Artificial Insemination

in Cattle
Department of Agriculture RFU XI
Southern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural
Research Center (DA-SMIARC )
Bago Oshiro, Tugbok, Davao City

In the absence of the aforementioned recommenda-
tion, the best time for AI service in cattle can be determined
by inserting a gloved hand into the rectum, grasping and
pressing the cervix, and allowing the mucous discharge to
flow out from the vagina. To know whether or not the cow is
ready to be inseminated, a drop of discharge should be
placed between the thumb and the index finger. If the dis-
charge can be stretched at a distance of about 10 cm without
breaking, the cow is in-heat and ready.

Cattle have an average number of services per
conception of 1.6% or 62.5%, based on the first service. The
success, however, depends primarily on the quality of semen
used, technicians efficiency, cow fertility, and heat detection
certainty.

Request for A.I. service may be made through the
National Breeding Center (NABC), or the BAI technicians
who are strategically located all over the country.


Other requirements for AI

- Only heifers in good condition and weighing 250
kgs or more which have shown at least two regular
heat cycles must be included in the program.
- Cows should be gaining and not losing weight at
the time of breeding.
- Cows must be bred on the first heat 60 days after
calving.
- The farmer should have the skill in detecting estrus
and in recognizing breeding observations
- A reliable and quick means of transmitting request
for AI services to the Center is necessary.
- The herd should be free from reproductive dis-
eases such as brucellosis, trichomonosis, and vibri-
osis which can caused failure even if all other fac-
tors are [Link].
For more Information, Please contact:
Dr. Alfredo M. Cayabyab
Chief, Research Division
DA-SMIARC
Telefax (082) 293-0109/293-0136
Email : smiarc@[Link]

Source:
The Philippine Recommends for Beef Cattle Productions. No. 9
-B, 1994 Artificial Insemination in Cattle, 1976
Department of Agriculture Region 4

Reproduced by :
Knowledge Mgt. Farmer Information and
Technology Services (KMFITS) Center
Bago Oshiro, Mintal, Davao City
- A breeding chute or a provision must be made
available for restraining the cow to prevent unnec
essary movement during semen deposition and
pregnancy diagnosis.

- AI must be handled by an expert technician both in
theory and in practice to ensure a high conception
rate. Special skill is required for insemination and
exacting conditions must be met in handling the
SMIARC SMIARC SMIARC SMIARC Technoguide Technoguide Technoguide Technoguide
A publication of Department of Agriculture RFU XI
Southern Mindanao Integrated
Agricultural Research Center

Leaflet No.12 October 2003
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN
CATTLE

The local beef cattle industry is considered one of
the countrys least developed commodity for the past sev-
eral years now. During the last ten years (1983-1992), the
local cattle population has declined at an average of 1.68%
per year. This can be attributed to low breeding base, high
slaughter rate & rapidly increasing human population.

With the increasing demands for beef coupled
with declining trend in local cattle production, it is expected
that importation of both beef and live cattle in volumes
would continue unless something is done to augment the
local cattle industry. The failure of the Philippine cattle in-
dustry to satisfy the demand for beef, milk and milk prod-
ucts has largely been due to the use of inferior animals in
breeding. These complications may be reduced through the
use of artificial insemination in breeding. From efficient
management, the use of artificial insemination will lead to a
better cattle industry. This method is a good alternative and
advantageous when there is a lack of superior animals,
bulls specifically, in a given community and will ensure the
breeding of excellent offspring.

Artificial Insemination (AI) is putting the bulls
semen in the female genitalia by an instrument instead of
the natural service by the bull. At the same time, AI can
also provide high quality breeding material including im-
ported semen for breeds not available locally.

It is the most valuable tool for genetic improve-
ment. A good proven bull can breed hundreds of female
cattle with only one ejaculation. When properly use, AI has
a little effect on normal breeding efficiency. It can be ac-
cepted as a fundamental breeding principle that, in general,
females which do not conceive when served by a normal
bull will not perform any better when artificially inseminated.

