•Arab Chieftains - Stole semen to breed mares

Ivanov (Russia) 1900 -

- Developed methods as we know today

- Most work was with horses but did some cattle and

pig work

First US AI Cooperative - 1937

Dairy cooperatives merge and form large companies that dominate cattle AI industry - 1960’s to present

All turkey’s bred AI - 1960’s to present

Expansion of swine and horse AI - 1990’s

Genetic improvement of livestock

Disease control mechanism

Possible to increase fertility

Decrease breeding expense

Current Status of US Industry

Dairy Cattle - 7 million (50%)

Beef Cattle - 1.3 million (3%)

Swine - 20 - 30%

Turkey - 100%

Horses - Increasing rapidly

Genetic Improvement

Wide spread availability of genetically superior sires

Disease Control

Injured studs available

More valid stud proofs

Reduced danger from studs

Cost - relatively cheap

Estrus detection must be good

Handle and care for semen

Record Keeping

Time involved - Restraining and inseminating cow

Training required to handle semen and breed cow

Semen Collection•Sexual arousal using Sight, sound, smell, touch

•Best mount - Live

•Alternative mount - dummies available for:

Stallions

Boars

Bulls

Electro-ejaculation

Useful if male won’t or can’t mount

Get urine often

Poorer quality ejaculate

Used in rams and beef bulls

Massage Method

Stimulate by rectal massage

Seminal vesicles

Vas deferens

Artificial Vagina

•Temperature

•Bull, stallion, ram at 45°C

•Pressure

•Friction

•Lubrication essential

Extenders include:

Nutrients Glucose, fructose

Cold shock prevention Buffer

Milk, skim-milk, egg yolk Citrate, Tris

The buffer component Antibiotics

Inhibit bacterial growth Increase volume

Cryoprotectant glycerol

•After collected and extended, semen is put into a semen straw.

•That straw is placed into a Liquid Nitrogen Tank.

•Each tank contains a Cane, which consists of Goblets containing the semen straws themselves.

•Make sure that the correct procedure forfreezing semen in a liquidnitrogen is followed.

Use the procedures recommended by the semen supplier!!!

35°C water for 30 - 60 seconds

Ice water for 3 minutes

Pocket thaw

Be very careful when removing straw from Nitrogen Tank

Thawing

Time of insemination

Cow - 12 hours after observed in standing heat (AM - PM rule)

Sow - 24 and 36 hours after first seen in estrus

Gilt - 12 and 24 hours after first seen in estrus

Sheep -12 to 18 hours after first seen in estrus

Horses -Every second day beginning on day 3 of heat

Insemination Protocol•Rectal/ Vaginal

•Vaginal

Once you have collected the semen and detected estrus of the female, you can begin to inseminate.

Pipette with syringe

Lube

Semen Straw

Gloves (Arms Length)

• Begin by restraining the animal. This will protect the animal and the technician during the procedure.

STEP 1:

•The inseminator places their arm into the females rectum, using plenty of lubrication, and removes all feces. This will allow the inseminator to palpate for the cervix more easily.

STEP 2:

•Once the inseminator has located the cervix they will hold it in their hand.•Using their free hand the inseminator will obtain the syringe with a plastic sheath (pipette) already prepared with a straw of semen.

STEP 3 & 4:

Carefully inserting the syringe with semen, being sure not to contaminate it with feces or other contaminates, the inseminator will insert the syringe into the females vagina. They will continue to pass the syringe until they can pass it through to the end of the cervix.

STEP 5:

Once the end of the cervix is reached, the plunger on the syringe can be depressed allowing the semen to be deposited directly into the uterus of the female. The Sperm will then hopefully reach and fertilize the egg resulting in conception, and eventually a fetus.

STEP 6:

The procedure in sows is slightly different from that used in Cows and Mares. There is no rectal palpation necessary in sows, only passing a pipette into the vagina. Once passed, a bottle of extended semen is placed at the end of the pipette. No pressure is needed on the bottle, the sows reproductive track will complete the procedure. The bottle of extended semen does need to be protected from the light and temperature changes to protect the sperm.

What about Pigs?

Factors Effecting Conception Rate

Time of insemination

# of sperm inseminated

Fertility of males

Skill of inseminator

If all goes well, the female animal becomes pregnant and carries the baby to term. Then once the baby is born it

will be the result of a successful Artificial Insemination procedure.