A. A. BELIKOVS SCIENTIFIC LEGACY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRODUCTION BIOLOGY, THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN PIGS,TIMED TO THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTH

Abstract

The scientific researches of the scientist Anatoly Andreevich Belikov, doсtor of Agrarian Sciences, in the field of pig reproduction were analysed. The scientist has played the essential role in the theoretical substantiation and technological equipment of the methods in scientific researches, related to the study of the fertilizing ability and artificial insemination in pigs using cryopreserved sperm. The most significant achievements in the development of long-term storage method of boar sperm in the deep-frozen state, its evaluation, thawing and insemination of sows are highlighted. The issue of semen deep freezing of farm animals in the middle of the twentieth century was relevant, because it allowed to preserve the genetic material (semen) of valuable breeds and species of animals. Profitable pork production would be impossible without advances in reproduction and artificial insemination. Scientific research on the development of a method for deep-freezing boar sperm in liquid nitrogen, was started in 1972 by A. A. Belikov, was aimed at testing different modes of sperm cooling - ultra-fast (vitrification), fast, moderate and slow. The best results were obtained with a fast mode of freezing and thawing of sperm. Scientists have conducted studies to see the possibility of replacing glycerin in cryopreservation media with other cryoprotectants. For the first time, in 1984, fertility was achieved by artificial insemination of pigs with frozen-thawed sperm with the addition of ethylene glycol instead of glycerin, at the level of 45-83 % with a fertility of 7-9 piglets per farrowing. Later in 1992, A. A. Belikov's research was aimed at studying certain theoretical issues concerning the freezing and thawing of diluted whole sperm and its thick fraction. The method of this experiment involved separating a thick fraction of ejaculate in the process of ejaculation in a boar under visual inspection. The result of the research and production experiment was the insemination of sows, whose fertility was on average from 46 to 76 %, with the release of piglets from 6 to 14 heads per farrowing. Created in 1990 by scientists together with the staff of the All-Russian Institute of Animal Husbandry, a bank of boar semen frozen in pellets, made it possible to use it both in Ukraine and abroad.