Many farms today practice the method of artificial insemination of animals - cattle, small cattle, pigs, etc. This technology has a number of undeniable advantages. In this case, several methods of artificial insemination in farms can be used.
Historical reference
Man began to apply the technology of artificial insemination of females quite a long time ago. For example, historians know that once the sperm of Arabian stallions was collected in the lips and transported to other countries to fertilize local mares.
Also, in ancient times, peasants laid a sponge in the vagina of horses before covering them with males. Then such material was pulled out and moved to the vagina of another horse. Thus, from one horse it was possible to get several foals.
Thus, the roots of artificial insemination of animals go back to ancient times. However, such a technique was widely applied in farms of different specializations only at the end of the 19th century. In this case, V.P. Vrassky is considered the founder of this new technology, who first used it at that time on fish and scientifically substantiated artificial insemination.
Main advantages
The advantages of using artificial insemination in farms include, first of all, the absence of the need for the maintenance and feeding of a large number of male males.
Another undoubted advantage of this method is the possibility of improving the breeding qualities of the herd at low cost. Instead of expensive thoroughbred male producers, farms using this technology buy their much cheaper sperm. Thus, the breeding of thoroughbred horses, cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, etc. is significantly cheaper.
Farm breeding material is sold, specializing specifically in the cultivation of producers with excellent pedigree qualities. Such farms are usually also profitable and receive good profits on the sale of semen from thoroughbred producers.
Also, the advantages of artificial insemination of animals include:
- improvement of the veterinary situation on the farm (the male and the female do not directly contact, and therefore cannot transmit each other various diseases);
- the possibility of a more orderly housekeeping (it is easier to plan the birth of calves with artificial insemination);
- simultaneous birth of offspring.
Disadvantages of artificial insemination
There are practically no disadvantages of such a herd replenishment technology. The only thing is that such a technique can be used mainly only in fairly large farms. Owners of farmsteads, for example, in order to correctly and productively carry out the artificial insemination procedure, may not have the necessary skills.
In large and medium-sized farms, the need to equip, equip and sterilize special facilities for insemination of animals is also considered to be some drawback of the use of such technology.
The essence of the procedure
Fertilization of female farm animals, birds and fish is called artificial insemination by introducing sperm obtained in advance from male donor males into the reproductive system. In some cases, such material can be procured directly on the farm. Also, as already mentioned, sperm can enter the farm from the complexes involved in the cultivation of selected breeding gobies.
In any case, the seed of male producers is stored and transported in special airtight containers. When transporting and using such material, it is important to maintain its sterility in terms of various pathogens.
Types of Artificial Insemination
There are many varieties of agricultural animals on modern farms. This can be cattle, small cattle, chickens, ducks, rabbits, sables, minks, sturgeons, etc. Moreover, the structure of the reproductive system and the very mechanism of fertilization in different species of agricultural animals, birds and fish may be different. Accordingly, several artificial insemination techniques have been developed to date.
There are currently two main methods of fertilization of females without the direct participation of the male in modern farms:
- intragenital;
- intra-abdominal.
In the latter case, sperm is injected directly into the abdominal cavity of the female (through a puncture in the abdominal wall). With the intragenital method, the seed enters the reproductive system of the animal. It is such a technology that is currently most often used in various farms. The intragenial technique, in turn, can be:
- uterine;
- cervical;
- egg conduit.
Sperm production and preparation
Of course, such material for the successful fertilization of females should be of the highest quality. Sperm is collected from breeding males by masturbation using most often an artificial vagina. Further, such material is either used immediately, or is subjected to cryopreservation for storage or transportation.
Immediately before the fertilization of the females, the seed collected from the males is subjected to laboratory analysis in order to assess the quality. If the required technologies were not violated during storage of sperm and it remained sufficiently viable, at the next stage it is liquefied by incubation at a temperature of 37 ° C for half an hour. After that, the material is purified. Then, the concentrate thus obtained, consisting of functional spermatozoa, is diluted with a special nutrient medium.
Cleaning the seed of breeding animals is carried out:
- from seminal fluid;
- white blood cells, immune, epithelial and other foreign cells;
- spermatozoa with defects;
- inactive, dead and dying sperm;
- bacteria and viruses.
Insemination Dates
Of course, sperm should be introduced to the uterus in order to get the corresponding effect in the form of pregnancy, it should be during their hunt. In animals, estrus is characterized primarily by swelling and redness of the mucous membrane of the vestibule of the vagina, as well as leakage from the genital gap. The uterus at this time becomes restless and begins to demand a male.
Thus, cows, rabbits, pigs, goats and sheep behave during sexual hunting. In birds, reproductive cycles are implicit. Therefore, their artificial insemination is allowed to be carried out at any time.
Female training
Before the insemination, the animals are thoroughly sanitized. Wash the uterus before the artificial insemination procedure is supposed not from the bucket, but with the use of a hose. It is not allowed to use one rag on all animals.
In addition to washing before insemination, the genitals of the uterus are treated with a 0.002% solution of furatsilin. In this case, Esmarch's mug or its analogue is used for washing.
Of course, before insemination, a female veterinarian must examine a female. Future queens are checked primarily for the presence of diseases of the external and internal genital organs. Healthy animals are treated, and then they are given a massage of the body and cervix for 1-2 minutes. This procedure increases the tone of the uterus and, accordingly, increases the likelihood of successful fertilization.
Antiseptics
Artificial insemination is performed using special tools. The choice of specific devices for the fertilization of the female depends on:
- from the type of farm animal or bird;
- used method of insemination.
