Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-m9pkr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-12T03:22:26.249Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of semen volume and number of spermatozoa on the fertility of intra-uterine inseminations of pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1961

J. L. Hancock
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, Edinburgh, 9
G. J. R. Hovell
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, Edinburgh, 9
Get access

Extract

Forty-eight sows were inseminated into the uterus with semen (sperm fraction) diluted to 20 ml. with an egg-yolk glucose phosphate (YPG) diluent to contain 10·0 × 109, 1·0 × 109 and 0·1 × 109 spermatozoa. In 24 sows (120 ml. group) insemination of the 20 ml. diluted semen was followed by the intra-uterine insemination of 100 ml. YPG diluent, alone. The success of insemination was judged at autopsy from ova recovered 2-4 days after insemination (Experiment A) or from counts of foetuses present 25 days after insemination (Experiments B and C). In Experiment A the numbers of ‘cleaved’ ova were recorded before fixation: the numbers of ova judged to be ‘fertilised’ were counted in preparations of fixed and stained ova. For 24 sows inseminated with 20 ml. semen alone at the three dosage levels (10·0 × 109, 1·0 × 109 and 0·1 × 109 spermatozoa) the percentages of ‘cleaved’ and ‘fertilised’ ova were 78·5 and 80·9; 83·5 and 81·2; 24·6 and 19·8. For sows inseminated with the same sperm numbers in 20 ml. semen followed by 100 ml. diluent, the percentages were 41·5 and 43·9; 44·2 and 36·2; 24·6 and 6·7. Comparison of numbers of sows with some ova cleaved (or ‘fertilised’) and sows with none cleaved (or ‘fertilised’) showed no significant differences in sow fertility between treatments.

Comparison of numbers of sows with all ova cleaved (or ‘fertilised’) and sows with none cleaved (or ‘fertilised’) shows that inseminations with the 20 ml. volume, alone, were of significantly higher fertility than those inseminated with 120 ml.

Estimates of fertility based on the examination of unfixed ova differed in 9 sows from estimates based on the examination of fixed and stained ova. In one sow some uncleaved ova were shown to be pronucleate after fixation and staining. Morphologically abnormal ova were identified in 6 sows; most of these abnormal ova showed multinucleate blastomeres. These abnormal ova were found only in sows inseminated with not more than 1·0 × 109 spermatozoa.

Counts of the numbers of spermatozoa on fixed ova showed that these tended to decline as the number of spermatozoa inseminated declined. Comparing sows inseminated with the same number of spermatozoa there tended to be fewer spermatozoa on ova from sows inseminated with 120 ml. than on ova from sows inseminated with 20 ml.

Of 13 sows in Experiment B inseminated with 20 ml. semen containing 10·0 × 109 spermatozoa, 9 had foetuses present at autopsy 25 days later (11·6 foetuses per sow).

Of 17 sows in Experiment C inseminated with 20 ml. semen containing 1·0 × 109 spermatozoa, 7 had foetuses present at autopsy 25 days later (7·1 foetuses per sow).

The difference in pregnancy rate for the two groups is not statistically significant.

Differences in litter size between the two groups of sows are explainable by differences in ovulation rate between the two groups (group B, 18·2 corpora lutea per sow, group C, 13·4 corpora lutea per sow).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1961

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aamdal, J., & Hogset, I., 1957. Artificial insemination in swine. J. Amer. vet. med. Assoc, 131: 59.Google ScholarPubMed
Dziuk, P. J., 1959. Influence of storage of boar semen on its subsequent fertilising ability. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 21.Google Scholar
Dziuk, P. J., 1960. Frequency of spontaneous fragmentation of ova in unbred gilts. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 103: 91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hancock, J. L., 1957. The fertility of natural and of artificial matings in the pig. Studies in Fertility, 9: 146.Google ScholarPubMed
Hancock, J. L., 1958. The examination of pig ova. Vet. Rec, 70: 1200.Google Scholar
Hancock, J. L., 1959. Pig insemination technique. Vet. Rec, 71: 527.Google Scholar
Hancock, J. L., 1961. Fertilisation in the pig. J. Reprod. Fert. (In press.)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hancock, J. L., & Hoveix, G. J. R., 1959. The collection of boar semen. Vet. Rec, 71: 664.Google Scholar
Ito, S., Niwa, T., & Kudo, A., 1948. [Studies on artificial insemination in pigs. I. On the method of collection of semen and the conditions of ejaculation.] Res. Bull, zootech. Exp. Sta. Chiba. No. 55. (A.B.A., 19: No. 755.)Google Scholar
Ito, S., Niwa, T., & Kudo, A., 1949. [On the quantity of semen and the number of spermatozoa to be introduced, litter size, etc., in the artificial insemination of swine.] Jap. J. zootech. Set, 19: 113. (In Japanese.) (A.B.A., 22: No. 641.)Google Scholar
Kvasnttsky, A. V., 1959. Méhode fractioée d'insémination artificielle des truies. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 43.Google Scholar
Madden, D. H. L., 1959. Field experience of pig A.I. in Hampshire U.K. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 59.Google Scholar
Melrose, D. R., & O'hagan, C, 1959. Some observations on the collection of boar semen and its use for artificial insemination. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 69.Google Scholar
Du Mesnil du Buisson, F., & Dauzier, L., 1956. Données expérimentales sur l'insémina-tion naturelle et artificielle de la truie. Pap. 3rd int. Congr. Anim. Reprod. (Camb.), Sect. 3: 62.Google Scholar
Du Mesnil du Buisson, F., & Dauzier, L., 1957. Nouvelles données sur l'insémination artificielle porcine. Résultats pratiques. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 6: 401.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Du Mesnil du Buisson, F., & Dauzier, L., 1959. Amélioration des techniques de conservation de la semence de verrat par dissolution à saturation d'anhydride carbonique dans le milieu de conservation et conditions de leur utilisation pratique. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 81.Google Scholar
Polge, C., 1956a. Artificial Insemination in pigs. Vet. Rec, 68: 62.Google Scholar
Polge, C., 1956b. Techniques for artificial insemination in pigs. Pap. 3rd int. Congr. Anim. Reprod. (Camb.), Sect. 3: 59.Google Scholar
Polge, C., 1959. Some experiments on the preservation of boar semen. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 113.Google Scholar
Self, H. L., 1959. The problem of storing and inseminating boar semen. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 121.Google Scholar
Stratman, F. W., & Self, H. L., 1960. Effect of semen volume and number of sperm on fertility and embryo survival in artificially inseminated gilts. J. Anim. Set, 19: 1081.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thibault, C., 1959. Analyse de la fecondation de l'oeuf de la truie apres accouplement ou insemination artificielle. Ann. Zootech. (Paris), 8 (Suppl.): 165.Google Scholar
Wiggins, E. L., Grummer, R. H., & Casida, L. E., 1951. Minimal volume of semen and number of sperm for fertility in artificial insemination of swine. J. Anim. Sci., 10: 138.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed