Veterinary and hygienic methods of directed reproduction in formation of healthy herds of cows

Our work provided for the study of the impact of directed reproduction of cows on the formation of highly productive healthy herds in the basic farms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. For accelerated replacement of herd and increase of number of highly productive cows in large farms for milk production one uses sexed semen at the first and the second insemination of primiparous cows obtained from highly productive mothers. The efficiency obtained from using this technique is 65-95% of individuals of the desired sex. Insemination was carried out by recto-cervical method using a tool AlphaVision frozen-thawed sexed semen divided by sex. The highest results of the fruitfulness of insemination with sexed semen in Agricultural production cooperative “Breeding Plant Almaty”, Individual entrepreneur “Karimov” and Kakpatas Kordai were obtained in the autumn-winter period and ranged from 58.1 to 65.2%, with an insemination index of 1.58-1.72. Economic efficiency when using the technology of artificial insemination of calves with sexed semen amounted to 10,040.2 tenge. When using sexed semen, an average of 92% of calves were obtained from bovine. Less insemination costs, the profit from calf production amounted to 76,109.2 tenge.

Increasing the efficiency of the herd reproduction system by introducing innovative technologies into dairy farming in Northern Kazakhstan

Background and Aim: In recent years, Kazakhstan has increasingly imported breeding cows for dairy and beef production. To maintain and improve their breeding qualities of reproductive function, it is necessary to constantly monitor the herd reproduction system. The aim of this study was to increase the level of herd reproduction by introducing innovative technologies into dairy farms in Northern Kazakhstan. To achieve this goal, the AlphaVision visual insemination system (IMV Technologies, France) was used, aiding to improve the artificial insemination method in farms in Northern Kazakhstan and increased the breeding rate using sexed semen to inseminate cows. In addition, the AlphaVision device was used in the differential diagnosis of certain diseases of the reproductive organs of cows. Materials and Methods: The object of the study was 200 cows (3-5-year-old) and 100 heifers (16-18-month-old) of Holstein breed. The authors carried out a comparative analysis of biotechnological methods of reproduction – the cervical method insemination with rectal fixation of the cervix (traditional method of insemination) and the AlphaVision visual insemination system, and the effectiveness of AlphaVision for diagnosing some reproductive tract abnormalities in cows was studied. In the experiment on conducting artificial insemination through AlphaVision, we have used both normal (two-sex) and sexed semen. Results: When using the AlphaVision visual insemination system, a higher percentage of fruitful insemination was noted (20.7%) than when using the traditional method. The images obtained with AlphaVision made it possible to identify cows with abnormal sexual cycles, signs of vaginitis, endometritis, cervicitis, and differentiate them by the nature of the exudate. In many cases, visual examinations of the vagina and cervix are not carried out before the traditional method of artificial insemination. For this reason, some vaginal and cervical abnormalities are not diagnosed, resulting in reduced fertility in cows. We have found that the number of genital abnormalities has increased by 30% with the increasing age of cows. Obstetric and gynecologic pathologies in high-yielding cows are noted in more than 50% of the herd. A comparative assessment of clinical manifestations of cervicitis and other pathologies of reproductive organs, using the AlphaVision visual insemination system, has been carried out for the identified diseases. With the traditional method of insemination with conventional semen, the calf yield per 100 cows for the period 2016-2019 has been 65-80% and with sexed semen 30-50%. With AlphaVision in 2020, the insemination rate was 85% conventional and 60% sexed, respectively, which was 5% and 10% higher than with conventional insemination. This was due to the improved diagnosis of some reproductive diseases in cows. Conclusion: The introduction of innovative technology, namely, the visual insemination system AlphaVision, into the practice of dairy farms in Northern Kazakhstan increased the level of the herd reproduction system.

PSVIII-16 Effect of estrous synchronization with natural service or fixed-timed artificial insemination with conventional or gender-skewed semen in beef females

Reproductive efficiency is critical for profitability, and age at weaning critically impacts weaning weight. The objective was to evaluate estrous synchronization and/or AI with conventional (CON) or gender-skewed (SEXED) semen on calving distribution. Beef females (n=1,620) were either 1) synchronized (7-CIDR:Syn) or not synchronized (Nonsyn) and mated to bulls, 2) synchronized (7-d CIDR) and mated to bulls (SynNS) or artificially inseminated (SynAI), or 3) synchronized (7-d CO-Synch plus CIDR) and AIed with CON or SEXED semen. Calving distribution and gender were determined at birth and were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS. Synchronization resulted in more calves born from d1 to 14 (P < 0.01; 62% vs 47%) of the calving season. There was no differences (P = 0.31) between Syn and Nonsyn in the percent of calves born after d21, but between d22 and 42, more (P = 0.04) calves were born in the Nonsyn group. A greater proportion (P < 0.02; 46% vs 38%) of calves were born in SynNS between d1 and 14 compared to SynAI. There was no difference between treatments (P > 0.12) from d1 to 42, but more calves were born for SynAI after d43. With SEXED semen, there were no differences (P > 0.14) between CON and SEXED for the proportion of calves born from d1 to 14 or d1 to 21; however, more of the desired gender were born in the SEXED group during d1 to 14 of the calving season (P < 0.01; 84% vs 68%). More total calves were born from d22 to 42 in the SEXED group compared to the CON group (P < 0.05; 49% vs 33%). In summary, synchronization increased the proportion of females that calved early in the calving season, and SEXED semen increased the proportion of the desired gender born early in the calving season.

