New Mexico Youth Ranch Management Camp
Beef Day
June 1, 2015
Artificial Insemination
and Embryo Transfer
Steve M. Lucero
4-H Agriculture Agent
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
The deposi5on of sperm in the female genitalia by ar5ﬁcial means. The history of A.I. •  It may have been used as far back as 1322, at which 5me an Arab chieKain used ar5ﬁcial methods to impregnate a prized mare. •  The ﬁrst scien5ﬁc research rela5ve to A.I. in domes5c animals was conducted with dogs by the Italian physiologist Lazarro Spallanzani. •  It was ﬁrst used commercially in caMle in the U.S. in 1938. •  Currently A.I. is widely practiced with dairy (60%) and
approximately 6% of beef animals.
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Advantages of Using Ar0ﬁcial Insemina0on: •  It increases the use of outstanding sires. •  There is a selec5on advantage by using A.I. with top bulls. •  It controls diseases by -‐ assuring use of semen from healthy bulls, thus reducing the spread of venereal diseases such as vibriosis, which causes cows to abort their calves. •  Calving ease. •  Controlled/5med breeding. •  Accurate due date.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Semen Tank Management
• The inner chamber containing liquid
nitrogen is actually suspended from the
outer shell by the neck tube.
• Any abnormal stress on the neck tube
caused by sudden jarring or an
excessive swinging motion can possibly
crack the tube resulting in
vacuum loss from the outer chamber.
• Accumulation of frost at the top of the
tank indicates a rapid evaporation of
liquid nitrogen.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
• Store the semen tank in a well
lighted area but out of direct
sunlight.
• Keep the tank elevated above the
concrete floor or other wet and
poorly ventilated surfaces.
• Corrosion of the outer shell
shortens the functional life of the
tank and possibly causes tank
failure.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Temperature Found in the
Neck Tube of a Typical Farm Semen Tank
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Location in Necktube
Range in Temperature .
Top
1 inch from top
2 inches from top
3 inches from top
4 inches from top
5 inches from top
6 inches from top
+36°F
+5°
–40°
–103°
–148°
–220°
–292°
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
+54°F
–8°
–51 °
–116°
– 184°
– 256°
– 313°
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adapted from Saacke 1978, Proc. 12th Conf. on Al of Beef Cattle.
.
Critical danger zone is the upper half of the neck tube or above –112°F
* Holding semen in this danger zone for more than a few seconds can decrease fertility
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Handling Semen
Within the Tank
• Coordinate rapid transfer of semen
between tanks. Involve two people
and arrange tanks side by side.
• If possible fill the tanks with
nitrogen before transfer.
• Raise canisters only to a level
necessary to locate the rack of
semen to be transferred.
• Maintain a record keeping system.
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Thawing Semen
• When preparing to thaw semen
raise the canister into the lower
portion of the neck where the
specific rack of semen can be
grasped.
• Lower the canister further into the
neck. Secure the rack as low as
possible in the neck, thus protecting
the other straws from thermal
damage.
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•  Use tweezers to transfer the straw
to the thaw bath.
•  Quickly lower the rack of semen
and canister into the body of the
tank.
•  The straw is pulled from the cane
and deposited into the warm
water bath that is 90-96 degrees,
and left for 35 to 60 seconds.
•  It is then wrapped in a paper
towel and shaken so the sperm is
on one end and an air bubble is at
the other.
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• Do not attempt to thaw semen at
temperatures greater than 95°F
(35°C).
• Thaw units of semen individually.
• Shake the straw as it is taken from
the tank to remove any liquid
nitrogen that may be retained
in the cotton plug end of the straw.
• Thoroughly dry each straw of
semen.
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• Cut the tip of the straw squarely
and through the air space below the
crimp.
• An angle cut may prevent the
straw from fitting securely into the
sheath.
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Loading Insemination Gun
Eliminate the chance of cold shock by:
1. Warming the inseminating rod
and sheath to body temperature (do
not use water for this purpose).
2. Handle the thawed semen and
prepare the insemination rod in a
warm environment.
3. Wrap the assembled
insemination rod in a clean, dry
paper towel and tuck it within
your clothing for transport to the
cow.
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Insemination Process
•  Inseminate the cow within a few minutes (no more than 15
minutes) after the semen has been thawed.
•  The gloved arm is inserted into the rectum and the cervix
grasped.
•  The outside of the cow’s reproductive tract should be
wash before insemination. This prevents the introduction
of manure and other contaminants to the reproductive tract.
•  The insemination rod is then introduced into the vulva at a
30-40˚ then horizontal into vagina and passed through the
cervix into the uterus (at cervical os).
•  The semen is deposited slowly over a 5 seconds.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Proper Semen Placement
Radiograph of an
excised cow
reproductive tract.
Source: Pennsylvania State University
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Proper placement of
the insemination rod
tip at the internal
cervical os.
Source: Pennsylvania State University
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Distribution of
radiopaque semen within
the uterine body.
Source: Pennsylvania State University
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Improper rod placement
in the right uterine horn.
Source: Pennsylvania State University
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Radiopaque semen
deposited in the right
uterine horn.
Source: Pennsylvania State University
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Heat Detection and Timing
•  Standing heat occurs every 18-24 days, and lasts for about 15
hours (range 6-24 hours).
•  Timing is imperative when AI-ing a cow, to achieve the
highest rate of conception, a cow seen standing in the am will
be AI-ed in the pm, and if seen in the pm will be AI-ed in the
am.
•  This is done because the cow ovulates after the onset of
standing heat (24-32 hours).
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Heat Detection
•  This is the most limiting factor in an AI program.
•  The cow or heifer must be seen in standing heat or active
Estrus, this is indicated by an altered behavior.
•  The female that is in “heat” will become immobile when
another animal, bull or cow, mounts her.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Are you spending more and gambling on un-proven genetics?
Source: ABS, Beef Focus Point, Spring 2015
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Are you spending more and gambling on un-proven genetics?
Source: ABS, Beef Focus Point, Spring 2015
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
What is Embryo Transfer?
ET involves the removal of an embryo from a female
of superior genetics and the placement of the embryo
into the reproductive tract of a female of average
genetics.
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What is the Goal of Embryo
Transfer?
The goal of ET is to obtain the maximum number of
genetically superior embryos in a minimum amount of time.
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Benefits of Embryo Transfer
•  Traditionally, cows produce only one calf per year. ET
allows the production of many offspring within a year
from a single cow.
•  ET can increase the genetic potential of a herd in a
relatively short period of time.
•  ET allows other producers to take advantage of
superior genetics because frozen embryos can be
shipped almost anywhere.
•  ET preserves superior genetics for future generations
due to embryo freezing.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Embryo Size and Quality
Embryos are microscopic in size (about 0.2 mm).
Only undamaged embryos at proper maturity should be
transferred or frozen.
The embryos on
the left are
damaged and
should not be
transferred.
The embryo on
the right is of
proper maturity
and quality and
should be
transferred.
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
Steve M. Lucero
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service
P.O. Box 400
Bernalillo, NM 87004
1-800-678-1802 or 505-867-2582
[email protected]
Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service