A HEAVILY-trafficked Tennessee highway was shut down after police discovered four large canisters of bull semen on the road.

The tanks reportedly fell off a Greyhound bus around 5am local time as it was travelling around a curvy stretch of Interstate 65 South, just below Nashville, WKRN-TV said.

Local police and fire officials, as well as a hazardous materials crew, were called to the scene after drivers reported seeing four large unmarked canisters with steam and a foul odour coming from them.

After discovering bus tickets on the ground near the containers, officials were able to link the mystery cargo back to the bus, which had been carrying chilled canisters filled with straws of frozen bull sperm packed in liquid nitrogen.

Greyhound buses commonly carry cargo, in addition to passengers, a Greyhound spokesperson told WKRN-TV



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Originally published as Bull sperm spillage shuts highway