Insemination of cows: methods and recommendations. Artificial Insemination of Cows: Technology

Today, in almost all countries that depend in one way or another on their own agriculture, an intensive development path has been adopted. What does it mean? This suggests that farm managers are trying their best to increase the productivity of their enterprises without increasing the number of means of production. This is especially evident in livestock breeding.

In modern animal husbandry, it is absolutely inadmissible to have animal footprints. Each cow must annually give at least one calf. Of course, the lion's share in providing this task is feeding and the work of the veterinary service, but competent insemination of cows is extremely important.

Cases of not so distant days

A hundred years ago, the only way to get the calf was natural mating with the bull of a bull. Ironically, artificial insemination of cows existed even then, but its effectiveness was at a regrettablely low level. There are reports that even the first cattle-breeder's civilizations were experimenting with soft sponges made from vegetable fibers.

They were placed in the vagina of animals, and after natural mating they squeezed. Thus, the first attempts of simultaneous insemination of several animals were made at once. But the cow after insemination was seldom infertile. As a rule, success contributed to the ancient cattle breeders in less than 40% of cases.

The problem was that spermatozoa (with such a barbarous way of obtaining them) often turned out to be deformed and unviable, and therefore successful insemination of cows did not turn out every time.

Not surprisingly, the bulls were in every seedy household. And it continued (in our country, anyway) until the 70-80s of the last century, and here and there insemination of a cow by a bull is used to this day. But it's strictly forbidden to do so.

What is the reason that insemination of cows has become an exclusively "human" occupation? Everything is very simple. Leukemia and other diseases of livestock. To guarantee the suppression of their sexual transmission is possible only if each sperm is obtained from a single, tested animal.

Instruments used in insemination, consumables

So, to inseminate the cow with an artificial method (one of three), many tools and equipment will be needed. The most basic is listed in the list below:

• Thermostat-defroster.
• Dewar vessel, which stores frozen semen for insemination of cows.
• Syringe catheter.
• Optical microscope.
• Gloves.
• Mirror is vaginal.
• Illuminator.
• A bag for tools with which artificial insemination of cows is carried out. Instruction (official) for the technique-inseminator.

In addition, a large enough store of reagents is needed to disinfect the environment and check the survivability of sperm.

Basic information on arrangement of the artificial insemination station

Each certified IE should have the following:

• Entrance tambour with disinfection mat.
• A spacious arena.
• The heart of any item is a fully equipped laboratory.
• Washing.
• Warehouse space.
• Machines for insemination, but they are only in those points IO, which are located in breeding farms. In other cases, the operator works "in the field".

It should be noted that in the arena there must necessarily be enough powerful lighting devices, which provide proper convenience during work. If there are machines, they are made strictly according to the GOSTs provided for this purpose, because the fixing devices must be simultaneously reliable, but at the same time do not frighten or injure the animals fixed in them.

Certain buckets (preferably metal ones, they are easier to sterilize) are necessary, in the arena there must be a washbasin, tanks for the manufacture of disinfectant solutions, and also a mug of Esmarch. In the room of the technique, an inseminator is also made a separate room with a forced ventilation, where the Dewar vessel with frozen sperm will be stored.

Location of the laboratory and washing room

Directly the laboratory is necessarily located in a fairly spacious and bright room, the entrance to which must be available only from the side of the washing room. There should be a microscope for estimating sperm counts, storage cabinets for instruments and reagents, and a refrigerator.

Washing is located just in front of the entrance to the arena. As is clear from the title, here are placed wash basins and equipment for cleaning tools, appliances and utensils used in the manufacture of reagents. Also in this room there can be a separate washing machine for washing towels, outer clothing for technicians. There are also additional tables and cabinets for storing equipment, electric tiles for boiling water and preparing solutions. All rooms must necessarily be as spacious, clean, light and dry as possible.

Basic methods of insemination

At present, artificial insemination of cows is carried out by three main methods:

• Rectocervical.
• Visocervical.
• Manocervical.

