A huge load of bull semen was spaffed up the walls of the facility in a series of explosions (Picture: Bonnie Barkmeyer)

Farmers in Australia are having a hard time of it after vats of bull semen were destroyed in a fire.

Around 100 cryogenic cylinders exploded, splattering their contents throughout the building in Gippsland, Victoria.

Each cylinder at Yarram Herd Services was worth between $500 (£275) and $1,000 (£550). They contained shots of semen worth between $5 (£2.76) and $95 (£52).

Fire commander Chris Loeschenkohl described the fire as a unique challenge.


He said: ‘The liquid inside the cylinders was rapidly expanding and essentially the lids of the cryogenic cylinders were just popping off the top and projectiles were being thrown from the building.’

That led firefighters to go into defensive mode, beating off any substances heading their way or towards neighbouring buildings.



Chirs added that he has ‘never had anything to do with the artificial insemination side of things before’.

Firefighters moistened the flames for more than two hours before they got a grip of the situation and brought the fire under control.

Vice chairman Aaron Thomas told ABC he didn’t see it coming adding that a lot of farmers who had semen in the building and it would be a ‘huge blow’ for them.

He told local news sources: We’re coming into the artificial insemination (AI) season so there would have been substantial amounts of semen inside the tanks that we’ve lost which was owned by our local farmers, and it can range in value from $5 per straw to $95 per straw.

‘A lot of farmers would have semen stock in the building, in those tanks, preparing for AI, so we’ve got that plus all of our herd testing equipment that was in there as well.

‘So this is significant damage and it is going to have a flow-on effect on Yarram, especially after the drought that Yarram district has experienced over the last 12 months, it’s going to be a real blow for sure.’

Nothing could be saved from the wreckage of the fire.

Editor’s note: Summa cum laude to the firefighters.

Fire investigators on scene following a blaze that completely destroyed the Yarram Herd Services building last night. Cause of the fire is still being investigated. More on @WINNews_Gip #gippsnews pic.twitter.com/Kyx1X2phV6 — Bonnie Barkmeyer (@BonnieBarkmeyer) September 17, 2019