• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of frozen boar semen on reproductive performance in swine artificial insemination (AI). Many factors, which were breeds, time of insemination, sperm concentration per dose, farm and year were investigated to improve reproductive performance efficiency. Boars were raised at Swine Artificial Insemination Center in National Livestock Research Institute, Sunghwan, Chungnam, Korea. This experiment was carried out from 1995 to 2000. There were no differences in swine AI with frozen boar semen using 5$m\ell$ maxi-straw among 3 breeds (Landrace, Yorkshire, Duroc), 2 or 3 times insemination per estrus, and 3 different sperm numbers of 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0$\times$10$^{9}$ per dose of insemination. However, non-return rate and litter size of sows inseminated with frozen boar semen of commercial farms were different according to farm management system and inseminator's skill. Conception rate, farrowing rate and number of pigs born alive per litter by artificial insemination with frozen boar semen (5$m\ell$ maxi-straw) from 1995 to 1999 was 68.3~74.6%, 61.7~67.6% and 8.1~8.7 heads.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1984

The effects of progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID) on the fertility levels in dairy cows were studied in 2 experiments. In experiment I, 70 lactating cows at 45 days postpartum were allotted to 3 groups and the treatments imposed were either： 1: Untreated control, 2: PRID with a capsule containing long of oestradiol benzoate (ODB) attached, inserted for 12 days, 3: PRID inserted for 12 days with long of prostaglandin F$\_$2${\alpha}$/ administration 24 h before PRID removal. Treated cows were inseminated 56 h after PRID removal and at an observed oestrus during the subsequent 48-day period. The control group was inseminated at an observed oestrus during this 60-day period. In experiment II, 60 ovarian disorder cows were divided into 5 groups and PRID+ODB inserted for 12 days. 1: atrophied ovary, 2: smooth ovary, 3: persistent corpus luteum, 4: follicular cyst, 5: luteal cyst. Treated cows were inseminated 56 h after PRID removal and at an observed oestrus over a period from the first insemination to 46 days. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The device produced a vaginal discharge in some animals. In experimenet I : 2. For treatments 2 and 3, respectively, conception rates to the fixed time insemination were 45% and 52%. 3. The conception rates of cows inseminated to the fixed time insemination and at an observed oestrus during a 60-day period were 65%, 86% and 91% for control, treatment 2 and 3, respectively. 4. Mean interval from calving to conception and inseminations per conception were 133, 91 and 86 days and 2.4, 2.1 and 1.9 for control, treatments 2 and 3, respectively. In experiment II； 5. The conception rates to the fixed time insemination for each group 20, 50, 70, 20 and 50%, respectively. 6. The total conception rates for the 48 days period of each group were 60, 70, 100, 60 and 90%, respectively. 7. The inseminations per conception of each group were 2.8, 2.1, 1.4, 2.7 and 1.9, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2001

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of liquid boar semen on reproductive performance in swine artificial insemination. Many factors, which were breeds, time of insemination, breeding season, sperm per dose etc, have been tried to improve reproductive efficiency. Boars were raised at Swine Artificial Insemination Center in National Livestock Research Institute, Sunghwan, Chungnam, Korea. This experiment was carried out from 1995 to 2000. There were no differences in the fertility results compared with 3 breeds (Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc), frequencies of artificial insemination (double and triple) per estrus cycle and different seasons by using liquid boar semen. There were no significant differences in conception rate, farrowing rate and litter size using 4 trials of 3.0, 2.5, 2.0 and $1.5{\times}10^9/80ml$ in liquid boar semen with 70% of motile sperm cells. We confirmed that the sperm number per dose of $1.5{\times}10^9/80ml$ could be used for commercial artificial insemination.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.8.1-8.6
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• 2014