Rectocervical insemination

The most common method by which artificial insemination of cows is carried out. What is it? Its name consists of two parts: rectum is the rectum. Cervix is the cervix of the uterus. Simply put, the cervix of the uterus with this method of insemination is fixed rectally. How is insemination performed?

The operator, preloading the syringe, undermines the external genitalia of the animal and the rectal area. Hand in the glove for rectal examination, he enters into the rectum of the animal. Having made several rotational movements and having achieved relaxation of the organ, he finds a cervix, similar to an oblong ribbed cylinder and fixes it.

With the second hand the inseminator inserts a syringe for insemination of cows in the vagina and, gently pushing it forward, inserts its tip into the cervix. The main task is to hold it as far as possible, but do not injure the tender mucous membrane lining the organ. After that, a dose of sperm is injected inside the uterus. The hand that remains in the rectum, the operator makes several massage movements, evenly distributing the sperm in the cavity of the organ. After work, the external genital organs are repeatedly washed away with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or furacilin.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this method of insemination? Let's start with the shortcomings. First, the operator needs extreme accuracy: yet his second hand is in the rectum, and at any time (if the inseminator is not careful) a piece of manure can fly right into the syringe. And this, as one can understand, puts an end to the necessary sterility of equipment. We have to start all over again. What is still bad about this technique of artificial insemination of cows?

Secondly, young and inexperienced specialists can not always find the cervix, but with its fixation, everything is even worse. As a result, the syringe is inserted at best ¼ of its length, which automatically reduces the effectiveness of the insemination procedure to unacceptably low values. In addition, because of poor fixation and inability to help carry out pipettes, it happens that the operator injures the mucous membrane of the cervix.

And now about the merits. Strangely enough, but it is the rectocervical insemination of cows and heifers - the most hygienic method. If you think about it, there is nothing unusual about it. Judge for yourself: in the vagina, cows are administered only a thin pipette. At the same time, it is sterile and does not carry any microflora.

By the way! If the cow has a discharge after insemination, it makes sense to look at them more closely: if the secret is cloudy and with impurities of yellowish inclusions, this almost certainly indicates an infection.

Due to fixation of the cervix, experienced operators completely inject the dose of the semen into the uterus cavity, due to which the probability of fruitful insemination considerably increases. In addition, for this work there is no need for any "sophisticated" tools: you only need a glove and a pipette with a pre-filled dose of sperm. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that it is exactly rectocervical insemination that has now become most widespread in all countries where milk and meat cattle are engaged. What other methods are there for insemination of cows?

The vizocervical method

As in the previous case, the name consists of two words. You already know the meaning of the word cervix, and the root of "vizio" means "to see, to notice." That is, with this method of insemination, the operator directly sees the cervix. How does this become possible? The whole point is how the artificial insemination of cows is performed in this case.

The main one is a vaginal mirror. This tool is like a kind of tongs, but only their jaws, when pressed, diverge in two directions. In this case, the walls of the vagina are stretched to the sides, and the inseminator sees the cervix. Accordingly, after this, a syringe with a dose of sperm is injected into it and the seed is squeezed out into the internal cavity of the organ.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of this technique? Let's start with the merits. First, with the viscervical insemination method, the operator sees the cervix and can check the correctness of the pipette insertion visually. This is especially valuable for young professionals who do not yet have the necessary experience.

In addition, which is much more valuable, we can assess the condition of the genital organs of the animal. It's so much easier to notice the signs of infection before it actually starts to manifest. By the way, if insemination of cows is carried out after calving (after two or three months), then first of all the animal is examined for the presence of endometritis (including latent).

Unfortunately, there are also negative moments. In contrast to the previous method, where only a "small" pipette is inserted into the vagina, in this situation the operator must enter the genitalia. Before this, it is required to thoroughly wash out the external genitalia, and still no one will guarantee any preservation of sterility. In addition, when inseminated in this way, young animals have a considerable chance to damage the mucous membranes of the vagina (if the operator has a large hand).

