Pregnancy Rates in Lactating Holstein-Friesian Cows after Artificial Insemination with Sexed Sperm

The effects of artificial insemination (AI) using sexed sperm on pregnancy rates have seldom been studied in lactating dairy cows on commercial dairy farms. We evaluated pregnancy results after AI of 306 lactating dairy cows, of which 157 were inseminated with 2 [multiplication] 10⁶ frozen/thawed se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reproduction in domestic animals 2006-04, Vol.41 (2), p.95-97
Main Authors: Andersson, M, Taponen, J, Kommeri, M, Dahlbom, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal productions
Animal reproduction
Animals
Artificial insemination
Biological and medical sciences
Body fluids
calves
calving rate
Cattle
Cattle - physiology
dairy cows
Dairy farms
Dairying - methods
Estrus Synchronization
Female
females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Insemination, Artificial - veterinary
lactation
Lactation - physiology
Male
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome - veterinary
Pregnancy Rate
Sex Determination Processes
sex preselection
sexed sperm
Sperm Count - veterinary
sperm dose
spermatozoa
Spermatozoa - physiology
Terrestrial animal productions
Vertebrates
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Summary:The effects of artificial insemination (AI) using sexed sperm on pregnancy rates have seldom been studied in lactating dairy cows on commercial dairy farms. We evaluated pregnancy results after AI of 306 lactating dairy cows, of which 157 were inseminated with 2 [multiplication] 10⁶ frozen/thawed sexed sperm and 149 with 15 [multiplication] 10⁶ frozen/thawed unsexed sperm. The average pregnancy and calving rates were 21.0% and 20% for the sexed-sperm AIs and 46% and 45% for the unseparated control-sperm AIs respectively (p < 0.001). The proportion of female calves derived from sexed-sperm AI was 82% compared with 49% for control AI (p < 0.01). The proportion of live and healthy calves in single births was 100% for sexed-sperm AI and 97% for control AI (p > 0.05). Our results indicate that AI with low-dose sexed sperm under field conditions in commercial dairy herds without oestrus synchronization results in significantly reduced pregnancy rates compared with normal-dose AI. Improved insemination strategies combined with increased sperm doses are needed before the use of sexed sperm can be of any significant benefit for the dairy and beef industry.
ISSN:0936-6768
1439-0531
DOI:10.1111/j.1439-0531.2006.00625.x