Assessment of a new utero-tubal junction insemination device in dairy cattle.

A new artificial insemination device for semen deposition near the utero-tubal junction in cattle (Ghent device) has been developed at the Ghent University (Belgium). In this study, the effect of the new insemination device on sperm quality was evaluated. Moreover, in a field trial 4064 dairy cows were inseminated by 12 inseminators to examine the efficacy of the device under field conditions. The Ghent device is a disposable plastic catheter which can easily follow the curvature of the uterine horns and thus reach the utero-tubal junction (UTJ). After expulsion of the inseminate with 0.7 or 1.7 ml of air, 19.0% of the insemination dose remained in the insemination catheter. Sperm loss can be diminished to 9.0% of the original insemination dose when the insemination catheter is flushed with 0.1 ml of air, followed by 0.6 ml of physiological saline solution. No toxic effect of the insemination catheter on sperm quality or fertilizing capacity was found. In the field trial, sperm were inseminated in dairy cattle which were divided in three groups. The first group was inseminated in the uterine body with the conventional insemination device, the second group in the uterine body with the Ghent device, and the third group in the tip of both uterine horns with the Ghent device. Each insemination was performed with 10 x 10(6) to 15 x 10(6) frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The pregnancy rates (PRs) were significantly affected by the insemination technique (P = 0.02), by the inseminator (P = 0.01), by heifer or cow (P < 0.01), and by the insemination number (P < 0.01). Pregnancy rates obtained with the conventional insemination device (57.6%) were significantly better than those obtained with the Ghent device in the uterine body (52.7%) (P < 0.01), but did not differ significantly from those obtained after deep insemination into both uterine horns (53.8%) (P = 0.27). It can be concluded that the Ghent device is suitable for utero-tubal junction insemination of dairy cattle under field conditions. Whether the Ghent device is also suitable for insemination with lower insemination doses is at present under investigation.