Australia: Improved AI for sheep is the aim of Queensland University research
Lamb
Meat
Australia
Published Jun 8, 2023
Tridge summary
UNIVERSITY of Queensland researchers are investigating ways to lift the low success rate of artificial insemination in sheep and increase its uptake...Read More
Original content
UNIVERSITY of Queensland researchers are investigating ways to lift the low success rate of artificial insemination in sheep and increase its uptake. Lecturer in Veterinary Reproduction at UQ’s School of Veterinary Science, Dr Taylor Pini, said artificial insemination of sheep was notoriously difficult, resulting in pregnancy rates below 30 per cent. Dr Pini said only about five percent of Australian sheep are bred using artificial insemination, compared to the Australian dairy industry that boasts rates of 85pc. “Unlike most domesticated species, we can’t achieve high pregnancy rates using frozen semen due to the peculiar anatomy of the sheep’s cervix,” Dr Pini said. “This research will specifically look at the biochemical interactions between previously frozen sperm and the cells within the sheep’s cervix. “If we figure out what’s going wrong in the normal physiological interaction, we hope to identify biological pathways to intervene and improve pregnancy success rates.” More ...
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