloftherectum;inalmostallcases,thebullmustberestrainedstandinginachuteandsedatedtoallowrelaxationandextrusionofthepenis.Inconjunctionwithaurethralcatether,onecanobtainasterileejaculateusingthistechnique.Semeniscollectedroutinelyfromchickensandturkeysusingaformofdigitalmanipulation.ElectroejaculationElectroejaculationinvolvesapplyingaseriesofshort,low-voltagepulsesofcurrenttothepelvicnerveswhichareinvolvedintheejaculatoryresponse.Itsoundslikeanextremelyunpleasantexperience,butdoesn'tseemtocausemuchdistressinbulls(althoughtheydoneedtobesecurelyrestrained),andisconductedunderanesthesiainmanyspecies.Electroejaculationcanbeusedwithalmostanymammal.Withfewexceptions,electroejaculationistheonlytechniqueusefulforcollectingsemenfromwildanimals,inwhichcasethemaleisanesthetizedpriortotheprocedure.Anotheradvantageofelectroejaculationisthatitdoesnotrequireamountanimal,andcanbeappliedinthefieldusingabattery-poweredunit.Finally,electroejaculationcanbeusedtoobtainsemenfromanimalsthatarephysicallyincabableofmountingduetomusculoskeletaldiseaseorinjury.Itisusedforcollectingsemenfromquadrapelegicorparapelegicmenwhodesireachildbutcannotejaculateduetospinalcordinjury.Withbulls,wherethereisabundantexperiencecollectingsemenbybothartificia...
