Add or Subtract Semen

This screen is used to record any change to a bull's semen inventory at a specific location — whether you are adding newly purchased or collected straws, or subtracting straws that have been used, discarded, or otherwise removed.

GEM's inventory is transaction-based: each submission adds one record to the ledger with a positive or negative quantity. The current inventory balance for any bull and location is the running sum of all transactions for that combination.

Fields

Bull

Select the bull whose inventory is being changed. You can select a bull in either of two ways:

• Dropdown — Lists your designated herd sires and any bulls with existing semen inventory.
• Association / Prefix / Registration Number — Enter the bull's breed association, prefix code, and registration number manually to look up a bull not in the dropdown. The system will validate that the registration exists and is for a bull.

Location

Select the storage location for this transaction. Only locations configured as "Semen" type appear here. Locations are displayed with indentation markers (+---) to reflect their position in the storage hierarchy (e.g., Tank → Canister → Cane). Select the most specific location applicable.

Quantity

Enter the number of straws to add or subtract:

• Positive number (e.g., 50) — Adds straws to inventory.
• Negative number (e.g., -10) — Subtracts straws from inventory.

Note: GEM does not prevent you from subtracting more straws than are currently on hand. The balance for a bull and location can go negative; review inventory reports periodically to catch discrepancies.

Date

The date of the transaction. Defaults to today. Change this if you are recording a transaction that occurred on a different date.

Comment

Optional. A short note about the transaction (e.g., "Purchased from ABC Genetics", "Used for AI on heifers", "Disposed — poor motility"). Up to 250 characters.

Submitting

Click Submit to record the transaction. The record is saved immediately and the form resets for the next entry.

To correct or delete a transaction after submission, use Edit Semen Records from the Semen Inventory menu.