72 (3) 202-209

Title: 
Deep intra-uterine insemination of dairy cattle in field conditions
Author(s): 
S. Verberckmoes, A. Van Soom, I. De Pauw, J. Dewulf, A. de Kruif
Abstract: 

 A new insemination device (DIUI-pipette) was developed to deposit the semen near the oviduct. In this field study, 4064 cows were inseminated by 12 inseminators to assess the feasibility of the new DIUI-pipette. The cows were inseminated using three different methods: 1) in the uterine body with the classic insemination device, 2) in the uterine body with the DIUI-pipette, and 3) in the top of both uterine horns with the DIUI-pipette. Each insemination was performed with 10-15 x 106 frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The pregnancy rates (PRs) were significantly affected by the insemination technique (p = 0.02), the inseminator (p = 0.01), heifer or multi-parous cow (p < 0.01), and by the insemination number (p < 0.01). Time did not have a significant effect (p = 0.07). Pregnancy rates obtained after insemination with the classic insemination device were significantly better than those obtained after insemination in the uterine body with the DIUI-pipette (p < 0.01), but did not differ significantly from those obtained after deep insemination in both uterine horn tops (p = 0.27). Although the deep intra-uterine insemination method is more time consuming and requires more experience than the classic insemination method, it can be concluded that the DIUI-pipette is suitable for the insemination of dairy cattle under field conditions. Whether the new DIUI-pipette is also suitable for insemination with lower insemination doses is still to be examined.

Full text: 
pp 202-209
Original article(s)