Estrous synchronization and artificial insemination (ESAI) are reproductive technologies that cattlemen can use to improve the reproductive performance of their herds. Controlling the gender ratio of the calf-crop can also improve the opportunity for increased revenue and profit. Producers are able to shift and/or control the gender ratio of their calf crop by incorporating sex-sorted semen into their AI programs. However, decreased conception rates to AI have been previously observed when sex-sorted semen was used in comparison to conventional semen of the same sires. The objective of the first study was to determine if conception rates will differ in females inseminated with conventional semen or SexedULTRA™ sex-sorted semen when estrus is synchronized using an industry-standard, 7-d CO-Synch + Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR) protocol for fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The objective of the second study was to determine if conception rate to FTAI differs between SexedULTRA™ sex-sorted and conventional semen when yearling beef heifers are synchronized using a 14-d controlled internal drug release (CIDR) - PGF2α (PGF) protocol modified to optimize the control of ovulation and timing of insemination.

Orientador: Frederico Ozanam Papa / Banca: João Carlos Pinheiro Ferreira / Banca: Alício Martins Junior / Resumo: A despeito das inúmeras variáveis que influenciam direta e indiretamente a fertilidade das fêmeas bovinas, a qualidade das amostras seminais exerce um papel importante na determinação das taxas de concepção dos programas de inseminação artificial. Os objetivos dessa pesquisa foram comparar a efetividade de dois diluidores de criopreservação de sêmen bovino no processamento de amostras seminais apresentando diferentes concentrações espermáticas em relação aos índices de congelabilidade determinados laboratorialmente (Experimento I) e as taxas de concepção proporcionadas por cada metodologia quando utilizada em programas de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (IATF) em bovinos (Experimento II). No Experimento I foram utilizados 14 ejaculados de diferentes touros da raça Nelore. Cada ejaculado foi fracionado em oito alíquotas iguais, submetidas a criopreservação com os diluidores Tris-gema de ovo-frutose (meio TRIS) e MKA nas concentrações de 12, 25, 50 e 100 milhões de espermatozóides totais por mililitro de meio, formando oito grupos experimentais em função das variáveis diluidor e concentração. As amostras foram descongeladas a 46 ºC por 20 segundos, avaliando-se os padrões de motilidade através do método computadorizado (CASA), integridade de membrana plasmática (IMP), resistência ao teste de termorresistência rápido (TTR) e taxa de recuperação e IMP após seleção espermática pela técnica de swim-up. Para o Experimento II foram selecionados sete touros utilizados no Experimento I, obtendo-se um ejaculado de cada animal por eletroejaculação...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrõnico abaixo) / Abstract: Although there are many variables which directly or indirectly influence female bovine fertility, the quality of sperm samples plays a important role in the determination of conception rates in artificial insemination programs. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of two bovine semen extenders for sperm freezing with different spermatic concentrations in the freezability determined by lab tests (Experiment I), and conception rates after fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI; Experiment II). In Experiment I 14 ejaculates of different Nelore bulls were used. Each ejaculate was splitsampled in to eight equal parts and then submitted to cryopreservation with Tris-egg yolk fructose (TRIS) and MKA extenders, at concentrations of 12, 25, 50 and 100 millions spermatozoa per milliliter forming eight experimental groups. The samples were thawed at 46 ºC for 20 seconds, and the following parameters were evaluated: sperm motility and movement (by computer-assisted semen analysis - CASA), sperm membrane integrity (SMI), resistance to the fast thermoresistance test (TT), recovery rate and sperm membrane integrity after sperm selection through swim-up technique. Seven of 14 bulls used in Experiment I were selected for Experiment II, and semen was collected from each of the animals by electroejaculation. The seven ejaculates obtained were mixed (semen pool) and cryopreserved, thus forming eight experimental groups according to the freezing extenders and sperm concentrations/straws: TRIS 12, 25, 50 and 100, and MKA 12, 25, 50 and 100...(Complete abstract, click electronic address below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:38:31Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 crespilho_am_me_botfmvz.pdf: 507525 bytes, checksum: a1c92f545e77b50838125fbea8dfddd6 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A despeito das inúmeras variáveis que influenciam direta e indiretamente a fertilidade das fêmeas bovinas, a qualidade das amostras seminais exerce um papel importante na determinação das taxas de concepção dos programas de inseminação artificial. Os objetivos dessa pesquisa foram comparar a efetividade de dois diluidores de criopreservação de sêmen bovino no processamento de amostras seminais apresentando diferentes concentrações espermáticas em relação aos índices de congelabilidade determinados laboratorialmente (Experimento I) e as taxas de concepção proporcionadas por cada metodologia quando utilizada em programas de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (IATF) em bovinos (Experimento II). No Experimento I foram utilizados 14 ejaculados de diferentes touros da raça Nelore. Cada ejaculado foi fracionado em oito alíquotas iguais, submetidas a criopreservação com os diluidores Tris-gema de ovo-frutose (meio TRIS) e MKA nas concentrações de 12, 25, 50 e 100 milhões de espermatozóides totais por mililitro de meio, formando oito grupos experimentais em função das variáveis diluidor e concentração. As amostras foram descongeladas a 46 ºC por 20 segundos, avaliando-se os padrões de motilidade através do método computadorizado (CASA), integridade de membrana plasmática (IMP), resistência ao teste de termorresistência rápido (TTR) e taxa de recuperação e IMP após seleção espermática pela técnica de swim-up. Para o Experimento II foram selecionados sete touros utilizados no Experimento I, obtendo-se um ejaculado de cada animal por eletroejaculação... / Although there are many variables which directly or indirectly influence female bovine fertility, the quality of sperm samples plays a important role in the determination of conception rates in artificial insemination programs. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficiency of two bovine semen extenders for sperm freezing with different spermatic concentrations in the freezability determined by lab tests (Experiment I), and conception rates after fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI; Experiment II). In Experiment I 14 ejaculates of different Nelore bulls were used. Each ejaculate was splitsampled in to eight equal parts and then submitted to cryopreservation with Tris-egg yolk fructose (TRIS) and MKA extenders, at concentrations of 12, 25, 50 and 100 millions spermatozoa per milliliter forming eight experimental groups. The samples were thawed at 46 ºC for 20 seconds, and the following parameters were evaluated: sperm motility and movement (by computer-assisted semen analysis - CASA), sperm membrane integrity (SMI), resistance to the fast thermoresistance test (TT), recovery rate and sperm membrane integrity after sperm selection through swim-up technique. Seven of 14 bulls used in Experiment I were selected for Experiment II, and semen was collected from each of the animals by electroejaculation. The seven ejaculates obtained were mixed (semen pool) and cryopreserved, thus forming eight experimental groups according to the freezing extenders and sperm concentrations/straws: TRIS 12, 25, 50 and 100, and MKA 12, 25, 50 and 100...(Complete abstract, click electronic address below)