Reproduction and Genetics Removal of a straw of semen from an A.I. Freezer and loading in a syringe 1. Put cold water in your cito thaw and plug it in to turn it on. If available, put a thermometer in the cito thaw to check temperature. Temperature should be between 94 and 96 degrees F. The green light should come on when it is ready. 2. Locate cito thaw right next to your freezer to ensure the straw will not be exposed to environmental conditions for long. 3. Open the main lid to the freezer and pull the stopper 4. Know the canister number that your practice straws are in. 5. Put on a cotton glove to insulate left hand. 6. Remember canister can not be in the neck of the freezer for longer than 10 seconds. Removal of a straw of semen from an A.I. Freezer and loading in a syringe      7. Pull canister handle to the middle so you can pull the canister up. You cannot pull straight up because the canister is offset so it will not dislodge. Just position the canister so it is in the middle of the tank but still at the bottom. Put the straight part of the handle in between your index finger and middle finger of your left hand. Keep the straight part in between your left hand’s fingers, face down while you pull the canister up with your right hand.   Also keep the straw tweezers in your right hand. Once you are in the neck of the freezer take your fore finger and thumb of your left hand and pull up the desired cane. You should be able to grasp the desired cane by keeping the canister 1 1/4” from the top.    (If the correct cane cannot be located within 10 seconds lower the canister into the freezer for 10 to 15 seconds. Let the canister with the other canes drop a little ways into the freezer while keeping hold of the desired cane. Squeeze and hold the canister handle between your fingers and use your tweezers, in your right hand to pick the straw out of the goblet.    Pull your canister back up into the neck and drop the cane back into the canister. Plunge the canister back into the freezer while at the same time putting the straw into the cito thaw. Close cito thaw lid.  (This whole task has to be done in less than 10 seconds.) Put stopper back in freezer and close lid. Equipment The Insemination Kit 1. Cito Thaw 2. Straw Thermos 3. Cito Cutter/ Scissors 4. Syringe/ A.I. Rod 5. Plastic Sheaths 6. Paper Towels 7. Plastic Shoulder-Length Gloves 8. Lubricant 9. Cotton Glove 10. Safety Glasses 11. Tweezers The underlined words have arrows going to the items in the box. If you just click they will show in order. Step One The most important thing that you can do is keep good records on insemination Record which bull you used on each cow or heifer  Date when you A.I. each cow or heifer  Records can also provide you with information on the cow or heifer’s cycling period  Plug in the cito thaw and let the water you put into it warm up to the right temperature. When the Cito Thaw ready light is on, check the temperature of the water on the Thaw Monitor The temperature of the water should be between 94 and 96 F. This is a picture of the equipment that is needed to A.I. A.I. Liquid Nitrogen Tank The A.I. Box with the equipment inside • A cane and goblet help keep the amps and the straw organized • They also keep the straw from falling into the bottom of the liquid nitrogen freezer The liquid nitrogen freezer should be padlocked at all times when it is not in use. Always make sure that the refrigerator is on cardboard or on carpet. If you are unable to find the correct rack within ten seconds, lower the canister into the freezer for about ten to fifteen seconds. After that you should be able to try again. When you lift the canister up hold the handle in between your first and second fingers with the palm of your hand down towards the refrigerator. Hold the cane with your gloved hand and use the tweezers with your other hand to get the straw that you want out of the goblet. Make sure that you do all of that in ten seconds or less. After getting the straw that you want, quickly place the straw in the cito thaw. While you are putting the straw in the cito thaw, lower the rack and the canister back into the refrigerator.