Boar Semen Assessment for the Production of Artificial Insemination Doses

Assessment of boar semen quality for the production of artificial insemination (AI) doses must be reliable and fast. The primary aim is to identify unusable ejaculates in order to exclude them from semen processing. This chapter describes step-by-step procedures for evaluating boar semen in laboratories of AI centers. Semen evaluation methods include sensory assessment (color, viscosity, and odor), quantitative parameters (volume, sperm concentration), microscopy (motility, morphology), and computer-assisted semen analysis. Methodical details are outlined with the aim of achieving reliable analysis results and thus to ensure the production of high-quality semen portions.