Background: Artificial insemination (AI) can serve as a powerful tool to the sheep owners for making rapid genetic progress of their flock. The AI in sheep is mostly performed using fresh semen with two reasons i) lambing rate following trans-cervical AI with frozen semen is limited by the inability of frozen-thawed sperm to transit the cervix and ii) the need of circumventing the cervical barrier through laparoscope aided intrauterine AI. Therefore, AI with frozen-thawed semen is not as widespread in sheep as it is in other domestic species. However, to get maximum benefits through the use of AI, frozen-thawed semen is a prerequisite because instead of high fertility, the short shelf life of fresh semen coupled with a limitation on the number of insemination doses achievable per unit time restricts the widespread use of individual sires. Therefore, in order to enhance lambing rate, a total of 240 trans-cervical artificial inseminations with frozen-thawed semen were performed in Bharat Merino ewes during autumn season either once in the evening (G-I, 10 h after onset of estrus, n = 100) or twice (G-II, 14 h and 22 h after onset of estrus, n = 140) i.e. once in the morning and again in the evening. Results: The pregnancy rate (proportion of pregnant ewes confirmed by ultrasonography at day 40) and lambing rate (proportion of ewes lambed) were higher in G-II as compared to G-I (26.4 vs 20% and 19.3 vs 10%, respectively). The difference in lambing rates was statistically (P < 0.05) significant. The depth of insemination within cervico-uterine tract had no significant effect on pregnancy and lambing rates. Conclusions: The results indicate that lambing rate in sheep following TCAI with frozen-thawed semen was significantly influenced by time of inseminations. Two inseminations after 14 and 22 h of onset of estrus enhanced the lambing rates of Bharat Merino sheep as compare to single insemination after 10 h of onset of estrus. The TCAI technique with frozen-thawed ram semen is promising and may serve as a valuable tool for genetic improvement of sheep breeds. Research efforts are going on worldwide to overcome the poor fertility following TCAI with frozen-thawed semen.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.90-95
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• 2017

Objective: We investigated whether the insemination method (in vitro fertilization [IVF] or intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) affected morphokinetic events and abnormal cleavage events in embryonic development. Methods: A total of 1,830 normal fertilized embryos were obtained from 272 IVF and ICSI cycles that underwent ovum retrieval culture using a time-lapse system (Embryoscope) from June 2013 to March 2015. All embryos were investigated by a detailed time-lapse analysis that measured the developmental events in the hours after IVF or ICSI insemination. Results: No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding clinical outcomes (p>0.05). ICSI-derived embryos showed significantly faster morphokinetics than those derived from conventional IVF, from the time to pronuclear fading to the time to 6 cells (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found from the time to 7 cells to the time to expanded blastocyst (p>0.05). There were no differences in abnormal cleavage events between the two groups (p>0.05); they showed the same rates of direct cleavage from 1 to 3 cells, 2 multinucleated cells, 2 uneven cells, and reverse cleavage. Conclusion: The morphokinetics of embryo development was found to vary between IVF- and ICSI-fertilized oocytes, at least until the 6-cell stage. However, these differences did not affect the clinical outcomes of the embryo. Additionally, no significant differences in abnormal cleavage events were found according to the fertilization method.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.291-300
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• 1996

Real time B-mode ultrasound was used to detect the early conceptus in 187 Korean native cattles between days 10 and 60 after last insemination. The ultrasound diagnostic findings were systemically confirmed by palpation per rectum after the 60th day of last insemination. The embryonic vesicle and the embryo proper within the veside were first visible on mean day fl and 23, respectively. The heartbeat of the embryo proper could be detected on day 26, and the limb buds, placentomes, amnion, fetal movement, umbilical cord, optic area and split hooves were first visible on day 33, 34, 34, 44.5, 45, 32 and 48, respectively. The mean length of embryo proper was 3.8mm on day 23 which later increased to 56. 6rnrn on day 60. When ultrasound was used to detect the conceptus between days 20 and 30 after insemination and palpation per rectum after the 60th day of insemination, the accuracy rates of pregnancy detection by ultrasound scanning at days 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 were 44.4, 69.2, 78.6, 87.5, 90.0, 93.3%. In summary, the early pregnancy diagnosis of Korean native cattle with ultrasound appears high accuracy rates. It is considered that ultrasound can be used in veterinary practice well.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2011

