Post-cervical compared with cervical insemination in gilts: Reproductive variable assessments

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Reproductive Biology
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Artificial insemination (AI) is crucial for efficient swine reproduction.
• Optimizing AI techniques in gilts can improve reproductive efficiency and reduce costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cervical artificial insemination (CAI) and post-cervical artificial insemination (PCAI) in gilts.
• Evaluate differences in incidence rates, reproductive variables, and procedure duration.

Main Methods:

• 644 gilts were randomly assigned to PCAI (n=320) or CAI (n=324) groups.
• A total of 957 (CAI) and 958 (PCAI) artificial inseminations were performed.
• Incidences of probe passage difficulty, backflow, metritis, bleeding, pregnancy, farrowing rates, and prolificacy were recorded.

Main Results:

• PCAI showed a lower semen backflow frequency (4.3%) compared to CAI (8.2%).
• The average AI duration was significantly shorter for PCAI (2.34 min) than CAI (4.77 min).
• Pregnancy diagnosis, farrowing rates, and prolificacy were similar across CAI, PCAI, and mixed groups.

Conclusions:

• Post-cervical artificial insemination (PCAI) is a viable and efficient alternative to CAI in gilts.
• PCAI reduces semen backflow and shortens insemination time without compromising reproductive outcomes.