Visocervical method of insemination of cows: description, tools and scheme

Free mating is rarely used in large farms, as it is laborious and time consuming. Artificial insemination is the insemination of a cow in which the sire does not take part, but its sperm is used. It is not easy to inseminate cows using the visocervical method, this should be done by a veterinarian with extensive experience, the procedure requires careful preparation.

When required?

On farms practicing artificial insemination, males and females are not brought together. Sperm is taken from the sire, frozen, and then inserted into the cow's vagina using special tools.

When it is necessary to artificially inseminate a cow:

1. To increase livestock. Natural fertilization takes longer, does not always end with the cow's pregnancy.
2. To obtain offspring from a bull with the necessary breed and physical qualities. Sperm from a purebred individual is divided into several portions to inseminate a larger number of females.
3. To get offspring from a thoroughbred bull, located far from the cow chosen for insemination. Sperm is frozen, transported without loss of quality to any distance.
4. To get calves from an elderly bull, which itself can no longer mount a cow.
5. To reduce the likelihood of the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Sperm taken from a bull is mandatory examined in the laboratory for the presence of pathogenic microorganisms.

Insemination begins when the cow begins estrus, manifested by restless behavior, swelling and redness of the external genital organs, and the secretion of cervical mucus.

Pros and cons

Pros and consallows you to fertilize dozens of females with the sperm of one male;eliminates the ingress of infection into the body of a cow, subject to the rules for the preparation and use of tools;allows you to get offspring of a certain sex (bulls are grown mainly for meat, females for milk);simplifies the regulation of conception, the course of pregnancy;ensures the production of offspring with certain pedigree qualities.the likelihood of a cow becoming infected with poor-quality sterilization and improper use of reusable instruments;laboriousness;the need to be able to work with several tools at the same time;the risk of injury to the vaginal walls if the speculum and catheter are inserted incorrectly;difficulty in controlling the entry of sperm into the cervix.

Methods of artificial insemination

When developing methods for inseminating livestock, they took into account the functional and structural features of the reproductive organs of a cow:

1. Cow fertilization is vaginal. The cervix, contracting, draws the sperm into itself, accumulates it, and then gives it in portions to the uterus. Therefore, seminal fluid is injected into the area of the vagina close to the vaginal part of the cervix. A serving must contain at least 10 million active sperm.
2. During natural mating, the bull injects a large number of spermatozoa into the cow's vagina, with artificial insemination, the percentage of male cells is much lower. Only 5% of spermatozoa survive and accumulate in the cervix. Therefore, during artificial insemination, a full portion of sperm is injected directly into the cervix.
3. In a cow giving birth, the vaginal walls are stretched, pockets are formed in them. Therefore, the specialist must know exactly the location of the neck.

Taking into account these nuances, 4 methods of fertilizing a cow are used.

Manocervical technique

Translated from the Greek "mano" - the hand, and "cervix" - the cervix. That is, this is insemination, in which the location of the cervix is controlled by the hand inserted into the vagina. The method is used for fertilization of giving birth females. The technique is not suitable for inseminating a cow with a narrow vaginal opening. The probability of successful fertilization is 65-70%.

Visocervical

A convenient insemination technique, when the cervical canal, through which the catheter advances to the cervix, is viewed using a mirror. From the Greek "viso" - to look. The probability of fertilization with the visocervical method is 50-60%.

Rectocervical

From the Greek "recta" is translated as "rectum". That is, the insemination method involves controlling the position of the cervix by probing through the intestines.It is good because it allows you to introduce seminal fluid into the cervix with maximum accuracy, and then immediately massage the reproductive organs of the cow.

The specialist requires high qualifications and experience in performing the procedure, since the risk of injury to the neck during careless immersion of the catheter is higher than with the visocervical method. The probability of fertilization is above 70%.

Epicervical

From the Greek "epi" is translated as "about". It implies the introduction of seminal fluid as close as possible to the cervix. That is, natural fertilization is simulated, in which sperm exits the bull's penis close to the vaginal part of the neck.

The method is only suitable for insemination of nulliparous females. Their vagina is not distended and pockets have not yet formed, which means that misdirection of the catheter is out of the question.

The length of the catheter is almost equal to the distance from the entrance to the vagina to the cervix. To stimulate the contraction of the cervix for the absorption of sperm, the clitoris is massaged. The probability of conception is 60-70%.

