Semen effects on insemination outcomes in sows.

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Reproductive Biology
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Artificial insemination (AI) in swine is crucial for genetic improvement.
• Semen quality parameters are known to affect reproductive outcomes.
• Optimizing AI protocols requires understanding specific semen characteristics influencing farrowing performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between various semen quality parameters and reproductive performance in sows.
• To identify specific sperm characteristics that influence litter size, number of piglets born alive, and stillbirth rates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of semen from 166 sires used for artificial insemination of 1205 sows.
• Evaluation of semen parameters including sperm concentration, motility, velocity, morphology (DIC microscopy), membrane integrity, sperm clump score, arrival temperature, and pH.
• Statistical analysis to determine the influence of semen parameters on farrowing outcomes.

Main Results:

• A higher percentage of normal sperm was significantly correlated with increased numbers of piglets born alive (P<0.01) and larger litter sizes (P<0.05).
• Abnormal sperm head morphology (P<0.05) and retained distal cytoplasmic droplets (P<0.01) negatively impacted litter size.
• Sperm flagellar beat cross frequency (P<0.05) and semen arrival temperature (P<0.05) were significant factors influencing the percentage of stillbirths.

Conclusions:

• Semen quality, particularly sperm morphology and integrity, is a critical determinant of successful swine reproduction.
• Specific semen parameters, such as sperm motility and temperature, directly affect farrowing outcomes, including stillbirth rates.
• These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing semen evaluation and AI strategies in commercial swine production.