VII. Interactions involving semen fertility levels, sperm dose rate, and technician ability

Abstract

Abstract From among 122 inseminating technicians employed by the Taranaki Livestock Improvement Association, the results obtained by the group of 7 technicians achieving the highest conception rates in cows (C.R. = 1- to 49-day non-return rate) when using semen of above-or below-average fertility were compared with the results obtained by the group of 7 technicians achieving the lowest conception rates in cows. The C.R. difference between the two groups of technicians when using semen of above-average fertility was 11.8% compared with 11.6% when using semen of below-average fertility. A similar trial, with 8 technicians in each group, showed that increasing the dose rate from 2.5 × 106 total sperm did not significantly reduce the C.R. differences between the 2 groups (6.5% v. 6.3%). sperm per insemination with 16 ejaculates of semen when processed in Caprogen containing Split-batch procedures were used to compare dose rates of 2.5, 3.75, and 5.0 × 106 total catalase (8 sires × 2 ejaculates per sire). The ...