Insemination is termed the introduction of the semen or sperm of the male reproductive system to the reproductive system of the female to make fertilization successful (impregnation). Semen is transferred in the uterus for mammals or may be in the oviduct of oviparous organisms. The process of Insemination takes place through physical mating (copulation) in mammals but there are also some techniques or strategies by which this process happens properly by artificial sources.
These techniques or strategies come under the phenomenon of Artificial Insemination (semen placement in the female reproductive site). Artificial Insemination is considered a legal implication. The same pregnancy process is followed after successful fertilization through natural means or Artificial Insemination. The process of artificial insemination in humans is quite different from that in animals. I think that you all are well aware of natural and artificial insemination.
There are four main types of strategies used for artificial insemination. Nowadays, artificial insemination has become very common in the breeding methods of livestock and other species.
History of Artificial Insemination:-
Round about the era of 1322 A.D, a person first time used AI techniques by stealing semen samples and injecting them into his mare. The result was appreciatable and from that era, it became more common in successive eras. Then in 1780, an Italian physiologist L.Spallangini used this technique and impregnate the bitch successfully. In 1939, Samuath Kumaran in India performed artificial insemination on his farm. In the United States, artificial insemination was started with success in 1940 in dairy cattle.
Importance and benefits of AI in Animals:-
- It provides the greatest opportunity to spread the most superior kind of genetic materials so very helpful method for the production of healthy offspring on farms.
- We can produce almost 50000 animals in one year by artificial insemination while in the natural cases, the male animal can only produce 40-50 successful births during a whole year.
- It is the source of controlling the diseases that are transmitted through natural breeding so very helpful for fulfilling the optimum demand for livestock.
- It also helps to prevent the problems of infertility in animals. It is more economical than a natural one.
- Animals that have great differences in size are also easily mated without any accidental injury.
- Almost all the females can be inseminated at the same time thus important in maintaining the homogeneity of the farm.
- Those females that are at proper height but refuse to stand or accept males are easily inseminated by AI.
- Artificial Insemination with the combination of Biotechnology can fulfill the demands for food by providing healthy meat, and milk thus useful for food security issues.
Process of Artificial Insemination:-
In the process of artificial insemination, the First thing is to find the female that is at heat and then select the optimum time. After this step, an AI gun or catheter is used for insemination. It is passed through the reproductive tract of the female’s body and semen is placed in the uterus of the female’s body. It must be ensured that there is no loss of semen and semen straw is cut at 90° with sharp scissors. An expert person should carry out the process otherwise it may lead to a severe infection.
Effectiveness of Artificial Insemination:-
If we discuss the success rates of artificial insemination then it depends on what type of artificial insemination method is used. Artificial Insemination in animals is more common in cattle or buffalo thus we will discuss its rate. According to research at the Cholistani farm in Pakistan, the success rate of almost 60% is calculated using Intrauterine insemination. To check the success rate, 150 dairy cows were injected with artificial insemination and 89 out of 150 got pregnant and completed the gestation period. Intracervical insemination has the efficiency of 20% successful conception.
It is very necessary to adopt the process of AI by an expert person. All the necessary apparatus used for AI should be properly maintained, and sperm quality checker instruments should be used before artificial insemination to check sperm mortality and active sperm. In the absence of the male bull or male animal, there is no proper detection of the female in heat.
An inseminator that does not work properly also affects the effectiveness of artificial insemination. The above two factors are the causes of poor breeding efficiency. The presence of a male bull is thus helpful for effective artificial insemination at the right time. If the inseminator is not careful then it must be a source of viral infection in the uterus of the female body.
Uncontrolled or without proper plan insemination can be cause of destruction of the breeds. If the semen is not stored properly then it also affects the process of successful conception for pregnancy, thus is an important factor for effective insemination. Time is also a crucial factor in improving the rate of Artificial Insemination. When ovulation takes place, then immediately complete the process of AI. Ovulation is scheduled 14 or 15 days before the next menstrual cycle.
Price of Artificial Insemination:-
In this section, we will discuss the price of AI and natural services by comparison and also will discuss in detail that what are the factors that have an impact on the cost of AI in animals. Farms with different sizes of animals were studied in it. By observation, the cost that is associated with natural mating is less as compared to the AI. One thing that made Valergakis wonder is that breeds produced by artificial insemination no doubt are costly but milk production of the AI daughters is about 25% more than the natural services NS breeds.
The extra charges that are applied to artificial insemination are a source of income from the milk and it diminishes the high cost of AI. The main purpose of the researcher’s conclusion was AI is the best opportunity to make breeds of desirable characteristics for sustainable agricultural productivity. It costs about 1800-2000 dollars per year expenses for AI.
These are some factors that affect the price of artificial insemination in animals. Ability to produce more milk(Price of milk/Kg), cost of used feed, prices of the breeds produced, numbers of days open and when complete or stop insemination, semen prices, and types of bull.