In any case, before the procedure, all the devices necessary for it are thoroughly disinfected. In order to disinfect tools intended for artificial insemination, it is advisable to use special means. Antiseptic fluids, for example, are not allowed for this purpose. The fact is that such substances, unfortunately, are able to kill sperm. The same goes for 70% alcohol. Unfortunately, water is also fatal enough for sperm.
According to the rules, 96% rectified spirit made from plant material is used to disinfect instruments used in artificial insemination. In addition, the operator’s table performing the verification and insemination procedure must be covered with medical oilcloth or glass. This is necessary in order to prevent the occurrence of various kinds of chemical reactions and, as a consequence, the death of sperm.
How do artificial insemination of cows
On farms, this procedure is carried out in accordance with the instructions from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. For artificial insemination of cows , the cervical technique is usually used in our country. At the same time, the procedure can be carried out according to four main technologies:
- rectocervical;
- visocervical (vaginal);
- manocervical;
- epicervical.
In the first case, a syringe or pipette with seed material is injected into the vagina of the animal. In this case, movements are controlled through the rectum. This method is currently the most common on farms. The main advantage of this technology of insemination of heifers is that animals do not need to be driven into the playpen. This technique is implemented directly in the stall.
The tool in this case is inserted along the upper vaginal fornix. Next, the uterus is captured by the hand in the intestine. The cervix is put on the instrument, and the catheter advances 6-8 cm deep. Seed is injected. At the final stage, the tool is gently pulled out.
Insemination
Goats and sheep on farms are also inseminated with the cervical method (most often with the visocervical method). When performing the procedure in this case, use a special vaginal mirror and semi-automatic syringes. At one time, 0.05 ml is administered to the uterus. In this case, the syringe is placed through the mirror into the cervical canal, and then the seed is injected.
Procedure for pigs
Such animals, after revealing their hunting, are transferred to the arena and placed on machines. Further, for the females to calm down, they wait about 30 minutes. Then each animal's genitals are treated. The anatomical structure of the reproductive system of pigs is such that visual control or fixation of the neck during their insemination is not required. The seed of such animals is injected directly into the uterus.
Procedure for rabbits
In case of artificial insemination of such animals, a special cover is previously put on the gun. Next, an ampoule with sperm is attached to the instrument. A pistol prepared in this way is inserted into the vagina of the female to a depth of 10 cm to the cervix or a little more.
A feature of rabbits is that they ovulate due to excitement directly during sexual intercourse. Therefore, before carrying out the artificial insemination procedure, females of such animals are usually given special stimulant preparations.
Another feature of artificial insemination of rabbits is that this procedure should be carried out exclusively by an experienced specialist. In this case, you need to work with the tool very carefully. Otherwise, you can damage the organs of the rabbit's internal reproductive system.
Horse treatment
In horse breeding, insemination of horses in private farms is often applied, including the ancient technology using a sponge. This method of fertilization is currently considered the easiest. The sponge using this technology is first sterilized. Then it is carefully introduced into the mare's vagina. After this, natural mating of horses is allowed.
At the final stage, the sponge is carefully removed from the female genital tract. Sperm is squeezed out of it and then used for insemination of horses in the herd.
This method is only suitable for small farms. In stud farms, the artificial insemination procedure is carried out using more advanced techniques.
At large horse farms, the urethral method is most often used for insemination of the uterus. To collect material in this case, an artificial vagina is used, which is a metal cylinder about 13 cm long. The collected sperm is subsequently injected into the mares using a catheter and a medical syringe.
The technique of artificial insemination of chickens
As already mentioned, various kinds of farm birds are allowed to be fertilized artificially at any time. In order to get sperm from a rooster, they catch it, lay it on the table and begin to squeeze it out, stroking along the back from neck to tail and squeezing the beat to the beat. Thus, from one male, you can get several milliliters of sperm in a test tube.
Caught chicken for insemination is first put on a pillow. Then the tail is lifted by the bird with one hand, and the stomach is squeezed slightly with the other so that the oviduct comes out. A sampler is then introduced into the egg hole and sperm is injected. Eggs subsequently obtained from chicken are sent for incubation to breed thoroughbred chickens.
How to produce artificial insemination of fish
In this case, I use special methods that are not similar to insemination technologies for farm animals and birds. In our country, when breeding fish, in most cases they use the so-called dry method developed by Vrassky. In this case:
- the female ready for spawning is placed on a wet rag with its belly up;
- it is wiped with a dry cloth;
- the rag together with the female is clamped between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand;
- with the index finger of the right hand, female eggs are squeezed from the abdomen;
- extruded caviar is laid out in a dry box.
Then, in exactly the same way, the sperm is squeezed out of the male. At the final stage, the material obtained from the fish is mixed. In this case, 1 drop is used for sperm in 5 g of caviar. Stirring with artificial insemination in this case is recommended to be done with a soft brush or, for example, a bird feather. In order not to damage the material, a little water (1-2 drops) is added to the mass of caviar and sperm. Then everything is again kneaded for 2-3 minutes. After that, water is drained from the mass. At the final stage, fertilized eggs are placed on incubation.
In vitro fertilization results
Work on insemination of fish, poultry or animals on the farm should be properly organized. As practice shows, the best results are usually achieved by the most experienced workers in artificial insemination farms. For example, on farms specializing in cattle breeding, insemination technicians with experience of up to 5 years usually achieve results in 84 calves per 100 cows; with experience from 5 to 10 years - 87 calves per 100 queens; over 10 years - 89 calves per 100 cows.
The results of artificial insemination of cattle, sheep and chickens also directly depend on the experience of the employees performing the procedure and the accuracy of their compliance with all the required technologies.