PSI-7 Comparison of 6-day versus 7-day CIDR protocol with GnRH and PGFα to synchronize crossbred beef cows for fixed-timed ai with sexed semen at two different times

Preliminary data indicate that shortening the progesterone exposure with CIDR can improve conception rates compared to the established 7-day CO-Synch protocols. The objective was to determine the effects of shortening progesterone exposure from 7 days to 6 days among crossbred beef cows and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) with sex-sorted semen. A total of 147 fall calving (September-November) crossbred beef cows from one location were randomized to one of four treatments: 1 and 4) 7-d CO-Synch + CIDR protocol with administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and a CIDR insert on day 0, prostaglandin F2α (PGF) at CIDR removal on day 7, and FTAI occurring 66 h (Treatment 1) or 74 h (Treatment 4) later; 2 and 3) 6-d CO-Synch + CIDR protocol with administration of GnRH and CIDR insert on day 0, prostaglandin F2α (PGF) at CIDR removal on day 6, and FTAI occurring 72 h (Treatment 2) or 80 h (Treatment 3) later. Sex-sorted semen from Angus sires was used for AI. Pregnancy was determined by ultrasound 40 days after AI. Pregnancy rate was analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with CIDR and AI service time as fixed effects. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the number of pregnant and open cows in each treatment using the FREQ procedure of SAS. There was no difference (P = 0.78) in pregnancy rates between 6-d CIDR (0.59 ± 0.05%) and 7 d CIDR (0.57 ± 0.05%) protocols. Cattle bred a shorter period after CIDR removal (0.64 ± 0.05%) had numerically (P = 0.11) greater pregnancy rates compared to those with a longer period after CIDR removal (0.51 ± 0.05%). There was no difference in the number of pregnant and open cows between treatment groups. These data suggest that using a 6-day or 7-day protocol, regardless of breeding time, results in similar conception rates.

Randomised controlled trial on estrus and conception impacts of reproductive and nutrition interventions on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms.

This field trial tested the hypothesis that providing Kenyan smallholder dairy farmers with training and resources can enhance cows’ cyclicity and conception using conventional or sexed semen. One hundred farmers were randomly selected and randomly allocated to five equal-sized intervention groups: 1) reproduction only; 2) nutrition only; 3) reproduction and nutrition; 4) education only (quasi-control); or 5) nothing (control). Reproductive interventions included provision of prostaglandin F2? (PG) and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to induce estrus, and reproduction education. Nutrition interventions included provision of leguminous shrubs and nutrition education. At monthly visits over 17 months, farm and cattle data were collected, and open cattle underwent physical and reproductive exams to determine readiness for farmer decisions on sexed semen utilization. Cox proportional hazards modeling (CoxPH) was used to determine if intervention group was significantly associated with risk of conception. The final dataset included 191 cows and 26 heifers. Lowest and highest heat submission percentages were 8.5% and 35.5% in the control and reproduction groups, respectively. Conception percentages in cows and heifers were 44.0% and 54.5% for sexed semen and 72% and 79% for conventional semen, respectively. In the final multivariable CoxPH model, each unit increase in average body condition score was associated with 3.5 times higher risk of conception. Cattle that were inseminated following spontaneous heat had 1.8 times higher risk of conception over cows that were inseminated following a hormone-induced heat. In a significant interaction variable, when cows were supplemented with dairy meal in the last month of gestation, a higher risk of conception was achieved in cows on groups where leguminous shrubs were fed compared to groups where no leguminous shrubs were fed. This study concludes that focused effort on improving reproduction through education, hormone use and improved nutrition can improve heat submission and conception percentages on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms.

Embryo Transfer

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have made tremendous advances, in last years. Artificial insemination is a method for achieving slow genetic progress in populations of animals. Many large and small ruminants are bred by AI, and more than a half million embryos are transferred every year around the world. Most of the ruminants sires used for artificial insemination were derived from embryo transfer. Improvements of reproductive biotechnologies of controlling the estrous cycle and ovulation have resulted in more effective programs for AI, superovulation of donor, and the management of ET. In the ruminants, ET procedure is a timely alternative that can allow good conception rates to be obtained constant in a year. There have been great advances of this biotechnique with on aimed to intensify the genetic progress between generations of farm. The gains is possible with the development of advanced reproductive biotechnique. The best current strategy in applying biotechnology to farmers is to use AI with sexed semen, so farmers will enjoy and benefit. The use of ET together with cryopreserved sexed embryos has a very specific potential for donor replacement and genetic improvement of the herd. In this chapter, procedures of the MOET protocol were described step by step.

The New Method for Increasing the Genetic Potential in a Nucleus of Romanian Buffaloes, by Unicornual Artificial Insemination with Sexed Semen, after Stimulation with OvSynch Protocol

Although artificial insemination can mean a slow and progressive improvement of animal genetics, in buffalo-cow its practical application is difficult the results are incomparably lower then cattle. The purpose of this article is to develop a new methodology, a well-known technique to make AI biotechnology more applicable to the buffalo, in order to improve the conception rate. The protocol we follow is to stimulate hormonal ovarian activity, inducing the dominant follicle, causing ovulation and scheduling the moment of sexed artificial insemination deep in the uterine horn only ipsilateral to the ovary that will ovulate. The experiment was performed on 40 primiparous buffaloes-cows in two groups for AI separated by two bulls whit 2 Millions female sperm straws. The groups was compiled after a thorough gynecological examination, and subsequently the OvSynch therapeutic protocol was started. The results were 82,5% buffaloes (33/40) had dominant follicle (DF) and inseminated, on hot/cold seasons the distribution was 75%vs90%. The conception rate was 63,6% (21/33), on hot/cold seasons 60%vs66,6%, and after calving 92.5% (20/21) female cattle were obtained. Thus, by implementing UcFTAI protocol, we state that the goal of increasing the genetic potential of CIB by becomes achievable and can be extended to a larger scale. Our Improved Protocol (UcFTAI) aims to reduce waste and maximize OvSynch hormone therapy.