Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T13:42:35.842Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comparison of laparoscopic and transcervical insemination with frozen semen in Sarda dairy ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. Cappai ,
S. R. Sanna ,
A. Branca ,
A. Fraghì  and
G. Bomboi
P. Cappai
Affiliation:
Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario per la Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo (SS), Italy
S. R. Sanna
Affiliation:
Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario per la Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo (SS), Italy
A. Branca
Affiliation:
Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario per la Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo (SS), Italy
A. Fraghì
Affiliation:
Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario per la Sardegna, 07040 Olmedo (SS), Italy
G. Bomboi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Università di Sassari, Italy
Get access

Abstract

Laparoscopic insemination with frozen-thawed semen is currently used for planned matings in the Sarda breeding programme. In order to find a fast and less intrusive artificial insemination (AI) method that could replace laparoscopic insemination, a field comparison of laparoscopic and transcervical techniques was carried out on 200 mature Sarda ewes. After AI, ewes were assigned to teaser and fertile rams for 2 months. Return rates and cumulative (AI + natural mating) lambing rates were recorded over three subsequent 23-day periods. Lambing rates to AI were significantly different (P < 0·01), and were 62% and 7% respectively for laparoscopic and transcervical AI. Cumulative lambing rates after two further 23-day periods of natural mating were no longer significantly different (P > 0·05) and reached 82% and 74% respectively. Ewes with body condition scores at AI higher than 2·75 showed better overall reproductive performance, but not higher pregnancy rate to AI. Plasma cortisol concentrations, sampled twice, before and after AI, were higher (P < 0·01) in the last sample, suggesting a stress response to insemination. Cortisol levels after AI were lower (P < 0·01) for ewes submitted to transcervical rather than laparoscopic insemination (P < 0·01). However, cortisol levels after AI were no greater than those recorded when ewes were restrained in a milking yoke different from that usually employed. Laparoscopic AI was confirmed as the most suitable technique for insemination offrozen semen in the Sarda breeding scheme.

