Cryo preservation based breeding programs speeds up the cost reduction effects of genetic improvements with 25%, thus contributing to the overall profitability of aquaculture.
Three years instead of four
An Atlantic salmon breeding program based on cryopreserved milt has the potential to enter into a three year breeding cycle compared to four without losing genetic variation. The reason is an expansion of the genetic base by transfer of genetic material between year classes.
Ideal for land based breeding
Cryopreservation reduces the investment need for land based breeding sites with 10–20%. Alternatively it increases egg production by 10–20% in any existing brood stock unit.
Because milt is already available, you may stock the units with the desired number of females at the beginning of the season (based on the number of eggs needed). Then you can restock tanks with males as females are stripped and removed.
Fewer tanks – no downtime
In this way you run the site with fewer tanks and utilize former unproductive periods to produce milt for the current and coming seasons.
Higher egg production
Cryopreservation eliminates the problem with males and females becoming mature out of sync. Males are stripped whenever time is due, and the milt preserved. Making milt production independent of egg availability, opens for a 100% utilization of both eggs and milt. This will increase the production of fertilized egg from any given stock and site.
Better genes
Cryopreservation gives you a far better utilization of milt from the top genetically select males. Wider use of the top male genes has a potentiality to strengthen the year class bottom line with millions of USD.
High and stable fertilization rate
The Cryogenetics preservation program achieves commercially acceptable fertilization rates (>90% in Atlantic salmon, Chinook and Coho salmon). This is fully comparable to fresh milt.