The present research was carried out to evaluate the possibility of increasing female offspring production ratios using artificial insemination buffer (AIB) before artificial insemination (AI). In this experiment, we optimized AIB composition, made an AIB gun and analyze factors affecting AI non-return rate after AIB treatment. The AIB was made with the base of Tris-buffer supplemented with L-arginine and several other chemicals that might reduce the motility of male sperm compared to the female counterpart, therefore, increasing the possibility of fertilization by female sperm. AIB must be deposited into $2^{nd}$ to $4^{th}$ cervix by AIB gun. After 15 min of AIB deposition, frozen semen was deposited into the same place. A total of 348 cattle were inseminated with AIB insemination, and there were no significant differences between AIB and traditional AI non-return rates (56.8% vs. 55.7%). The AI non-return rate in AIB group, however, differed significantly among 7 Hanwoo farms. The parturition numbers ($1^{st}$ to $7^{th}$) of cows did not affect AIB AI rate. The proportion of AIB AI success rates was significantly higher in Hanwoo cows than in dairy cows (61.0% vs. 48.7%), but the average AI success rate did not differ significantly between AIB and conventional AI (56.8% vs. 55.7%). The female offspring production rate in $2^{nd}$ to $4^{th}$ cervix deposition place was significantly higher than that in the uterus body (77.7% vs. 59.6%, p<0.05). The injection volume of AIB in 5 and 10 ml was significantly higher than that in 2 ml (77.7%, 78.7% vs. 51.8%, p<0.05), but there were no differences in AIB injection volume between 5 and 10 ml. The best exposure time of AIB in the cervix was 10 to 15 min rather than 5 min (79.2%, 77.2% vs. 52.6%, p<0.05). AIB therefore needs to have an exposure time of at least over 10 min for a higher production rate of female offspring. In conclusion, AIB could be used in AI industry to increase the female offspring ratio and AIB AI can increase the AI success rate.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.57-71
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• 1983