Keywords

artificial inseminationdairy sheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 66 , Issue 2 , April 1998 , pp. 369 - 373
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alam, M. G. S., Dobson, H. and Fitzpatrick, R. J. 1986. Endocrine response to different doses of ACTH in cows. British Veterinary journal 142: 239–245.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barillet, F. and Elsen, J. M. 1979. [Optimum use of artificial insemination in sheep breeding schemes.] Proceedings of the 5émes journees de la recherche ovine et caprine, ITOVIC-Paris, F, pp. 186–204.Google Scholar
Branca, A., Cappai, P. and Cognie, Y. 1983. [The effect of one or two daily milkings on reproduction parameters in Sarda ewes.] Proceedings of the third symposium on machine milking ofsmall ruminants, Valladolid, pp. 167–176.Google Scholar
Buckrell, B. C., Bushbeck, C., Gartley, C. J., Kroetsch, T., McCutcheon, W., Martin, J., Penner, W. K. and Walton, J. S. 1994. Further development of a transcervical technique for artificial insemination in sheep using previously frozen semen Theriogenology 42: 601–611.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campbell, J. W., Harvey, T. G., McDonald, M. F. and Sparksman, R. I. 1996. Transcervical insemination in sheep: an anatomical and histological evaluation. Theriogenology 45: 1535–1544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cappai, P. and Branca, A. 1986. [Laparoscopic technique use for AI and intrauterine embryo transfer in the ewe.] Proceedings of the 40th congress of SISVET, pp. 267–270.Google Scholar
Cappai, P., Branca, A., Fadda, P., Gallus, M. and Casu, S. 1989. [AI trials by the intrauterine method in Sarda ewes.] Proceedings of the 43rd congress of SISVET, pp. 317–321.Google Scholar
Cappai, P., Cognie, Y. and Branca, A. 1984. Use of the ram effect to induce sexual activity in Sarda ewes. In The male in farm reproduction (ed. Courot, M.), pp. 316–323. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Dattena, M., Gallus, M., Loi, P., Branca, A., Cappai, P. and Casu, S. 1992. [Artificial insemination in ewe lambs: effect of the insemination technique on fertility.] Proceedings of the 10th symposium of SIPAOC, pp. 276–277.Google Scholar
Falaschi, U., Ciceri, A., Rassu, P. G., Pulina, G. and Enne, G. 1995. [Transcervical AI: peculiarities of the technique and first experimental results with frozen semen.] Proceedings of the VII meeting Naz.le “Studio della efficienza riproduttiva degli animali di interesse zootecnico”, pp. 57–61.Google Scholar
Findlater, R. C. F., Haresign, W., Curnock, R. M. and Beck, N. F. G. 1991. Evaluation of intrauterine insemination of sheep with frozen semen: effects of time of insemination and semen dose on conception rates Animal Production 53: 89–96.Google Scholar
Halbert, G. W., Dobson, H., Walton, J. S. and Buckrell, B. C. 1990a. A technique for transcervical intrauterine insemination of ewes. Theriogenology 33: 993–1010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Halbert, G. W., Dobson, H., Walton, J. S., Sharpe, P. and Buckrell, B. C. 1990b. Field evaluation of a technique for transcervical intrauterine insemination of ewes. Theriogenology 33: 1231–1243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haresign, W., Read, S. R., Curnock, R. M. and Reed, H. C. B. 1986. A note on the use of laparoscopy for intrauterine insemination of frozen-thawed semen in the ewe Animal Production 43: 553–556.Google Scholar
Haresign, W., Williams, R. J., Khalid, M. and Rodway, R. 1995. Heart rate responses and plasma cortisol and (3-endorphin concentrations in ewes subjected to laparoscopy and its associated handling procedures Animal Science 61: 77–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Killeen, I. D. and Caffery, G. J. 1982. Uterine spermatozoa with the aid of a laparoscope. Australian Veterinary Journal 59: 95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lightfoot, R. J. and Salamon, S. 1970. Fertility of ram spermatozoa frozen by pellet method. I. Transport and viability of spermatozoa within the genital tract of the ewe. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 22:385–398.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McKelvey, W. A. C. 1994. Recent research on AI and MOET in sheep and their commercial application in UK. Proceedings of the New Zealand embryo transfer workshop, 1, pp. 16–17.Google Scholar
Manunta, G. and Casu, S. 1968. [Sexual activity of Sarda ewes in different seasons.] Zootecnica e Veterinaria 22: 249–256.Google Scholar
Maxwell, W. M. C. 1984. Current problems and future potential of artificial insemination programmes. In Reproduction in sheep (ed. Lindsay, D. R. and e), pp. 291–298. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Maxwell, W. M. C. and Hewitt, L. J. 1986. A comparison of vaginal, cervical and intrauterine insemination in sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 106:191–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moberg, G. P. 1987. A model for assessing the impact of behavioral stress on domestic animals. Journal of Animal Science 65:1228–1235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nwe, T. M., Hori, E., Manda, M. and Watanabe, S. 1996. Significance of catecholamines and cortisol levels in blood during transportation stress in goats Small Ruminant Research 20:129–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Doney, J. M. and Gunn, R. G. 1969. Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72: 451–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanna, S. R., Branca, A., Carta, A. and Molle, G. 1998. [Use of intrauterine laparoscopic insemination in the Sarda breeding scheme.] Proceedings of the XII symposium of SIPAOC, pp. 321–324.Google Scholar
Sanna, S. R., Carta, A. and Casu, S. 1995. [The use of artificial insemination in the Sarda dairy sheep.] Proceedings of the symposium of SIPAOC “Miglioramento genetico degli ovini e dei caprini: aspetti scientifici e problemi applicativi”, 55–77.Google Scholar
Windsor, D. P., Szell, A. Z., Bushbeck, C., Edward, A. Y., Milton, J. T. B. and Buckrell, B. C. 1994. Transcervical artificial insemination of Australian Merino ewes with frozen semen Theriogenology 42:147–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar