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Artificial Insemination of Ewes with Ram Semen Frozen by the Pellet Method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

R M Curnock
Affiliation:
Meat & Livestock Commission, Pig Breeding Centre, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, North Yorkshire
H C B Reed
Affiliation:
Meat & Livestock Commission, Pig Breeding Centre, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, North Yorkshire
D N Logue
Affiliation:
Meat & Livestock Commission, Pig Breeding Centre, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, North Yorkshire
W M C Maxwell
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dyfed
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Extract

One problem encountered in the widespread application of sheep artificial insemination (AI) is the rapid decline in fertility of fresh or liquid chilled ram semen. An effective deep-freezing procedure would enable semen to be collected and stored from selected rams throughout the year for subsequent use in controlled breeding programmes, as well as facilitating the import and export of semen.

Following some encouraging results from the use of pooled semen frozen by an Australian pellet method (Maxwell et al 1980), further field trials were conducted to investigate fertility of semen frozen from individual rams as well as pooled semen. The effects of season of freezing and number of inseminations on fertility were also investigated.

Type
Ai in Sheep
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1984

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References

Colas, G, Dauzier, L, Courot, M, Ortavant, R and Signoret, J P (1968). Ann.Zootech. 17:4757.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maxwell, W M C, Curnock, R M, Logue, D N and Reed, H C B (1980). Theriogenology 14:8389.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salamon, S (1976). Artificial Insemination of Sheep, pp 8285, Publicity Press, Chippendale, NSW 2008.Google Scholar