Other shortcomings

Finally, with this method of insemination, it is almost impossible to properly fix the cervix. Because of this, in an inexperienced specialist and in this case the chances of successful insemination become very small.

Finally, the main drawback is the need for careful sterilization of the mirror before insemination of each (!) Animal. Of course, not all osemenatori are able to do this, and therefore cases of transfer of infectious diseases are not uncommon (if a cow has a discharge after insemination, it is almost certainly endometritis).

But nevertheless, despite all its shortcomings, this method is good for insemination of heifers. The fact is that they are very difficult to inseminate by recto-cervical method. First, only the hand of a very subtle specialist can get into their rectum. Secondly, the same applies to the genital organs of young animals. So the vaginal mirror and the syringe in these conditions is the ideal "duet". In addition, there is no special need for fixing the cervix, as it is not yet deformed in the heifers, soft, and therefore the pipette of the syringe will prolate there without any special problems. What other methods exist for insemination of cows?

Manocervical method

So, what is "cervix" you already know. A "manus" is a hand. So the method is very similar to the previous one, with one exception - the vaginal mirror is not used with this method. As in the two previous cases, before starting work, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the external sexual organs with a solution of furacilin or potassium permanganate, after which, taking a syringe with a dose of semen in its hand, insert it into the vagina. The operator finds the cervix, inserts the syringe and squeezes its contents into the cavity of the organ.

In principle, the technique of insemination of cows with this method is completely analogous to the vizocervical method. But there is also a slight difference, which is the lower risk of infection, since no unnecessary tools are used.

How to identify a cow ready for insemination?

So we figured out the basic methods of artificial insemination. However, for all this time the question of how to determine the cow, ready for the procedure of insemination, has not been touched ...

In principle, it's quite simple to do this. If such an animal is stroked in the area of the sacrum and pelvis, then it stands still, without trying to kick you. The outer labia becomes somewhat edematous, and a small amount of transparent or slightly darkish mucus can emerge from them. Inseminate such a cow follows, waiting a couple of hours after the start of the hunt. After 10 hours the procedure is recommended to be repeated. It should be remembered that hunting lasts only about 20 hours, and therefore the next attempt will be available only after 20-21 days. The best time for insemination of cows is morning.

Experienced technicians can test the cow's willingness to insemination, jewelry probing the ovaries during rectal examination. At the "ripe" animal we clearly feel the ready follicle, which is about to burst, releasing the egg. Once again, we recall that only a very experienced and cautious expert can do such a study, since a careless technician will almost certainly damage the follicle, making further insemination senseless.

The process of preparing the animal for insemination

If insemination is not carried out in the arena (as it often happens), then before the procedure the stall should be thoroughly cleaned. It should be remembered that for cleaning, in no case can be used "hard" disinfectants, limiting the usual potassium permanganate or something similar. The rear passage of the cow is manually cleaned of manure. After that, the operator must find the cervix and her body, and then massage these organs. In those rare cases, if insemination of the cow by a bull is still used, the animal must also be cleaned before the mating!

After that, the entire rear part of the cow, including the sciatic mounds and the tail root, is gently washed with warm soapy water, completely removing the dried crusts of manure, discharge, etc. After this, rinse the treated area with a solution of furacilin. Only after the end of all these procedures can you start insemination. So many cycles of "washing" should be done in order to ensure that no infection is introduced into the reproductive system of the cow. This is how insemination of cows is carried out.

Note that the artificial insemination of animals in recent years is developing extremely fast. This is facilitated by the fact that livestock - a lucrative branch of the economy, and sperm from valuable bulls-producers try to use with maximum impact.

Artificial insemination allows not only to approximate the probability of the appearance of a calf up to 100%, but also gives an opportunity to get from a cow two calves a year (one is born, the second - in the womb of the mother). So it is possible to defeat the yachting and increase the economic profitability of the economy.