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Journal of Dairy Science Dec 2017Reproductive technology revolutionized dairy production during the past century. Artificial insemination was first successfully applied to cattle in the early 1900s. The... (Review)
Review
Reproductive technology revolutionized dairy production during the past century. Artificial insemination was first successfully applied to cattle in the early 1900s. The next major developments involved semen extenders, invention of the electroejaculator, progeny testing, addition of antibiotics to semen during the 1930s and 1940s, and the major discovery of sperm cryopreservation with glycerol in 1949. The 1950s and 1960s were particularly productive with the development of protocols for the superovulation of cattle with both pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin/equine chorionic gonadotrophin and FSH, the first successful bovine embryo transfer, the discovery of sperm capacitation, the birth of rabbits after in vitro fertilization, and the development of insulated liquid nitrogen tanks. Improved semen extenders and the replacement of glass ampules with plastic semen straws followed. Some of the most noteworthy developments in the 1970s included the initial successes with in vitro culture of embryos, calves born after chromosomal sexing as embryos, embryo splitting resulting in the birth of twins, and development of computer-assisted semen analysis. The 1980s brought flow cytometric separation of X- and Y-bearing sperm, in vitro fertilization leading to the birth of live calves, clones produced by nuclear transfer from embryonic cells, and ovum pick-up via ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration. The 20th century ended with the birth of calves produced from AI with sexed semen, sheep and cattle clones produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cell nuclei, and the birth of transgenic cloned calves. The 21st century has seen the introduction of perhaps the most powerful biotechnology since the development of artificial insemination and cryopreservation. Quick, inexpensive genomic analysis via the use of single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping chips is revolutionizing the cattle breeding industry. Now, with the introduction of genome editing technology, the changes are becoming almost too rapid to fully digest.
Topics: Animals; Breeding; Cattle; Dairying; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Pregnancy; Reproductive Techniques; Semen; Sheep
PubMed: 29153167
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-13138 -
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Sep 2022Despite substantial advances in assisted reproductive techniques having been recently reported in cats, the use of these is limited and routine application is still far...
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE
Despite substantial advances in assisted reproductive techniques having been recently reported in cats, the use of these is limited and routine application is still far from being a reality in veterinary clinics. Nevertheless, there is an increasing demand from domestic cat breeders for artificial insemination (AI) techniques that are already commonly used in dogs. Where natural breeding is not possible in tom cats and queens of high breeding value, AI could offer a solution. Clinical challenges: AI in cats is more difficult than in other species - both in terms of semen collection/handling and oestrous cycle management given that ovulation must be induced.
AIM
For practitioners wishing to perform AI in queens, there are challenges to overcome, and a good understanding of the techniques and procedures involved is pivotal. This review aims to contribute to improved knowledge by providing an overview of AI protocols, encompassing choice of breeding animals, procedures for semen collection, oestrus and ovulation induction, AI techniques and equipment.
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS
Depending on the animals involved and the specific AI technique chosen, essential equipment may include an artificial vagina, electroejaculator, endoscope (sialendoscope, which can be fairly expensive) and special catheters for transcervical insemination. Other instrumentation and materials needed are typically readily available in a veterinary clinic. In general, no particular skills are needed to perform the procedures described in this review, with the exception of endoscopic transcervical catheterisation, where the ability to use an endoscope is required.
EVIDENCE BASE
The information and advice/recommendations provided are based on specific feline research and reviews published in scientific peer-reviewed journals, animal reproduction textbooks, and presentations at national and international congresses. The authors also drew on their own clinical experience with regard to the choice of protocols and procedures presented in this review.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Dogs; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Ovulation; Ovulation Induction; Review Literature as Topic; Vagina
PubMed: 36002144
DOI: 10.1177/1098612X221118756 -
Canadian Medical Association Journal Jan 1979
Topics: Female; Humans; Insemination, Artificial; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous; Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; Male; Patient Selection; Pregnancy; Spermatozoa; Spouses
PubMed: 761122
DOI: No ID Found -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... Sep 2020While only a single sperm may fertilize the egg, getting to the egg can be facilitated, and possibly enhanced, by sperm group dynamics. Examples range from the trains... (Review)
Review
While only a single sperm may fertilize the egg, getting to the egg can be facilitated, and possibly enhanced, by sperm group dynamics. Examples range from the trains formed by wood mouse sperm to the bundles exhibited by echidna sperm. In addition, observations of wave-like patterns exhibited by ram semen are used to score prospective sample fertility for artificial insemination in agriculture. In this review, we discuss these experimental observations of collective dynamics, as well as describe recent mechanistic models that link the motion of individual sperm cells and their flagella to observed collective dynamics. Establishing this link in models involves negotiating the disparate time- and length scales involved, typically separated by a factor of 1000, to capture the dynamics at the greatest length scales affected by mechanisms at the shortest time scales. Finally, we provide some outlook on the subject, in particular, the open questions regarding how collective dynamics impacts fertility. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems'.
Topics: Animals; Fertility; Flagella; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Motion; Sheep, Domestic; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 32713305
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0384 -
Journal of Dairy Science May 2021The objective was to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive artificial insemination (AI) training program designed to facilitate an understanding of the breadth of...
