COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PREGNANCY RATES IN HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN HEIFERS AND COWS INSEMINATED WITH SEXED FROZEN SEMEN OR CONVENTIONAL FROZEN SEMEN
Abstract
The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the pregnancy rate in Holstein-Friesian heifers and cows inseminated with frozen sexed semen or conventional frozen semen on a commercial farm in the Region of Murcia. A total of 129 heifers (15–18 months old) and 296 cows (24–34 months old) were used. In heifers, ovulation was synchronized using a hormonal treatment, while estrus detection in cows was carried out using collars with activity sensors. Artificial insemination (AI) was performed using the recto-vaginal technique, and commercial doses of frozen sexed and conventional semen were used. Ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis was performed between days 28 and 32 post-insemination and confirmed three months after AI by rectal palpation. Females that were not pregnant underwent a second AI.
Statistical analysis of the data showed that both the female category (heifer or cow) and the type of semen (sexed or conventional) influenced the pregnancy rate (p=0.005 and p=0.003, respectively). In this study, differences (p<0.05) were found only in the pregnancy rates between heifers and cows inseminated with conventional semen. The rates tended to be higher (p=0.07) in heifers (66.7%) than in cows (44.4%) at the first AI and were significantly higher (p=0.04) in heifers (80%) than in cows (40%) at the second one.
Regarding inseminations with sexed semen, heifers and cows showed similar pregnancy rates. Moreover, the pregnancy rate in heifers inseminated with conventional semen was higher than that obtained with sexed semen (93.3% and 65.7%, respectively).
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