1. Diluted chicken semen can be preserved at 2 to 5$^{\circ}C$ for 24 to 48 hr with resultant fertility of greater than 90% of that of fresh semen. Turkey semen can be preserved at 10 to 15$^{\circ}C$ for 6 to 24 hr and provide economical fertility. 2. Frozen chicken semen has given variable results; a 21 to 93% fertility ranges as compared to 92 to 94% expected with fresh semen. Highest fertility levels obtained with frozen turkey semen intravaginally inseminated have been 61 and 63% using DMSO and glycerol, respectively, as cryoprotectants. 3. The use of glycerol as a cryoprotectant reauires that its concentration in semen be reduced to less than 2% either by dialysis or centrifugation after thawing and before intravaginal insemination if optimal fertility is to be obtained. 4. The temperature at which cryoprotectants are added to semen and the time allowed for equilibration are important for subsequent fertility pre- and post-freezing. 5. The type of container used for packaging the semen, freeze or cooling rates, thaw rates and level of cryoprotectant all interact in affecting cell survival. 6. Plastic freeze straws as a packaging device for semen offers the following advantages: easy to handle, require minimal storage space, offer a wide range of freeze and thaw rates, and insemination can be made directly from them upon thawing. 7. Controlled slow cooling rates of 1 to 8$^{\circ}C$/min have thus far provided the best results for cooling chicken semen throught the transition phase change (liquid to solid) or critical temperature range of ＋5 to -20 or -35$^{\circ}C$. 8. Highest fertilities have been achieved with frozen chicken semen where a slow thaw rate (2。 to 5$^{\circ}C$) has been used regardless of the freeze rate. 9. To maintain a constant high level of fertility throughout a breeding season with frozen semen, a higher absolute number of spermatozoa must be inseminated (2 to 3 times as many) as compared to fresh semen since a, pp.oximately 50% are destroyed during processing and freezing. 10. The quality of semen may vary with season and age of the male. Such changes in sperm quality could be accentuated by storage effects. Thus, the correct number of spermatozoa may very well vary during the course of a breeding period. 11. As to time of insemination, it is best to avoid inseminating chicken hens within 1-2 hr after or 3-5 hr before oviposition; and turkey hens during or 7-10 hr before oviposition. 12. The physiological receptiveness of the oviduct at the time of insemination is a very important biological factor influencing fertility levels throughout the breeding season.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.153-157
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the optimal artificial insemination (AI) time with diagnostic kit at ovulation time. We already applied the patent about the protein in the cow heat mucose in external reproductive tract. And we would examine the accuracy for detection of cow heat by the kit produced with the protein. Evaluation of optimal heat detection was tried two time at 12 hrs and 24 hrs after the heat. And then, AI service also performed two times with no relation to the results of heat diagnosis by heat detection kit and pregnancy rates were checked with rectal palpation on $60^{th}$ day after AI. Heat diagnostic results by kit in natural heat after 12 hrs in Hanwoo cows were showed 31.3~75.0% on positive in first heat detection and 33.3~100.0% on positve in second heat detection. In the $1^{st}$ positive results were significant different (p<0.05), but $2^{nd}$ positive were not. The results of heat detection showed different result on regional influence and individual cow effects. The pregnancy rates of first trial of heat detection were showed 34.4~78.7% on positive and 21.3~68.8% on negative after the diagnosis by heat detection kit. And the pregnancy rates of next trial of heat detection were showed 33.3~85.7% on positive and 14.3~66.6% on negative after the heat diagnosis. Both positive results of first trial and next trial also were showed significant different (p<0.05), but negative results were not. In positive result, first trial of total pregnancy rates was higher than the next trial of pregnancy, but there showed opposite results on negative results. In conclusion, the optimal heat detection kit is suitable to ordinary Hanwoo cows and it suggested that we have to improve the kit's accuracy by detecting the materials like proteins related optimal AI time.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2011

Research in the area of equine artificial insemination (AI) has led to its increased application in field trials. However, procedures for equine semen collection, cooling and freezing of semen and artificial insemination need further improvement. In experiment 1, we investigated the percentage of total motility (TM) and progressive motility (PM) of sperms at after-collection, cooled-diluted, cooled-transported or frozen-thawed semen. In experiment 2, mares were inseminated with either cooled-diluted, cooled-transported or frozen-thawed semen. In experiment 3, we examined the effect of buffer (skim-milk extender), which was infused into the uterus at the time of AI with frozen-thawed semen. In experiment 4, we compared AI pregnancy rates for mares ovulating spontaneously versus after treatment with hCG. In experiment 1, the average percentage of TM was decreased from 75.3% to 14.4% at the stage of after-collection to frozen-thawed semen (p<0.05). The average percentage of PM was 58.2% and 59.6% at after-collection and cooled-diluted, but it was significantly increased 71.7% after frozen-thawed (p<0.05). In experiment 2, the pregnancy rates after AI using cooled-diluted, cooled-transported and frozen-thawed semen were 60%, 50% and 37.5%, respectively, and similar among treatments. In experiment 3, the pregnancy rate of mares infused with buffer at AI was 40% which was higher than that with no buffer (10%). In experiment 4, the pregnancy rates of mares were similar between ovulated spontaneously (25%) and ovulated with hCG (50%). The results suggest that equine semen that has been cooled-diluted, cooled-transported or frozen can be successfully used to establish AI, pregnancy and foal production. Also, the pregnancy rates after AI can be increased by infusing buffer into the uterus at AI or by inducing ovulation with hCG, but further study is need.