The objective was to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive artificial insemination (AI) training program designed to facilitate an understanding of the breadth of the AI process, including AI skill acquisition, for preclinical veterinary students. Participants (n = 303) were enrolled at the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies). The 2-d AI training program (n = 20) consisted of ∼8 h of instruction and ∼8 h of demonstration and hands-on activity. Oral presentations were used to deliver educational content, followed by video clips, discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on activity. Reproductive anatomy and physiology of the estrous cycle, AI sire acquisition, collection, evaluation, cryopreservation and distribution of conventional and sexed semen, storage and handling of frozen semen, use of synchronization protocols, accurate and efficient detection of estrus, and correct AI technique were discussed. True or false pre- and posttests were used to determine the level of knowledge gained by participants during the AI training program. Preclinical veterinary students were required to complete a semen handling and AI technique practical exam to achieve a certificate of completion. Participant program evaluations conducted at the conclusion of the program indicated that veterinary students found the content, structure, discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on activities to be appropriate and useful. No negative comments were offered about the training program, instructor, or activity coinstructors. The AI training program increased the posttest knowledge scores of veterinary students by 22 percentage points. Only 1 participant was unable to achieve a certificate of completion due to failure of the semen handling and AI technique practical exam. These results provide evidence that the AI training program was relevant and effective and that it offered information and skill acquisition with immediate field application.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Estrus; Estrus Detection; Estrus Synchronization; Female; Humans; Insemination, Artificial; Semen; Students
PubMed: 33612224
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19655 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 1992Semen collection techniques in the stallion have evolved considerably over the last 70 to 80 years and are used today primarily for artificial insemination. Semen can be... (Review)
Review
Semen collection techniques in the stallion have evolved considerably over the last 70 to 80 years and are used today primarily for artificial insemination. Semen can be collected from stallions that are otherwise unable to breed, allowing continued use of valuable animals. There are many options for collection of semen from stallions that present with ejaculatory dysfunction (see the article by McDonnell elsewhere in this issue.) Although there are many advantages to the use of artificial breeding, the collector must understand each step of the collection procedure as well as stallion preferences and proper use of an artificial vagina and mount source so that a representative semen sample is collected.
Topics: Animals; Ejaculation; Horses; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Semen; Specimen Handling
PubMed: 1576545
DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30470-4 -
British Medical Journal Jul 1978
Topics: Abortion, Spontaneous; Female; Humans; Infertility; Insemination, Artificial; Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; Male; Pregnancy
PubMed: 567076
DOI: No ID Found -
Animal : An International Journal of... May 2023Artificial insemination (AI) and in vivo embryo production (or multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, MOET) programs are both instrumental in accelerating the... (Review)
Review
Artificial insemination (AI) and in vivo embryo production (or multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, MOET) programs are both instrumental in accelerating the propagation of genetically and economically superior goats and sheep. The aim of this review was to present the current gestalt of non-surgical AI and embryo recovery (NSER) procedures in small ruminants. Small body size, precluding rectal palpation, and highly limited penetrability of the uterine cervix in ewes are the major reasons for the scarce use of non-surgical assisted reproduction techniques in this species. As a result, AI and embryo recovery techniques in sheep mainly involve laparoscopy or laparotomy (LAP). In does, however, the Embrapa method of AI allows for successful intrauterine deposition of semen, resulting in pregnancy rates from 50 to 80% under field conditions (>3 000 goats inseminated) when frozen-thawed semen is used. After the administration of prostaglandin F (PGF), non-surgical (transcervical) embryo recovery is also feasible in goats, with the cervical penetration rate approaching 100%. There is a paucity of information on the efficacy of non-surgical AI using frozen semen in sheep, but the results are satisfactory with fresh, cooled, or chilled ram semen. An application of the NSER technique in ewes has greatly improved over the last decade, and cervical penetration rates of ∼90% can be achieved when a hormonal cervical dilation protocol using PGF, oxytocin, and/or estradiol ester (e.g., estradiol benzoate) is applied. In some genotypes of sheep, sufficient cervical dilation can be induced without estradiol ester included in the protocol. Several studies indicated that recovery of transferable quality ovine embryos using NSER is comparable to that employing a ventral midline laparotomy, and NSER is evidently a method of choice when animal welfare is concerned. Considering both the number of retrievable embryos and animal well-being, the NSER is a viable alternative for surgical procedures. With further developments, it has the makings of a primary, if not exclusive, embryo recovery technique in small ruminants worldwide.
Topics: Pregnancy; Sheep; Animals; Male; Female; Insemination, Artificial; Semen Preservation; Estradiol; Ruminants; Goats
PubMed: 37567658
DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100787 -
The Veterinary Clinics of North... Apr 1992Artificial insemination is an effective technique for improving utilization of stallions in breeding programs. When proper semen handling and insemination procedures are... (Review)
Review
Artificial insemination is an effective technique for improving utilization of stallions in breeding programs. When proper semen handling and insemination procedures are used, optimal pregnancy rates are attainable. When AI techniques are employed for mares and stallions with marginal fertility, pregnancy rates may be improved in comparison with natural mating. Preservation of stallion semen in the liquid or frozen state reduces the costs and potential health hazards incurred by transporting mares and provides easier access to genetic material that may otherwise be unavailable. Acceptable pregnancy rates are consistently obtained with cooled semen. Conversely, techniques for cryopreservation of stallion semen will require more refinement before the procedure can be considered commercially viable on a wide scale.
Topics: Animals; Cryopreservation; Horses; Insemination, Artificial; Male; Semen Preservation; Specimen Handling
PubMed: 1576550
DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30476-5 -
Fertility and Sterility 1959
Topics: Humans; Insemination, Artificial
PubMed: 13653160
DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)33424-0