New ideas in AI offer economies in semen usage
New ideas in AI offer economies in semen usage
By Stuart Lumb
A NUMBER of new products for AI in pigs, that will allow doses/ejaculate to increase and semen to be stored for longer, were to the fore at last months SPACE event in Brittany, France.
Among new products in the AI sector launched at the show was Landata-Cobiporcs Kobideep concept, developed after two years of research in conjunction with AI equipment company IMV.
Flexible catheter
This involves a narrow flexible catheter being inserted into the conventional foam or spiral tipped catheter. It allows semen to be placed beyond the cervix, 15-20cm (6-8in) into the uterus.
According to Cobiporc, this means semen concentrations can be halved, so the number of inseminations from one ejaculate can be doubled. Both catheters are packed together in sterilised plastic for optimum hygiene.
IMV Technologies also launched its Deepgolden Pig concept at the show. This also works on the principle of two concentric catheters, one inside the other. The internal catheter enables semen to be deposited directly into the sows uterus.
With this technique, IMV claims that semen concentrations can be reduced from 3 billion sperm/insemination to 1.5 billion, so more inseminations can be obtained from each ejaculate. The company also claims an extra 0.51 pigs/litter with the new technique, following initial trial work on 3250 sows.
Full trial results will not be available until early 2001.
Deepgolden Pig will be available commercially in the UK in early 2001, and the combined catheter pack is likely to cost about £5.
The company also launched its Innovia insemination concept at SPACE. Part of this is a stainless steel saddle which fits across the sows back and is held on by two flexible wings, while an adjustable arm holds the blister (semen pack).
A moveable hook allows the blister to be positioned relative to the sow or gilt, while a pair of adjustable rollers fit on either side of the blister, applying constant pressure to the semen in the pack. This enables the stockperson to inseminate many more sows than before.
Liquid dilutant
Another IMV innovation was its new semen dilutant/extender, Safecell. This is the first liquid dilutant to be marketed for pig semen, and it gives semen a six-day life. A practical bonus with Safecell is that being a liquid, mixing takes place much more evenly and rapidly compared with powdered dilutants.
Gene-Diffusion is also planning to launch a semen extender in January 2001. Tests on 2000 sows have shown an increase in farrowing rate from 86.1% to 88.5% using the treatment.