Editor’s note: “Somebody’s gotta do it” is an ongoing series that runs on Thursdays. The series highlights ISU occupations that may not be the most glamorous – and may even be uncomfortable to some – but are important for the university.

As a group of 17 students get ready for class, they prepare to see something most only see on a nature documentary.

From 2 to 4 p.m. in the basement of Kildee Hall, students of Animal Science 332 learn how to collect semen.

Lloyd Anderson, a distinguished professor of animal science who has taught for more than 40 years, teaches laboratory methods in animal reproduction, a class that demonstrates anatomy and physiology of domestic animals and how to collect semen from different animals, such as bulls.

“Most commonly to collect semen from the bull, you have a large mount and collect by what we call an artificial vagina,” Anderson said.

“That means deflection of the bull penis into the artificial vagina as the bull is mounting and thrusting, and collecting this in a vial.”

Anderson said that in order to collect semen from a bull, the mating experience must be duplicated for the animal.

The entire mounting and ejaculating process takes a few seconds and is often used for artificial insemination.

“It turns out artificial insemination in cattle is a very efficient operation,” Anderson said.

“It does not take many sperm cells prepared from one collection of semen to distribute across more than 100 females, so if you have a very viable bull, it could have a tremendous effect over the female population – not only locally.”

The process of artificial insemination has been around for quite some time and is important in the genetics of dairy cows and the production of milk, Anderson said.

Although Anderson is passionate about his job, he said it isn’t a job that makes him want to whistle while he works.

In the class, Anderson said he asks his students to collect semen from different animals, analyze it and write a report.

“I expect each student to collect semen – for example, from a boar – and process it appropriately and turn in a report, and the same from the bull,” Anderson said. “Each student does this.”

The process of collecting semen involves being cautious, Anderson said.

“They have to work carefully with the animals, not mistreat the animals and also work safely so they don’t get injured,” Anderson said.

“I’ve never had a problem working with the animals.”

Kyle Corrigan, senior in animal science, said he chose to take the elective course to fulfill his 300-level class requirement and hoped to learn practical research. He said the laboratory allowed him to do so.

Corrigan said he hopes to get a management job in a beef operation and hopes to breed his own cows.

He said the process doesn’t bother him.

“It’s just as normal as me eating,” he said.

Amanda Pape, junior in animal science, said she joined the class for hands-on experience, and hopes to get a job in animal reproduction.

Pape said she was hoping to get an idea of what she wants to do and said she thinks the class material is very interesting.

“So far we’ve only collected from a boar,” she said.

“We had a dummy, and he was just trained to mount the dummy. He just jumps up there and mounts it, and you get down there and collect it. It’s just where you put pressure.”

Pape said she wasn’t bothered by the process, although she thinks a few of her classmates who didn’t have experience with farm animals were a little uncomfortable.

“I’m completely comfortable about it,” Pape said.

“I think it was kind of awkward for a few people that hadn’t been around farm animals before, but it’s fine with me.”