Artificial Insemination Essay

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Artificial Insemination

Artificial Insemination plays a key role in the overall quality of livestock. By tracking the development of AI the reader will gain the understanding of the genetic advancement made possible by artificial insemination giving us higher conception rates, more sire selection, ease of calving, and history and future of AI. AI continues to advance the genetic make-up of domesticated livestock. One may also talk about embryo transfer, ampules of semen vs. straws of semen (today's use), and Donor cow/super ovulation of cows. With completing the Artificial Insemination Training class, one is able to get the hands on training to be able to breed cows effectively and get the highest conception rate made possible by the help of a certified AI technician.
Conception rate is the percentage of months or treatment cycles that result in a pregnancy. The quality of bull semen grows greater with advancements in technology. Conception rate is vitally important when it comes to artificially inseminating livestock. “Heat detection efficiency (rate) is defined as the percentage of eligible cows that are actually seen or detected in heat” (Oklahoma State University 3164-2). Conception rate is huge when it comes to the success of your breeding, so you must be sure the cow is in the right stage of the estrus cycle to give you the highest conception rate possible for that specific cow as well as the herd. A cow that is in good heat will generally have a clear mucus-like substance that is produced and flows from the cervix and will run out of the vulva. “During pregnancy, the mucus becomes thick and tacky, forming a plug-like barrier for the uterus” (AI Training Manual-10).
The three elements in learning to successfully AI ca...

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... genetic pool in a very cost effective manor for breeders worldwide” (Bob Grass). “Artificial Insemination is often used in animals to multiply possible offspring of prized animals” (Columbian Electronic Encyclopedia-1).“Supervised instruction and guidance of semen handling and placement are essential because without adequate training, valuable AI equipment, and semen, could be seriously damaged” (Oklahoma State University-1). The First use of semen was in ampules (a small bottle of semen), now days the use of straws of semen makes them much easier to handle. Straws come in two different sizes, quarter cc and half cc which refers to the amount of semen in the straw. Spallanzani was the first person to use AI (1784) in a dog. Some AI work, had been used in the early 1900’s in Denmark, mostly with horses. AI was first utilized in dairy cattle in the United States.

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