ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN FARM ANIMALS - Phenix-Vet

Artificial Insemination in Dogs 53Potential benefits- Decrease stress, infectious deseasestransmission, travel expenses- Semen collection without interruption of themale activity (show or training)- Splitting of an ejaculate to bred more females- Reduction of the costs with maintenance of studdogs in a colony- Worldwide availability of the semen of a givendog- Allow early castration of working dogs whilemaintaining availability of their genes- Evaluation of semen quality prior to AI- Early detection of male reproductivepathologies- Semen preservation, so genetic material may beavailable in the future- Overcome problems associated with the refusalto breed (psychological or physical reasons,precocious ejaculation), inexperienced males- May overcome quarantine restrictionsTable 1. Main advantages and inconveniences for canine AI.Potential weakness- Induction of physical or psychologicaltrauma during the AI process- Risk of performing AI for inappropriatereasons- Failure in careful clinical examinationof the breeding animals- Potential risk for maintaining somedisorders in a particular genetic line(hip dysplasia or anatomicalabnormality of the reproductive tract)- Potential risk for introduction ofinherited diseases or abnormalities- Potential overuse of a given malewithin a programme or breed- May allow confusion of parentageFactorFemale-dependentMale-dependentAssociated to bothmale and femaleCause- Male rejection- Aggression- Congenital abnormalities (e.g. presence of a vaginal septum;genital tract strictures, small vulva and vagina)- Reduced libido (due to local or systemic diseases, age, deficientbreeding management, drugs)- Pain- Physical deficiency (such as inability to mount or to obtainpenile erection, lumbar muscle problems, congenitalabnormalities)- Inexperience- Male to female disproportion- Social and behavioural problems (dominant female, inversion ofthe social hierarchy)Table 2. Main causes for refusal of natural mating.The competence of the operator to perform the procedures is essential to avoid alltechnique-related ethical constraints to the use of AI in dogs. Before offering canine AIservices, practitioners ought to specialised themselves, acquiring profound knowledge ofthe reproductive physiology and pathology of the species and the skills to collect semen andto inseminate the female without risking animal health or welfare.