Appendix II-C 
Animal Fertilization Technologies 
Sfterm stnrufiv 
1)1 I IM I ION 
I hr Irtf/ui^ ol to — 196® I >lora#{e tor an 
iiuit'tinilr limr toliov\t‘d hv tha\\mf< aiul .successtul 
inM'iiunalion 
sr\n Ol no; \iu 
t'oiurplion rali'^ at fii r»t insrmination v\itlt tro/en 
sfMTin a\rra>{t* )M-tut‘<>n 'll) to 6a |HTifnt tor most 
sfMTirs This t»t finok»^> is not a krv to the siurrss ot 
artitirial iiiM'inindtion lAII. hut tMt-aiisr ot thr con- 
vrniriur it is now an rss»*ntial iiiftriMilrnt (airmit 
o|M‘rational priM rtiuri's an* a(ii*<|uatt' tor thi* dairy in- 
dustry 
\i)\ \M'\r;Fs 
1 (.rratiT use ot seUt tnl tnills as \I studs 
2 FJimination ot the netti to maintain e.\fM*nsi\i* and 
danjjerous hulls on dair> farms 
3 Sf)«*rm ran lx* testetl for diseas«* arul treated for 
venereally transmittetl diseases 
4 Fase ot transfxirt anti theit’fore of increasing? po- 
tential offspring 
n I I hf; 
Little change is anticipated in semen processing. 
Freeze-druxl semen is unlikely to be successful 
enough to use Sperm banking can be e.\|>ected to in- 
crease. especially on .-\l studs. Banking provides 
cheap storage while bulls (slaughtered) are being 
progeny tested, and insurance against loss of bulls 
through natural causes. For preserAation of semen 
from bulls of less populous breeds, banking can be 
completed in about a year after which the bull can 
be slaughtered. 
Artificial insemination 
DEFIMTIO.V 
Manual placing of sperm into the uterus. 
STATE OF THE ART 
Highly developed for most spiecies. Representative 
use rates in the United States are: dairy cattle, 60 per- 
cent: beef cattle, 5 percent: turkeys, 100 percent. 
The major limitation to the use of .AI is the low na- 
tional average conception rate at first service, 
around 50 percent. The success or failure of ,AI is 
determined by a multiplicity of factors including 
estrus detection, i]uality of semen, timing of in- 
semination, and semen handling. 
DISADVANTAGES 
1. U ith increased herd size, estrus detection has 
become a major problem. 
2. Ine.vperienced dairymen are buying semen and in- 
seminating (heir own cows, resulting in lowered 
fertility and no feedback on semen fertility. 
ADVANTAGES 
1 Widespread use of genetically superior sires. 
2. St*rvices of jiroven sires at a lower cost. 
3. Klimination of cost and danger of keeping bulls on 
the farm. 
4 Control of certain diseases. 
5. Use of other bretnling techniciues including cross- 
breeding. 
6. ('ontinued use of valuable sire after his death. 
FCTCRE 
Greater use of AI in beef cattle will depend on the 
availability of successful and inexpensive estrus syn- 
chronization technology', on relaxed restrictions of 
the various breed associations, and on accurate prog- 
eny records. 
Estrus synchronization 
DEFINITION 
Estrus ("heat"), is the period during which the 
female will allow the male to mate her. This sexual 
behavior is subtle and varies widely among individ- 
uals. Thus the synchronization of estrus in a herd, 
using various drug treatmnts, greatly enhances AI 
and other reproduction programs. 
STATE OF THE ART 
Effective methods for synchronization of estrus 
periods for large numbers of animals have been 
available for more than two decades, and several ap- 
proaches are now available which result in normal 
fertility. Several schemes involve use of prosta- 
glandin Fi (PGFz) for the cow and ewe. However, FDA 
approves usage only for controlled breeding in beef 
cows and heifers, nonlactating dairy heifers, and in 
mares. 
ADVANTAGES 
1. Time a heifer’s entry into a milking stream. 
2. Increase productivity by breeding heifers earlier 
in life. 
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