Always use a water bath or a wide-mouth thaw thermos with a thermometer for accurate temperature monitoring (Figure 3A). According to The National Association of Animal Breeders is appropriate to use 30 – 35º C (90 – 95º F) for a minimum of 30 seconds. Use of tweezers and gloves for operator safety.Īnother main issue is the correct semen thawing procedure thawing needs occur rapidly and at the correct temperature. Straw removal near to the neck of the storage tank. This is why it is important to handle the straws with tweezers instead of your fingers to prevent thermal damage to the semen and also avoid possible injury to the operator (Figure 2B).įigure 2. To avoid this risk, it is crucial to have efficient handling to minimize the time of exposure outside of the tank, to maintain frozen semen quality. Straw extraction should be done below the lower half of the neck of the storage tank, where the temperature is sufficiently cold (-120º C (-184º F)) (Hopper, 2015). You want to keep the canister, cane, and unused straws as close to the neck of the tank as possible for no more than 5 – 8 seconds, avoiding exposure to high temperatures, which promotes thermal damage (Figure 2A). It is crucial to handle semen properly once the straw is removed from the liquid nitrogen tank. Also, it is very important to maintain an inventory list with complete information of the semen stored inside the tank, facilitating quick location with limited handling of the straws in the tank. The tank must be protected from corrosive and wet surfaces, so it is recommended to keep it elevated off of the ground using cardboard or wooden pallets. The tank should be stored in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated place. Always remember that liquid nitrogen can cause cold-burn injury to operators, if not handled carefully. It is important to clean the kit before and after performing AI.Ī periodic check of the liquid nitrogen levels in the tank is necessary to guarantee that the straws are completely immersed. The AI kit must be stored in a dry, dust-free, clean place. In addition, disposable supplies like split plastic sheaths, sanitary covers, plastic palpation gloves, and paper towels (Figure 1). The basic insemination kit should contain a stainless-steel AI gun, straw cutter or scissors, tweezers, non-spermicidal lubricant, thermometer, and thaw unit (water bath or wide-mouth thaw thermos). The objective of this article is to offer tips for successful utilization of AI on your operation. It is important to emphasize that closely following the recommended protocol is essential for the process to be successful. AI has significant advantages, such as facilitating the use of superior quality sires (without the expense and risk of ownership) and greatly reducing the risk of introducing venereal diseases into the herd (Fontes, Oosthuizen, & Cliff Lamb, 2020 Noackes et al., 2001 Vishwanath, 2003). This technique is frequently used in the dairy and beef cattle industries as a way to more rapidly improve desired characteristics through intensive genetic selection. It is a tool for improving reproductive performance and genetic quality of livestock. DVM, PhD., North Florida Research and Education Center, Reproduction Lab IntroductionĪrtificial Insemination (AI) is an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) used worldwide to deposit stored semen directly into a cow or heifer’s uterus. Daniela Cortés-Beltrán & Angela Gonella D.