Requirements for Artificial Insemination:-
Before the process of artificial insemination, we should have semen that is thawed carefully. If semen is stored in the refrigerator then it is needed to maintain its temperature by keeping it somewhere at the warm site or by dipping in warm water. In this way, sperm viability is at an optimum level and increases the chances of successful conception. The tools that are required for the process of artificial insemination should be kept clean, dry, and warm for better performance.
In proper thawing of the semen, time and temperature are critical factors. The temperature of water for the thawing process should be about 90-95°F. The thermometer should be checked properly after 6 months for error. Proper semen handling techniques are very important to achieve high conception rates and healthy birth of calf.
So for the ideal artificial insemination, a proper AI technician is required who is an expert and has complete knowledge about all the complexity in carrying out the process. Always use the semen of best quality to prevent birth defects and diseases.
Types of Artificial Insemination:-
Intrauterine insemination, Intracervical insemination, Intratubal insemination, and Intravaginal insemination are four types of AI that are named because of their different positions for semen placement by artificial sources. Let’s discuss it one by one.
Intrauterine insemination:-
IUI is used for treating the disorder of infertility. It is also named donor insemination. The prepared sample is placed directly in the uterus of the female’s animal body where the baby’s development takes place thus it has a maximum chance of impregnation. The success rate of this Insemination is almost 60% described by research in Cholistan.
Intracervical insemination:-
It is also used for treating fertility disorders. The sperm is directly placed into the cervix of the female’s body. It must be kept in mind that the time for placement of sperm must synchronized with ovulation to carry maximum conception rates. Sometimes medicines are used for ovulation so that the maximum possible chance of fertilization occurs. It has an efficiency of about 20% almost at the global level. It is more costly than intrauterine.
Intratubal insemination:-
In this technique, sperm or semen is placed in the fallopian tubes in the female’s reproductive system. It is the least effective type of artificial insemination because chances are just about 10-15%.
Intravaginal insemination:-
It is used when a female’s reproductive system is unable to carry sperm for fertilization thus fertilization takes place outside the body and then the zygote is placed in the womb. The next phases of growth and development are followed by the same methodology. It is almost successful because fertilization is already done. If any disorder is not happening then it continues to complete the development phases.
Collection of Sperm for Artificial Insemination:-
Make sure the availability of tested and selected sire for semen. For this young and healthy males should be preferred and the collection of semen in the morning time before feeding. Electro-ejaculation method, massage method, dummy cow collection method, and live mounting and teasing method are used for the collection of semen. Electro-ejaculation is not commonly used but in some rare situations(only when a male is not trained for artificial collection).
The artificial vagina is most commonly used in the process of semen collection. Proper preparation is required for male animals that are required for semen collection. A dummy is exposed to a male that is supposed to like a female animal to the male but most of the time, males are not interested in this method. live mounting is the best option for collecting semen. The artificial vagina is provided with proper temperature, lubrication, and pressure for achieving semen ejaculation in the calibrated tube at the lower/end size of the vagina.
After the semen is collected in the artificial vagina, it cannot survive for a long time thus it is diluted by some specific liquids and then stored in the refrigerator at 5°C or in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. Diluent provides minerals for live sperm, it contains nutrients for aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Liquids used have good buffering capacity so no change in pH occurs during metabolic activity.
Equipment Used in Artificial Insemination:-
- 2 ml syringe having a diameter of 1 mm.
- Sterilized pipette
- A semen sample that is prepared for insemination
- Semen containing tank
- Sheath
- Thermos for
- Artificial insemination gun
- Plastic sleeve
- Straw cutter
Conclusion:-
Artificial Insemination is an important technique that is advised for many animals even in laboratory animals to improve the genetics. It has a significant impact on the healthy maintenance of precious breeds. By maintaining the records of artificial insemination, we can check our effectiveness in the process of artificial insemination. As the semen sample from the male body contains a large no of sperms it can be further diluted or we may choose the healthy sperms for artificial insemination after the examination under a specific microscope.
Sometimes, it costs more than natural breeding, and the best technique to apply where there are very less chances of natural breeding. It is also helpful technique to increase the lifespan of the breeds. AI is also the solution for the handling of food security issues and other dairy demands. It can be a good source of income for a person having high-quality animals, especially males because one can also generate income by selling the semen samples.
The person hired for the process of artificial insemination must know about all the processes, techniques used, the effectiveness of IA, requirements of equipment used, collection procedure, types, and prices of semen doses because these all are an important factor and their proper integration leads to real benefits. All procedures should be followed accurately for the collection, storing, and thawing of samples because these initial factors contribute to the effectiveness and maximum chances of successful conception along with the completion of the gestation period.
Hashir Mahmood
University Of Agriculture, Faisalabad
