2016 Volume 69 Issue 7 Pages 383-388
To evaluate the effects of artificial insemination (AI) using sex-sorted semen on the sex of offspring and survival of Holstein dams, the medical records of Holstein dams (n=379,468) with AI history resulting in parturition and the medical records of their offspring were collected from 16 agricultural mutual aid associations in Hokkaido and examined. The proportion of females among the offspring that were conceived using sex-sorted semen (heifers 92.3%, cows 89.4%) was significantly higher than that of offspring conceived using conventional semen (heifers 49.1%, cows 45.4%, P＜0.01). The occurrence of stillbirths when cows were conceived using sex-sorted semen (6.1%) was significantly less than when conventional semen (7.7%, P＜0.01) was used. Heifers and cows that were impregnated through the use of sex-sorted semen had a significantly higher survival rate one-year after their parturition (P＜0.01) than the heifers and cows that were impregnated through the use of conventional semen. Results of this study indicate that AI using sex-sorted semen increases the proportion of female offspring and extends the life of the dam in dairy cattle.