What tools do you need?

Visocervical insemination requires a catheter to inject sperm and a speculum to view the vaginal canal. The advantage of visocervical insemination is good visibility of where to lead the catheter, which reduces the likelihood of injury to the walls of the vagina.

The instruments used are disinfected before the procedure. For disinfection, prepare 4 containers with lids and a glass jar with thick walls, where the used solutions will be poured. The containers are signed, filled with the following preparations:

• 1, 3, 4 - 1% sodium chloride;
• 2 - 70% alcohol.

Solutions are prepared immediately before use.

Specialist-inseminator, going to the pets, puts on:

• medical cap;
• medical gown;
• oilcloth apron;
• rubber boots;
• medical disposable mask.

Clothes must be washed and ironed, shoes clean.

Preparation for the process

Preparation for insemination by the visocervical method consists of several stages:

1. The catheter is washed 3 times in solutions No. 1, 3, 4. Placed on a sterile tissue.
2. The used liquid is poured into a jar.
3. Alcohol 2 sterilizes mirror and scissors. The mirror is also fired over an open flame.
4. The container with seminal fluid is depressurized with scissors. The contents are filled into the catheter.
5. Press on the plunger of the catheter, squeezing out the air.
6. The catheter is placed on the table so that the cannula looks up.
7. Wearing gloves for insemination, treat them with alcohol 2.
8. Before starting the procedure, wash the mirror again with solution No. 1. It shouldn't be cold.

The cow is also prepared for visocervical insemination, it is immobilized in the machine, the external genitalia are washed with warm water, treated with a solution of the Furacilin preparation, and thoroughly wiped.

Scheme of carrying out

Visocervical insemination of a cow is carried out as follows:

1. Spread the labia. Immerse a mirror into the vagina so that the handles diverge horizontally. The introduced tool is turned over so that the handles diverge vertically, open.
2. Find the cervix. The catheter is inserted into it to a depth of about 5 cm. The mirror is slightly shifted towards itself. By slowly pressing on the piston, seminal fluid is injected.
3. The catheter is taken out. The mirror is turned over horizontally, closed not completely, so as not to pinch the mucous tissues of the vagina, carefully pulled out.
4. The catheter is washed in liquid No. 1, then in alcohol No. 2. The inside of the catheter is filled with alcohol, so it is sent to a storage location.
5. The mirror is washed in a 3% warm solution of sodium bicarbonate, then in boiled water. Fired over an open flame.

When visocervical insemination of several cows at once, after each injection of semen, the catheter head is disinfected with a cotton swab moistened with 90% alcohol.

Features of keeping cows after insemination

After visocervical insemination, it is important to keep the cow's genitals clean. Inseminated females are kept separate from the rest of the herd, not subjected to stress. The stall must be clean and dry.

Feed the cow with normal food, but the portion should be larger than usual. After 2 weeks, the animal is reunited with the herd.

Signs of successful insemination

You can understand if a cow is pregnant after 10 days. A pregnant female drives a bull away from herself. If 25 days after visocervical insemination, estrus has not occurred, then after 9 months, offspring can be expected. 20 days after the visocervical procedure, pregnancy can be confirmed in a cow by laboratory means. Blood is taken from the pet to analyze the concentration of progesterone. An increased level of the hormone signals the onset of pregnancy.

A cow that does not conceive after 4 inseminations is sent to slaughter as her reproductive system is not functioning.

Possible errors and difficulties

Inexperienced inseminators should remember what mistakes should not be made in the process of visocervical insemination:

1. Ignoring hygiene rules. Work in dirty clothes and shoes.
2. Perform the procedure outside a specially equipped room, without observing sterility.
3. Use unsterilized instruments.
4. Touch catheter with fingers (veterinary glove lubricant destroys sperm).
5. Store sperm without freezing. Or periodically defrost it (this reduces the viability of spermatozoa).
6. Inadvertently insert the catheter, pointing it up 30 ° (this way you can bury yourself in the urethra).
7. To insert the catheter too deep (this can injure the wall of the uterus).
8. Inject seminal fluid into the vaginal pockets instead of the cervix (the inseminator must have a good knowledge of the anatomy of the reproductive organs of cattle).

Visocervical insemination of a cow is not an easy procedure, requiring knowledge and skills, the farmer should not carry it out on his own. Artificial insemination should be carried out by a veterinarian in equipped insemination stations.

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