J Anim Sci. 2017 Dec;95(12):5263-5269. doi: 10.2527/jas2017.1951.
Deep semen deposition, avoiding retrograde flow, lesions and stress, has proved to be very important in the success of sheep AI. The objective of the present study was to develop a new, suitable anti-retrograde flow device for sheep cervical AI (DARIO) that enables deep deposition of semen into the cervix without any modifications to the procedures currently used, and to compare the fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates between DARIO and a traditional catheter. Field tests were performed on 16 farms actively participating in the non-profit National Association of Rasa Aragonesa Breeders´ genetic selection scheme and where sheep management was similar. A total of 242 AI lots were considered, including 1,299 ewes; 126 lots (662 ewes) were inseminated using DARIO, and 116 lots (637 ewes) using a traditional commercially-available catheter (control group). Several factors affecting AI results were included in the model for mean comparison between DARIO and control groups (farm and ram as random factors; catheter, year and photoperiod as fixed effects; catheter × photoperiod interaction). The type of catheter had a significant effect on fertility ( < 0.01) and fecundity rates ( < 0.01) but no significant effect was detected on the prolificacy rate ( = 0.45). For fertility rate (percentage of ewes lambing after AI), means ± SE for DARIO and control groups were 59.44 ± 2.13% and 49.60 ± 2.48%, respectively; for fecundity rates, means ± SE for DARIO and control groups were 0.99 ± 0.04 and 0.82 ± 0.05 lambs/inseminated ewe, respectively, and, for prolificacy rates, means ± SE for DARIO and control groups were 1.68 ± 0.04 and 1.63 ± 0.04 lambs/ewe lambing, respectively. Fertility rate was greater in the decreasing photoperiod ( = 0.01). Significant effects were found for both year ( < 0.05) and farm ( < 0.01) on fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates. Neither ram nor catheter × photoperiod showed any significant effects on the variables investigated ( > 0.05). Overall, the use of DARIO instead of the traditional commercially-available catheter increased both fertility and fecundity rates; the marginal mean differences were 9.05 pregnant ewes per 100 inseminated and 0.15 lambs per inseminated ewe, respectively.
深部精液沉积，避免逆行流动、损伤和应激，已被证明在绵羊人工授精（AI）的成功中非常重要。本研究的目的是为绵羊宫颈 AI（DARIO）开发一种新的、合适的抗逆行流动装置，该装置可在不改变当前使用程序的情况下将精液深部沉积到宫颈中，并比较 DARIO 和传统导管的生育力、繁殖力和多产率。在积极参与非营利性全国拉撒罗尼亚种羊繁殖者遗传选择计划的 16 个农场进行了田间试验，这些农场的绵羊管理相似。共考虑了 242 个 AI 批次，包括 1299 只母羊；126 个批次（662 只母羊）使用 DARIO 授精，116 个批次（637 只母羊）使用传统市售导管（对照组）。在 DARIO 和对照组之间的平均比较模型中纳入了影响 AI 结果的几个因素（农场和公羊作为随机因素；导管、年份和光周期作为固定效应；导管×光周期相互作用）。导管类型对生育力（<0.01）和繁殖力（<0.01）有显著影响，但对多产率（=0.45）没有显著影响。对于生育力（AI 后母羊产羔的百分比），DARIO 和对照组的平均值±SE 分别为 59.44±2.13%和 49.60±2.48%；对于繁殖力，DARIO 和对照组的平均值±SE 分别为 0.99±0.04 和 0.82±0.05 只/授精母羊，对于多产率，DARIO 和对照组的平均值±SE 分别为 1.68±0.04 和 1.63±0.04 只/产羔母羊。在光周期减少时（=0.01），生育力更高。在生育力、繁殖力和多产率方面，发现年份（<0.05）和农场（<0.01）都有显著影响。公羊和导管×光周期都没有对所研究的变量产生显著影响（>0.05）。总的来说，使用 DARIO 而不是传统市售导管可以提高生育力和繁殖力；每个 100 只授精的妊娠母羊和每个授精母羊的 15 只羔羊的平均差异分别为 9.05 只和 0.15 只。