Artificial breeding has a lot of advantages:

1. Mating may be done in distant places, even in the
absence of the bull. This will consequently mini
mize or avoid the expenses for transporting the
bull to and from various places.



2. The investment for bull service is greatly reduced. If
artificial insemination is adopted by small herd own-
ers, they will then have to buy a bull, thereby eliminat-
ing the expense of paying for the use of bull.
3. Injury resulting from the mating of incompatible ani-
mals (i.e,. mating a large bull with a small cow) can
be avoided.
4. Transmission of reproductive diseases from an ani-
mal to another can also be avoided.
5. You can determine the breeding qualities of a young
bull in a short time with less risk to individual breeder.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
REQUIREMENTS

ESTRUS DETECTION. Visual signs are exhibited in
heat cows and heifers. These signs are best observed when
most animals are at ease and resting, ruminating or just brows-
ing in the pasture or corral. Heat symptoms should be observed
carefully. More observations made, the better the conception.
The in-heat cows should be watched over four times a day
early morning, late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon and,
as often as possible, in-between hours. At least 15 minutes or
more should be spent for each visit. However, watching is diffi-
cult to do for the range animals. Estrus detection should be
done properly for AI to succeed.

HANDLING LIQUID NITROGEN TANK AND
SEMEN

a) Liquid Nitrogen Tank. Frozen semen are stored in a
special container with liquid nitrogen. The semen are placed in
six canisters totally or partially submerged in the refrigerant.
The storage tank should be stored in a cool place. If evapora-
tion occurs under normal operations, the container is most
probably damaged. In extreme cases, sweating and freezing of
the outside casing may occur especially at the bottom of the
container. Keep the refrigerant at safe levels. The refrigerant
level can be determined by inserting a dip stick. A slender rod
low thermal conductivity, e.g., a wooden calibrated, is used.
The rod is introduced until the lower end touches the
bottom of the container. After five to ten seconds, it is
withdrawn in the air for the frost to appear. The frost
length is measured in inches. Liquid nitrogen evaporates
at the rate of inch a day depending on the atmospheric
temperature, and size, type, or make of the container. For
example, a container with 15-inch level of liquid nitrogen
will last for 30 days. Refilling is done, however, if the liq-
uid nitrogen levels reaches 5 inches to give enough time
for the shipment of the liquid nitrogen from its source.

b) Removing the semen from the storage
tank. Each time the semen is raised beyond the neck of
the tank to permit removal of individual straws, it is ex-
posed to damaging temperature. As a rule, the canister
with the semen should not be lifted higher than the frost
line, it is higher than-130
o
C. The best storage tempera-
ture for frozen semen is 130
o
C or lower. Above this tem-
perature, the semen will be damaged. Thus, the canister
holding the semen should not be raised higher than nec-
essary. Also, the removal time and frequency of lifting the
canister from the tank should be kept to an absolute mini-
mum. The straws from the goblets in the canisters must
be removed as quickly as possible. This can be done in
three to five seconds with practice. Not more than 11
seconds should transpire from the time the semen is re-
moved until it is placed in the thawing box.

c) Thawing Techniques. Frozen semen in 0.5 ml
straws should be held for about 17 seconds at 37
o
C wa-
ter bath. Frozen semen in 0.25 ml straws should be
thawed at the above temperature for about seven sec-
onds and must be used as soon as it is thawed. Semen
straws should not be returned in the tank once they are
taken out.

INSEMINATION TIME. Under the more or less ideal con-
dition, in-heat cows in the morning should be inseminated
in the afternoon of the same day; those in the afternoon,
early in the morning of the following day. If the animals is
still in-heat six hours later, the animal may be reinsemi-
nated. Under the backyard condition, however, when AI
service call is made, higher conception rate is obtained
when the cow is served immediately.