 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEMEN TANKS
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The XC and SC series are designed for the user who has
small capacity needs, but requires long-term storage
and low liquid nitrogen consumption in a convenient
lightweight package. By integrating features users
requested with the widest variety of holding times
and storage capacities, MVE Aluminum Freezers are
the units of choice.
The traditional method of export shipment and distribution
for biological products such as semen and vaccines
has been based around wet shipment under liquid
nitrogen. Over the past few years, many of the
traditional shipping companies have either
prohibited the shipment of liquid nitrogen, or
placed hazardous material surcharges on shipments to
the point where this method is uneconomical.
In many cases vapour shippers have become the method of
choice for cryogenic shipment. These shippers hold
product at cryogenic temperature and allow most
shipping methods to be employed, even for export
shipments. From a transport point of view, this is a
perfect solution. From a distribution standpoint, it
leaves much to be desired. Once at a destination,
the samples have to be transferred into a liquid
storage tank and the shipping container has to be
recovered by the shipping company. Therefore, there
is an additional "return shipment".
Since the early 1960's Chart/MVE has been at the forefront
of innovation and excellence in the field of storage
and transportation of frozen biological samples.
Once again, Chart/MVE has taken a step in front of
all other cryogenic manufacturers.
HOW MANY STRAWS?
The main question to answer before purchasing a
semen tank is how many straws will be stored. You
must remember that a tank with a 500 straw capacity
may only hold that many if they are packed at the
lab. If the canes are tight fitting you may not get
them back into the canister after pulling a straw to
breed your mare. On average a 500 straw capacity
tank with 6 canisters will actually hold about 400
to 450 straws comfortably. The larger the canister
size the closer to the advertised holding capacity.
The larger diameter canister has a less severe curve
and lets the canes fall back into them easier.
It is important to understand that many people
underestimate the capacity they will need. In only a
few years time you will accumulate semen because of
various sales and the use of newer stallions. You
may want to keep the older semen you have to use at
a later date and over time the tank becomes crowded.
Also, you may have purchased only a few straws of
one stallion but it will take up the room of ten
straws because they are on a 10 straw cane.
Overestimate the size you feel you will need and
avoid being one of the people that calls me a year
later saying "I should have gotten the bigger
tank!"
UNDER 500 UNITS TO STORE?
If you want to store under 500 straws you will want
to look at any of the tanks in the 20 to 22 litre
range. These are the least expensive of all the
tanks available, are very efficient and portable.
There are smaller tanks out there but they are used
for shipping and have a specially designed internal
component that absorbs liquid nitrogen. The addition
of this material makes this tank more expensive. All
liquid nitrogen tanks must be filled periodically as
the liquid evaporates and the level in the tank
becomes lower. Cost of filling a tank varies and can
be quite expensive in some areas. The longer the
holding time a tank has the more time between fills.
When looking at specifications on the tanks the
Static Time is the amount of time a tank will
hold liquid if it is completely full of liquid
nitrogen and is allowed to evaporate without pulling
out the cork. Working Time is the length of
time a full tank will become completely empty if it
is used on a daily basis (i.e. during breeding
season). The more often the cork is pulled and semen
removed the shorter time between fills.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
The main question I get about the MVE line of tanks
refers to the 20 litre series. The MVE SC20, XC20,
and SC20/20 look almost identical. The SC20 and XC20
are identical except for the canister size.
RESALE VALUE
There are many tanks on the market but only a few
brands that will have increased resale value based
on the name. Of course all tanks lose value in time
but if you may be selling your tank within a few
years this is an important consideration. If
Resale Value is the main issue we recommend
MVE Brand.
VAPOUR SHIPPERS
Vapour shippers are a completely different type of
tank. Basically built to save on shipping costs,
these compact tanks are used to ship semen around
the world.
They are named such because of an inbuilt lining
that actually absorbs the liquid nitrogen. This
allows the tanks to be shipped as non-dangerous
goods which saves on shipping costs. Vapour shippers
have a short hold time and limited capacity. They
are designed to lay on their side but NOT upside
down.
Protective Shipping Covers are the container used to
protect the vapour shipper during transit. The
design of any good shipping cover will not allow the
tank to be turned upside down at any time. Shipping
companies are not at all interested in keeping your
tank right side up so be sure you only ship in a
container that prevents any vapour shipper from
being transported upside down.
Shippers come in several sizes but the main tanks we
use are the
MVE SC4/3 and the
MVE SC4/2. The SC4/3 holds 4 litres of
nitrogen for 3 weeks and the SC4/2 holds 4 litres of
nitrogen for 2 weeks.
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