Artificial Insemination in Cattle has been discussed in this presentation. Artificial insemination in cattle is a process of depositing stored semen directly into the uterine body of the cow or heifer. The semen is collected from a donor bull and then prepared and placed in liquid nitrogen for storage until use. The process of artificial insemination in cattle involves the deposition of semen in the vagina of the cow at the most appropriate time for acceptable conception rates. Artificial insemination is used primarily to genetically improve production animals. A bull can take part in about 700 to 900 deliveries of calf, but in artificial insemination, it can be used up to 5000 to 10000 cows. Artificial insemination is the technique in which semen with living sperms is collected from the male and introduced into female reproductive tract at proper time with the help of instruments. This has been found to result in a normal offspring. In this process, the semen is inseminated into the female by placing a portion of it either in a collected or diluted form into the cervix or uterus by mechanical methods at the proper time and under most hygienic conditions. The first scientific research in artificial insemination of domestic animals was performed on dogs in 1780 by the Italian scientist, Lazanno Spalbanzani. His experiments proved that the fertilizing power reside in the spermatozoa and not in the liquid portion of semen. Few further studies under research station conditions helped this technique to be used commercially all over the world including India. Artificial insemination is not merely a novel method of bringing about impregnation in females. Instead, it is a powerful tool mostly employed for livestock improvement. In artificial insemination, the germplasm of the bulls of superior quality can be effectively utilized with the least regard for their location in faraway places. By adoption of artificial insemination, there would be considerable reduction in both genital and non-genital diseases in the farm stock.

1. Dr. Akhter Rasool

2. O- Ring Guns
Spiral Guns
Kombicolour
Guns

5. Semen Handling
• Do not hold the straw with your fingers. Use
the tweezers to get them out.

6. • Hold canister in neck tube a maximum of 10
seconds.

7. • Using tweezers, lift the straw straight up while
releasing rack back into canister and lowering
canister gently back into tank

9. • Transfer straw immediately to thaw unit.
Note- Temperature of water should be 94-96°F or 34-36°C.
Thaw straw for at least 30 seconds but not more than 15
minutes.

10. • With tweezers, remove
and dry straw.
• Place in a clean paper
towel.
• NOTE: Water droplets
will kill sperm cells.
Always use a paper
towel when handling a
straw.

11. • ALWAYS cut the straw off STRAIGHT (90°).
NEVER cut at an angle.

12. • Insert the cut end of the straw into the sheath
with the adapter

13. • Take your insemination gun out of your
coveralls and pull back the plunger about 5
inches (This is the length of the straw).

14. • Use a twisting motion to secure sheath at
base of insemination gun.

16. Some of the most important aspects to remember
when inseminating a cow to attain maximum
breeding efficiency are:
• Be gentle.
• Insemination is a two-step process. Get the gun
to the cervix, and then place the cervix over the
gun.
• Deposit the semen just through the cervix into
the uterine body.
• Take your time.
• Relax.

17. Place the glove on the arm you will
work with in the cow.
• Make sure it is
stretched completely
up the arm and the
fingers are well filled. If
you are right-handed
place the glove on your
left hand.

18. Apply Lubricant on the gloved
hand
• Use a small amount of
A.I. lubricant or K-Y jelly.
• Note- Never use soaps,
detergents or lubricants
containing disinfectants.
They can irritate the
rectum and are harmful
to semen.

19. Pick up the cow’s tail and move it towards
the outside of the arm that will enter the
cow.

20. • With your fingers forming a cone shape,
gently push your hand into the rectum

21. • With a paper towel, clean the vaginal opening

22. Because the rumen displaces the reproductive tract to the right, it
is much easier to locate and manipulate the tract with your left
hand.

23. The opening into the cervix protrudes back
into the vagina.

24. Keep your open hand flat against the floor of the rectum,
allowing manure to pass over the top of your hand and
arm.

25. Insert the insemination gun into
the vagina and locate target.

26. As you insert the breeding gun into the vagina,
keep your gloved hand even with the gun tip.

27. Natural Obstructions
• Bladder and sub urethral diverticulum
• Blind pouch
• Cervical rings
• Vaginal folds

28. Bladder and Sub urethral
Diverticulum

29. Vaginal Folds

30. Blind Pouch

31. Blind Pouch and Cervical Rings

32. Natural Obstructions
• When all rings of the cervix have been
cleared, the gun should slide forward freely.
Since the uterine wall is very thin, you will
once again be able to feel the insemination
gun.

33. Cervix Shapes

34. Grasp the cervix and push it forward to
straighten vaginal folds.

35. Grasp the external opening to the cervix with the thumb on
top and the forefingers underneath to close the fornix and
guide the gun tip into the cervix.

36. Using the flexibility of your wrist, twist and bend the cervix
until you feel the second ring slide over the gun tip.

37. • Pull back on the gun until you feel the tip
directly underneath your finger near the
internal opening of the cervix.

38. Use your index finger to check gun placement (1/4 inch
past the end of the cervix) before depositing semen.

39. • Push the plunger slowly so that drops of
semen fall directly
• into the uterine body.
Push the plunger slowly so that drops of semen fall directly into
the uterine body.

40. With proper A.I. technique and gun placement, semen will be deposited in the
uterine body and contractions will transport spermatozoa forward to the horns
and oviducts.

41. If the gun is more than 1 inch through the cervix, all the
semen will be deposited into only one horn.

42. `
Make sure you push in with the plunger and do not pull back on the gun. Pulling back
may result in much of the semen dose being deposited in the cervix and vagina.